Week 1 ~
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| Tarpin hiding in the shade during this heat |
June came in hot & humid with the afternoon winds making being outside semi-comfortable. We also saw a lot of afternoon storms popping up all around us. There were reports of water spouts & and a land spout. That’s right. . . not something that I made up! According to The National Weather Service: In a tornado, the rotation is cloud-based, extending down to the surface. In a landspout, there is a surface circulation that extends up toward a cloud. Who knew?!
By Wednesday, the cold front pushed through and brought cooler temps, great breezes and spotty showers. We enjoyed being outside. Clearing storm clouds make for beautiful sunsets.
Different moods of sunset
The blog was written, but photos had to wait until we took care of Pete’s medical follow-ups. Here’s the good news: Pete’s pulmonary embolisms were caused by the sinus infection that migrated to the lungs, causing a very severe, difuse pneumonia. That stressed the lungs and created the opportunity for the clots. The genetic testing ruled out a possible gene mutation as the cause. But here is the best news: the latest CT scan shows the shrinking & resorption of the clots! The oxygen challenge had totally normal results. Pete shouldn’t need to use the portable oxygen now. However, we will keep it as a backup for a while. Anticoagulant will also be terminated down the line. We never anticipated such great news! There will be more medical visits in the future as close monitoring will be important. Have I said this is great news? Yup! , , , and will be saying it a lot!
Now, we can focus our energies on the engine. Being a Friday, Pete will have to wait until Monday to check with the rebuilder. They have had it about 10 days. Hopefully, it will be on its way back to us soon, and fully repaired.
We have also started tackling projects on our To-Do List. The shower calking has been removed and resealed. A new faucet should arrive in the next few days and be installed. The wooden rail by the sink has been reattached. The air conditioning has been decalcified & flushed. A good dent in just a week!
Oh yea, with the summer heat, I am exploring more recipes for the crock pot. It does throw out some heat, but we figured out that we can set it up in the covered cockpit, where it will not challenge the AC. I also like the idea cooking once for multiple meals. That way on other hot days, a quick defrost up in the cockpit and using the microwave to reheat the leftovers does not tax the AC. As the saying goes, “It’s a win/win situation!”
Pete saw on facebook that Melborne Orchard, near where we used to live in Delaware, will remain open to sell their canned produce and gifts, but there will be NO apples, peaches, pears, or cherries this year. The weather whiplash brought a late frost, killed all the floral buds. We really never considered the possibility. I’m sure that many farmers across the country will be suffering due to our crazy, cold winter. We can see how much destruction to the vegitation there has been even this far south in Florida.
Our trip to the dog park was once again, fun. Today, there were lots of dogs. We sat and chatted with ‘their people.” Tillie had her bath once back.
I tried the new recipe for Crockpot Pulled Pork. Definitely a keeper!
Howie came for a visit and we headed down to Conchy Joe’s Seafood, located along the river in Jensen Beach. Their shrimp & fish dip, conch fritters, coconut shrimp appetizers and sweet potato crusted salmon entre were to die for!
Week 2 ~
The Port of Fort Pierce is a deep-water port. It is small and industrial. There are a number of commercial fishing boats as well as support and construction vessels that are working on the new bridge, and vessels that are dredging the channel and/or rebuilding the beach. Derecktor Shipyard took over operations on the terminal property a number of years ago. HUGE yachts are hauled, braced and usually enclosed in plastic for the work being done. We are talking about ships in the 200-350 foot long range. The hauler is enormous, with about 40 huge tires that are easily 8-10 foot high! As I mentioned last month, the sailing vessel, M5, was docked there, but it has departed. There were quite a few who were along the jetty at sunrise to see her depart. I knew it would be impressive and the photos on Facebook were really great.
We have also started tackling projects on our To-Do List. The shower calking has been removed and resealed. A new faucet should arrive in the next few days and be installed. The wooden rail by the sink has been reattached. The air conditioning has been decalcified & flushed. A good dent in just a week!
