After six months away from the People's Republic of Maryland, I've returned to my loving spouse. Yes, she let me in the house, and at this moment she's cooking supper for me.

I arrived yesterday and was greeted by nasty winds, freezing cold temperatures, a blast of winter during early spring. Damned I really miss Marathon Key, Florida, those sugar-white beaches, swaying palm trees, turquoise blue waters and balmy 75 to 85 degree temperatures.

I also miss playing for the ladies in the Tiki Bars, marinas and restaurants. As soon as one of the ADs found out I was home, she called my wife and booked me for 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. Hardly had time to take a shower before the telephone began ringing.

I went back to the boat today to clear out the gear that went south with me, shorts, short sleeved shirts, sandals, flip-flops, island attire. The boat is a real mess right now, but in a couple weeks I'll have it looking like new again and ready for a summer of sailing Chesapeake Bay.

When I got to the marina yesterday afternoon, the lady that owns the place told me to bring my booking calendar with me the next time I come to the boat so she can set up at least three marina parties. Sure wish I was 20 years younger.

I'm thinking seriously about a PSR-950, and hopefully, within the next few weeks or so I'll get to put my grubby hands on one so I can check it out in person. Everyone I talk with that owns one cannot say enough great things about this keyboard.

Cheers,

Gary

Gary ... did you come across many 950 owners in the Keys?

BTW ... Your wife is a SAINT !!! ... in fact, I think from now on I will call her St. Carol ...
Did Luke remember you ???

Oh, WAIT ... that wasn't the WEATHER Gary was talking about, it was St. Carol !!!

Gary,

Glad to hear you are safely home again.
The dream trip of a lifetime all done now - so what is next for you?

Bill G

No 950 owners in the keys, at least at Marathon and Key West.

St. Carol must still love me. She made supper tonight, I'm doing the laundry, and tomorrow I'm back to work.

Good to be home, but damned it's cold - just 33 outside right now.

Cheers,

Gary

Gary where the hell you been? Just kidding! Too many bills, relatives, kids,grandchildren to pull up and move near Eddie or where ever?

Boo,

The biggest problem with moving to Eddie's part of the world is everyone seems to want to move there. Consequently, it's the lowest paying market in the nation when it comes to musical entertainers, at least entertainers that play for the older crowds. Gotta make a living, and in south Florida, especially the Keys, it's pretty difficult. The cost of living there is very high, and the pay-scale is is very low. If you can't work at least two jobs a day, and possibly three, you cannot survive - even if you live aboard your boat. The marina rates are outrageous, far higher than the mid-Atlantic region.

As for living aboard the boat, I don't have a problem with it, but St. Carol, well, lets just say she wouldn't even consider it for a long weekend, let alone the rest of her life. Her idea of a boat big enough to live aboard is one that is well out of the price range of just about everyone on the forum, other than maybe Captain Russ.

This one might be acceptable, but not certain.



This one may fit the bill, though.



This one, my current boat, NAH!



Either way, down south the sunsets are breathtaking. Just a typical sunset at Marathon's Boot Key Harbor. Shot this one just before I began my regular, Saturday evening performance at the marina Tiki Hut.



Cheers,

Gary

So your selling the boat?

I say "NO WAY!!!" ... that's going to be Gary's winter get-away for years to come ...

Get away or dog house?

That's one lucky dog..!

The only way this boat gets sold is if I'm moving up to a larger one, which isn't likely at this stage of the game.

Gary

Just curious, I'm also used to go on holiday with a sailing yacht, but what are the rates over there? In Europe I pay for a 12m yacht roughly between 30 (Netherlands) - 100 euros (South of France/London) a night during holiday. Is this equal to the U.S.?

Best Regards,

Joost

Joost, the marina rates here vary considerably, but just to give you an idea, my boat, which I own - not rent, is 33-feet long and the monthly fee to keep it tied to a concrete bulkhead in Marathon Key, Florida was U.S. $754, plus another $20 for 30-ampere electrical connection.

If you wanted to rent a 12m sailing yacht, roughly 36-feet long, the cost here is $320 to $460 per day if you don't require a captain or crew. If you do require a captain, the price is usually about $200 more per day.

Cheers,

Gary

Thank you for the answer.

It's my parents yacht, so I don't rent one as well That monthly fee you mention is quite outrageous compared to West-European standards. The yearly fee for a fixed mooring berth is approximately 3000 euro, including the costs for putting the yacht on shore during the winter. That's almost 2,5 times cheaper...

But it is good to know what the rates are, if I ever want to hire something on holiday.



Best Regards,

Joost

Winter storage fees are a bit less, but not significantly. Winter storage in Marathon would have cost me about $500 per month, while at home in Maryland it's about $650 for the entire winter. Like I said, the fees vary quite a bit, depending upon your location. My marina charge for April through October is $2,000 for the entire 7-month period. In the Florida Keys, the cost would have been more than $5,000 for the same period.

Cheers,

Gary

Gary,

I don't dare put a sunset of this Western Slope area dropping over the Colorado Monument in my back yard let alone a sunrise over the Grand Mesa (the largest flat-top mountain on Earth) at about 11-12 thousand feet, just East of me.

I'm telling you if they had crabs, shrimp and crayfish here, it would already be paradise.

Do a google search for "Colorado National Monument" and click on images. The entrance is about 4 miles from my home and part of it is visible from my kitchen window and my yard.

Google "Colorado Grand Mesa" too.

Boo, they need crabs, shrimp, crawdads, oysters, 80-degree temperatures in the winter, palm trees, sugar-white sand, turquoise blue water, then it would be paradise.

Gary

Gary, when you lay brick for a living all your life 80 degrees is miserable. For me 50 to 65 is terrific or even 70 degrees for golfing, fishing, selling hot dogs, riding a bike, jogging, drinking coffee at the coffee shop, running around with a flannel shirt and not sweating. Man I despise having to swim all day or take 3 or 4 showers a day because of the heat.

I shower once a month whether I need it or not. Ha ha! Can't do that. Penny's not a saint like Carol. If I were a Catholic, I have Carol Canonized St. Carol just for putting up with you. The church could use the lift. Oh, and Sue is in the same boat as Carol putting up with Don. Both of those ladies are Saints.

I'll tell her you said that, Boo.

Gary

Welcome back Gary. Glad you had a safe voyage.

I'd like to have that one on my bucket list!

In many ways I'm glad to be home, but there are so many things I miss in the Florida Keys. The main thing, of course, is the fantastic weather this time of year. Average temperature is in the upper 70s to mid 80s, no rain, great breezes for sailing offshore, and some of the most wonderful audiences anyone can imagine.

Today, here in the People's Republic of Maryland, the temperature at the marina where I keep the boat was in the low 40s, winds whipping at 25 knots, and for the brief period I was fueling up the tank, maybe 15 minutes, I thought I would freeze to death.

Tonight, I started on the income taxes - Arghhhhh! I would love to get my aging fingers around the throats of the SOBs that came up with these stupid forms and squeeze until his eyes bulged out. Oh well, just a couple or three more 10-hour days and I'll have them out of the way, at least until next year. By then, all the forms will have changed, again.

Cheers,

Gary