Hi Family and Friends,
Well we had another wonderful Skelly/Wheatley Christmas Week from 20th to 27th December here at the Del Mar Marina in Key Largo in sunny Florida. Danielle ( Blair's girlfriend ) was able to join us from the 24 th to 27 th December.This time of year turned out to be a real bonus, less people around, lovely warm weather and plenty of time to relax.The Skellys had hired a car so they were able to go for a short two day overnight trip south to see Key West. The evening they left ,Graeme and I met up with the boys at a restaurant called the Conch House. Conch is a sea creature which lives in the Caribbean and is closet to an abalone (paua for Kiwis) in texture ,but is a white not black in color Jon had the conch fritters which are very popular and Blair branched out and had lionfish.The lionfish have become a real menace now in the reef areas .These are are beautiful looking fish with delicate tendrils above and below, but have poisonous barbs at the ends.Fortunately the chef had got rid of thise before cooking the fish! The next day Blair and Jon Skelly headed up to Miami to pick up Danielle and they had a wonderful evening there enjoying the big city ,before they all came down to join us on Christmas Eve. With everyone away for a couple of days Graeme and I got out our new folding marine type (guess that means they dont rust as much!)bikes and cycled off to visit Blair and Jon's hotel where they had some resident Manatees. So far on our journey we hadnt seen one , so we're interested to get a look at these strange creatures.They are attracted by running fresh water and will drink from a hose if you bring one to the waters edge.Unfortunately there was no hose to attract them this day but eventually one came up beside the dock area and we got a good view.They have big round bodies, with a platypus type tail , two large round nostrils and big round eyes.On their backs they seem to have all sorts of marine growths. they are slow and sluggish.This one had some v shaped chunks out of its tail , no doubt from a boat propeller .No wonder there are so many signs on the ICW warning boaters to go slow.Speed is not on their side!
We had a couple of meals on board Christmas Eve and Boxing Day which was such fun.Amazing that we can get 7 of us around our little salon table! Chirtmas Day we went out for cocktails at the Sunset Bar then dinner at the adjoining Restaurant called the Big Chill owned by Jimmy Johnson of Us Football Fame .I think he managed the Cowboys and the Dolphins Teams.
Christmas Day Graeme and I decided having our own Church service on the boat in the morning would be a good idea.I had researched the local area for churches and service times.It was all too difficult , either few services or too far away. So we had the Christmas story from Luke 2 read by Graeme and Stephen, we did the Acts prayer formation with silent prayer time for each of us in between,I did a reading from Our Daily Bread , using Dec 23 rd for those that use this daily booklet.Blair,Danielle, Jon and Barbara did the Bible readings that accompanied it.We all said the Lords Prayer together and to finish ,attempted to sing Hark the Hearld Angels Sing. It was wonderful we all got to participate for this blessed day!
We decided to take the boat out to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef for lunch and a swim.They have mooring balls you can pick up as you are not allowed to anchor in this area. Day looked promising but as we got further out it was a bit too rough.But we had fun, Some got to drive the boat and we headed back to calm waters and had lunch on the boat back in Del Mar Marina.Afternoon was spent around the pool relaxing , reading and swimming. On Boxing Day at 8 am Blair and Danielle went off on a dive boat to check out the reefs.The rest of us took a glass bottom boat at a more convenient hour 10am to the same area. We got to look through large glass panels at the reef system.We saw lots of fish and soft corals including pretty purple ones.Blair and Danielle got to see a Nurse shark up close and a dolphin display on the way back .They apparently were jumping and flipping near the boat.Dolphins are such fun , the clowns of the sea!So there was a mass exodus on the 27 th ,when everybody left for their respective homes.Blair and Danielle had the day in Miami leaving in the evening for New York.The Skellys left for their wintery Ottawa just before midday.We decided to have an extra two nights here before heading south.
Graeme and I went off bike riding after lunch,then late afternoon had our neighbors from Belmont, the Darnells over for drinks and to show them the boat, fun to catch up in a different place.
So that's the catch up for the last 7 days.Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and time with your families. On 28 th we went up to visit the famous Ocean Reef that every talks ,about but that will be tomorrow's blog.Sorry this has been a lot to read .I will try to keep it shorter!
Til the next one,Bye.
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