Happy St Patrick's Day...hope you are wearing the green. We are having a blast in Stuart. Lindsay came aboard yesterday and then went to dinner with us. We were joined later by a Chapman's classmate and his wife. Lindsay has graciously volunteered to chauffeur us for some shopping and a trip to the grocery store this afternoon. We sorted clothes most of the morning...to donate, to take home, wintry things to store in some hidey hole. The weather is much warmer and since neither of us seem to be the size we were last summer...yes, we are needing a couple of go to shore apparel items. Imagine that. She is fun to be with and wants to spend time boating as well. We are still trying to get that worked out. A boatload of Chapman students stopped by mid morning to harass Floyd. He loved that. He is off now to lunch with Jack and I'm home alone. We are planning to stay here through the weekend then head off to Sebastian.

Tonight we are in Stuart...anchored in the Manatee Pocket of St Lucie River Inlet...just around the corner from Chapman's School of Seamanship...Floyd is grinning from ear to ear...He can't believe he is really here in his own BOAT. Last year he spent just a few hours maneuvering boats in and out of this little channel. He tells me there were always boats anchored here and he told himself that one day his would be here too. Now here it is. Dreams do come true. He has contacted several instructors and classmates. They are planning some sort of mini-reunion. Also, my niece, Lindsay Wilson (Terry's oldest), is living in Palm City and working in the Stuart Public School system. We are bringing her to the boat tomorrow afternoon. We are hoping she can work things out to cruise with us this weekend up to Sebastian. Yep, tomorrow is cleaning day...and we'll have to start with the storage/guest room.

Okeechobee Lake is not one you'd want to visit...miles and miles of water...two feet deep...swampy. The redeeming social value is bass...and Roland Martin...we are glad to be passed it. some of Floyd's friends followed us this morning for more than half the trip...I think they were hoping for another hand out...or that Tumbleweed would stir up some breakfast.

This little fellow spent the night with us. I spotted him about 30 feet off the port bow while Floyd was slipping the line on the dolphin...warned him not to tarry when it came to putting his arms in the water. The gator was there for anchoring, happy hour, dinner, canasta, Boston Legal, and the Captain's final check. He would occasionally change directions but he stayed right around those weeds. Somewhere during happy hour we decided to name him "Mohammad" Ali-gator. Sad to say, he must have caroused all night and we didn't get a chance to say good bye this morning. Sure do miss him....NOT.

Saturday night was another milestone for us. We anchored out at the dolphins just below the lock at Clewiston. Those big pilings had cleats...we tied the bow first. Then Floyd took the dinghy back to the one off the rear, wrapped a rope around that, and back to the boat. It is like having two anchors. Pretty tricky, but we managed. Then about 9:00 the wind died down and the odor arrived. Now we know why we were the only ones there. Stagnant swamp water or gator farts...we don't know which...but we lit the Creme brule' candle and all was well.

Saturday we cruised to Clewiston...and we are affectionately referring to the day as "Alligator Day". We turned the corner into Okeechobee canal and there he was...our first alligator...in the wild...a la natural...isn't he cute??? From there we saw bunches of them...all day long....not a day for swimming, that's for sure.

Those Swedes were sooooo cute...worked on that dinghy motor for hours and hours...into the night and then most of the morning...finally got it running...