Cape Haze Florida – Our Southern Home – Jan 21, 2017

Jan 19^th – It was a hot and sunny day.  I went for a swim behind our boat this morning to switch out the anode on the back of the boat from Aluminum to Zinc.  The Aluminum anode was put on in April 2016 and it quickly deteriorated in salt water.  Thus I’ve replaced it with a Zinc anode which should last longer.  While I was in the water I noticed that a bunch of barnacles have grown on our rudders and other non-painted surfaces thus I’ll have to get the bottom of the boat scraped by a diver before I leave the marina at the end of the month.  We sat on the front of the boat for a while in the morning listening to some tunes and then went for a dingy run with another boater at the marina to Stump pass.  Upon arrival we beached our boats and walked along the beach and found a bunch of shark teeth.  Maria was a little cold (wimp!) on the way back to the marina thus we went and sat in the hot tub … our normal pre-dinner activity.  Another beautiful day in paradise J 

Jan 20^th – It was a warm, windy and sunny day today.  I decided to do some interior cleaning today and wiped down the headliner in the aft, salon, heads and v-berth with a vinegar water solution while we watched the Trump inauguration.  I also investigated Hookah diving systems to see if I can set myself up for a DIY bottom cleaning job.  Afterwards we walked over to the hot tub, however it was not hot.  I guess they are still having their intermittent issue.  We socialized by the pool until the sun went down and then back to the boat for dinner.

Jan 21^st – It was a warm, windy and sunny day.  Maria and I continued with our interior cleaning today and wiped down all the walls and cupboards, etc on the boat.  The wind helped dry everything up nicely before the sun went down.  Afterwards we decided to go for a swim and sit by the pool for the afternoon and the hot tub is still not hot.  Today we would normally be at the Toronto International Boat Show with a number of our boating friends which is normally the first indication that Spring and boating season is getting closer.  Instead we're sitting by the pool surrounded by palm trees.  Not bad!

Changing the anode on Aqua-Fennatic

The water is 71 degrees F

The Aluminum Anode that was removed

The Aluminum Anode after clean up ... into the garbage it goes!

A busy day at Stump Pass

We beached the dingy at Stump pass

A Shell tree on the Gulf side close to Stump Pass

We would normally be at the Toronto Boat Show, however we're by the Pool instead

Cape Haze Florida – Our Southern Home – Jan 18, 2017

Jan 16^th – It was a warm day with a mix of sun and clouds.  Maria went for a power walk with a few ladies while I washed the inside of our bridge top and hard top.  Afterwards I visited our boat neighbour to relax on his flybridge while we watched the wildlife in the area including fish, osprey catching fish as well as fisherman catching fish.  When the girls returned from their walk we went over to the hot tub to socialize with the hot tub crowd.  After we turned into prunes we returned to the boat for dinner.

Jan 17^th – It was a hot and sunny day today.  We went on a road trip with our boat neighbours (Michael and Donna) to visit our Canadian friends, Dennis and Pat, at Riverside RV Park in Arcadia Florida.  We went for a walk around the park and then went back to their RV for a couple cold ones.  On our way home we stopped off at a restaurant called the Crackle Barrel for dinner.  And on the way back to the boat we stopped in Punta Gorda and walked around Fishermans Village to check out all the unique shops.  While we were there Michael and Donna talked us into taking pictures in front of a number of interesting backgrounds which you’ll see below…

Jan 18^th – It was a hot and sunny day today.  Five Looper boats pulled in to the marina late yesterday and we walked over to say Hi.  One of the Loopers was Eddy on Spiritus the author of Eddy’s Weather Wag.  Three of the Loopers continued south today while 2 of them are leaving tomorrow.  Maria and I went for a dingy run to Palm Island resort, however we forgot our yacht club memberships thus we decided to check out the canals on the island and then went to Stump Pass and we had the dingy out on the Gulf of Mexico … Wow … what a feeling cruising up along the beach on the Gulf.  Once we got back to the marina we went to the Pool to socialize and ended up in the Hot Tub with a number of others.  Afterwards we headed over to the community BBQ to prepare our dinner and then back to the boat … It’s Blog day!

Our new slip at Palm Island Marina

Now these birds are tall!

Alligator alert!

