Two years ago, the doctors gave me one to two years to live. I was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis due to asbestosis. My asbestos exposure took place when I was just 18 years old and in the US Navy aboard the USS Newport News (CA-148), a heavy cruiser with a peacetime crew of about 1,700. As a young man, I, along with many others, were often given what we referred to as shit jobs, one of which was removing asbestos from steam pipes and replacing it with new asbestos. At the time, no one knew just how deadly this stuff was, therefore, we didn't wear any protective gear. There were times when the asbestos dust was so thick that I could not see the person 10 feet away grinding the asbestos off the steam pipes. I only did this for two weeks, but the exposure was intense during that time.

Two days ago, I visited my pulmonary doctor, had some pulmonary function tests performed, and the test revealed that with the new, and very expensive medications I am now on, my airways have opened up a bit and I have a small, but significant improvement in air flow and the ability to diffuse oxygen into my bloodstream. Unfortunately, my residual lung volume has decreased by 40 percent during the past six months since I went on this medication. While my vital capacity has not really improved by much, I can breathe a little easier, which makes life a bit better for this 77 year old fart.

I have been having serious thoughts about taking my boat south this coming October to the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas and spending the winter in the land of sunshine, swaying palm trees, sugar white sand, turquoise colored waters and Jimmy Buffett music. When I told the doctor about this he said "Mr Diamond, keep on trucking while you can still keep on trucking. I see far too many patients that are in your situation that get the news about their lung condition, then sit in a recliner and watch TV until they die a year later. I would urge you do make the trip." Well, this is the good news.

The bad news is that I will be spending a lot less time on the Internet and the various forums, including this one. Yes, I will check in from time to time, but not three times a day as I have done over these many years. I'll be on the boat, getting it ready for the trip, fixing minor things that need fixing, and just watching the world go by from the deck of the boat, which is a nice way to watch the sun go down every evening.

So, if you don't see me around here very often, don't despair - I ain't dead yet! You can still email me if you have some questions about your Yamaha arranger keyboards, and I will do my level best to come up with a solution to your problems.

All the best,

Gary

Gary I'll miss your posts. But tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us. Do what YOU want to do, while you can. I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, and for a while I was really depressed.
A good friend and life coach told me, "Dont just run from what you fear, run to what you love!"

If you undertake the journey, Godspeed and safe travels! But when you get there, you have to give us your best cover of "Jack Sparrow" (as featuring Michael Bolton) ;-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6CfKcMhjY

Go for it Gary, 'keep on truckin' young man!
We only live once (as far as I know). Your beloved sailboat and the clima in Florida is probably a real good medicine as well.
All the best wishes from The West Coast of Norway.

All the very best Gary, you'll be missed. Col

I can only say, enjoy your trip and the warm sun.
Winters in general are no good or old bones..

Sailing around Florida sounds like a much better idea thenpoking around internet forums..

By the way, 1700 man on a cruiser, thats huge...
As you might know i still work for he dutch navy and our current light cruisers have a crew of about 200 depending on missions...

Gary. Do you have room for an even older fart to be on board....Ha!!!

Gary, keep going, being active is so important. In the last three years I have learned that State-of-Mind is #1. You seem to have both going for you; good for you, you have been blessed my friend.

If the world followed Gary Diamond’s way of helping others and handling his medical issues it would be a happier/better/joyful place to live. Enjoy your trip, and focus on your giving past.

Gary my prays will be there for you, John C.

Bon Voyage buddy....

Its been a while since I heard the expression, "Shit Detail"... and I understand it well, fellow Sailor. I'm not sure exactly how I would respond to such news... but I suspect you've been preparing for this part of "life's Journey" for quite some time.

Bon Voyage, my friend. We've never met but the "bond of friendship" is there. You are one of the most interesting and kind members here and I will miss your delightful or informative posts. Always remember, miracles can happen.

Dave

See you in Port Salerno!
Eddie

Best wishes to you Gary. You are still doing something you love and still able to do so. Take that arranger on board, enjoy the sunsets and don't forget to take pics of the babes - sure beats hanging around forums..........

Thanks guys, I promise to take lots of photos and videos and post them when I get internet connection.

Love ya all,

Gary

Gary: I had no idea you were subjected to asbestos. I hope you got a piece of the class action lawsuit that many have benefited from.

Happy travels to the land of the big yellow ball in the sky!

jingleman

Gary
Good luck and Happy Sailing. I always enjoy reading your posts and am thankful for the opprotunity I had to meet you in person. Keep us updated as much as you can.

Jingleman, the class action law suit is a get rich quick scheme for the lawyers. In 3 years, I have collected a whopping $290. The doctor that works for the law firm got $300 as did the lawyers.

Bill, glad I met you and your lovely wife in person and I'll wave as I sail past your new home.

All the best,

Gary

Still want to make a visit....may bring Rachelle along to sing (I kid...I kid).

If not in your home town,l maybe on your trip. If you send a trip log, we can work on it.

Enjoy our phone calls and will be with you mentally on your trip.


Russ

Looking forward to seeing you, Russ. I hope to leave October 1st, weather depending. It will take me about a month to reach Marathon Key and Boot Key Harbor, where I will likely spend much of the winter. I hope to make a side trip to the Dry Tortugas, which is about 75 miles west of Key West, might spend a week there before heading back to Marathon. You will be able to reach me on my cell during most of the trip, except while in certain parts of the Virginia swamp where there is no cellular connection and when I'm out in the ocean more than 20 miles from shore.

Throughout much of the trip, I will not be staying in marinas, but instead spending my nights anchored up in some quiet cove or creek. Spending the night in a marina can be quite expensive as they charge you by the length of the boat, $ per foot, plus electricity.

