Florida Keys, Sat 7.26

• SIGN POSTED ON DECK of the Sailboat for my arrival. What a welcome site to see after driving for days! Taking it easy in the hammock on deck at anchor. (it's not all work) .........
  
  1 Sorry for the delay writing. I'm taking a delay from boat shopping to island hop in the Keys. Today we are at Bahia Honda Key just north of key west. going fishing for snapper in a second. Craig just started the engine and is ready to go.... Angela cooked: banana pancakes with sliced fresh pinapple and sausage on the side. it's a sunny beautiful day here. (warm but breezy) gotta run and Captain the ship. sailing out about 5 miles offshore to the reef.
  
  2 In a 'continuing education' plan - I am being a 'single handed' sailor today. Starting at the dock in the Marina, Craig has been teaching, coaching me through all the different technical aspects of sailing the vessel by myself. (raise the sails, drop the anchor, start the engine, steer, set course.) this has been a great refresher course. some things are not quite like riding a bicycle. the winds were light so the threat of being blown into the dock was removed. i 're-learned' lots. the entry back into the marina under engine power was the tricky part... "how much gas do you give a 13 ton ship to straighten it into the wind beside a million dollar yacht without crashing it into the end of the dock?" no sweat - i got lucky my first try!
  
  ITS NOT FISHING - IT'S CATCHING!!!
  Dockside cleaning fish. ** see bird. as Craig cleaned fish he threw scraps to the ever closer 'inspector bird.' the ones that didn't get away...
  
  
  having fun! -skip
  the Ring Craig gave Angela.