Tarpon Basin, Key Largo, Florida, USA

Yesterday was a work lay day. That means Lynn worked and I laid around. That's how it is, guys, when you live in Paradise. Wait, it gets even better. I did manage to take the convertible (dinghy) into the private dock we scored for a landing site. We walked the 6-8 blocks to Kmart, Publix (groceries), and Radio Shack where I found a buzzer for under five bucks which I bought even though I was searching for a muffin fan (fans were too expensive there).

Upon returning to the boat I cracked open the pilothouse GPS and teased out the external alarm wire and hooked up the buzzer. I set the GPS anchor alarm short, so I could test it and -- Imagine, it actually worked.

My electronic prowess once again convinced Capt'n Lynnie I am a god. A lesser god, but never-the-less a god. You know, godliness is next to cleanliness. I am just a couple of rankings removed from that. Close enough to get laid and what the heck, this is Paradise and my story after all.

I also remembered the two depth sounders have alarms. I figured they would
work in not all, but possibly, most anchorages in the Keys, to signal if I was getting too deep or too shallow, hence giving me a heads up if the anchor were dragging and the boat was heading for a sure, certain death. (Well, maybe stuck in the mud until high tide)

Oh, yeah, I know, that won't really work in large tidal changes, but it works here for this winter.

I will find another GPS as a back-up, cheap, somewhere in the next few months
and rig that one as a secondary alarm.

Yesterday, as I was minding my own business (read, napping) when a 24' off shore rigged fishing boat came along side and all I heard was US Postal Mail Delivery.

"Wow, I thought, the Keys really are different". Well, it really wasn't the USPS, but close enough. It was a husband of a postal worker who Joe Parker, our friend, was crabbing with just then. Joe knew they would be checking traps near us so he brought out a "Care Package" from our son and superior website designer, Shaun. Needless to say the contents cost about 1/3rd of the shipping cost, but were well received as food stuffs, reading material and music CD's always are a wonderful surprise. Shauners, we thank you.

Last night the wind piped up blowing and gusting from 20-30 mph. That wind is still slightly unsettling to us, but at least we aren't gripped in total fear anymore and we passed the night, one eye open, precautiously, more in annoyance at the wind than any real concerns about the boat.

Aside: Listen, my boat, my computer, my Paradise--I can make up any new words I want.

Aww yess, Lynn has entered the pilothouse with a shirt that reads Romeo & Juliet. Now that is a cue if I ever saw one. Time to continue living in Paradise.

From beneath the pilothouse,

Skinwalker & Capt'n Lynnie