Pirate Days

ARRRRRRRRR

Shortly we will be leaving chilly sunsets and cold morning sunrises and will soon be chasing horizons full of warm tropical sunsets and awesome coffee sipping sunrises. Winter in florida is mild compared to the north but Im ready for flip flops and shorts.
We have completed most all of the work we intended to do for the winter and the Blue Heaven is itching to get back to the Caribbean to chase Blue Marlin. ( The crew is chomping at the bit as well). Reports are already coming in from a few boats that have already made their way to to Casa De Campo Dominican Republic of good numbers of Blue marlin being caught. One report has "the Committed" catching 21 Blue marlin in 3 days. That is just what Matt and I needed to hear to get our appetites wetted.
 This weekend is The Gasparilla pirate flotilla and parade. Our annual foray into the pirate life takes us into the mayday of hundreds of boats that follow the Jose Gasparilla Pirate ship  across Tampa bay as hundreds of pirates invade Tampa and conquer the city " Again".   The Blue Heaven is actually in the Boat parade itself. The Procession is made up of about 15 large vessels filled with Pirates and revelers. Surrounding the procession are hundreds of small boats filled with folks hoping to catch beads and trinkets thrown to them by the invading flotilla. http://gasparillapiratefest.com/index_event.shtml
The day after Gasparilla we will bring the boat to Galati in Anna Maria Island The do a little Yard work for about a week or so. Then after that we will begin blasting south.
We do always look forward to leaving for new adventures, but along with that comes leaving friends family and loved ones. Time seems to tick away quickly when it comes to saying good bye to everyone.

Kelly Davis did a great Faux teak job on the salon door. 

Matt and I sanding the Teak  What a mess

Matt trying hard to show butt crack while sanding

New exhausts pipes in the engine room

Rudder the Super Beagle tired from a day on the dock

Matt and I freezing our way across Tampa bay

The Blue Heaven sitting pretty at the Tampa Yacht Club

Chilly Sunset on Tampa bay

Our lucky Pirate rubber duckie

Pirate decor

One of my old mates

The obligatory pirate parrot 

And whats a Pirate boat with out booze