Starting North 2021

We got started north this year a little earlier than planned, and then we stopped. Windy weather was coming and it would be from an uncomfortable direction to be on the ocean off of Marathon. We were not going offshore very far this year, only to the Channel 5 bridge and back to the ICW. This was because of a scheduled appointment in Miami, my every-two-months immunotherapy Retuxin. So we left early and then waited. Our passage on the ocean was okay, not great, not bad. Then the breeze picked up but on the stern, so no problem. We anchored in Tarpon Basin off the ICW in Key Largo. And waited. The wind came up. It went down. It changed directions. It came up, again. Then it really got windy. And we waited. Did I mention it got windy? Really windy? After five nights we moved a little closer to Miami. We anchored in a little bight in northeast Barnes Sound off North Key Largo. The Sounds were fairly rough but our anchorage was in the lee of the Key so it was not bad. We even had company. This area is kind of near where Card Sound Rd. turns sharp right to head to Key Largo. Near Ocean Reef Club. We could smell the money in the air. After that stop we headed to Miami. Biscayne Bay wasn't too rough as long as we were in the lee of Key Largo and Elliot Key. Once we got past there and had exposure to the east it got choppier but the angle of the winds and seas changed enough so that we were not bashing directly into the two foot waves. Not too terrible. When we got into the lee of Key Biscayne it got much better. Unfortunately No Name Harbor was full and the anchorage outside had too many boats, also. We headed to a new spot to us, Marine Stadium at Virginia Key. A lot of boats in there but very roomy with protection from the winds that were still blowing over 20. Great view of Miami and recomended by our friends on Gelato.

. This photo is not the reason Carol may not be convinced to return there. There is a lot of noisy partying. Most of the night. And not exactly our music. There are a lot of jet ski and other powerboat wakes, too. We had to stay several more nights after my doctor visit due to the north winds continuing to blow strongly. Speaking of doctor visits... I have not talked too much (I hope) about my health conditions lately. There has been no reason as things have continued to go well. This visit confirmed this. My CT scan results were very good and my blood seems almost like human blood. Values that are still out of range are getting closer to normal. All good. Remission seems to continue. Yay! Worth mentioning were a couple of people encounters during my medical day. I mentioned very early in my cancer journey the people I met while getting chemo or met out in a waiting room before our treatments. Sometimes it was while they waited for an update on their condition from their oncologist. While having different conditions or being in different stages of our journeys we all had something in common. We were all part of a not-so-exclusive club (unfortunately) that no one wanted to join but outsiders could never, no matter how sympathetic, quite understand what it was like to be in such a club. A woman, a few years older than me, attempted to sit near me (properly dustanced) but sat on a low table instead. She figured it out quickly and laughed at herself and then started a conversation. As I said, this happens a lot in our club. We exchanged diagnoses (a different lymphoma), treatments, current status, common conditions, opinions about the doctors and nurses, and some life experiences. We also just laughed with each other. Had fun. Instantaneous friends. I cannot think of that happening in any other situation I was ever in. I may never see her again. Maybe I will. She just joins a list of people I've encountered, since I joined the club, that I am unlikely to ever forget even as I've forgotten their names. As I said, we talked about the staff we encountered at the Sylvester/Lennar Center and she told me of her treatment at another facility. Because I get treatment in Hartford as well as Miami I have experienced different systems, styles, facility set-ups and personnel. I have found some things in common: the commitment, caring, competence and dedication of the nurses, technicians, receptionists and support staff is amazing. Beyond the call of duty. More than just a job, it is a calling, I think, even for the lower paid support staff. Of course, the patient spends most of his/her time with the nurses. So far I have had eight infusions at one facility and nine at the other. And when I leave one place it's six or seven months before I come back. The nurses and staff always remember me. Always know my situation and lifestyle. Always engage in meaningful conversations that show they didn't just check my chart for the info. And I see this with their other patients, too. We have different cancers, are in different stages, have different life situations and are given the care and support each are in need of. It is amazing. No bad days are evident to the patient. I do not know how it's done and I know a nurse or two. Really know one, of course. As many of us became aware of care giver sacrifices during this pandemic, what I've seen through my journey is multiple levels beyond that. No disrespect intended. All the thanks I see various patients give to their nurses barely scratch the surface of what is deserved. I'm sure a bit more in their paychecks would be appreciated, too. I know people not in the club don't have much reason to give this subject much thought but it's never the wrong time to just say, "Thanks!" As I post this we about to restart our passages north from Miami. We had slightly unusual days since Marathon and my medical encounters were worth mentioning so I've posted this long before our planned stop in Annapolis which is still my next planned posting. Again.

Rickenbacker-Powel Bridge, Virginia Key to Miami.

Marine Stadium. Long out of use.

Hurricane bent trees on Virginia Key. Yielding to outside forces but growing anyway.

Marathon stay ends

     We are just a few days away from starting north and leaving Marathon. I usually do an enroute update once we get to Annapolis. We'll see. 

