Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Vacation Pictures 1



Anyone who really knows me, knows that I love the ocean and the waves pounding against the sand.

Cocoa Beach, July 28, 2009 found the waves especially fun to watch and wade out into.

I snapped this picture to remind me of the waves, and the sound of the ocean as the waves roll in.

Yeah--it probably isn't anythigng to write home about or will it win any awards--but I was there and I remember the day, and the sun, and the white foam.

If this is Tuesday, it must be Beach Day




Staying in a place withing mere feet of the ocean is unbeatable. Long walks on the beach at night, or during the day, or even playing on the beach becomes easy--and almost something taken for granted.

It is easy and fun.

The beach is so close it takes almost no planning, because if you forget something--it is a short walk to retrieve it.

And if you like the animal life at the sea shore--well you can get there early enough to enjoy that, too.

It is so nice to get out to the beach while it is still fairly devoid of other humans, because the animals are still in the area.

The beaches at Cocoa Beach have a lot more people on them than the ones in Jupiter do. We had gotten used to having entire beaches to ourselves, so the thought of sharing the beach with hundreds of our closest friends is something a bit foreign to us.

But, hey, it's all good.

Sun, fun, beach, and the ubiquitous sand.

Monday, July 27, 2009

What's the Captain Doing?

OK--so one of the unique experiences about sailing is that someone always needs to be at the helm.

Not for the scary question of the day--if the captain is on the bow, who has the helm?

OMG we are outta control!

But it all worked out OK. I held the ship steady and until the captain could resume his rightful place.

And our three hour tour didn't end like that of the Minnow. And it was longer than three hours, too.
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Hart & McGarry 2005 Merlot - Review

This Napa Valley wine was recommended to me by my favorite wine person at the ABC Liquor Store in Jupiter, Florida because I was looking for a good Merlot.

I know--merlot's are passe, right? Not true.

This merlot is well worth seeking out. It is very smooth and has a very inviting bouquet which immediately invites you deep into the rich color of the wine for a special experience. The smells of dark berries begins the experience. Once in the mouth there is the pleasing taste of black current and cherries which start forward and then continue across the palette for a smooth and lingering finish.

This is a complete smooth and pleasing wine. I highly recommend it--especially if you are looking for a red that is different from the usual run cabernet sauvingnion or shiraz that are so popular. I know merlot is unpopular right now--but try this one.

Recommendation: Try it. At $15 per bottle it is a great wine for the value.

Monday Musings - July 27, 2009

1. Vacations in new places are an awesome way to explore the country and find new places to think about returning to.

2. OK--I learned something about Key West--I always thought I would like to live there, but now I know I'd like to live there.

3. How crazy is it to love heading miles out into the ocean in a small boat just to jump off it and slip below the surface? Kinda like jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft. But swimming with the fishes is great.

4. Getting away from work and the demands of everyday life is the recipe to rejuvenate the thought processes.

5. Ever notice in a society that there are always those people hanging around who just want to tear down without offering a constructive solution? Think about the emails you get on a regular basis from people who are trying to destroy rather than build up? What's up with that?

6. The sound of waves against a beach is one of the most relaxing sounds I can think of.

7. I wish I was better with a camera so I could capture more of what my mind sees rather than what is really there.

8. Wanna get away?

9. Blue water, good friends, a boat under full sail--what could be better than that?

Cocoa Beach Day 1 - July 26




A day near the beach is awesome.

Today was, therefore, awesome.

after arriving yesterday we could never have imagined the fun we would have today on the beach with "da boys!"

The waves here are something--not huge but very regular and some are big. The beach is broad and wide with very fine sand. It is great for playing and walking on.

We are a short walk from the beach--actually the condo complex is right on the beach. We can see the beach from the windows of the condo and watch the weather come in over the ocean or from over the land.

Well--it is a vacation and someone has to do it.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Everyone Needs a Happy Place


While out for lunch on Islamorada, we ran across this setting.

