Launching a Party

The space shuttle launch was today.  We thought we would watch from our dock.  We started out with Phil and Cathie and some popcorn.  Looks like the start of a party.

 

Pretty soon, the group grew.  I think it was the popcorn that drew them in.

We had seen a shuttle launch from the Charlotte Harbor area before, but that was at night.  Unfortunately, we were unable to see the launch from here today.  I think it was too cloudy.

There's a guy staying on the boat next to us--Troy.  The boat belongs to his cousin--at least that's his story.  His son is visiting him.  I call the son Sherman (Rocky and Bullwinkle),  but Pam says his name is Sawyer.  Sherman loves to fish off the back of the boat, and is out early.  The first day he was here, about 6:30 am, he hooked a fish, and shouted at the top of his lungs  "Fish On!!"    Of course, he's just 10 feet away from our open hatch, and I'm not usually an early riser.

 

Troy stopped by our boat last night with a gift.  He had gone fishing with a friend down by Big Pine Key.  He said they were out to where the water is about 300 feet deep.  They saw birds diving and the water below them churning.  A fisherman's dream.  They caught up with the the frenzy, and saw tuna jumping clear out of the water chasing bait fish.  He said they were able to pass through the school three times and hooked up each time.  Troy brought us some fresh tuna steaks for dinner tonight.

We have really become attached to this place.  Today, I spliced in the water hose from the dock to the cold water line in the cockpit shower, and we now have shore water.  No more annoying water pump when we turn on the faucet.  I don't yet have a pressure regulator, but I have only opened the hose valve part way to keep the pressure from blowing off my hose clamps.  So now when we want to take the boat out, in addition to the dock lines, shore power, cable TV, we need to disconnect the water hose.  We really are attached.