     After my mid-winter update blog entry we really haven't had very much happen. No adventures. We like no adventures. A lot. I mentioned learning to play pickleball in December. I played twice per week with the occasional third time. A lot of fun. And addicting. We had a tournament amongst us all and I was doing well. Until. I tried too hard to rush the net and I pulled a calf muscle. Ouch. Very painful. I had to skip some playing days, wrap it with an ace bandage and then I limped a bit for a week. Getting old.  Getting old hurts. Sigh. I also played softball a few times. I used to play a lot pre-lymphoma. It seems I get more soreness and strains playing softball. Sticking with pickleball. 

     In January I got a message from the University of Miami health system asking if I wanted the Moderna version of the Covid vaccine. We said yes but had to rent a car to drive to Coral Gables (130 miles) to get it. It was very organized and a quick in and out with only minor side-effects, arm soreness and a slight out-of-sorts feeling for a half of the next day. One month later (February) I got the second shot. This one had worse (but more locallized) arm pain and I slept the entire next day while feeling totally out of it. One day. Acceptable. I also combined that trip to the mainland with my every-six-months CT scan. After effects of the barium drink and the radioactive iodine injection may have contributed to how out of it I felt the next day, not just the vaccine. I also spent a good portion of our BJs shopping stop on the way home in the rest room. Figure that out yourself. BTW: CT scan results: very good. 

     In January while doing some underwater boat maintenance I encountered a very large Black Grouper. These are a bit smaller than Goliath Grouper but it still was at least three feet long, probably 3 1/2 feet. About 1 1/2 feet high, too. Big. I was able to touch it with my scraping tool without him reacting much. I was NOT going to use my fingers! I'm rather attached to them. And want them to stay that way. When I touched his tail he had enough and wandered off. At his size he probably does not have predators to worry about, least of all me. I was not quite as unimpressed as he was. 

     A few times since January we had the chance to meet up with Gwyn, formerly of the catamaran 'Ala'. Carol started to join in playing Mah-Jongg with her and others once a week. Too complicated a game for me. And little chance of getting injured. What's the fun in that? 

My new friend, Casey. 

     We are leaving a few days sooner than we wanted to so we (we hope) beat some sporty weather that is coming. Sound familiar? Yep. Once we get to the Miami area we have to wait a bit to go to my every two months injection appointment. After that the weather is forecast to be okay for a while. Forecast. We'll see. So far out it is more like a weather guess, not a forecast. As we start north we have no work schedule or appointments (after Miami) for the first time in many years. It'll be nice to have a relaxing cruise. We'll see if that actually happens.

     We had a surprisingly good time here in Marathon this winter season. Some social activities were cancelled and we skipped a couple due to our Covid precautions but we were still involved with the community, played some sports and got some time walking the hammock at Crane Point. We also attended a wedding on the bow of a boat while we watched from our dinghy (see top photo). Winter here was way better, and safer, than we thought it was going to be. Our lifestyle and retirement income keeps us mostly safe and comfortable. What else is there?

 

   

     

 

Winter (2020-2021) in Marathon

      We started our winter in Marathon with a bit of an adventure. Hate those. My last post mentioned that we had hustled to our winter home to beat forecast unsettled weather and unsettled weather we had. Very unsettled. A day after we arrived the wind started blowing. And blowing. And blowing. Not a gentle breeze but consistently above 20kts and sometimes in the 30s. Or more. This wind was accompanied by the occassional deluge but we were able to go ashore to get groceries, pay bills and get a feel for the community with Covid-19 affecting all of us. Not too many seasonal boaters had arrived when the weather changed. For the worse. After a little more than a week of mostly nasty, windy weather, it got worse. A Tropical Storm that had hit Honduras bounced off of it, came back into the Gulf of Mexico/Carribean Sea, went under Cuba and turned north for the Florida Keys. T.S. Eta crossed over Cuba and steered right for us. Steered may not be the correct term because the forecast track constantly changed. Sometimes from hour to hour. It was going to pass south and west of Key West, it was coming right at the middle Keys (us), it was going well east of us to the Key Largo/mainland area and it cycled through these potential landfalls several times. From west to east. From east to west. The forecast windspeeds also varied a lot. We decided we would secure the boat as best we could and leave it to go ashore during the worst of it. Then we decided it wasn't going to come that close to us or with too strong of winds so we would stay aboard. Finally at the last minute when the forecast was for a direct hit on us with 60kt winds we made the run to a shoreside hotel. This was less than 10 hours before the hit was to come. 

     The forecast called for arrival at 1500 on Monday. Then 0300 on Monday, a big difference. It actually hit at Lower Matecumbe Key about 2200 on Sunday. The storm made a last minute jog east and had an increase in forward speed. This meant we were not in the dangerous semi-circle as forecast but on the slightly less windy side. We were actually within the circulation so the nastier bands were way to the north on mainland Florida. We had been hit by those bands of heavy winds and rains on Sunday and even Saturday so we did not miss out on the fun. Our hotel was pretty nice and it was well insulated from outside noise but I still heard the wind hit us at 2200 (10pm). Late Monday morning I walked back to the marina and even though it was rough and squally, I could see that the boat seemed to come through the storm fine. We stayed two nights at the hotel, mainly because we had paid for two nights due to the forecast. Worst that happened is the cable went out for about ten hours of those two days. Once back to the boat the wind continued in the upper 20s with higher gusts for another three days before we got a two day break. After the break was over the wind started again with two cold fronts. Near gale conditions (not quite) at times but mostly upper 20s again with significant gusts. These are not particularly dangerous or uncomfortable conditions in the harbor but the dinghy rides can be pretty wet. 

