A slip is going to be expensive, but may be a good bet for the first month. The next safest option is a mooring ball. Marathon would be the best place to stay on the ball for awhile- very protected and lot’s of folks to help out while you’re getting your feet wet. Stock Island is next to Key West and there’s a less than gorgeous marina you could check for a cheap slip or bulkhead but anywhere down there is going to be pretty expensive especially during the winter (high season). There’s a few places in Miami near Key Biscayne that have mooring balls. Work would be easier to find next to a big city and getting parts and supplies would be a piece of cake. We absolutely loved Key Biscayne and No Name Harbor.

I think you’re on the right track. Marina life is ‘almost’ like land life. The next step on a mooring ball involves the commute back and forth via dinghy- which is part of the cruising life and you’ll learn a lot. Not easy lugging groceries and trash back and forth during bad weather but the peace and quiet are worth every moment! Start thinking about finding another dinghy. You’ll likely need two. One can (and probably should) be a beater, but the other you’ll want to be your cruising dinghy. An inflatable would be a good choice for one and a rigid dink with a small outboard would be great as the Yugo commuter. DON’T buy new outboards- big theft hazard.

The next step is ‘on anchor’ or ‘on the hook’. I’d suggest making weekend trips or overnight trips nearby at anchor because at first you’ll not sleep a wink worrying about dragging anchor. Don’t worry- everyone feels the same. At best, when you get used to it and you’ll fall into a routine of waking every few hours and check your location out the windows or hatch and go back to bed. Make sure the ‘watcher’ can get in and out of bed easily.

You’ll soon appreciate the saying, “The best insurance is a big anchor and strong chain”. In weather that insurance policy is nowhere as reassuring as a hefty anchor!

On a parting note, I’ve had the most amazing dreams sleeping on a boat. So good, it’s like a drug making you ache (as I do now) for a fix. In a way, I envy you. To go back now (knowing what we know) to have that experience again would be magical.

In Marathon, there’s a bar on the second floor at the marina as you come in the channel. WHEN you get there, WHEN you are on YOUR boat, and WHEN you are watching a glorious sunset- have a drink for me and CHEERS!

You’re definitely in the doldrums! Nothing to do but wait it out until there’s a fresh breeze.

Hil and I were talking last night about the changes we’ve experienced within ourselves over the last year alone. While no where near a level of acceptable financial solvency that responsible society would expect, we find ourselves with a light heart and openness that I never knew working in Atlanta. Everything is more colorful now. The people more interesting, the colors more vibrant, the experiences new. We enjoy the ‘newness’ of things as well.

Try to enjoy your remaining time in the doldrums. Be present to the friends and family around you that may not be in your life when you start the next chapter.

Best of all, dream.

All our best,

JC

All the best,

JC