Moving Day :(

Got up and got moving early today, as we had to take Marquesa over to the canal behind Dave & Diane's house.  I'll let the pictures do the talking...

We both had our sad faces on just before we cast off :(

The view of Banana Bay from the Gulf. The red channel markers
are just to the left.  The marina is nearly empty now.

Our last view of the Seven Mile Bridge.

The approach, passing through from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.

GOING UNDER!!!

Plenty of room as the tide was low. 67' of clearance.

Past Burdine's (our favorite place for a burger and fries), through the
old draw bridge (that now remains permanently open), up Sister's
Creek and in to Boot Key Harbor.

And wouldn't you know, just as we passed through the bridge, there
was a momma and baby dolphin to bid us farewell.  The baby
must have been nursing, as the momma breeched and rolled
the baby end over end across her back.  It was cute to see
the little one's tail flipping in the water :) This is momma's dorsal fin.

The view of Boot Key Harbor. More than half the boats are gone from
here, too.  The fulltime cruisers are now on the move.  Look at all the empty
mooring balls.  Cruisers from all over the world spend the winter here. 
It is a very popular harbor in all the boating and sailing magazines.
The place was packed this year. Every ball was taken, and boats were
anchored on the sides of the channel and in the creeks.

A look up Whiskey Creek where we take the dinghy through the
mangroves.  There are two geocaches hidden way back there!

Past the house on the corner that takes you out to Sombrero Beach
or further up into the canals where Marquesa will be staying. 

Past the osprey nest by the radio towers.

I was in the bow pulpit looking back at Donnie and
Dave in the cockpit as we motored through the canals.

This is the home that sits on the corner, marking the canal where
Dave & Diane, Bryan and Polly, and Kenny and Fran all live.

The robin's egg blue home on the left and the first boat is Bryan
and Polly's.  The mint green home and second boat is Dave and
Diane's.  The yellow house next to them is the dock where Marquesa
will make her summer and fall home.  The canal is a good hurricane hole.
Capt. Donnie pulled in, turned her around, and docked her like a pro :)

After lunch, Donnie and Willis were enjoying a
quick catnap in the air conditioning.  My Lord,
is it ever hot today...and humid. Summer is here.

All of Donnie's jobs required him to work in the hot sun.  Here the
dinghy is getting broke down.  You should have seen the barnacles
he scraped off the bottom...in just three month's time in the saltwater.

I definitely got the better end of the deal.  At least I was working in the
air conditioning.  I defrosted the fridge and freezer, bleached every
cupboard, shelf, walls, etc.  I packed all of our clothes, remaining
food, medicines, papers, books and such, and loaded up the Jeep.
Willis was hard at work, too; supervising me.

Here's a bare naked Marquesa.  Sails are off, bimini and dodger
are off, rails are off, and the wind generator had yet to come off.
I think she looks sad, too.

Naturally we worked up until hard dark.  The
last project was taking the wind generator down.
We need to send it to the manufacturer to
get serviced before next season.

Dave and Diane helped us clear out some of our food for supper.  Donnie grilled the last of our brats. Showers never felt better...and bed is going to feel good too.  All that's left is to sweep the floor in the morning, take out the trash, store the bikes and cockpit cushions down below, and lock her up.  Bryan and Dave will be keeping an eye on her.  In the event of a hurricane, she will be moved to the center of the canal and cross tied with lots and lots of line.  I pray it is a relatively storm-free summer and fall here in the Keys. 

I do not look forward to the ride home.  We hope to make Valdosta, GA by tomorrow evening, and back home to Middletown, IN, by Monday evening.  Pray for traveling mercies...G'Nite all.