     During this breezy time we rented a car to drive to Miami for my doctor visit and maintenance Rutuxin. What a disaster!!@#!! Enroute they called me with a re-schedule for the injection. I went a little nuts with them over the phone, insisting on the planned actions happening that day. It takes almost three hours to drive up there and I was not going to make another trip due to their incompetence. For some reason my blood pressure was a little high when they took my vitals. They also messed up how I would get the medication. It was supposed to be a 10 minute injection but instead I got a 3 hour infusion. Infusions are fine but I was expecting to be out of there in minutes not hours. Plus Carol could not be with me and had to wait in the car all that time. Not fun. Besides raising my BP everything else was great. Some of my blood values were in normal range for the first time in more than a year and some others were very close to normal. I continue to make improvements almost six months after ending chemo so that's good. This maintenance regimen is to keep me in remission and/or improving into the future. I just hope they don't keep trying to kill me with aggravation.  

     After that came Thanksgiving. There was no big Thanksgiving Pot-Luck this year for obvious reasons. We usually have around 150 people in close quarters so that was out. We had dinner alone but did have an hour Zoom chat with Cobbe, daughter and SIL. That was good.

After that holiday we started preparing for the next. I started up an auction on the VHF radio net in the morning. Collected books and other items to remote auction to raise money to buy bikes for local kids in need for Christmas. I've been involved in this auction in one form or another for around five years and this one went well, too. We raised about $1000. and with the money people contributed directly to the fund the marina staff purchased all the bikes WalMart had in southern Florida. Some of the older kids in the area will have to wait for delivery after Christmas but we do have the funds to buy the bikes when available. Nice to have played a small part in this. 

     In this time frame I was asked to substitute for a net controller on our morning VHF marine radio chat when he was away. This led to another net controller pushing me to volunteer to replace himself as a controller once a week. Sigh. So now I'm a net controller. What's that? Every morning the cruisers listen to VHF Channel 68 at 0900 to get information on activities, request help with problems, buy or sell stuff they need/want and also have some fun with trivia questions. A controller is needed to keep this organized and running smoothly. Otherwise it is chaos and no one can be heard when everyone tries to talk at once. Controllers take one day a week each. This is pretty common in boating communities but ours is one of the largest of this type. There are other radio communication methods that are even worldwide but this is just local communication. You get recognition from other boaters for doing this. And complaints. Normal. Sigh. Again. 

     I have not been able to volunteer at Crane Point because my tour guiding is not yet allowed but we've been going there for a walk every week or so. I started playing pickleball with the other cruisers. It is a slight risk for catching Covid because of people together unmasked but you are generally six or more feet apart while playing even though you are breathing somewhat heavily. I mask during breaks. It's a risk. We'll see. Like tennis 40 years ago, I am barely average. Luckily most everyone else is fairly old, too. Getting a minor ankle sprain my third time out should have been expected, I suppose. Played through it but it stiffened up pretty badly later that day. Fortunately, only a one day issue. 

     In the 'everything always breaks' category, I had to replace a spun prop on our outboard motor as well as its carburetor. Purrs like a kitten. Again. A spun prop is when the propeller slips internally and doesn't provide thrust. Not good. 

          Before Christmas this little fellow, Grogu, showed up. Many people who saw the videos and photos we posted believed he was really here and not a projection. Hmmm.

     One last disaster before I post this mid-winter update: Carol bought a new, very expensive sail cover from Bacon Sails in Annapolis. A major struggle to install it. And it doesn't fit. Grrrr. 😡🤬 

    Next up... another drive to Miami for checking blood and other maintenance.  

     

Passages to Marathon 2020

     This posting is about our 2020 passages to our winter home in Marathon. No need to mention my health situation except to say I will soon get a maintenance injection of Retuxin in the hopes of maintaining my current remission. That's it. Only mention. Immunotherapy, not chemo. Everything else is about our trip to the Florida Keys. 

     We left Annapolis after a week on a City mooring. We had someone come out to the boat to measure our boom for a new sail cover and then we left town. We only went a few miles to anchor up the Rhode River because we left much later than our normal time. But, but, but, what about isolation and Covid? Believe me, we are well aware of the need to protect ourselves. Me especially. Our visitor wore a mask as did we. He only was on deck, not even coming into the cockpit. I was a little close to him in the dinghy. We do the best we can. 

     After we restarted south we went to the Solomons area. After fueling we went a little farther up Mill Creek than we usually do. The spot we wanted had three boats and our usual spot wasn't ideal for the predicted wind direction and speed. It was a nice, protected spot. Maybe we'll go there in the future, too. We had a dilemma while in the Solomons. It was predicted to be Small Craft Warnings the next day but not until 1100. This meant we could probably get south of the warning area before the warnings started. Probably. The warning area was the Potomac River and north on the Chesapeake Bay.  That was three hours south of our anchorage and started four hours after our normal departure. A little close. It was going to be mostly calm before the warning started. Should we leave in the good conditions and hope to get south of the impacted area before it got bad? Should we stay put because the next day would have lighter winds and from a much better direction? Trust the forecast for wind arrival? Tempt fate by not going when it's nice? Will we get future bad weather because we didn't go in the early morning good conditions? Tempt fate by going into known afternoon risky conditions when it is quite nice in the morning and for half the passage? What to do??? Any guesses?

