Winding our way through the mangrove islands to the Atlantic side of the Keys

Winding, winding, winding

How would you like this house on Key Largo?

Does Santa come to boats too?

September Song is all dressed up for Christmas. Cassie is sleeping next to our Charlie Brown Christmas tree dreaming of what Santa might bring.


Cassie has been a good girl Santa. Yes, Godiva too

Wreath around the ships bell

What's a Hooka Max

A Hooka Max is an underwater breathing device that replaces scuba tanks. It is run off a deep cycle 12 volt battery, so it is portable and can be put on Half Note when diving the reefs. Now you know what a hooka is.
Today was a combination work and play day. I dove under the boat and cleaned the props, rudders, and struts. While I was cleaning dozens of fish were feeding on the stuff I was cleaning off. They would also nibble on the critters on my dive suit. (neat) After cleaning and playing with the fish we went to the beach for some playtime and exercise for the girls.
Tomorrow we are going to weigh the anchor early and travel about 50 miles South to a new anchorage at Indian Key.

September Song (headed South) out


What a cutie! (by Stephanie)

Sunset over the anchorage

I forgot this one earlier this week. Miami sky line from the anchorage at night

What is a looky bucket?

A looky bucket is a multi-purpose Homer paint bucket I purchased at Home Depot, cut the bottom out and glued a piece of Plexiglas to the bottom, and installed holding ropes. This isn't my idea, it has been used in the Bahamas, Keys and who knows where for who knows how long. It is great for checking on the anchor, looking at the fish and reefs as you float over them, and what ever else you want to look at under the water. Now you know what a looky bucket is. Aren't you impressed?
Today was another beautiful (there's that word again) day with temps in the 80's and lots of sunshine. We hit the beach and did some exploring around the mangrove islands. Tomorrow I think I will get out the Hooka Max. What is a Hooka Max you say? Don't cheat and look back at previous blogs. You will see it tomorrow.

September Song (looky looking) out

Bob



This is a looky bucket

Looking at Cassie through the bottom of the looky bucket

View of the bottom

My big feet under water

If you keep throwing it, I will keep brining it back

Exploring the mangrove islands

A day to celebrate

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. It is so great to be married to my best bestest friend, partner, soul mate, lover, and admiral of our ship. Stephanie is the most wonderful woman in the whole world. Sorry ladies, but she is tops.
We decided to move to an anchorage 17 miles south yesterday where there are more beaches for the girls to play on. (us too) As we traveled there was some kind of exercise going on with paratroopers jumping out of a perfectly good transport and landing in the water. Cool. We passed Stiltsville which is an area in Biscayne Bay that people have built small homes on stilts in the shallow flats. What a great getaway and what a great view. The water here is so clear that you can see the bottom in 15 foot of water. It is a little unnerving at first because the bottom looks so close as you travel, but then you look at the depth sounders and you know you are in at least 15 foot of water. This anchorage is a great place so I think we will stay a few days. today, when we go out on Half Note exploring I will take my looky bucket and take some pictures. What is a looky bucket you say? well you will have to wait for my next post. :-)
We finished the day grilling out on the fly bridge and enjoying a wonderful warm evening in the keys.

September Song (celebrating every day) out
Bob

Half Note following the mother ship as we travel

They call this Stiltsville in Biscayne Bay

If you look past the dolphins playing in the bow wake you can see the bottom 15 ft. down

Just hanging out

My love walking the beach

Gin clear water

Cassie says "I can really see the fish in this water"

Why would they jump out of a perfectly good plane

Down they come

In the water they go

Go South young man go South. Well, maybe not so young

Today, Monday, we left Harbour Towne Marina at o8:30 after a one day weather delay and as soon as we entered the ICW we saw a boat that looked familiar. It was a 49 RPH similar to our old September Song. Ron and Janice Walton aboard River Girl. They are DeFever members and will be attending the Defever rendezvous at Cabbage Key and Useppa Island so we will see them again the end of February.

While spending an extra day in Ft. Lauderdale, Luc and Diana stopped by for a visit. Luc is the broker that sold us old September Song and was half of the partnership (Rick Grandy was the other half) that sold us new September Song. Most of the trip today was through what they call condo canyon. As you can see there are condos of all shapes and sizes and they seemed to go on forever. We arrived at our anchorage in Key Biscayne at 13:30, Set the anchor and promptly put Half Note in the water so the four of us could go exploring. It is so cool to be in water so clear that you can see the bottom. The next two weeks we are going to be doing lots of anchoring, exploring and maybe try out the Hooka Max (dive gear) and do some underwater exploring. The girls have been so good this trip so far, we decided to let them go swimming. We took them to a beach that came out of the water at low tide just before dark for more play time. For those of you up North in the cold and snow who are wondering what the weather is here, the temperature today was in the low 80's and light winds, and it is supposed to be that way into next week. Sorry, I don't make the weather, I just enjoy it.

September Song (in Paradise) out

Bob


Ron and Janice aboard River Girl

Unusual building designs in Miami

At least 25% of all condos in Miami are in foreclosure

Coming into Miami

Cruise ships waiting to leave port

These aren't hotels, they are someone's home

Condos, condos, condos

Along the water way

The colors of Miami

Have you got room for one more?

Dad let us go swimming after we anchored

Daaad, she has my ball

Miami skyline at dusk from our anchorage