Time sure has a way of flying by! I can't believe that we have already been in Marathon for over a month. I thought that by now we would have been getting a little bored with sitting in one place and that the time would seem to go a little bit slower but so far that has not happened. It is hard to believe that in a little over a month, we Will be putting the boat away for 6 months. It really seems surreal looking back at how quickly the year has gone by, but then I think of how much we have done in the last year and it seems we have done sooo much in only one year!
When I was home at the end of February, I talked to our neighbors Casy and Nancy and they told me that they were heading to Marco Island in Florida in March. I mentioned that if they had a chance, they should drive down for a visit. Sure enough, we received a phone call that they were going to take a drive down and have lunch with us! It was great to see them along with their friends who they were visiting in Florida. I only wish they could have stayed a little longer with us. It was a long day for them as the drive here from Marco Island is over 3 hours! Lindsay however missed them at home as Casy has been helping her keep our driveway shovelled and there was quite a bit of snow while they were gone so........ she actually had to do it herself! (Can't believe that I forgot to take a picture of them on the boat!!)

Bruce joined the golf course here for a couple of weeks (thanks to our friends Dave and Pat who are members) and has golfed a few times. We have seen Pat and Dave a couple of times since we have been here and look forward to spending more time with them before we leave but with their busy social life and our busy boating life, it can be difficult to schedule a time!

Great dinner at Dave and Pat's!!

Our friends from Ottawa, Kent and Linda, took possession of their new 41 foot PDQ power cat and called to say they were heading to the Keys for the March break along with their daughter Sophie. Bruce's sister and brother-in-law also arrived the day after Kent and Linda so we all got to spend some time together. We had a great time and a very busy few days! Kent and Linda had us all for dinner and invited us out for a day of snorkeling on the Sombrero Reef. It was Bettyann's first time snorkeling and we were all amazed at how well she did! It is never too late to try new things and she had lots of fun and was quite proud of herself. It was a treat to be on a catamaran as it is a lot easier to get in and out of the water with all your gear. Thanks Kent, Linda and Sophie for a great day!

Bruce's school of snorkeling

Tons of yellow tail snapper
The proud skipper and his crew!
First and second mate (Linda and Sophie)

They say that it never rains but it pours and it was very true this week. For months we have been following Rick and Carla on a boat called Eurphoria. We have talked to them on the VHF many times, followed them while travelling in the ICW and talked to them often by phone, but as Bruce puts it, have never touched them! We have been trying to meet up and have a chance to meet them in person and you guessed it, this week they pulled into Boot Key Harbor and we finally got the chance to meet them. It felt like we already knew them and since we had already been planning a fish fry on our boat with Kent, Linda, Sophie, Ray and Bettyann, we invited Rick and Carla to join us. Bruce ordered 5 lbs of fresh mangrove snapper from the fisherman next door, who catches it in the morning, cleans it when he gets back and hands it over the fence to us. It doesn't get much fresher than that! Rick and Carla will be staying here for a month so we should have lots of time to get to know them better.

Kent, Linda and Sophie
Bettyann and Ray
Rick and Carla (Euphoria)

We had a great week with Bettyann and Ray. Bruce and Ray golfed at Sombrero Golf Course, we spent a day in Key West, visited the beach, ate at a few restaurants in town and of course shopped a bit! Bruce, Ray and Bettyann also golfed at a par 3 course in Key Colony which I think was the first time that Bruce ever golfed with his sister! Not sure if she beat him or not??

My sister and her husband were suppose to come from Denver for Easter but unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute. Neil was coming to Miami on business and they hoped to stay for the weekend and drive to the Keys. Neil's meeting in Miami ended up getting cancelled and so did the rest of the weekend. We were quite disappointed but there is always next year!

Jim and Karen left yesterday morning so we are once again on our own. We have been travelling with them for almost 6 months so it seems quite strange to look out and not see their boat close by. They too will be by themselves for a couple of weeks until they meet up with the other 2 boats in Georgia.

We are now in the final weeks of our trip and I am sure that they will fly by. We are looking for a couple of boats that will be visiting us in April. One from Naples, Florida who we have not seen for quite a few years but all worked together at Nordair and then Canadian. They hope to be hear around the 2nd or 3rd of April. Our friends, Bob and Mardi, hope to be here around the second week in April when they get back from the Bahamas. It will be great to hear all about the Bahamas from them. Bruce's daughter, Leanne, is coming the weekend of the 4th of April to do some diving with her dad, so before you know it, the month will be over, the boat put away and we will be back home once again for the summer.

Happy Easter everyone!