Sailing to the Dry Tortugas

We've got a good weather window for the next five days, winds out of the north/northeast (we'll be sailing south/southwest) at 10-15 knots.  Perfect sailing, hopefully the in-laws will fair well this trip.  Since we are casting off tomorrow, we had lots of projects to do today...

We opened up the aft berth, to fill the additional water
tanks.  We are now carrying 100 gallons.  That should
do us for 4-5 days.  Willis has to "help" any time we
open up a hatch...such a big help.

Donnie used Dave's workshop here at Banana Bay to build a screen
panel for the companionway.  It works great; to help keep the
critters out, and to keep a Willis in!  It fit perfectly and is made of teak.

I spent the day cleaning, grocery shopping, meal planning, provisioning,
paying bills, mailing letters, cleaning 'house', stowing stuff for travelling
and so on...got the bed all made up for Mamaw and Paps.  They are
staying on the boat tonight, as we have a 5:30am cast off.

We had a special evening planned for our farewell dinner.  I bought
some Tbone steaks, and we had six lobster tails, that the boys
threw on the grill.  It was surf and turf tonight!

Danny was in charge of the grill- look out!

While Danny cooked, Donnie charted our course.

Isn't Danny's bride, Biddi, looking lovely?

The occasion was to also celebrate their 44th wedding anniversary :)

What a feast!

Not much of a sunset this evening, looks like weather in Key West.
Hope it all passes through before we head that way tomorrow! 

So, Mamaw and Paps have just arrived to get all moved in and settled.  We're casting off at 5:30am. Just so y'all know, we will be out of communication for the next several days.  I will have no internet, and will lose my cell once we are more than five miles offshore.  I'll be taking lots of pictures and will fill y'all in when we
get back to Banana Bay.  Here's to fair winds and following seas for both us, and Dan and Biddi, as we go our separate ways...for now.  Happy 44th Anniversay, you two!