Oh yea, with the summer heat, I am exploring more recipes for the crock pot. It does throw out some heat, but we figured out that we can set it up in the covered cockpit, where it will not challenge the AC. I also like the idea cooking once for multiple meals. That way on other hot days, a quick defrost up in the cockpit and using the microwave to reheat the leftovers does not tax the AC. As the saying goes, “It’s a win/win situation!”
Pete saw on facebook that Melborne Orchard, near where we used to live in Delaware, will remain open to sell their canned produce and gifts, but there will be NO apples, peaches, pears, or cherries this year. The weather whiplash brought a late frost, killed all the floral buds. We really never considered the possibility. I’m sure that many farmers across the country will be suffering due to our crazy, cold winter. We can see how much destruction to the vegitation there has been even this far south in Florida.
Our trip to the dog park was once again, fun. Today, there were lots of dogs. We sat and chatted with ‘their people.” Tillie had her bath once back.
I tried the new recipe for Crockpot Pulled Pork. Definitely a keeper!
Howie came for a visit and we headed down to Conchy Joe’s Seafood, located along the river in Jensen Beach. Their shrimp & fish dip, conch fritters, coconut shrimp appetizers and sweet potato crusted salmon entre were to die for!
Week 2 ~
The Port of Fort Pierce is a deep-water port. It is small and industrial. There are a number of commercial fishing boats as well as support and construction vessels that are working on the new bridge, and vessels that are dredging the channel and/or rebuilding the beach. Derecktor Shipyard took over operations on the terminal property a number of years ago. HUGE yachts are hauled, braced and usually enclosed in plastic for the work being done. We are talking about ships in the 200-350 foot long range. The hauler is enormous, with about 40 huge tires that are easily 8-10 foot high! As I mentioned last month, the sailing vessel, M5, was docked there, but it has departed. There were quite a few who were along the jetty at sunrise to see her depart. I knew it would be impressive and the photos on Facebook were really great.
Magnificant ariel shots of SV M5's departure on June 6th by Ian Gronosky on Facebook
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| from Facebook |
Here is a summary by the Scuttle Butt Newsletter:
Catalina has been building boats for 50 years and has more than 85,000 hulls launched and sailing. The brand is as American as apple pie and the owners are deeply loyal to the Catalina ethos and the legacies of Frank Butler and Gerry Douglas who took over the design and building side of the business years ago.
But Butler passed away and Douglas retired, leaving the company in the hands of long-time sales director Sharon Day and building manager Patrick Turner. An infusion of new capital from Michael Reardon and a plan to buy Tartan Yachts, seemed hopeful. But it wasn’t.
Soon after changing hands in the fall of 2025, Catalina sank into serious cash flow problems and gradually began taking on water. In March 2026, Catalina was thrown out of the factory they were leasing and essentially closed its doors for good.
Employees, who had been sounding alarms all summer, had not been paid for months. Many of them now are working at nearby Island Packet Yachts.
As for Tartan, Reardon bought it for “a dollar down” and more to be paid out of future revenues. The whole staff was furloughed on day one and the builder’s future is uncertain at best.
Catalina Yachts, which was seeking to sell assets at auction on June 9, 2026, is being resurrected by C & T Composites, a Florida-based marine manufacturing and composite company. Along with the True North Yachts brand, the plan is to restart manufacturing, introduce new models, and develop a new American-built adventure boat line for the next generation of boaters.
Boat building entrepreneur Michael Reardon purchased Catalina and True North Yachts in May 2025 but soon thereafter was missing payroll and reneging on his purchase agreement.
Patrick Turner, who was Catalina Yachts President at the time, released a statement in October 2025 reporting that manufacturing had stopped, and it was later learned that the new owner of Catalina Yachts had been evicted from its manufacturing plant in Largo, Florida.
With production staying in Largo, Turner has rebounded with C & T Composites, a company he leads as CEO alongside Member John Chen, who brings extensive experience in multi-hull development, and Board Member Hiten Sonpal (iRobot & Rice Robotics), whose guidance will be instrumental in the company’s strategic growth and profitability.
