THIS IS OUR NEW FRIEND "KENNY" WHO IS A FEW SLIPS AWAY FROM US. HE IS A SAIL BOATER (I.E. SEE = SNAIL BOAT , BLOW BOAT , STICK BAG , BLOW BAGGER) HE DOES HAVE A PICKUP TRUCK AND TAKES ME TO THE STORE PERIODICALLY SO I AM WILLING TO ACT LIKE HE IS MY NEW FRIEND!

THIS IS THE EXTENT OF PENNY'S BOATING SKILLS. SHE IS SITTING ON THE BRIDGE TRYING TO ASSEMBLE A PUZZLE THAT I WILL HAVE TO DESTROY AS SOON AS WE GET READY TO LEAVE THE DOCK. THE WEATHER HAS TURNED COOLER AND WET FOR A FEW DAYS AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO STAY BUSY HERE IN PARADISE.

PENNY HAS ARRIVED! MY SISTER (BELIEVE IT OR NOT HER MAIDEN NAME WAS "PENNY CASH") FLEW INTO FORT MYERS AND WILL BE SPENDING A FEW WEEKS WITH US. SANDY AND I WERE GETTING SO BOARED THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO HER VISIT. WE STILL HAVE A WEEK HERE AT BURNT STORE MARINA BUT PLAN TO LEAVE NEXT TUESDAY AND BEGIN WORKING OUR WAY DOWN TO THE KEYS. WE HAVE RESERVATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH RIGHT DOWN TOWN KEY WEST! PARTY ON! WE ARE LOOKING FOR VISITERS WHO MAY WANT TO MEET US DOWN AT KEY WEST .(ANDY AND TAMMY WILL BE THERE FROM MARCH 3RD UNTIL 10TH) BUT THERE IS A LOT OF TIME AVAILABLE.

EVEN RETIRED WOMEN WEAR THONGS! IN FACT THEY SHOULD NOT!

I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE BUMPED THE BOTTOM WHEN WE ENTERED BURNT STORE MARINA. I WENT DOWN TO CHECK THE PROPS AND ZINC AND FORTUNATELY EVERYTHING WAS FINE. AS YOU CAN SEE "SAM" (DOG) WAS HERE TO HELP.

JACK COUSTEAU EAT YOUR HEART OUT. I PURCHASED A "HOOKAH" (NOTE: THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF HOOKAH YOU SMOKE POT OUT OF) BEFORE WE LEFT SO THAT I COULD DIVE AND DO ROUTINE CHECKS ON THE BOAT OR IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. ITS GREAT AND ALLOWS ME TO GO DOWN P TO 50 FEET WITH NO TIME LIMIT. I CAN ADD ANOTHER HOSE AND SANDY AND I CAN BOTH DIVE UP TO 20 FEET WHICH IS DEEP ENOUGH IN MOST AREAS.

THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS IN CANADA. I WAS GIVEN TWO DECK CHAIRS AND TABLE FOR A RETIREMENT GIFT AND AS YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE BEING PUT TO GOOD USE. WE SIT ON THE DOCK MOST NIGHTS TO WATCH THE SUN GO DOWN. OH I FORGOT! CANADIANS DONT GET TO SEE THE SUN THAT MUCH THIS TIME OF YEAR.

LAST WEEK END FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THIS BOAT NEAR MARCO ISLAND. BRUCE BRUBAKER HAPPEN TO GET THESE PICTURES AS THEY POLICE WERE FINALIZING THE INVESTIGATION. IT SEEMS THAT THE BOAT WAS GOING APPROX 6O MPH WHEN IT HIT A LARGE WEAK AND BROKE APPART. THIS IS / WAS A CHEAP VERSION OF A "CIGARETTE OR FOUNTAIN" YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! THINK IT WAS CALLED A "POWERPLAY"

THIS IS "BURNT STORE MARINA" ITS PROBABLY THE LARGEST MARINA ON THE GULF WITH OVER 400 SLIPS. IT IS SURROUNDED BY MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES OF HIGH RISE CONDO'S , DUPLEX , SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. PRICES FROM $300K TO $2M. UNFORTUNATELY IT IS 10 MILES FROM THE NEAREST GROCERY AND LIQUOR STORE AND WE DON'T HAVE A CAR, BUT AT LEAST IM NOT STUCK IN NASHVILLE WAITING TO GO TO THE OFFICE OR CATCH A PLANE. DID I MENTION THAT RETIREMENT AIN'T BAD..