One of the advantages of the areas I'll be cruising is that I can catch my own dinner, fish, shrimp, lobster are all on the dinner menu. Also, there are lots of waterside restaurants where I can pull the boat with a few feet of the restaurant, get a great meal, and in some instances, spend the night tied to their dock at no charge.

All the best,

Gary

Safe trip....be careful it's hurricane season also.....
good luck take pics and enjoy your trip...going alone or?

Has to be one of the last examples of places you can live free in America today. Good for you and best of luck with the trip.

I admire your spirit!

Good for you. Any idea when you set sail?

Guitpic1, yes, I intend on leaving Maryland on October 1st. Keep in mind, however, that sailboats are quite slow, about 8 MPH top speed on a good day, and most days, about 5 MPH, so 50 miles a day is the best I can expect. It's just under 1,500 miles to Marathon by water, which translates to 30 days of sailing.

Tracy, yes, sailing is probably the best example of free, well kind of. There are lots of associated costs with sailing, but for the most part, I burn very little fuel unless the wind dies, and with the engine running, I get about 9 MPG on a dead calm day with light tides. I've become friends with many, many cruisers, folks that live aboard their sailboats year round and spend their time sailing the Atlantic Coast from Canada to the Bahamas every year. For the most part, they are either retired professionals that were able to retire early in life, sold the home and cars, and moved aboard their sailboats. The vast majority of them would never move back to dry land unless their health dictates it. When I made this trip 5 years ago, I really didn't want to return to Maryland and living on land again, but I had to return to my wife who opted to stay home during my absence. This time, she may fly down to Florida and stay with me on the boat for the winter, then fly back home. Sure hope that is the case, but not sure. Both my children said they will come down for a couple weeks just to get away from the dreaded Maryland winters.

I'll probably take my music gear with me, if for nothing else, just to keep up my chops while anchored out, or maybe perform at the Tiki Hut at Marathon's City Marina, which I did for several months during the last trip. It was lots of fun, and everyone had a great time. I don't think I could do a restaurant job, though, because of my health issues.

All the best,

Gary

👍👍

Gary,

Congratulations that you’re healthy enough to make the trip. Have fun!

Glad to hear your feeling well enough to take the trip. Enjoy those nice temperatures and post some pictures if you can. Bon voyage!

YES Gary, enjoy the trip. We wil miss yuou but be looking for your eventual return.

Thanks Earl - I will keep in touch as much as possible during the voyage.

Gary

It sounds like you're going to be having a total ball. Doing what you want & to hell with the world!

Earl, not too many years ago I decided to take time to smell the roses before someone was placing them on my casket - best decision I ever made. Far too many friends of mind, many of which were fellow musicians, worked till they dropped dead in their tracks. A few of them were forum members, Bob Lee, Jimmy McKinney, Hank Bowman and others, all of whom were great musicians and entertainers, never took a vacation in more than 40 years. They all died not having taken those vacations and wishing they did.

I've done some crazy things in my life, things that other folks only dream of doing but never seem to get around to doing them. At age 51, I was the second oldest person to get their Hang Gliding Certificate from Kittyhawk Kites. My wife was with me and said I must be crazy, but I still jumped off a perfectly good 700-foot high sand dune, made 6 flights down the slope in 100-degree weather and loved every minute of it.

Once July 4th, I convinced my loving wife to make a boat trip with me around the entire Delmarva Peninsula, a distance of 695 miles, in a 21-foot center console fishing boat. No cabin, no bathroom facilities other than a bucket with a toilet seat mounted on it, no AC - just the two of us and the open waters of Chesapeake Bay and later the Atlantic Ocean. We caught a variety of fish, had fresh seafood for dinner most nights in waterside restaurants and slept in waterside motels. Near the end of the trip, we ventured offshore to the inner edge of Baltimore Canyon, she caught a 75-pound bluefin tuna, which was 15 pounds heavier than the one I boated just a few minutes earlier, got to see a right whale up close and personal and explored the tidal marsh behind Virginia's Barrier Islands. Also saw some wile ponies on Assiteague Island on our way to Ocean City, Maryland. The trip lasted 9 days and we had a ball.

I was hoping to convince Carol to make this trip with me, but she has a great deal of difficulty getting on and off the boat because of her bad knees. And, she equates living aboard the the boat to camping out in a tent. For me, living aboard the boat is just like being at home, though much smaller, no lawn to mow, no snow to shovel or plow and no deer eating my flowers. The big benefit is that I can catch dinner by just baiting up a hook and lowering it over the side, I get to meet lots of very nice folks with similar interests and get to play music in Paradise. That's a tough combination to beat. One last thing, formal attire in the Florida Keys is shorts, a clean shirt and flip flops.

Here's a photo of my last venue and me driving to the job from my boat, which is in the background. A typical day in Paradise.


All the best,

Gary

lol Gary whats wrong with this picture?

#1 the beer glass on top Yikes..
#2 you have a sweater on in Florida?



other then that Its Margaritaville baby!!

I had just began setting up the keyboard when some lady from Canada came over and sat that beer down and said "We were here when you played our favorite song last week. Just wanted to thank you." At that point, she sat the beer down on the edge of the console and give me a hug and a kiss. I almost crapped in my pants when her butt hit the edge of the console as she turned to walk away, but fortunately, nothing happened. Where that beer was sitting is usually where I place my tip pitcher.

That particular night was a bit chilly, with temperatures falling just under the 60 degree mark - way too cold for this old man. Notice, I was wearing jeans, regular shoes and socks, too. Most nights the temperature is in the low 70s, but a cold front from up north veered south earlier in the week and the locals were wearing heavy coats and gloves. At home, there was 3 feet of snow on the lawn and temperatures were in the single digits. I'll take the Key's weather any day over northern Maryland - even in the summer.

Gary