As part of this revitalization, former designers and engineers will be returning to assist with designs and developments. Their involvement will support C & T Composites’ goal of honoring the heritage of Catalina and True North while developing fresh, modern designs for today’s boating market.
In addition to revitalizing Catalina and True North, C & T Composites will launch Xplor Yachts, a new adventure boat brand designed for today’s active boaters — combining performance, versatility, comfort, and American craftsmanship.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to carry these brands forward,” said Turner. “Catalina and True North have earned tremendous respect over many years, and our goal is to preserve that legacy while bringing back experienced people who know these boats, adding new talent, and building the next generation of Catalina and True North boats right here in America.
“John and I also see a strong opportunity to create a new adventure boat brand, which reflects where the market is headed.”
C & T Composites plans to reconnect with existing dealers, owners, vendors, and industry partners as operations resume. Additional announcements regarding production schedules, model plans, the Adventure Boat program, dealer programs, team member opportunities, and customer support initiatives will be released in the coming months.
It is mind-blowing and so tragic that one person could destroy a great business, peoples’ lives and others’ dreams in such a short time. It is hard to raise hopes with the new owners and restructuring. Only time will tell.
We were able to catch another Friday night dinner with Marilyn & Jon at the club. We talked about cruising on bigger boat- specifically cruise liners. They shared stories from a number of their cruises. Heather and I are doing a mother/daughter cruise up the Rhine in September. Pete and Tillie will hold down the fort.
Speaking of the river cruise. . . I spent a lot of time researching travel insurance and running/walking shoes. Heather had booked our cruise last August. I forgot that, at the time, we had also bought the travel insurance. The good part of the research was that now that I review the policy we have, I was able to confirm that this policy provides great coverage. As for the shoes, I have always had problems with my feet and have been very cautious as to what I buy. I am now prepared with 4-5 different brands and numerous styles. Next, I need to find a well-stocked shoe department in a sports store.
Week 3 ~
The schooner, Ellissa, was a guest at the Port of Fort Pierce. She is heading north where she will be meeting up with many other sailing training ships from around the world. They will parade and be open for viewing in Norfolk, Baltimore, New York and Boston as part of Sail4th. It is part of the national celebration of America 250, our nation's birthday party.
Blog for last month finally finished & posted. I know Diane has been checking almost daily.
Engine will be on her way home after paying the $1100 “bench fee," as there was "nothing wrong with the engine." Yea, I know. He said they added the "oil for testing and it ran perfectly." We have 2 master mechanics who videoed the engine running dry before returning it to Countrywide. GRRRRRRR!
Engine will be on her way home after paying the $1100 “bench fee," as there was "nothing wrong with the engine." Yea, I know. He said they added the "oil for testing and it ran perfectly." We have 2 master mechanics who videoed the engine running dry before returning it to Countrywide. GRRRRRRR!
We headed to Vero Beach Dog Park. Dispite the heat, people and their dogs came, visited, chatted and left while we sat in the large gazabo. A full-sized labradoodle was a great converstaion started. She was uniquely styled as a Rustafarian.
Check out her dreads!
Sunday, 6/21/27 ~
We have been locked into a summer weather pattern with highs in the low 90s, with winds less then 10. Breezes pick up mid-afternoon for a couple of hours, only to die off usually after 8. Heat indexes hover around the 100-degree mark from 10:30ish to about 6 pm. The storms build across the state. They pop-up, split, lessen, or intensify, depending on the conditions. Two nights ago, we were slammed with an intense storm that raged for about 40 minutes. There must have been over a hundred strikes within 5 miles of the marina with a few here in the marina. Last night the storm hit us then split with storms continuing to hit north & south of us. The sun found a small hole in the cloud cover, and painted the entire sky orange. I saw the orange glow through the curtains. By the time I went up above, the skies continued to change. The orange was not total. It morphed and painted the clouds with many colors. “Magnificent, awesome, and spectacular” were just a few ways to describe it.
The storms build, break with many lightening strikes . . . and then it breaks up around us,
and the sky glows with golds and oranges
Some of my favorite sunset photos ever!
