April 19th started Wed in trouble............

Just a boat and house of interest
Eddie unconcerned



We started Wed by annoying the guy that runs the marina where we picked up a mooring in Ft Lauderdale. Let me back up a little. The problem started last night. We talked to "Mel" on the phone and he said we dould p/u a mooring even though they'd be closed. No problem. Like I said in yesterdays post we picked up the mooring, dropped the dinghy and scooted to shore. When we landed on shore Rob and Terri were right there to greet us. The marina is gated. We could get out but didn't have the code to get back in. So we had to ask someone understanding what the code was, no problem. Before we left Gary had to use the facilities and we had no key card to open the door. A passerby said,"oh its stuck just give it a good pull." Great , that works and we eventualy get on with dinner.

This morning Gary and I dinghy to shore with shower bags and Eddie. Once there Eddie goes potty and I wait outside on the picnic table. With a big squealing tug the door opens and Gary disappears inside to take a shower. A split second later this official looking guy (Mel) comes storming around the corner with a seemingly embarrassed security guard walking behind him with his hands in his pockets. "Can you call him out here?" He demands looking at me and walking toward the door at the same time. I was half asleep and surprised. I responded, "ah, sure." But he was already past me and sliding his magnetic card through the mechanism. All the while exclaiming,"He's not supposed to open the door like THAT!" I jumped to his defense instinctively and said,"We'll thats the way he was shown." He asks,"Who was it that show'd him that!" Then he was gone. Gary is inside totally unaware of his infraction. Mel storms in the bathroom and asks,"Did a guy just comein here?" The other patrons must have been pointing toward Garys stall door and one answered "Yeah". Inside , Gary is wary now if like a criminal is in the bathroom in the stall next to him. Mel leaves and storms passed me outside requesting that I ask him to go see him when he comes out. We straightened it out. It turns out that there is a police substation here. A cop turned one live aboard on to the weak magnetic hold in the door + VIOLA !! Mel's the only one using the magnetic card, and it annoys him.

Sylvie and Marco pulled in right at 10:00 in their white rented car. Most cars in Fl are white. Sylvies Dad was at the wheel. There is no wonder Sylvie is such good people.....her Dad started the trend. I'm sure her Mom had something to do with it to but she couldn't make this outing to confirm our suspicions. Maybe next time. OR Gary is talking about a road trip up to Shittyack this summer.

While the guys were talking we visited the bathing suit shop next door. I told Brittany she'd have to pass up the sale on leather fringed butt floss with the lovely turquoise gems. She opted for the much more flattering suit that we posted yesterday.

We pulled into Latonia just south of Boynton Beach or is it north. North I think. It's 6:00 and we're the only boat here. There is a public boat ramp. Two side by side, each the size of a single driveway. There is a park that doesn't allow doggie access. There is a restaurant with a floating dinghy dock. and the rest is privately owned. An unhappy wave of "progress" I suppose. Eddie will have to hold it or go on the bow. He has opted to hold it. I refuse to spend my money in a place that won't offer more accomodations. I am sympathetic to those that own property and don't want live aboards staying for indefinate amounts of time.
However, we may live on our boat but we are cruisers. There is nothing growing on the bottom of this boat that won't be scraped off.

We've been motoring all day and have seen many things. Waited for bridges to open, put up with jackasses of all shapes and sizes, and concrete walls that offer risidual wakes. But at the end of the day ....the calls start and we speak to friends and family. There isn't any place we'd rather be. Except maybe home.

Keep us in your prayers, your in ours
Victoria's perspective
XXOO