The wind has been howling the last two days. Just 20 kn, but the sound it makes in the rigging of all the sailboats is melancholy and unsettling.
i’m glad we’re safely tucked into a marina and not on the anchor. I don’t think I could sleep all night, worrying that the anchor would drag.
The days have been lovely, in the high 70s, but this wind is unnerving.

Last night, a HUGE 75′ Hatteras rolled in with an AMAZING sound system. Usually, that kind of thing would annoy me, curmudgeon that I am. But they had the best dance playlist ever: The Bird is the Word, YMCA.

The wife of the owner, Trumpers from Texas, was so much fun, it was contagious. You get it. Fun ensued. EVERYONE dancing to YMCA.

Unfortunately, the woman who was taping it all never sent me the videos.

Probably just as well.

I cannot believe the size of the boats they are wedging into these slips. So far only one collision – no damage done.

Yesterday, we took a run out to Boca Grande Key, about an hour from Key West. My friends Steve, Samantha, and Brittney came along with me and Guinness the Wonder Dog.

NOAA predicted 20-knot wind with 2-3 foot seas. A lot like Buzzard’s Bay, so we knew the boat could take it.

Turns out, we had a beautiful run with moderate seas and the wind behind us.

Boca Grande Key is uninhabited, undeveloped and beautiful.

We walked, we swam, we explored.

Not many shells, but we did find a living conch in the shallows and a some columnar sponges that had washed up on the beach

Going home was dicey: we took a route recommended by a local, but there was very little water under the keel. An anxiety-ridden two hours home, but all ended well. No trauma. Just drama.

I HATE putting the boat at risk. I’m afraid I got rather drunk last night. Shocker.

I told you that Guinness has been chasing the chickens. He may or may not have caught (and killed) three. Or four. I admit nothing. He is now definitely on the leash when we are near chickens.

His new passion is Iguanas. They are about 3′ long, and they sun themselves on a jetty that protects Key west Bight. Here is Guinness, checking them out from the landward side – he’s looking out toward the jetty.

And of course he jumped off the rocks and swam to the jetty. Here he is, wandering the rocks to ferret them out. He was out there almost 40 minutes, totally oblivious to voice commands, totally focused on the hunt.

All good, except that Cyndi, the Dockmaster, tells me that there are three resident Bull Sharks that would eat him like a Hershey’s Kiss. Fortunately, they haven’t been around the last few months.

He finally got tired and swam back.

What a character! He makes life interesting.

We are starting to enjoy the same experience we had in Nantucket. As we walk around the island, people I don’t even remember are saying, “Hi Guinness!”. He makes friends wherever he goes.

There is another boat in the marina named Freedom. The one that is NOT mine is 155′ long. It’s hard to get a sense of scale in this photograph, but she is a seriously big boat.

Freedom tows a 40′ boat behind her, to act as her tender. Amazing…her tender is 25% longer than my boat. I have a nice boat, but being with these huge yachts is truly humbling.

Anyway, here’s the kindness part: the large Freedom is owned by a lovely patrician couple from Newport. Both of them trim and handsome. Ditto for the couple who serve as their captain and crew, who are also attractive and fit. Guinness plays every day with the owner’s dog Moose, and the dogs really get along well.

On Christmas Day, about 3PM, the woman who owns the yacht sent over a complete Christmas dinner for me to enjoy. All home-cooked by her crew. The turkey was tender and moist, the beans were cooked perfectly, the rolls were melt-in-your mouth fresh, and the gravy tasted of sage and fennel. Wow! When I thanked them, they just said “We enjoy doing things like that.”

Then yesterday evening, the lovely young couple next door invited me over for Chinese take-out. Perfect!

They are planning to sail around the world with the baby!

All in all, an amazing Christmas Day.

Today – Christmas Day – I decided it would be a nice, quiet day to visit the Hemingway Home and Museum.

Here’s some background (and some photos) I purloined from Wikipedia…

The residence was constructed in 1851 in a French Colonial style by wealthy marine architect and salvager Asa Tift.

Incidentally, at the time, salvagers were the wealthiest people in Key West, and salvaging made Key West the wealthiest city in the US (on a per capita basis).