     We stayed put. Did a couple of minor projects and sat in beautiful, calm conditions. The wind did pick up quite a bit later in the morning. The trees were swaying semi-violently but we would have almost out of the area when the wind started. Oh, well. Getting old. Making choices based on comfort. 

     When we left the next day Small Craft Advisories had been extended but started at Drum Pt. and north. We were at Drum Pt. Leaving the Solomons area was a little rolly with seas up to two feet on the beam. Not terrible and once we got out in the Bay and turned south all was fine. Seas were on the stern and faded through the day. Crossing the Potomac River was okay. We've had it bad there. Not this day. We ended up in Jackson Creek, Deltaville, VA. in our usual spot. Then we went south out of the Chesapeake. Conditions were pretty calm and when we entered Hampton Roads we had a lot of military traffic including a small aircraft carrier, a LHD: the USS Bataan. Plenty of traffic was on the VHF and we had several overhead passes of surveillance aircraft as we passed the Naval Base. We tied up in Portsmouth at the High Street Landing free dock. Someone came by to hand us the rules and tell us when we could ignore them. Nice. On our walk most were masked and very friendly. Only one (well dressed) couple asked us for money. We passed. 

     We left a little later than normal because of bridge opening schedules and still were held up by railroad traffic at the Gilmerton (road) Lift Bridge. We made (a little late) it to the 0930 locking at Great Bridge, Chesapeake. VA. After fueling at AYB we tied up at the free south Battlefield Park dock. Rain was forecast for at least two days but it was light at the times we walked to the grocery store. When I needed to go up the mast to take down our navigation lights (anchor and tricolor) and our Windex, we did it early on the second day before the rain started. While at the dock we met a friend of Sue and Al (Gelato) and chatted with him quite a while. We also chatted with another catamaran couple and offered appreciated advice. I note the appreciation because I'm not all that used to it. We also went to the Battlefield Museum that is in the Park. It was a long time coming and this was the first time we found it open. It was an interesting history tour in a very small museum. Only took us about 45 minutes to go through it. And we read everything. And chatted with the docent. We had previously read all the signs in the park about the battle and knew a fair amount about it but it was still worth the $5 admission fee. The battle in 1775 changed the course of the Revolutionary War before it really got started. 

     There was a chance we'd have to stay three nights at Great Bridge but the predicted thunderstorms were delayed. We got underway and got to an isolated anchorage (Broad Creek) a little north of Albemarle Sound before the sky turned black. The storms missed us and it stayed warm enough to swim and shower. At night it got very weird. I got up for a pit stop and heard strange noises outside. It was like the whirring of the wind generator (no wind) or a pump running. I went out to check it out and quickly dived back inside. The were a few mosquitoes and at least a million (no exaggeration) midges. The underside of the cockpit hardtop was black with bugs. The under-canvass forward shelf was inundated. It was really gross. And a little scary. A few of the little bastards got in the boat but quickly got swatted. The next morning proved to even more gross. I sprayed and the ones not already dead soon were. The cleanup took hours. People on the VHF and Facebook were talking about the experiences they had with the bugs. Boats several miles around us had similar experiences. If we had a million bugs (easily), how many were there to invade the other boats, too? I will remember the sound forever. 

     The next day crossing Albemarle Sound and going down the Alligator River was uneventful (that's good) if slightly choppier than forecast. After a Belhaven stop, the Pamlico and Neuse crossing was the same: uneventful and slightly choppier than forecast. We'll take it. We've had horrid days here. Cedar Creek off of Adams Creek was pretty and restful. Our only change in routine was a brief stop along the way at the R. E. Mayo docks for shrimp. Delish! 

     From Cedar Creek we went to Mile Hammock, the anchorage basin at Camp Le Jeune. We paused for fuel at Casper's Marina. The marine base was quiet. Until about 9pm when several helicopter or Osprey landings were made. Very noisy but that is to be expected. It did not last as long as some others have in the past. Then we passed by Wrightsville Beach and headed to Carolina Beach and a municipal mooring. $20/night. Got a little rain  shower but really got lucky because the sky turned black a few times with storms coming very close but just missing us. We stayed two nights and did some minor grocery shopping. We also went to the beach. After that stop we left and headed down the Cape Fear River. It was only a little choppy with waves on the stern but it was very slow as we were going against the flooding current. We did not head out into the ocean as we have a few times in the past. We turned right at Southport and continued down the ICW. We had no problems at the usual trouble spots because we got to those areas near high tide. We anchored in a formerly usual spot just into South Carolina, Calabash Creek. The next morning we crossed the ICW and went out of Little River Inlet into the ocean. It was supposed to be fairly light winds with small seas on the stern. Well, on the stern was accurate. It got up to six foot on the stern with winds shifty on the stern so we had to furl the genoa. It kept wanting to gybe. It wasn't an uncomfortable passage but required an upperbody workout to go in a reasonably straight line. The passage into the Winyah Bay channel was a bit exciting for thirty minutes or so, then it was just slow. Against the ebbing current. We anchored in a spot often used by us near the ICW. 

