Sailing Date Finally Arrived At.

Czech N Mate sets sail tomorrow for Isla Mujeres, Mexico. She's come a long way since the picture below.

A couple of years ago, Randall and I were walking the dock to our boat and passed a boat with a hailing port of Drumright, OK. Her owners, Jerry and Debby Brichacek, were trying to get the farm in order so they could sail south. We swapped “How a couple of Okies got here,” stories. We soon discovered we had similar plans - a Gulf crossing hopefully to Mexico and beyond. The inevitable “Maybe we could leave together” came up and we both hoped that we had found a buddy boat to sail with.
Then Ike tossed Czech N Mate up by the Watergate Marina bathrooms. Overnight, the question went from “when to leave” to “will she float?” Throughout that September, hundreds of boat owners struggled with the salvage vs scrap dilemma. The cost and extent of repairs varied greatly from boat to boat but were, to all, demoralizing. Jerry was eager to Czech and Mate back in the water. He decided to truck her home to Drumright for the work. So began the trip to Oklahoma where, between the plowing and planting, boat work could proceed.
Rigging was replaced. Parts were hunted done including a hard-to-replace Hylas toe rail. The chunk from the keel was repaired. Scratches were sanded and coat after coat of paint went on. Jerry took a break from the activity last June to crew for our Houston to Pensacola passage. Finally, he is leaving too.
Fair winds, Czech N Mate! You’ve got a great crew. I’m sure they’ll do anything you ask. However, you might consider announcing ten lashes for the first mate to whine about the cold. Randall seems to think sailing is a March – September sport. And provision a little extra on account of Michelle. She’ll also want lots of baggies so that no left-overs go uneaten.
Have fun!

Thin-Blooded Floridians Unable to Withstand 30 Degree Temps

Yes. We are suffering with the rest of the nation. The wind chills have dipped down to –58 in Des Moines, Iowa! We in Florida aren’t able to post such shocking numbers but hear this. Iguanas are falling out of trees. According to local reports, Iguanas can’t maintain a good grip on palm branches when the temp is low. They lose circulation and fall. We would like to tramp around today and get a picture of an actual falling iguana. However, this would require bundling up, getting in the dinghy (probably getting wet) and being quick with the camera. Sounds unlikely. In fact, my own gripping ability may be compromised. I can see myself losing my grip from the boat rail and falling into the water rather then the dinghy. To avoid this danger, I am posting a picture of some cute, unidentified lizard I took a picture of last month who could, at this very moment, be falling from a tree. Hang On, Lizzie! We may sit tight on the boat, bundled in our coats, until this passes. We don’t have a heat source on Capricious other than the stove so we are cooking a lot, making tea in between and reading reports from the higher latitudes. Miami, about one degree North, may actually freeze tonight. Last night, we went to bed about the time the sun went down and didn’t emerge from the pile of blankets until the sun was high. Tonight will be another long stretch of waiting for sunshine. Aren’t we glad to be in Florida where iguanas fall instead of snow!