Our time at Riviera is coming to an end.

     We have been here at Riviera Beach City Marina for 7 weeks and we have made a number of friends. . . .

The last of the Holiday lights
by Ann and Howie

     Mike and Mandy own the boat next to us.  The come down for long weekends from Georgia to work on the boat.  As you can tell, both are still working.  Mike came down without Mandy over Martin Luther King weekend.  We didn’t get to see him as he came down with the flu and just stayed below.

     I met Cindy while doing laundry.  She is crewing on SV DOLCE VENTE.  She is a very interesting lady, who happens to also be certified marine mechanic.  We met Dorine and John, who own the boat, once they returned from their Christmas back home. We enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before they left the marina, headed south. The mast on their 46-foot Tartan is 65 feet. It caused issues and lots of stress at quite a few bridges.  They lost a lot of time waiting until mid-tide or lower to attempt traversing. We look forward to joining them at Stock Island for the month of February.

This was a full arched rainbow,
The first complete one I have seen!

The rain also decorated my
view of the sunset!

   

     Angela and Chris, SV JUNO, and their two shepherds, have the catamaran just on the outside of our dock.  They recently moved aboard after selling their business up in Hampton, VA.  They are still working on various systems onboard.  Angela is my walking buddy.  She had broken her ankle in October and it is till healing. She needs to walk to increase circulation, but it is still stiff and painful.  Since I was having some discomfort walking fast, our walks helped to slow me down, so I experience no issues.  Unfortunately, they will be having the boat pulled on the day we depart, so they have headed back home for a while.  Hopefully, we keep in touch and will see each other on our way north.

Deb, Mike, Marilyn, Jon, Kathy & Pete

Inside the Waterside Cafe

       Mike and Deb, SV RESOLVE have spent the better part of 2 months on the mooring ball in Vero Beach.  They, along with Jon and Marilyn, SV ESCAPADE, headed our way around the second week in January.  We were able to pick them up by car and head for a delicious lunch at The Waterway Cafe, in Palm Beach Gardens.  Our timing was perfect as they were able to make the jump to the Bahamas the next day, taking advantage of a very small window between fronts.

The cruise ship CELEBRATION
departing for Nassau

    This is the second year we have run into Ruth Ann and Phil, of SV SHOOTING STAR. They come down each year from Cambridge, MD, stay for December, then to head over to the Bahamas after the first of the year. They left the marina on January 2^nd, hoping to catch a window to jump to the Bahamas.  Unfortunately, the winds and cold settled in for the better part of a week.  They must have rocked and rolled for days in the 20+ winds out of the NE, but they too, were able to take advantage of the same window as RESOLVE, ESCAPADE, and a hundred others according to Pete’s phone AIS.

      Last week we saw my cardiologist.  He is pleased, but I need to kick up my exercise a bit. Hopefully, the pacemaker adjustment will eliminate the discomfort as my heart rate increases. It has been 3 days and I seem to be doing much better. Due to the cold and the wind, I exercised on board, but still got the heart rate up with no issues.  Yea!

Las Olas Festival

SCULPTURAL WEAVING
Participant at Las Olas

     One weekend, we took advantage of the many art festivals that make the circuit during "season" in Florida.  The ones here in the south east are very upscale, with lots of high end, primarily high end paintings, sculpture, and jewelry.  Early in the month, we spent a Saturday afternoon walking around Las Olas Boulevard for the 3 blocks containing the festival.  I really enjoyed talking the a weaver, who has taken her craft to an new level.  She make intricate woven wall hangings that are stunning.  I was unable to photograph her booth because I visited too long and the others had moved on.

For a week or more,
a very large dredge worked
on the inlet &the channel outside
our marina and the Port of West Palm

     Kay (one of my co-workers at UD), her husband Frank, Pete and I were able to coordinate our schedules and meet again for dinner.  Their son recommended two restaurants.  Our first choice was an outside venue, but since it was cold for this area of Florida (36 in the at sunrise went up to 58 around 4, with winds out of the NE at 10-18!) we dined-in at Tiramisu, near Jupiter. It was a delicious dinner, one of the best lasagnas we’ve ever eaten in a restaurant. Just before we left, a friend of their son, who manages the restaurant, sent over complementary, made in house, Limoncello. It is one of their specialties, unfortunately, none of us are lovers of Limoncello.  It was a fun evening and hopefully, we will be able to get together on our return trip.

     Speaking of temperatures and winds, since we have been here there have been at least 4 days when temps were in the 40’s or lower. The winds have been remarkable. For days on end, the winds we sustained at 15+. We even had 6 days of 25 mph+, not including the gusts to 40.  I am not complaining. I know, back home on the Chesapeake and most of east coast have had bitter cold, wind, ice and snow since Christmas.

Another beautiful end to the day!

     Bailey still has the vasculitis affecting both ears and a few patches on her jaw and leg.  We have been faithful with the mediation, but the sores bloom and wain with no logic.  Thankfully, she is good with the meds and she doesn’t seem too bothered other than periodic head shakes.

      Since we are planning on leaving here next Monday, 1/22, I have some provisioning to do on Friday, for the two weeks before our reservations for Stock Island. Laundry, too, needs to be done and we have a rental car so that we can take the Acura down to Stock Island on Saturday. This is a good marina, great staff and friendly boaters, but it is time to move on.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  K & P