The Tinks – Unfurled

Yes,I know, it’s been a while since we have posted to this blog. My apologies. Getting into this retirement thing has been a lot easier than I thought it would be. Rising at the break of day, making coffee in a french press, drinking french vanilla flavored coffee while watching the sun rise above the palm trees on the island we are anchored near, makes for one lazy day after the next. Paradise. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always this quiet. There are still the ever-present boat chores. Boat parts must be maintained, food and water must be replenished, and upgrades are always in the works. Recently we added a freezer to the boat’s compliment of appliances. This necessitated finding a secure place to keep it, and then upgrading it so that it is more energy-efficient. (Always a good idea when ones energy is limited). Adding a new energy muncher then required either running a generator or the engine battery charging system to recover the energy used during the “dark” hours when our solar battery charging system is doing nothing. This, of course, meant we needed more solar input if we wanted to catch up the energy lost overnight without having to use up our fuel reserves. This is how boat upgrade projects are born. If anyone is interested in more details about boat projects, just drop us a note or shoot us a question, we will be happy to try to fill in the blanks.

OK – on to the subject of this post, another visitor. A couple of days ago, I was in the galley fixing myself another delicious cup of the aforementioned coffee, when looking up, what did my eyes perceive? Another visitor to the boat.

You can imagine my surprise.  We where at anchor, a good two hundred feet from shore, and here was this six-foot monster sunbathing on the side deck!!  I stepped outside with the camera.

Proceeded to chase the bugger up to the fore deck.

I didn’t know iguanas where such good swimmers!

Anyway,  that was the adventure de jure.

Enough for today.  Will try to post more often in the future, if I can just find the time (wink, wink).  Thinking pretty seriously about making the jump over to the Bahamas.

Maybe…. just one more boat project….

Later – The Tinks

People adapt to changes in their environment, circumstances change, we all adapt.  Its how humans have managed to remain alive.  I am adapting now.  Yes, sitting on this boat, looking off at the little island we have been enjoying for the past few days.  And yes, I am getting used to this.  We are well fed while we are here.  The fish are excellent.  There are clams on one side of the island, just like in the books.  Yes I am keeping an eye on those raccoons.  They are cute and they do like food, however,  I am from Tennessee and those raccoons don’t mind being mean, I think they rather like it.  These raccoons look like they may be related.  I can enjoy cute without getting close.

Those of our friends and family who are dealing with the fires in our Great Smoky Mtns. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you all.  Our tears go out for the lovely forest which is being consumed. We have been watching the progress of these fires with growing concern as it continues to spread.  I know there is an equalizing in the universe, but these fires are still a sad thing to me.  My family lives there and has for a very long time.  It is one of my favorite places to be.  Guess it is one of those times when adapting is harder.

Enjoy the day, every day.  It really is why we are here.  Leaving nothing but footprints.

This journey of ours is really just beginning.  These days last and are full of joy.  New sights beauty everywhere.  Coconut trees in the parking lot of an apartment complex and banana trees in a front yard.  Hugh houses, huge boats and water that is so clear we see the sand on the bottom.  Looks like three feet but it is actually seven or more.  The motor smells funny to me.  I will pay attention hope it is other engines I smell and not ours.  Don’t like that new smell.

We spent two lovely days in West Palm beach.  The weather was wonderful the town busy and clean.  The city docks are massive and so comfortable.  Short walks to everywhere and everyone we met were so very nice.  This morning we have gone through six draw bridges.  Its another perfect day.  So thankful for it.

Florida just keeps getting better.  We are making friends, playing in the ocean, watching the birds and laughing at the dolphins. We have seen a manatee’s nose sticking of of the water and look forward to seeing the rest of him sunning on a rock or wherever he chooses to be.

Not much else to say, we are enjoying our travels and learning everyday that we have so much to learn.  We will take the advise of our new friend and I quote him now “you find out what works, eliminate what doesn’t then find out what else works”.  Thanks Bill Jackson.

Considering we travel at the outrageous speed of about a mile every 10 to 12 minutes we are making some real progress.  We had planned to leave the ICW and go off shore, but we changed our plans so we could visit some friends.  Now here is proof that planning doesn’t always work.  Our friends couldn’t get to Hilton head so we said its ok , we will stop at Thunder head Marina and meet there and that will work.  No it didn’t,  there are is an event about to happen here so every marina is full.  We have anchored out and considered taking the dingy to shore before the black clouds rolled in and the winds got blowing.  Now the storm is passed, the winds have died down and it will be dark in about a half hour.  We will talk to our friends on the phone.  We have a window of a breeze that says we have to go or stay a week.  Its time to go.  Florida we are on our way, be ready.

Our first passenger was a tree frog I named Simon.  We don’t know how he got there but here he is.  Sitting next to a cup holder.  When Mark started lowering the dingy he moved out of the way but did not offer to leave.  He was still here this morning hiding in the lines but after noon I couldn’t find him any longer.  We stopped at a dock and looked again, not sure where he went but I hope he has found his way back to a tree where he belongs.