Visiting Dennis and Pat at Riverside RV Park with Mike and Donna

A motorized parachute

The new Florida Weather Girl ;)

These dolphins were easy to catch on camera

Catch of the day in Punta Gorda

Maria is liking the boating life and thought she'd pick up someone more salty than me

Cruising down a channel in the area

A dingy ride on the Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico was extremely flat today

Cape Haze Florida – Our Southern Home – Jan 15, 2017

Jan 13^th – It was a warm day with a mix of sun and clouds.  This morning I decided to wax the portion of the boat (on the port side) that must be done from the dock before moving to our new slip.  After I was done we moved the boat to our new slip on the starboard side … thus I’ll have to wax the starboard side of the boat in the next few days to ensure both sides match!  We had an issue with our cable TV hook-up thus our new boat neighbours, Michael and Donna, helped us figure out the issue and we ended up using a splitter on their cable to get it working.  Once it was working we had a cold one and they invited us to a place called the New Faull Inn which serves Exxxcellent Pizza!  And then we stopped by a gas station … Superday Express … and bought great cheesecake for desert.  I think that I’ve put on a couple pounds today with all the good food I ate …. I guess I’ll have to do some more waxing to burn off the extra calories ;)     

Jan 14^th – It started out as a warm cloudy day with the sun making its appearance in the afternoon.  Our daughter, Amanda, has booked her flights to visit us at the end of this month thus I’ve reserved a rental car which we had to do anyway to attend a Looper Reunion party that we’ve been invited to in Gulfport Florida.  Hopefully we’ll have good weather while she’s here so she can enjoy some of the great outdoor activities that we’ve been exposed to in the area. 

Jan 15^th – It was a warm day with a mix of sun and clouds.  I had a closer look at our salon air conditioner and did some research and found that the split units are prone to leaking and tend to be costly to fix thus marine technicians tend to replace split units with a self contained unit.  I guess we’ll have to make a decision on what our next steps will be … at least the air works in our sleeping cabins which definitely helps on those hot nights.  I also had to do some work on our bicycles to free up the brakes … I guess the salt water / air is taking a toll on them.  They should be fine as long as I continue to keep them clean and greased.  Jim came by the marina to pick us up for a fish fry at his place with the Canadian gang plus one couple from the US.  We had lots of fresh fish and we all participated in another football pool.  The lucky winners were Pat and Dawna.

Enjoying a swim at the pool

Great Pizza with our boat neighbours - Donna and Michael

I can't believe these deserts are sold at a gas station!

We have hundreds of fish swimming by our boat ... too bad there's a reflection

Cape Haze Florida – Our Southern Home – Jan 12, 2017

Jan 10^th – It was a warm and sunny day today.  Andrew and Don invited us to tag along with them to Boca Grande to visit the beach and stop for lunch.  Don provided his usual tour along the way and then we decided to stop by the beach for a quick look see … it was a beautiful view until I was attacked by fire ants … Ouch!  I quickly got out of there and started brushing them off to avoid their bites!  Afterwards we headed over to a waterfront restaurant called Millers for lunch … yes … it was Miller time!  Then we went back to the beach to soak up the sun while we had a cold one.  We then returned back to the boat and Maria and I went for a walk and along the way we found that the hot tub was not so hot thus they must be still having heater issues.  I’m glad I’m not the only one that encounters intermittent issues.

Jan 11^th – It was a warm and sunny day today.  Don and Andrew replaced the battery in Don’s car thus they’ve opted out of today’s boating.  Greg and Joanne picked us up this morning and we headed over to Jim’s and Liz’s boat for a boat cruise.  There was a good crowd on board … Jim, Liz, Pat, Donna, Greg, Joanne, Maria and I … and we all had a great time!  We headed north along the ICW and stopped in at Snook’s waterfront restaurant for lunch.  On the way back we hopped out of Stump pass to run outside in the Gulf of Mexico and came back in at Boca Grande pass.  Another great day with a great bunch of people on the water!   

Jan 12^th – It was a warm and sunny day today. I started out the day by completing a few small boat jobs.  As the day warmed up Maria and I went for a long walk through one of the neighbouring gated communities and continued walking through the water front residential streets next to Cape Haze marina.  Afterwards we relaxed in the sun by the pool and transitioned over to the hot tub.  Our harbor master dropped by and asked us if we wanted to move our boat to an alternate location since the boat traffic is expected to increase and we’re in a spot that exposes us to a risk of being hit by boat traffic that is coming and going.  We originally asked to be moved thus this was a welcome discussion and we've agreed to move to a new slip in the next day or so.

Relaxing on Boca Grande beach

Andrew and Maria on the beach

A beach picture taken seconds before I was attacked by fire ants!

Banyan trees

The Canadian gang on Jim's & Liz's boat

Running out in the Gulf of Mexico

At Palm Island Marina

Thanks to Andrew for this picture :)

Cape Haze Florida – Our Southern Home – Jan 9, 2017

Jan 7^th – I woke up to sounds of thunder with high winds and rain and as the day went on it got cold for Florida (58 degrees F).  Don had to make a run to Walmart today thus he asked us if we wanted to tag along … of course we said yes since we needed to load up on provisions.  When we returned to the boat Maria did some cleaning while I continued to tackle my boat jobs … the next on my list was the macerator pump for the forward head.  Before installing the pump I disconnected and inspected the existing hoses, which was not a pleasant job, however the hoses were all OK thus tomorrow I need to modify the macerator pump so that the discharge is pointed in a different direction and install the pump.  I never seem to enjoy the head related jobs since I always end up smelling like sewage!  Oh well, in to the shower I go!  As Maria was cooking dinner I noticed that the carpet was wet by our side door and behind our couch.  I’ll need to use a hose to find the leak in the near future.  Another surprise job on my list L    

Jan 8^th – It was a cold, windy and sunny day.  The temperature went as low as 38 degrees F during the night.  Maria had a bit of an ear ache thus she just hid under a blanket and read most of the day while I finished the installation of the macerator pump.  Afterwards I washed out the bilge to clean up the head related spillage and next I had to jump in the shower since I also had the sweet smell of sewage on me!  Once everything was cleaned up we just relaxed for the afternoon.  Apparently the weather is going to get much better in the next day or two.

