Just turned on the anchor light - Valkyrie in the Keys!

Valkyrie

Hi Brats,

Well, after leaving home about ten days ago, Valkyre is finally in the Keys and swinging her bow into the wind while water laps at her hull. I stored her at Mobile East in NC for the winter and Gene and Carrie tweaked a few things for a very reasonable price. They also had her clean and shiny when I got there. They are good folks who do great work and really take care of the C-Brats.

I then spent a few days helping out my in-laws in SC and then it was on to see Mike and Judy Taylor in Naples, who were great hosts as always. I also met up with Jim on JennyKatz and Casey on KatMai, another CC23. I got into Key Largo this afternoon and got Valkyrie launched with the help of Stewart from WI on a Ranger 21, who is staying at Pennecamp Marina with his wife. I'm on a mooring in Largo Sound, where anchoring is no longer allowed. I'll be here until Marcia flies into Miami this Thursday and then we head south for some fishing and cruising. Tuna are supposed to be hitting any time now and temps are climbing into the 80's this week.

I used our new grill tonight to char up a steak and with a few beers watching the sun go down, life is good and promises to get even better during the next few weeks! I'll post some pics in the next few days.

Regards,

Happy Nick in the Keys
"Valkyrie"

Papillon · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:12 pm Post subject:

I am pleased that you are at anchor at last. Watching you prepare with the finial little details and seeing you chomping at the bite was getting a little unnerving. Very Happy

It was a pleasure having you as our guest and we are looking foward to visiting with you this summer on our trip to Ohio.

Nick in his casual state.....

matt_unique · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:16 pm Post subject: Wow

Your southern adventure sounds like fun! I was just telling the Admiral today how much I would love to truck Napoleon down to FL to cross to the Bahama's.

Have a great time in FL!

Pat Anderson · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:47 pm Post subject:

Patty says "Grrrr...." Are we jealous or what. A little over three years, or a little over two years if we can swing it...BTW, just about to leave Birch Bay to head back to Fall City, here in BB it is 43 and raining... Sad

JamesTXSD · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:09 pm Post subject:

Good for you, Nick! Hope Mother Nature is kind to you. Keep posting to keep our northern brothers' and sisters' spirits up.

Have a great time!

Best wishes,
Jim

Byrdman · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:55 am Post subject:

Hey Hey Brother Nick! Great to see you with water under you now in the Keys. Now, take that watch off and stow it. When the sun comes up, it is day time, when it goes down, it is night time, if you are not sure, it is a good time.

Got an email from Brother Mike and they are in Tampa Bay area.... creeeeeeeeping south, seeing folks and enjoying the first year of thier retirement on board GYPSY.

Do keep me updated on the tuna fishing!

Mike, thanks for the pic of ol Nick. Thanks for hosting and helping the C-Brat folks as they pass thru your area. Wonderful and hope to get down that way possibly in about a couple weeks for about a week. May be a road trip rather than a flight.

Nick, do keep us posted. I know you are just giddy to be on the hook now...or ball as it may be.

Byrdman

Mike · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:05 pm Post subject: Keys

Hey Nick!,
Have a cool one for me! We are here in Tampa Bay getting ready to do a little maintenence and then head south once again. Looks like about a week or so before we leave here. Gonna do some kyaking on the Manatee River. Hope we catch up with ya'll! We have stops at Venice, Cape Orange, and a few vsits when we are in the Ft. Meyers area. Stay safe!
Mike & B aboard Gypsy

Papillon · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:38 pm Post subject:

Here is a shot of the whole motley crew.....

Left to Right: Nick, Casey, Mike and Jim

Please pay attention to the choices of outer wear. The Florida crew are wearing short pants and the Ohio boy is in long paints....the sun may have been out but it was cold as the devil.

Valkyrie · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:08 pm Post subject:

The first night DID NOT go as I had planned. The sound was flat calm and I went to bed at about nine, only to awaken at 10 to "feed the fishes', violently and repeatedly. No, I wasn't seasick, but got a case of food poisoning. from Subway, I believe. Let's just say that are other symptoms, as well.

Next, something woke me at Oh-dark-thirty and I heard voices. Getting up I found two guys is a kayak trying to steal my Achilles w/Honda 2. My sudden appearance, light and LOTS of sound moved them on their way. Didn't know that kayaks got on plane! (Mike- thanks for the second trip to the hardware for the two cables and locks!)

Yesterday the dockmaster warned me that they had a few problems with security on Largo Sound and that also explains why there were only three occupied boats out there. A couple on a Gemini 31 cat advised me not to leave the boat unattended for any length of time.

I'm in the state park marina now, tentatively trying to get a little soup into me -- and keep it there. ARRGGHH!

Nick
"Valkyrie"

Pat Anderson · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:22 pm Post subject:

Wow...there may be something to be said for 43 degrees and raining after all!

toyman · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:47 pm Post subject:

Jeez - I started reading this thread and was gonna respond with envy. I still envy SOME of it, hope it all passes (is that a good or poor word choice ?) soon for you. Hope it all smooths out for you - fair winds and sunshine from now on !

Not For Hire · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:39 pm Post subject:

Hey Nick, I figure those two thieves were darn lucky you were sick.
Someday I will tell you about being sick on Beaver Island and the resulting adventures.

Mark

sportner · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:29 pm Post subject:

Nick,
What an adventure, pirates too. We hope to follow sometime next year or the year after. Hope things go well for you, please keep us posted.

hardee

Nick,

Valkyrie · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:36 am Post subject:

Thanks for all of the good wishes! I slept a solid 14 hours last night and will actually eat breakfast this morning.

Sleepy C - I am definitely armed and concealed carry is legal in FL state parks, but cranking off a few would mean more trouble than I need in a non-life threatening situation. A large airhorn coming out the cabin door at a range of about three feet was VERY effective! BTW: I believe that the reason I woke up was because I have sleep apnea and don't have an inverter so I wasn't in good, solid sleep mode using my V-Pap machine.

RE: porta potties in the Keys. A while ago I mentioned that a woman who works at Boot Key Harbor told me that porta potties had been illegal here for 20 years. I ran it by the dockmaster here and he said that with the exception of Boot Key Harbor, they are legal everywhere and he doesn't know of a marina that won't allow you to dump it in a toilet, if careful, of course.

C-Brats who are Boot Key-bound. The word is that this break in the weather allowed many boats to leave the harbor and there may be space now. I got the word from a 26' Nordic Tug who is next to me and left yesterday.

Marcia flies into Miami on Thursday and I'm really looking forward to that! That's when we head south and try trolling for some tuna off the Marathon Humps. That was not a sexual or racy comment!

Regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"