     

     The next day we went to the ICW again. It was foggy and there were dredges working right at the beginning of the canal. The rest of the day went okay as the tide was rising so the shallows were not very. We stopped for fuel at Isle of Palms Marina and continued on through Charleston. We just made it through the Wapoo Creek bascule bridge before it closed for the day and Elliot Cut's adverse current slowed us down to 3.0kts. before we stopped at a new-to-us anchorage in the Stono River above the fixed bridge. 

     After that we continued south through South Carolina, something we've usually managed to avoid. This time we were hitting the tricky shallow spots at or near high tide so it wasn't too stressful. Carol didn't like this passage that much. Boring. I did not agree. You have to pay attention to the route and there are those usually tricky spots to keep you alert. I saw an eagle in the morning and later in the day it rained. Heavy at times but not awful. We got to Beaufort (Bew-fert), SC a little after 1500, missing the bridge opening. The bridgetender did not tell us there could be a 1530 opening so we went into Factory Creek to anchor. We used to come here a lot. We saw Fleetwing a fellow Waterway Guide contributor at a the local marina. The next day we had to wait for the first bridge opening at 0900. This meant a late (for us) start. Except for no rain it was much like the previous day. We got to the shallow, tricky areas at or near high tide so had no issues. Crossed the Savannah River into Georgia, another something we'd rather avoid... Georgia. We got fuel at Thunderbolt Marina, a place we used to love but has gone down in hospitality and competence, and then we anchored again up the Herb River. Saw and said hello to My Time Too for the third time on this trip south. We followed him out of the Herb River in the morning and down the ICW. Most of Georgia has stayed reasonably deep and although we started at low tide we were fine and of course the tide kept rising through the day. Even Hell Gate was pretty easy. We waited outside it for a large northbound power vessel and then cruised through. It is still narrow if deeper than in the past. We anchored in the Crescent River once again. We seem to hit this spot if we have to take the ICW route through Georgia. We don't always stop here because we do not always take the ICW and northbound we stop somewhere else. Hurricane Epsilon's waves kept us out of the ocean even though it is very far away and not affecting our weather. At this point Hurricane Zeta was brewing near Cuba and we were worried about possible trouble ahead. 

     

     From Crescent River we had an interesting day. Fog alerts were posted but it was clear where we were. When we started. After 30 minutes or so it got down to near zero visibility. We could see the front of the boat so it wasn't the worst fog we'd ever been in but it was a good try. We had to go through the Mud River about an hour from low tide in a few hundred feet of visibility. Not a good idea. We made it seeing just under 10 feet of water. Not too bad. For Georgia. Major dredging was done in the last year or so which means water depths are mostly better. Jekyll Creek, another bad spot recently dredged, had a rising tide so even though it was an hour past low we had more comfort. This photo shows what happens when you don't pay close attention. 

     We made it to our anchoring spot off Cumberland Island, GA. Saw a few of the wild horses as we were coming in. Saw a docked submarine at the dock at Kings Bay Naval Base. 

     We went offshore out of St Marys River Inlet. It was a bit rough bashing into the waves heading out but the current was ebbing so it was fast. When we turned south it wasn't too bad. Not great but okay. We avoided the shallows of the Amellia area and all the weekend local boats that were out. Heard from friends that the local boats made their ICW passage to St. Augustine annoying. At St Auggie we got a municipal mooring and stayed two nights. Laundry, fuel, water, showers and dinner out were on the agenda. Chatted with friends on Peppromenon but didn't visit good friends who are local. One is on their boat and reasonably isolated like us, the other is more possibly contaminated by Florida. Sorry B & J.      

     From St Augustine there were no major issues. We stopped for fuel in Daytona and anchored in our usual spot near New Smyrna, G'45'. This is opposite the yacht club and walking distance from a hospital. How do we know where the hospital is? Scroll back 5 or 6 years in this blog archive. The next day was a bit boring. We were going into a fairly strong breeze which slowed us down a bit and gave us some small chop but mostly it was only hot and humid and not really an issue. The bridges were not an issue including the ones that need to be opened. We saw quite a few Osprey which is good but towards the end of our passage we started getting followed by a large number of terns. They were close and swooping in our wake but didn't seem to be scooping up any fish brought to the surface. Just strange behavior we hadn't seen before. We stopped at Eau Gallie, Dragon Point. We leave early every morning, at first light usually, so we pass by boats that passed us the day before. They are still sleeping or the crew is preparing their breakfasts for them. Must be nice. Our trip to Fort Pierce was no exception, we were passed by boats that had passed us in the past. It was also a repeat of the headwinds slowing us down with hot and humid conditions cooking us. A few more clouds than the day before kept us from burning up. The day was longer/slower than in recent years due to current and the Ft. Pierce (Banty) bascule bridge schedule. Also as we approached the Ft. Pierce fixed bridge a barge slowly pulled in front of us and filled the channel. We had to wait for it to come to a rest against the fenders of the bridge  then try to creep by in the remaining horizontal space. Oh, we also have to be sure our mast will clear under the bridge. We knew it was near low tide so we believed we would clear and had to ignore that issue as we dealt with maybe 5 feet of clearance on each side of our 24 foot beam. What fun! Anyway we did not hit the bridge side, the barge or the overhead. Lucky again. 