From 1931 to 1939, the house was inhabited by Hemingway and his wife Pauline Pfeiffer. They restored the decaying property and made several additions. During his time at the home, Hemingway wrote some of his best received works, including the non-fiction work Green Hills of Africa (1935), the 1936 short stories “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber“, and the novels To Have And Have Not(1937) and Islands in the Stream (1970).^[

If you note the late publication date for Islands in the Stream, it’s because the manuscript was discovered in the house after Hemingway’s death.

Here’s a shot of Ernest and Pauline that I found online. It looks like fun.

In 1939, Hemingway moved to Cuba.

After their divorce and Hemingway’s suicide, the house was auctioned off and subsequently converted into a private museum in 1964. On November 24, 1968, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

As I walked home, I passed Sloppy Joe’s Bar, Hemingway’s favorite saloon in Key West. Hemingway and Joe Russell were friends and fishing buddies for more than 12 years.

So, of course I stopped in for a beer. And of course the bartender was from Annapolis. (12 noon on Christmas Day, and the place was packed.) I love Key West.

I’d like to begin my Christmas post with thanks to all of you for your comments on the blog, as well as your emails and texts.

I don’t respond to the comments for technical reasons – the program makes me log in every time, and it is a needlessly hinky process.

But I read every one, and I appreciate them all.

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I’m glad we decided to stay in Key West for a month.  It’s given me a chance to relax, catch up on some deferred maintenance, and simply enjoy the weather.

There’s a cold front coming in tonight, however – it’s supposed to be the coldest weather Key West can expect this winter – Christmas Day will be a high of 65 and a low of 54, and blowing 30 knots from the north..  Not bad by Pennsylvania standards, but a big change for Key West, where it has been mid-70’s every day.

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Colder weather notwithstanding, I have to say that there’s something “off “about listening to the radio station playing “Frosty the Snowman” in Key West. It’s just wrong for so many reasons! A creche would look more appropriate amidst the palm trees…kind of like Bethlehem looked.

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Anyway, it’s still Christmas.  Like many of you, I’m planning to go to church tonight – a beautiful church called The Basilica of St. Mary of the Sea.  We passed it on one of our walks around Key West.

I am thinking of and praying for every one of you.  And I am wishing you a Blessed Christmas and a happy and HEALTHY and BETTER New Year.

Merry Christmas from me and Guinness! WOW, I still look exhausted!

I’m taking advantage of a quiet day to post more photos of the Dry Tortugas.

As you recall, we left at 7 AM:

It was a 3-1/2 hour run out to the Dry Tortugas. Mostly out of sight of land. You pretty much leave Key West and keep heading west for another 68 miles.

It’s incredible sight – a brick fort built almost 70 miles west of Key West – absolutely in the middle of nowhere. Here’s how it looks as it begins to take shape on the horizon:

Here from 1 mile away.

Here’s a drone shot I copied off a poster:

Wikipedia tells me it is the largest brick masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere,^[4][5] and is composed of more than 16 million bricks. Crazy.

The appeal for us was more the outing than the fort. Beautiful beaches, clear water, lots of conch shells…some of them huge:

We did some snorkeling and some swimming. Saw a cuttlefish…fish real one I’ve ever seen:

A helluva day at sea! Beautiful conditions, crystal clear waters. Guinness ran on the beach; we walked and snorkeled. Saw a 7′ Goliath Grouper. Right under the boat. It swam up and opened its mouth, as though it were looking to be fed. I held tight to Guinness’ float coat!

Some folks come by seaplane; some by ferry. That’s Freedom at anchor; we came ashore in the dinghy.

Here’s a secret selfie that Jane took, while I was relaxing and Steve was at the wheel.

Back at Key West by 6PM. Just in time for sunset!

With Christmas quickly approaching, we’re almost halfway into the trip.  Perhaps it’s time for introspection…

So, this post is going to be more personal reflection and less travelogue.   I‘ve been thinking about it for some time, and I hesitated about publishing it; but I’ve decided to go ahead and put it out there.

