2/15-2/22/2017. Sarasota Mooring Field

Today is a rain day and it is also moving day for us.  We woke to a long line of  rain heading toward the west coast of Florida.  So far it hasn’t been too heavy and it is not accompanied by high winds.  It’s just been a steady light rain.  Ok, not the best conditions for moving, but very doable for us especially since we are only moving from the mooring field to a slip.  The rain is very welcome in Florida.  It has been exceptionally dry here and this rain will soak in and help a lot.  We actually welcome it as well.  The boat is in need of a good washing and the rain will help rinse the salt off .

We’ve been on the mooring ball for a week now.  It’s been a good test of the fridge/freezer since Tim replaced the defective diode and it’s given me time to practice my dingy driving skills.  We’ve also been trying out “cruising” recipes.  As we head to the islands, we expect to be eating more meals from cans and have limited access to fresh veggies, fruits and meats.  We’re pretty familiar with canned veggies- not the greatest, but we can handle them.  It’s the canned meats that we are more unsure of.  As a kid I remember Mom making mac and cheese with canned ham and sometimes using Spam.  Tim doesn’t have memories of that delicacy, so we decided we needed to try it out before we planned meals around it.  We decided to make a boater’s version of mac and cheese.  Tim grilled 1/2″ slices of spam on the Weber while I made basic mac and Velvetta cheese with cooked cabbage.  Keep in mind that one pot meals are the norm here on Subject to Change.  This dish would provide carb, dairy, veggie and protein.  We cubed the grilled Spam and mixed it in.  The Verdict:  not bad.  Grilling the Spam reduced some of the fat content while adding a depth of flavor.  🙂   Yes, we could survive with Spam if needed.  If any of you readers are planning a stay with us- BEWARE!

We also had another road trip this past week, going back to Ft. Myers.  Maggie needed her final shot and Heath Certificate for the Bahamas and we needed to pick up a package sent to The Marina at Edison Ford.  While we had the car we made a run to Trader Joe’s to load up of goodies.  We had hoped to make a Walmart stop too, but ran short on time.  That will have to wait.

While in Sarasota, a Must Do, is to see The Ringling Bros. Circus Museum.  Maggie stayed on the boat when Tim and I took the bus for a short ride up to the museum.  Part of the displays is a scaled miniature circus complete with all the tents, animals, clowns, acrobats, vendors, circus goers, chairs, anything and everything one would see at a circus.  It was amazing the detail put into this exhibit.  They had original billboard and posters on display and some of the original carriages used by the circus.  In its  hay day, the circus employed 1,300 workers.  It traveled from town to town by train, setting up in 150 towns a year.  Most of the shows were for one day only.  The publisizers would head out about 2 weeks before the circus to plaster the small towns with posters and billboards announcing the coming of the circus.  The food wagons would be the first to set up, getting 3 meals a day prepared for the rest of the workers.  They’d also be the first to breakdown and move on for the next show.  It was quite an organization.

One of the great things about Sarasota has been seeing old friends and meeting a lot of new ones.  On our first day here we met Steve and Barb Sipe on Maerin, a Solo 43 when they helped us string our lines through the mooring thimble.  Shortly after we were greeted by our first DeFeverites- Peggy and Hans Bjarno on their Albin 43- Aqua Vitae.  Yes, they are in the DeFever club despite not having a DeFever.  They are DeFever wannabes.  We are moored very close to Rock and Louisa with their dog, Maggie, who we met in Houma.  And friends from Carrrabelle, Peter and Helen Hoyt on their DeFever 40 are also here.

A real treat was having Capt. Don and neighbor, Mark visit.  Don helped captain Subject to Change when we brought her from Madisonville, La. to Texas 2 years ago.  In fact, this week is the anniversary of when we first brought her home.  Don called Tim to find out where we were because he was on a delivery from Miami to Texas.   He decided to spend the night here at Marina Jack before jumping across the gulf.  Don lives straight across the bayou from us and Mark is his next door neighbor.  So Tim, Maggie and I dinghyed in to meet them for dinner.  A cool surprise was that the boat he was delivering is a sister boat to ours.  It is a 49′ 2002 DeFever, just one year off.    Beautiful boat, of  course, and it will be moored on Clear Lake too.

This next week will be DeFever week for us.  The rendezvous officially begins on Friday, but boats are arriving daily and we are enjoying meeting other owners.  This is our whole reason for staying so long in this area of Florida and we’re really looking forward to learning and getting to know others who have been out cruising their boats.