A memorial that hasn't been removed by the city and Natal Plum flowers
The Summer Solstice has arrived. It seems impossible that daylight will now, once again, be decreasing. This "stuck in limbo" thing is the pits. Looking forward to the completion of the engine work, cooler times for walking and sitting in the cockpit (rather than hibernating down below), visiting family, and friends returning to the dock.
Tuesday, 6/23/26 ~
I finally scheduled an appointment with Tracy to do my hair. I can’t believe it has been 3 months since the last treatment. If you measure the grey, my hair has grown about 2 inches since the beginning of April. The color has severely faded. I do limit my time in the sun and try to always wear a hat to prevent the fading. This time, she had to redye my entire head instead of the touch-ups I usually get every 2 months. Wow! What a difference.
The engine finally arrived at Unlimited Boat Service for the mechanics. Pete coordinated everyone for next Tuesday. Harbortown Marina’s hauling well, Mike’s Crane, TowBoat 2-way tow and the mechanics are all booked for noon, next Tuesday. The engine will be placed in its spot, but installation will be done while we visit the kids.
The engine finally arrived at Unlimited Boat Service for the mechanics. Pete coordinated everyone for next Tuesday. Harbortown Marina’s hauling well, Mike’s Crane, TowBoat 2-way tow and the mechanics are all booked for noon, next Tuesday. The engine will be placed in its spot, but installation will be done while we visit the kids.
AC is struggling to keep up with heat indices, which are in the high 90s -102.Pete managed to book an AC mechanic to check the Freon level once we are back from NJ. Looking ahead at 4th of July week. It will be a scorcher for most of the East Coast. Princeton, New Jersey looks to be hotter than here in Fort Pierce. . . We’ve seen temp predictions of 105, and that temperature not index!!! That’s about 112!!! We are heading up to see the kids and keep medical appointments made in January, with the assumption that we would be up north for the summer, hence Princeton's forecast for next week.
America 250, our countriy's birthday celebrations, have begun. Tall ships gathered in Norfolk, then are heading to Baltimore and New York, and continue onto Boston. The American States' Fair is happening on The Mall in DC with flyovers, state exhibits, and rodeo, There was even a White House U.F.C Fight on the lawn of the White House. The fireworks on July 4th all around the country should be spectacular!
SAIL4th gathering in Baltimore -
Photos by 2 talented photograhers I follow - Ime Umoh and David Sites
We are still on the wait list for dockage in Baltimore for the weekend of the 4th. We were #11 on the list. I know we won’t be able to be there, but it would be fun to see if we could have gotten in. No worries about them not filling the slip should they offer one to us.
Oh yea! The world's largest locomotive, the Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy, has been traveling across the country as part of the celebration. Everywhere she goes, she draws large crowds. There are a lot of railroad enthusiasts, as well as many just joping to get a glance at an historic and impressive locomotive from our past. (I bet Sheldon Cooper, "Big Bang Theory," was in the crowds somewhere, most likely in spirt!) Near Reading, PA, she met up with another historic locomotive, RBMN 2012. They were very impressive chugging side-by-side. Big Boy will remain in Phili for 2 days at the Naval Shipyard, before returning to her permanent display in Wyoming. The following is from Wikipedia:
Big Boy No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam locomotive. Of the eight remaining Big Boys in existence today, No. 4014 is the only one still in operation.Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. These massive locomotives were built to haul heavy equipment in support of the war effort, normally operating Wasatch Range between Ogden, Utah, over the Green River, and on to Cheyenne Wyoming. The Big Boys are 133 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds.Due to their great length, the frames of the Big Boys are “hinged,” or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They have a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which means they have four wheels on the leading set of “pilot” wheels to guide the engine; eight drivers on the first engine; another set of eight drivers on the second engine; and four wheels trailing that support the rear of the locomotive.No. 4014 was retired in Dec. 1961 after traveling 1,031,205 miles. Union Pacific reacquired it from the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013 and relocated it back to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a multi-year restoration. After being rebuilt to operating condition, it returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion. It thus regained the title as the largest and most powerful operational steam locomotive in the world.The seven other remaining Big Boys are on static public display in St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Big Boy and the crew that brought her across the country & Making her way east
From the RBMN Website:
Reading Blue Mountain and Northern 2102 (historically known as Reading 2102) is a preserved T-1 class 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive, originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in March 1925 as an I-10sa class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotive for the Reading Company (RDG). No. 2102 was rebuilt by RDG's own locomotive shops as a 4-8-4 in September 1945, and it was used for pulling heavy coal trains for the RDG until being retired from revenue service in 1956.
