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Good fortune smiled upon us as we were departing Stuart Yacht Tennars were able to come down for a long weekend aboard Magnolia. As things worked out, they were able to get a taste of the whole cruising experience. The first night we were at the dock at Stuart Yacht and strolled to the local Roma Pizza for dinner.

Up early the next morning we made all the regular pre-departure checks, including oil in the Lugger main engine.

Jack I worked Sea & Anchor detail on the same line on Ticonderoga in 1983

Lots of years but little has changed…feel blessed get Magnolia underway.

Once underway, Jack and Kathy relaxed and on the VIP setee and enjoyed the ride down to Fort Pierce.

Next time they will be calling for the bridge openings!

We anchored in a little protected cove just short of Fort Pierce for lovely evening on the hook.

Crew anticipating happy hour…I mean really anticipating!!!!

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See now take this as a good crew lesson…Jack busted open the Oreo’s for a little pre-departure Sea & Anchor Snack! Lesson for perspective crew….

Saturday morning in Fort Pierce, boat traffic was picking up early. We anticipated this and made sure we would be into Vero Beach early.

Arriving early afforded a walk out to beach and as you can see we had PERFECT weather.

We even stumbled into some live lunch time music which made a perfect afternoon topper.

Another shipmate, Mike Camacho and his family drove a long way to meet us for dinner! We have them booked for the south bound Magnolia Passage Fort Pierce to Stuart in the fall.

The next day we got a car and drove Jack & Kathy back to PBI. On the way though we just had to pop in and see our friend Mims in Palm Beach.

We had a wonderful weekend and Jack and Kathy were real troopers being aboard a strange environment. They have also become our sole Plank-Owner Crew Members since the more stringent PQS requirements have to been instituted. Thank you to Jack & Kathy for making the effort and taking the time to come visit. Mike & Michelle, thanks to you for driving to Vero and Mims, always the quintessential hostess. Thank you. Next week, heading north!

I will not bore you with excuses for the latest of this blog except for the un-ending fun we have been having and some work too! After leaving Sanibel after a visit with Acadia we made the short hop to Cape Coral to lay low for the holiday weekend. We try and stay stationary on the weekend to avoid boat traffic. Soon after our arrival Ted & Sally arrived aboard Amici! We always have a swell time and always good to catch up!

Magnolia at anchor in Cape Coral, view from Amici

Of course the Admiral but not the best picture, she did look good in a new dress from our friends at The Looke!

These two sisters run a shop at the Westin Cape Coral. (https://www.facebook.com/TheLookeofCapeCoral/)

Amici heading out to Fort Meyers as we head back across FL for Stuart

“Over hill, over dale, across FL we go”

There are 5 locks we transit as we cross the state, raising and lowering us about 15ft.

I have mentioned that we always try stay on the safe side as we are living on the water. This time it paid off. We were the only ones in a particular lock with our life jackets on and the lock master awarded us for our efforts. In reality the paperwork associated with fall overboard and not drowning is probably alot less for him than if we actual drown!!!

Once across the state we anchored a couple miles from the boat yard and a very relaxing very quiet oxbow  anchorage. We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and a quiet dinner….

That was until about 9pm and all hell breaks loose on the starboard side. It seemed that a small boat struck us and got tangled up with us until I came out and this smelly mullet was hopping around like a fish out of water…well in fact this fish really jumped out of the water and aboard. There must have been something big down there t chase a 16 inch mullet aboard. After he calmed down and before he expired, we returned him to the water though I was unable to wash the smell off my hands!!

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Arriving Stuart Yachts we found our friend Colin in town checking on the progress if his boat Tortuga. Perfect night to get out for some Thai food!

Tortuga forward of Magnolia at Stuart Yacht.

We also was able to visit a couple nights with our friend Jennifer. She is a hoot and always good comraderie!

We completed a number of projects while in the boat yard. We plumbed in the salt water wash-down system that my friend Al Watson helped me install while he was aboard on VACATION!!!! Thank you Al, so far so good!

We also got the oil change pump plumbed in and did our first oil change.

In addition we made a wiring change so we can now run the cloths washer underway and not just at the dock as well as a major safety add with a hinge and strut for the aft engine room access. A very successful and fun couple of weeks. Next week we have some very exciting VIP guests arriving.