A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT SAIL BOATERS (IE BLOW BAGGERS) THIS GUY IS TWO DOCKS AWAY FROM US AT BURNT STORE MARINA. NICE GUY BUT A TYPICAL SAIL BOATER. HE HAS BEEN HERE FOR SIX MONTHS AND SAID HE HAS GREAT PLANS TO SAIL AROUND THE WORLD BUT HE HASN'T MOVED BECAUSE HE HAS NO ENGINE. WHY? BECAUSE HE FORGOT TO CLOSE A SEA COCK AND HIS BOAT SANK AND THE ENGINE WAS UNDER WATER. HE SAYS HE HAS ORDERED A NEW ONE BUT IT WILL NOT BE HERE FOR SIX MONTHS (RIGHT) IF ITS A SAIL BOAT WHY DOESN'T HE SAIL? BECAUSE MOST SAIL BOATS HAVE TO MOTOR IF THEY REALLY WANT TO GO ANY WHERE BUT THEY ARE TOO CHEAP TO BUY FUEL. THE GREAT THING ABOUT SAILING IS THAT YOU CAN SAIL FOR TWO DAYS AND STILL TURN AROUND AND SEE THE DOCK YOU LEFT FROM. THE PROBLEM IS PICKING THE BUGS OUT OF YOUR TEETH. AS YOU CAN SEE THE DECK IS USED FOR STORAGE OF ALL KINDS OF JUNK , I WOULD HATE TO SEE THE INSIDE OF THE BOAT IF THE THE ROTTED TEAK IS ANY INDICATION. SAIL BOATS HAVE THE "RIGHT OF WAY" WHEN THE ARE UNDERSAIL, BUT DUE TO FACT THEY ARE USUALLY MOTORING THIS RULE DOES NOT APPLY BUT THEY SEEM TO IGNORE THAT FACT. OH WELL , GOOD THING THERE IS ALLOT OF WATER OUT THERE!

THIS IS THE VIEW OFF THE STERN OF OUR BOAT EVERY NIGHT AT OUR CURRENT PORT "BURNT STORE MARINA" (LOOK IT UP ON THE INTERNET ITS NEAR PUNTA GORDA FLORIDA) ITS NEAR CAPTIVA ISLAND WHICH WE CAN RUN OVER IN OUR INFLATABLE.WE PLAN TO STAY HERE FOR MONTH OF JANUARY AND THEN MOVE ON TO MARCO ISLAND AND THEN TO MARATHON KEY AND EVENTUALLY KEY WEST. THE ONLY DOWNSIDE OF THIS PLACE IS SHALLOW WATER WHEN THE TIDE IS OUT (WE BUMPED THE BOTTOM COMING IN HERE TO TIE UP)

BEING SUCH A FOOTBALL FAN THAT I AM , WHAT WOULD BE THE ODDS THAT I WOULD BE TIED UP IN A PORT THAT WAS HOSTING A "BOWL GAME" UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AND PENN STATE. THE BEACH PARTY WAS GREAT BUT THE GAME SUCKED. "UT" LOST! THATS WHAT I HEARD ANYWAYS , I WENT TO SLEEP.

THIS PICTURE IS FOR RUDY BEACH! THERE ARE FOUR "FRENCHY'S" RESTAURANTS IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA (THIS IS THE ORIGINAL) THE SPECALIZE IN GROUPER SANDWICHES AND GROUPER "CHEEKS" AND BEER OF COURSE. AFTER STAYING IN THIS PORT FOR THREE WEEKS SANDY AND I HIT EVERY ONE AT LEAST ONCE. EAT YOUR HEART OUT RUDY!

I DONT GET IT! WHO THE HELL IS BUYING ALL THESE $1MILLION DOLLAR CONDOS AND HOUSES. EVERY PORT WE STOPPED AT (IE GOLF SHORES , PANAMA CITY , DESTIN , CLEARWATER , FORT MYERS ,ETC) ARE BUILDING HIGH RISE CONDOS ON EVERY CORNOR. BLOCK AFTER BLOCK OF "OLDER" BEACH FRONT HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS ARE TORN UP TO BUILD AN EXCLUSIVE CONDO. THE PRICES ALL START AT AT LEAST $700K PLUS AND THE OCCUPANCY AND SALES HAVE TAKEN A DIVE BASED ON COMMENTS FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS. I GUESS THERE ARE A GROUP OF WEALTHY BABY BOOMERS WAITNG TO HIT THE MARKET AND SNATCH THESE PLACES UP. I HOPE NOT BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL EXTREMELY POOR! SCREW THEM , THEY ARNT LIVING ON A BOAT!

ITS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I COULD UPDATE THE BLOG DUE TO ACCESS TO A GOOD WIRELESS INTERNET SITE. THIS IS CLEARWATER BEACH ON NEW YEARS EVE. THE TOWN STARTED TO FILL UP WITH EVERY ETHNIC GROUP OF TOURISTS TO BRING IN THE NEW YEAR. "DOESN'T ANYONE SPEAK ENGLISH ANYMORE? AT LEAST THERE WAS SOME ACTIVITY TO WATCH AND ITCH ABOUT. (JUST MY STYLE)