In February 2016, the locomotive began to be restored back to operating condition. It returned to service, in April 2022, after completed a nearly six-year, $2.4 million extensive overhaul, completely rebuilding the locomotive from the ground up and restoring the ULTIMATE engine to the collection. She is one of only four remaining in the world and the only one that is operational today. This iron horse now stands proudly, showing off the old Reading Railroad black and gold colors of days gone by and pulls RBMN's excursions run between Reading and Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania as well as special excursions into surrounding areas.
Big Boy and Reading 2012 ~ Impressive!
Week 4 ~
Monday, 6/29/26 ~
Monday, 6/29/26 ~
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| Storms broke out around us, but we stayed dry. |
After dinner, we ran down the smell of burnt plastic in the galley. At first, we thought it was the AC. We were relieved to realize it was ONLY the microwave giving up the ghost! I have been using it a lot in an effort to avoid using stove with this heat.
Tuesday, 6/30/26 ~
TowBoat was once again early and very cooperative. PEKABU was on her way by 11:15am. Tillie and I were able to get into the facility by once again following another vehicle into the Harbortown work yard. We arrive just before PEKABU. There were boats already in both wells. Thankfully, they were moved out fairly quicky. The mechanics’ truck couldn’t get into the yard. I had to wait until the dingy was hoisted up to the davits of a 40-foot sailboat that was already in the hauler, to ask for help getting the mechanics into the yard. They were waiting just outside of a gate with a lock right by the haul out well. Today, the water level in the haulout area was very low, about 10 foot down. Last visit it was only about 7-foot difference and Pedro was able to step onto the aft seat rail to board. This time he needed extra hands on and off the boat.
The oncore!
Like a well-oiled machine, the crane lifted and loaded the engine into the cabin of the boat and we were done in less than 10 minutes. Then PEKABU and TowBoat were on their way back to our slip. The mechanics, the crane, and I sat for over 35 minutes as a freight train slowed, stopped, sat for about 15 minutes, then backed up a bit, and finally was in forward motion again. PEKABU was already in her slip and Pete was trying to set the lines when I arrived back at our marina. It is really a 2-person job.
Once secured and power on, we quickly went below to escape the sun and heat. Besides, it was well past lunchtime. As the boat cooled down so did we while we ate lunch. Then, we discussed our final to-do-list. The Plan. . . Stay cool below until later. Move stuff off the forward bunk so we can pack. After Jersey Mike’s for dinner, we will take down the Bimini, double up the lines, secure the jib so she can’t unravel and make sure things are away in the cockpit. Early to bed with the alarm set for 2:30 am be on the road to NJ by 3. Yes, we are crazy, but we have found that by leaving this early we miss the traffic around Jacksonville, Savannah, Raliegh, and usually Washington, DC. If no delays, we will usually hit commuter traffic in Jersey, but most of it is going in the opposite direction. The trip goes quickly with good audio books; 15 hours and done, but only one day spent traveling!
Sounds like a good plan, right? Once again, you know what they say about best laid plans. . . . Yup! The s#iT just keeps piling on!!! As we sat there still cooling down, the AC just stopped! No click. No reattempt to restart itself, as in a power disruption. No error message. No lights on the controller. BUT the AC was still pumping out water! Now, the temps inside were climbing fairly quickly. In 15 minutes, the internal temps rose 10 degrees to 84. Outside it was 93. We looked at each other and said it was "time to get the hell out of Dodge!"