     The next day we were up early as we usually are and headed out the Ft. Pierce Inlet. We were against the current so our exit was a little slow but it was not rough. Carol Guay was ashore at the Inlet and waved and took pictures.

Good to see her even though we could not visit this year. When we turned south in the ocean the waves were behind and reasonably small. We had the genoa out for a couple hours but sailing did not help us much. When the wind starting shifting on our stern we had to furl. We tried again later in the day for another two hours with the same result. It got choppier as we neared the Lake Worth Inlet and it got slower as the Gulf Stream comes closest to the shore here. We were a mile or so offshore and the Stream is more than 5 miles away but somehow it pulls the water along and slows down low powered craft.

The only other places the current had a major influence on us was after Miami and before Fowey Rocks. After that the Keys turn farther west and away from the Stream. Overnight was fairly calm with small waves (under one foot) on the stern. Our biggest concerns were the thunderstorms. Earlier in the day isolated storms passed around us just giving us a little rain for a short period of time. At night it can be more scary but we got lucky again. We could see the darker areas around us indicating rain and could see the lightning behind us or to the west. It was quite beautiful and the near full moon was popping through the gaps in the clouds to illuminate the towering cumulus clouds. It was very clear (if not raining) and sharp atmospherically. We could see very far in the dark and in great detail. Doesn't happen like that much. Morning found us off Matecumbe Key still in the Florida Straits. With daylight we turn and continue west in the Hawk Channel. We tend not to use Hawk Channel at night because there are hard objects to hit and there are thousands of crab pot floats to try and catch our props. We got to our Marathon City Marina mooring ball about 1315 which was a little later in the day than we were expecting.

The current slowdowns the previous day could not be made up with times of good current. It was a long day which followed a long night which had followed a longer day. Carol thinks we are getting too old for these long passages with limited quality sleep. Could be. We made our decision to go offshore hoping the conditions would be decent (they were) and because the forecast for the Keys and south Florida is awful. Terrible. Not very good. Any passages in the coming week (ICW or ocean) were going to be treacherous with winds at gale strength. Not good. We will be reasonably safe and secure on our rental mooring. We will see. 

     So that completes our southbound passage for the fall of 2020. It was fairly quick with few stops and as much isolation as is possible. Here in Marathon we will not participate in any social events (most are already canceled) and the marina's mask guidelines are as they should be. We will just have to see about their enforcement. I will probably be a tour guide at Crane Point again but only if I can be sure my groups must wear their masks 😷.  

We will stay here nearly four months unless something drastic occurs. Hey, it's 2020, who knows what new crap will happen? Storms? Kicking out non-residents? Locusts? Meteors? Shark attack?  Crocodile attack? We have one of each of the last two so that possibility is not zero. Locusts are unlikely but we do have stinkbugs which are worse. 

     Next blog entry is probably not until just before we leave here. Unless  something drastic DOES happen. 

No Health

      We are in Annapolis after the first part of our cruise south and there will be no mention of my health. Oh, wait, that was a mention. Sigh. Anyway, there's no need for an update as there's no change. That's good. So for the first time in a while this entry will be like they used to be: just about our travels to and from Florida. 

     We got underway from Old Lyme after a few breezy, cold days and my last weekend of work at the Museum. It was still breezy and cold but not quite as breezy or cold as it had been. The wind was going to be from the north or northeast and the current was going to change in our favor soon after we got to Long Island Sound. After passing north of Long Sand Shoal we turned towards Port Jefferson. The wind and seas were behind us so the two to three foot waves were not uncomfortable. Our SOG was very good, also. It only got rough as we neared PJ. We borrowed the same mooring we grabbed last fall but this time we were not asked to move. When we left PJ the next morning it was quite sporty. Waves came right down the channel and bounced and slammed us all around. When we got around Old Field Pt. it was slightly better. Slightly. We discovered our man overboard pole had left the boat somewhere off PJ. The lines and shock cords couldn't take the pounding and it took off. We made a general announcement about the pole on the VHF so people would not think someone went overboard and start a search. Been a while since we lost something expensive. Usually when we have major expenses it's because we hit something. 

     We stopped at Port Washington for the night and grabbed a formerly free mooring. I guess they are still free when no one comes around to collect. We never go looking for someone to pay. The moorings were not full but most were taken. We saw a number of boats we've seen along the road in the past. The next morning was less breezy and a little warmer. We had to leave at first light to insure we had a good current at Hell Gate and through the City. The East River was calm but the Upper and Lower Bays were choppy. Upper due to wakes, Lower due to the wind. We got to Atlantic Highlands, NJ before noon to rest up for our upcoming overnight passage. The wind was from a good direction and was forecast to ease overnight but we decided we'd wait for calmer seas as Teddy moved farther away from us. An unusual sight was 'smoke' off the Freedom Tower. The cool, early morning air was damp but not hazy or foggy. The sun reflecting off the glass warmed the air near the building and made a very localized cloud like fog that drifted away from the skyscraper making it look like it was smoking. Eerie considering what building it was and the history there but it was a fascinating phenomenon.  