Jan 9^th – It was a cool and sunny day today.  I decided to look into the cause of the leak I found a couple days ago and found that one of the deck drains had a major leak under the deck, however there was no access to fix it.  The leak was close to our side entrance by our lower driving station thus I removed the stairs and then had to cut a new access hole to fix the deck drain.  Afterwards we went to Donny’s Bar with Don and Andrew (a friend and boater from our yacht club) who will be staying with Don for a few days.  We had dinner and drinks, however Maria’s allergies are bothering her … she blames it on me since she thinks my boat jobs are causing her issues.

A storm coming towards us

A rainbow in front of the storm

A very low tide in the marina ... This boat is sitting on the bottom ... see the bow thruster

Drinks and dinner with Andrew, Don and the two of us

Back to Cape Haze Florida – Our Southern Home – Jan 6, 2017

Jan 4^th – It started out as a cold and rainy day in Toronto Ontario and ended as a hot and sunny day in Florida.  Maria and I got up at 3:30 am to finalize our packing and our son Sean drove us to the airport for our 6:30am flight.  We brought only carry on luggage, however both Maria and I were stopped by security since our bags included tooth paste and face cream that exceeded the size limit for carry on luggage … give me a break!  Thus we had to either check one of our carry on bags for an extra fee OR have them dispose of the products.  We chose to check in one of our bags since Maria bought these items in bulk for the boat at Costco.  Liz picked us up at the Fort Myers airport and then dropped me off at the boat.  Liz and Maria went grocery shopping and then out to lunch while I did a few boat jobs.  After they returned we had a few docktails and then Don dropped by.  He brought the new membrane for our watermaker with him and told us our macerator pump just arrived thus I have more boat jobs to do.  I think it will be an early night tonight to catch up on the sleep that we missed last night.

Jan 5^th – It was a warm and sunny day.  Don picked us up at the boat this morning to give us a tour of some fabulous homes in Boca Grande and after that we met up with the gang for a beach BBQ at a State Park on Boca Grande.  There was so much food that we all ate like Kings!  After eating a number of us went for a walk along the beach and everyone found shark teeth.  Oh and did I say it is Don’s birthday today … Happy Birthday Don!  And then we had more food … 2 types of birthday cake.  At the end of the day we returned back to the boat and went to sit it the Hot Tub.      

Jan 6^th – It was a warm day that started out foggy and turned sunny.  Today I prepared the water maker for our trip to the Bahamas.  I installed the new reverse osmosis membrane and replaced all of the in line filters.  I also had to replace a compression fitting that was leaking when I previously tested the system.  I haven’t tested the system since they recommend that you avoid using it in marinas and in waters where the water quality is questionable.  Afterwards I went to the pool for a swim and then to the hot tub to socialize with a group of boaters.  The weather over the next few days isn’t supposed to be very nice thus I think I’ll concentrate on other jobs to get them done so I can enjoy the nice weather.

Boca Grande Beach BBQ with the Canadian gang

Happy Birthday Don!  I think we need to audit the numbers on the cake ... I'm sure they're wrong!

Sharks teeth that Maria found on the beach

Sunset at the marina

Back in Canada for 2 weeks for Christmas and New Years - Jan 3, 2017

Jan 3rd - Happy New Year!  Our 2 weeks back at home went by really quickly and we are flying back to Florida tomorrow morning.  We had a great time with our friends and family while we were at home.  We recovered Maria's pictures that she accidently deleted on our camera thus she's much happier about that experience!  During our visit home I've been also doing a number of jobs around the house and yesterday we moved our daughter Amanda to Waterloo to complete her last school term at University of Waterloo.  Our son Sean will be driving us to the airport tomorrow morning ... we need to leave the house at 4am .... ouch!  Jim and Liz will be picking us up on the other side in the nice weather ... we hope!  We're looking forward to getting back on the water :)

Merry Christmas from the Fenn family!  That's the smallest tree we've ever had!

Christmas dinner at my Sister's place with my Mom, Dad, Sisters and their families

Our Kids and their cousins + Sean's girlfriend

New Year's Eve at Anne and Brian's place (Brian is on the right)

Happy New Year! 

Happy New Year!  Anne is wearing the pink hat.