Thankfully, Tillie’s stuff was already packed. The cold items we were taking with us were clustered and in a bag in the fridge and, this morning, I had moved the stuff from the top of the refrigerator to the lower area where the cold pools and will keep the condiments cooler while we are gone. The real temperature sensitive stuff has been used up and, should we have a temporary power disruption, the fridge and freezer work on battery. The electronics and personal items were already gathered and in bags, but the clothes packing, the extra dock lines, the foldup of the Bimini and stuff in the cockpit still needed to be attended to. Somehow, we got it done and the bags loaded into the car, Pete washed of all the sweat and we were on the road by 4 pm.
Guess what happens all across the country during the summer. They restrict traffic and do road work! Usually, they try to do it overnight when traffic is light. Some jobs are too big so lanes remain shut during the day and often are being worked. So, between a half dozen construction sites plus the 3 torrential downpours we had before leaving Florida that slowed traffic to a crawl, we added 90 minutes to our arrival at the hotel in Florence, NC. We also had to turn off the car from time to time. The AC was being temperamental. We did grab a bite to eat at Burger King, but it isn't Jersey Mike's! We rolled into Florence at 1:30 am, and enjoyed the great, long, hot shower, the big bed and great AC!
Wednesday, 7/1/26 ~
Once secured and power on, we quickly went below to escape the sun and heat. Besides, it was well past lunchtime. As the boat cooled down so did we while we ate lunch. Then, we discussed our final to-do-list. The Plan. . . Stay cool below until later. Move stuff off the forward bunk so we can pack. After Jersey Mike’s for dinner, we will take down the Bimini, double up the lines, secure the jib so she can’t unravel and make sure things are away in the cockpit. Early to bed with the alarm set for 2:30 am be on the road to NJ by 3. Yes, we are crazy, but we have found that by leaving this early we miss the traffic around Jacksonville, Savannah, Raliegh, and usually Washington, DC. If no delays, we will usually hit commuter traffic in Jersey, but most of it is going in the opposite direction. The trip goes quickly with good audio books; 15 hours and done, but only one day spent traveling!
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| Guess where the engine awaits installation! |
Thankfully, Tillie’s stuff was already packed. The cold items we were taking with us were clustered and in a bag in the fridge and, this morning, I had moved the stuff from the top of the refrigerator to the lower area where the cold pools and will keep the condiments cooler while we are gone. The real temperature sensitive stuff has been used up and, should we have a temporary power disruption, the fridge and freezer work on battery. The electronics and personal items were already gathered and in bags, but the clothes packing, the extra dock lines, the foldup of the Bimini and stuff in the cockpit still needed to be attended to. Somehow, we got it done and the bags loaded into the car, Pete washed of all the sweat and we were on the road by 4 pm.
Guess what happens all across the country during the summer. They restrict traffic and do road work! Usually, they try to do it overnight when traffic is light. Some jobs are too big so lanes remain shut during the day and often are being worked. So, between a half dozen construction sites plus the 3 torrential downpours we had before leaving Florida that slowed traffic to a crawl, we added 90 minutes to our arrival at the hotel in Florence, NC. We also had to turn off the car from time to time. The AC was being temperamental. We did grab a bite to eat at Burger King, but it isn't Jersey Mike's! We rolled into Florence at 1:30 am, and enjoyed the great, long, hot shower, the big bed and great AC!
Wednesday, 7/1/26 ~
We woke around 7. Tillie was walked, and we took turns getting our breakfast. This hotel had a very limited breakfast bar. No eggs or meat, or juice, but the waffles are really great. We were on our way by 8. After having to restart the car once for the AC, we kept the car running for the rest of the trip. The AC worked slightly better than yesterday. Knowing Jenn and Greg had dinner plans, we grabbed Cobb salads with crispy chicken and frosty lemonades at Chick-Fill-A. Always a great meal while traveling.
Temperatures were still in the 90’s when we arrived at the house around 8:30 pm. The AC inside feels wonderful!
Temperatures were still in the 90’s when we arrived at the house around 8:30 pm. The AC inside feels wonderful!
~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ K & P