Awesome. I love having a happy place to go to in my mind when life starts crashing down around me.

I would propose this as a nice spot to stop and rest.

Blue sky, tropic setting, and a bit of solitude--except for the someone special you invited along with you.


Try it.

Take a deep breath and pause for a minute to imagine it all.
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If this is Sunday, I must be in Cocoa Beach


The whirlwind vacation of Florida continues with stop three: Cocoa Beach.

We departed Key West yesterday morning and after a short stop at the Ft Lauderdale airport we continued on to Cocoa Beach.

It was sad to say good-bye to Pennie and Scott after a great week in Key West--we had a lot of fun and some great new experiences.

Sailing was one of the highlights. A day on the water at the mercy of the wind and waves. OK--the boat had a motor which was good too since the winds were very light. But it was a blast. It was weird to lay in bed at night after sailing and still experience the gentle rocking of the boat due to the magnificence of the inner ear's ability to stabilize almost anywhere.

Of all the days do far in Florida--yesterday was weather wise the worst--it rained on us almost all day as we drove up the coast. Who knew it was so far from Key West to Cocoa Beach. By the time it was done it was an all day affair. We departed Key West about 10AM and arrived in Cocoa Beach about 5:30 PM.

So now I am back, where my vacation began watching the space shuttle launch. And I am looking forward to a great week with Mike, Nicole and the boys. We've already been out on the beach and now we are ready to rock and roll.

The sun is shining again, the boys are up. Bring on the sand and the sun.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Diving the Vandenberg





Well I actually accomplished one of my big goals for this vacation. I was able to dive the USNS Hoyt S. Vandenberg. The Vandenberg was sunk as an artificial reef about 6 miles off Key West in May 2009--so it is a real new wreck. There isn't a lot of sea life taking residence yet. But, that's not why I wanted to dive the wreck.

I wanted to dive the Vandenberg for the history and to remember a good friend who used to be deployed on it.

But enough of that--the dive was awesome. I had a chance to chat with the dive master on the way out and he did a couple things to make my dive rally special--like taking me over the side to get the picture of the name of the ship on the side. That is normally a bit deep for the usual dive--but it was really cool flipping off the deck along the bow to take the inages of the name, just hovering there with my camera.

Visibility wasn't all that good--but it was still a most awesome dive.

The descent was easy down the line and there was no current--which made the dive easier. The American Flag was not unfurled--meaning no current.

The Vandenberg's most recent claim to fame was a starring role in the movie: Virus. So I guess I need to rent that. There is some Cyrillic writing in places on the ship which supported the filming of the movie.

I had watched some of the videos of the sinking of the Vandenberg and I always felt that the tracking dishes probably wouldn't survive in place--and it is true--the dish has been pulled off its base and is laying on the side if the ship. I spent some time trying to get a good picture of it--but the poor visibility got the better of me.

But--a great day and a great dive. And, if you are thinking of diving the Vandenberg, I highly recommend Bonsai Diving.

There is no better way to spend a day than slipping below the surface of the ocean to see the treasures below,

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Hemmingway House




It has truly been a busy week and we really started it off with a bang on Sunday with a visit to the Hemingway House.

The house is located away from the center of the action, but yet a short walk from where it is happening. It is in a nice neighborhood and has been restored to the condition that it was when Hemmingway lived there.

The house is a museum and one of the unique features is the cats which live and thrive there. There are 44 cats currently living there and they are all descended from a single cat and many are six toed cats.

The house is from the 1800's and is a snapshot of life in Key West in the 1930's. The grounds are well kept and the tour is a definite plus. The tour book says to plan on at least 30 minutes--but in reality you need at least an hour to fully appreciate the entirety of the museum and home. It is chock full of artifacts and memorabilia. Who knew that Hemmingway was decorated with a Bronze Star during World War 2?

Recommendation: A definite place to visit and enjoy. If you appreciate Hemmingway--all the better.
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