     When we got underway for our New Jersey offshore passage it was almost calm with a breeze on the beam or slightly aft. Seas built to one foot and almost on the bow. As the day progressed seas built to one to two feet and more and on the nose. Overnight it was cool but not cold and not too windy. Steering was easy but sleeping was not. It was just lumpy enough with 2ft seas to make it uncomfortable below. Oh well. Daybreak found us right at Cape May. Seas were not bad and on the port side stern. Would have been worse if we were going into the waves. The current was against us nearly all the way up the boring Delaware Bay. It only turned in our favor at the Salem Nuclear plant but was back to against us as we entered the C and D Canal. Eventually it was neutral  as we got to Chesapeake City where we anchored. We had an easy day going to Worton Creek the next day. It was near calm with good current. The next passage, to Sillery Bay on the Magothy River, was even calmer, again with good current. We had a Blue Jay join us for almost an hour as he rested on the bow. When he flew off we were miles from where he joined us. Wonder if he could or needed to get back to where he started. Never know, I guess. 

     Anchoring in Sillery Bay was pleasant for one night before we headed to Annapolis. We waited for a rain shower to go by and got underway. The larger Bay was a bit lumpy but not uncomfortable and we still had a favorable current. It was a quick trip anyway. We went into Back Creek in Eastport but found all the moorings and anchoring spots were taken. No boat show this year and it was still full. We then went over to Spa Creek. Surprisingly, this area was not as crowded. Usually it fills first. We took a city mooring for a week. Closer to town but a little further from groceries and marine supplies. Oh well. The other interesting event was going through the Spa Creek Bascule Bridge that connects Annapolis to Eastport. A quick search said it had a 62ft horizontal clearance. No way! When we went through we found about 5ft on either side of our 24ft beam. Very tight. We've gone through tighter bridges but this was close enough. One way water traffic for sure. Post passage research showed the opening was 40ft. Seemed less. 

     So we'll stay put for a week or so. We'll do some maintenance, restock groceries and medications and get fuel and water. About the time we are ready to go the weather is forecast to be good (probably will change) and the current pattern will change to against us not with us (will not change). We shall see. Next posting may not be until we get to Florida but it could be sooner if adverse events occur. 

     Not that that ever happens. 

  

     

End of summer 2020

      We've come to the end of meteorologic summer and are just into September. This posting will be about our summer activities and update my health situation.
   
     Way back at the end of May we went up to Hamburg Cove for our usual Waterbury Power Squadron rendezvous/Memorial Day Weekend. Although we had boats rafted to us, we really never got physically close to anyone. In June we went there again, twice. Once for some boat chores easier done in calm water and once for some fairly rough weather. We could have stayed on our Old Lyme Marina mooring and rode it out but we went for comfort and caution.

     At the end of June and into July we had a cruise with Heather, Mike and Cobbe. We spent time at Block Island and within the Forks of Long Island. As previously mentioned, Cobbe enjoys being on the boat but really loves the beach. He likes being with Grandma and Grandpa, too.
   
    We had another raft-up in Hamburg Cove in July, this time with Gelato. We stayed on our own boats and felt safe enough. Nice to converse with friends. Then we had a second cruise of Block Island with Cobbe and his parents. We mostly followed the same route as the earlier cruise, but in reverse order.

We ended up the Mystic River off of Mystic Seaport Museum where I had an afternoon of work. Cobbe loved the kids games, raising a sail and playing on the boats in the playground.  He also enjoyed the tour of the Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship in existence. Grandpa's work assignment was the deck watch for the afternoon. Still cool to say that. 

     In August we had a tropical storm pass well west of us. This meant the winds were out of the south and were forecast to be pretty strong. We went up to Hamburg Cove again for the protection there. It was gusty but not terrible. We could see the trees swaying and knew the power went out in the area but didn't see the massive electrical failures that were scattered throughout the state. Some had no power for a week. Fortunately this did not affect my doctor visits and tests in Hartford. 

     As we are now at Labor Day Weekend we sailed to Coecles Harbor again. This time we went to the marina for a mooring and daughter and family drove there to meet us. Cobbe quickly gets into the rhythm of boating. Playing, preparing the table for our meals and, most importantly, swimming... at the pool and the beach. 

     We are now just a few weeks away from heading south for the winter again. There are risks going south but winter indoors is a risk as well. The Florida Keys have handled Covid issues correctly but the rest of Florida and the other states along the way are much more stupid. Except for fuel and/or grocery stops we are reasonably isolated and safe. Safeish. 

     Besides my weekends at the Museum we were mostly occupied with medical visits and tests. We have always scheduled our medical visits for the time we are in Connecticut in the summer, eyes, teeth, PCP, etc. but in addition to those I have more new doctors because of my lymphoma and its effects. Now I have a cardiologist and endocrinologist added to my collection of physicians. As I mentioned previously I wore a heart monitor for two weeks and that led to a cardiac ultrasound. That test seemed to show part of my heart was not contracting with the rest of my heart. This sounds worse than it really is. It's not that uncommon but it led to another test, a cardiac MRI. That's more of a big deal. You're in the machine for about an hour and constantly asked to hold your breath for different amounts of time including nearly a minute. Had no trouble doing any of this. The good news from the MRI counteracted the concerns raised by the ultrasound. The anomalies shown by one test were explained by the other. Some muscle bands that should be horizontal are more vertical leading to the appearance of problems. It's genetic and while unusual, it's not all that rare. Works so far. And should continue to work. We hope. My oncologist says the heart is important. It's needed to move the chemo drugs around. Apparently that's a cancer joke. I laughed. A little. 

