Back to blogging after a major break

[Charlotte Radford]

O Town is getting cold this week, but this past week was the reason why we call Florida the BEST SAILING STATE in the United States. While the rest of the country was under major cold with many areas under snow and ice Floridians were wearing short sleeves last week in 75 degree weather.

Walt Disney knew what he was doing when he put Mickey Mouse Land here. For Christmas, they make snow here. Thank God that's for the tourists. :)

So sailing on the Intercoastal this weekend was absolutely fabulous. The Princess Grace is still out on the water. My guess is that now the water is so low that Princess Grace is grounded. After having such high water during the hurricane season, the water has dropped a lot.

Had not sailed for 2 months. Thankfully, our retractable keel didn't stick up in the housing due to barnacles. Our engine propeller did have to be scraped and in so doing, my very mechanical husband realized that it [the propeller] was being held onto the engine with a cotter pin that was as thin as a cheap paper clip! He had a replacement cotter pin to fit, and got the propeller back onto the engine in much better shape than when he started.

Back on the water in 2 weeks. I can't wait!


I hope everyone is having a great 2009. Try to stay safe and dry.

[verner j canatsey]

I hear you I'm in O town area to. Talk about cold we used to drive a boat out at Disney all winter. We always enjoyed the Northerners coming down and showing their Masochism They would board my little 40' pontoon boat thinking they were impervious to the chill in the air. After all they were from the North and we don't have cold air. Hee Hee. I would pull off the dock and slam the throttle full open and not slow down for 2.5 miles down the river. now of course I've got a windproof jacket and wool inner liner on and a stocking cap so even though I'm right up front at the helm i'm fairly comfortable. When we pulled into the dock at Downtown Disney The machco men would be blue and shivering like crazy. We didn't have to push the idea of hot chocolate on those nights.
CaptJack