Wedding – MV Simple Life

We ended last winter season in the Abacos, Bahamas. It was an amazing experience to be able to spend so much time exploring the Abacos. When we heard that category-5 hurricane Dorian had made landfall on Elbow Cay in the Abacos we feared for the safety and well-being of the Bahamian people. Worse yet… Dorian seemed to stall out over Freeport in Grand Bahama Island.

Category 5 Hurricane Dorian over Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas

Treasure Cay was our favorite spot in the Abacos and we were stunned to see that little more than the concrete bar top where we sat was left standing.

Destruction of all but the Concrete Bartop at Treasure Cay in the Abacos, Bahamas

Condos lining the shores of Treasure Cay, Abacos

I have been reading all the Bahamas Facebook group posts and find it inspiring to see how many US boaters are making their way back to the Abacos to help with the reconstruction efforts. If it works out, I would be proud to join the Abacos support group.

This summer was very busy for me and I only got to take the boat out for a couple of weekend trips to Newport, RI. Thanks Preppy for convincing me to stop working on projects and get out there. The rest of the summer was spent on boat projects and family matters.

My sister got married to her boyfriend of many decades, Michael. They were kind enough to let me officiate their marriage. Just call me Father Mahty 😉

Seeing my family after being away all winter is something I look forward to.

Spending the summer on the docks means lots of nights spent with friends.

Preparing to spend all winter cruising somewhere warm means having the boat hauled and put on the hard for new bottom paint, zincs, and hull waxing. This year I was managed to get all that done is only 4 long days. Each night after the working long days under the boat, it was time to walk over to the marina fire pit and relax.

After being under the boat all day a fire & IPAs are just perfect

There is nothing like a clean bottom.

Now it was time to use the marine travel lift and splash her back in the water.

Fall 2019 Splash Down

I got back into my slip just in time for a nor’easter that blew three moored boats in my marina ashore.

I will start off this winter’s cruise with friends and fellow cruisers, Buddy & Renee. They are long-time sailors and just fun to have aboard. They put their beautiful Tartan 44 on the hard and came aboard but before casting off. … we set out to celebrate!

Now the time has come to cast off the lines so stay tuned for the next post detailing the first leg of our odyssey.

We had so much fun on Lake Boca Raton watching the “Boca Sunday Funday” that we decided to stay for 3 nights. Some weird Boca facts by Movato.com (Disclaimer: I have no idea if they are true). Just a few listed below.

#11. Boca Raton is home to the Boca Bash, one day a year when party-goers wake up early, throw on their bathing suits, and grab whatever boat, float, or paddle board they have for an all-day, music-blaring, police-tolerated massive party on the Boca Inlet.

#12. Boca Raton is a homestead for the rich and famous. Just a couple of major names that have or had homes in Boca include John Henry, who owns the Red Sox, Donald Trump, Sheryl Sandberg, Rush Limbaugh, Jon Bon Jovi, Marilyn Manson, Maury Povich and Connie Chung.

#16. The IBM computer was invented, not in Silicon Valley, but in Boca Raton.

#20. The beloved novel and recent film adaptation “Marley and Me” takes place in Boca Raton.

#33. The highest point in all of Boca Raton is 24 feet above sea level, and it’s located in the guard shack at Camino Gardens

We arrived in Lake Boca Raton on Friday night and found the anchorage almost empty. early Saturday morning the boats started to parade in and anchor pretty much anywhere they could find space. Up North there would have been blood spilled if people anchored so close to you but alas the crowd here was very friendly and I did not see a single argument.

anchor Close — Peak out the side window to see how close boats anchor to each other

In Lake Boca we got to see the Fire & Rescue boat testing their pump.

Fire Dept1 — I just washed the boat where did all this salt spray come from?

Lake Boca is the party spot on the weekends. We had lots of fun dinking around the anchorage and people watching.

This group seemed to be at the center of the commotion

80 degrees and sunny

Tall buildings on ICW

Sunday is for relaxing

Florescent Pink bottoms double as SOS flag if in distress

Sunday Funday

Ladies on the bow

I think she forgot something

At one point there was a guy flying around our boat in what I call an Iron Man suit but maybe you might call it a jet-pack or aqua-pack or fly board?

See videos here:

We were also surprised when the boat next to us starting playing “Here comes the bride”. We got to invited to a wedding!

54′ Bertram makes a great wedding venue

Groom in Cowboy hat with arm around new wifey

But alas it was time to return to Simple Life and get a refill.

The next morning we were underway/making way South down the ICW. It was all beautiful homes, bridges.

Motorcycles hate these bridges

Waiting in line for the next bridge opening

It’s Open

Las Olas Blvd https://lasolasboulevard.com

YAB – Yet Another Bridge

Love seeing the gears as you go by

Jim Moran’s Gallant Lady

Sporty

Private sub anyone?

More giant yachts everywhere

Huge Trumpy Yacht

Pirates

5 Engines

The Duchess

The first boat named “Gallant Lady” is Jim Moran‘s. We stopped at Lighthouse Point Marina for some fuel, pumpout, water and ice and chatted for a bit. The dockhand mentioned that Jim had a boat in their marina and pointed to a $159M mansion just across the ICW which was Florida’s most expensive real estate.