     So my heart is doing fine. It can be affected by chemotherapy but hematologists and cardiologists are not in total agreement. Because of multiple CT and CT/PET scans we've seen an unchanging nodule on my thyroid. Sigh. Another thing to check out. I saw an endocrinologist and had another ultrasound. This one on the neck. It showed I had two small nodules and a cyst. Fortunately they are not an issue. Just something to watch once or twice a year. Another doctor added to my collection. Sigh. The VQ lung function test I mentioned in my last posting came back with a 'could not be more normal' report from the radiologist so that was good. These tests are a pain in the... wherever but they have been reassuring so that's good. Positive results. Mostly. 

     So that's the summer summary. Medical visits, tests, a few cruises, a few hiding in Hamburg Cove days and the start of my maintenance lymphoma treatments. It's more immunotherapy than chemotherapy using only one of the drugs (retuxin) of my previous regimen. This will happen every two or three months in an effort to keep the lymphoma at bay. The longer the indolent period, the better. Treatments have been improving constantly and although a cure may not be on the horizon hope for a "normal" lifespan is not unrealistic.

     Anybody know what "normal" is anymore? 

PS: August edition of Points East had an article by me. September edition had a letter to the editor and a mention in the editor's column. www.pointseast.com

   

Setbacks and Progress

     Cycle 6 is over now that four weeks have passed since my last infusion. I would have had my next chemo by now if there was a Cycle 7. There may be future infusions of Rituximab as maintenance but that has not been decided. I will meet with my oncologist in two weeks (as this is being written) to evaluate my condition and decide on the short-term future. First there will be more blood work and a CT scan.

     I had a bit of a setback a few weeks into Cycle 6. I had an off day on Day 6 but this was pretty normal. Just didn't feel 100%. Not terrible but a low grade headache with very minor nausea makes you feel a bit off. Easily taken care of with Tylenol. The next day I had my annual visit with my primary care physician and I felt fine. He cut back my diabetes medications because my A1c and my daily blood sugar levels were a little low. Otherwise all was okay.

     A few days later, Days 11 and 12, I got really bad. We had Steamers (clams) for dinner on a Saturday night and I thought I had food poisoning overnight.  A fever with chills, shakes, nausea and intestinal distress made for a bad night which lasted all the next day, too. This was what we were warned about way back at the beginning of chemo but had never happened. My oncologist warned me that Cycles 5 and 6 could be worse than I experienced previously. Cycle 5 had me just a little more tired but it was nothing really noticeable. This event in Cycle 6 hit me like a two-by-four upside the head. If this had happened throughout my chemo I could say I had truly suffered. It hadn't. I haven't. I realize how lucky I have been. One really bad day and a few vaguely off days over six months. Could have been worse. Way worse.

     The other interesting event happened this month, too. We broke quarantine/isolation and went on cruise with our daughter and her family, including our grandson. We were on a beach at Block Island when I got a call from my cardiologist. This was not as bad as a call from my cancer surgeon at 0600 a few years back but still disconcerting. She was reporting on the heart monitor I had worn for two weeks and giving me the results of my cardiac ultrasound. The PVCs were a bit more than we expected and the ultrasound showed a minor abnormality in a tip of the heart. More tests are now in my future. Sigh.

     As I continue writing this posting, some time has passed since the previous four paragraphs. Several weeks to be more exact. I've had my usual bloodwork, a CT scan and my planned follow up visit with my oncologist. He told me my cardiac issues are not chemo/lymphoma related. If they were, they would be much worse. Much, much worse. So that means I may have some heart issues. We still have tests coming up for them. Nothing appears serious but we are checking. One never knows do one? The other interesting side note was the bad day I mentioned previously was not chemo related and very likely was, in fact, food poisoning. This was my first guess, but one we dismissed. So now I am back to suspecting spousal poisoning. For my money, probably.

     Oh, by the way, I did get a report on my lymphoma status and the CT scan results. The doctor used the word "remission" which kind of surprised me. That's good news, of course, but my type of blood cancer is chronic and not 'curable'. Still, we'll take the good news. I will get maintenance doses of the Retuxin every few months starting in September. The idea is to ward off future relapses or a return to an active lymphoma state as long as possible. The infusion is not chemotherapy per se but immunotherapy. It doesn't have the side effects of the Bendomustine, the other part of my recent infusion cycles.  Advances in the treatment of this cancer have been very rapid and delaying a likely future relapse will mean better, more effective treatments down the road.

     So, all good news on the cancer front. My lymphoma is back to being indolent, which is great. I still have a cardiac MRI coming up with X-Rays and a VQ test for lung function or blood clots there but these are more exploratory than for serious heart issues. I think. I hope. We will see. Then I'll see an endocrinologist to check my thyroid nodule. Been there a while with no changes but we are in the check everything mode these days. My 'don't go looking for problems' philosophy seems to have gone out the window as I have aged. Sigh.

     Next posting will report on future tests and I'll also get back to reporting on boating events. Yay!