I have to admit that – at the beginning – I wasn’t sure where this voyage was headed.  Something was compelling me to go, but at times, I felt like I was sailing into a void.  

I was concerned that I could slide into abject dissolution, and that they’d find me lying in a gutter next to some bar in Key West.  I have been known in the past to exhibit a certain predilection for self-abuse.

On the other hand, I could come back sober and in the best shape of my life.

Or it’s possible, I suppose, that I may not come back at all… As Jimmy Buffet famously said: “Where it all ends, I can’t fathom my friends.  If I knew, I might throw out my anchor.” 

One of you – I forget who – said that I am the poster boy for “life goes on.”  I suppose it’s true, to a certain extent.  And I’m grateful to my family and my friends and my therapists, all of whom helped me move on.  Some of you (you know who you are) were friends AND therapists.

Above all, though: I HAD TO move on.  After Cathy’s death, the things that had once seemed important, no longer felt that way.  My career.  My home.  I just didn’t care about them anymore.

So – with apologies to Van Morrison – at times, this felt like a trip “Into the Mystic”:

• I’m not sure WHERE we’re going
• I’m not sure WHY we’re going
• I’m not sure WHEN we’re going to get there
• I’m not even sure if we’re coming back

With the passage of time, however, I definitely feel a sense of purpose.  It stuck me in Brunswick, GA – after the prop was successfully repaired – that I was excited to go back to the place where I made a mistake and do it over correctly.  And move on.  Get to the next port of call.  A new destination every day.  

Clearly, I must also recognize that this journey is a reflection of my own approach to life: I have ALWAYS needed a plan.  I have always needed to know where I am headed.  And I am very discontented with complacency.  I have always needed a new challenge.  Just look at my career path:  I liked to apply my skills to new categories and channels.  Food was fun, what about cosmetics?  Domestic business was fun, what about international?  OK, that was fun.  What about Mergers and Acquisitions? What about start-ups? What else sounds interesting?”  A year to figure out the new business; a year to fix it; and a year to enjoy it.  Then a new challenge.  I once told Cathy that I wanted these words inscribed on my tombstone: “What’s Next?”

And – of course – this is a voyage of healing.  I think about Cathy every day.  But not constantly – the navigating consumes almost all my attention.  But I think of her frequently every day.  And every time I do, I say a prayer for her happiness. And for her forgiveness.

I began this trip full of regrets about the things I didn’t say to Cathy.  And the things I didn’t do.  And – yes – the things I shouldn’t have done or said.

But with time and distance – if you’re lucky – you come to a more balanced view of the amazing life you had together.  

I know she was a gift.  God put her in my path for a reason.

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But let’s move away from the metaphysical…

It’s also just a great trip.  I am 76 years old, and I am doing something I always wanted to do.  Cruise the ICW.  I don’t know how many good years I have left.  5? 10?  But I am still healthy – body and mind.  

And you know our motto here at camp:  Clean Mind.  Clean Body.  

Take Your Pick

[Thank you, Alan Sherman]

The good news is: I’m certainly glad I did it. The sense of accomplishment; the independence that comes from being literally in charge of my own voyage; the sheer pleasure of clear aqua waters and warm breezes.

I’m so happy to know that – no matter how this ends – I will look back with gratitude having done it, rather than looking back with regret and wishing I HAD done it.

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On a side note, I’ve decided not to go to the Bahamas this year.  The issue revolves around Guinness: they are experiencing a screwworm epidemic; infected dogs are just put down.  The risk of his being quarantined when we return is increased. The risks are simply not worth the reward.

So I’m now thinking we’ll be home in March.  If our luck holds.

Many more miles to go…many more adventures lie ahead.  Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.  You are ALL in mine.

Here’s a photo of Freedom with a “Christmas Tree” of lights.

Since then, I’ve lit the running lights, so I have a “Christmas Star” at the top of the tree. As you can see, my dock mates have also decorated their boats. This was the last warm day. Since then, we’ve had 65 degrees with cold winds from the north. Expected to continue next week. Good days for maintenance projects.

I’d like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season. Let’s be grateful for the people in our lives. Present and departed. Merry Christmas!