The day has come when I will cast my lines off the dock and sail.  My crew mates and I will head out Indian Key Pass and head up the coast of Florida.  We are going to take the Okeechobee Waterway across Florida and dip Yankee Girls bow into the Atlantic… well sort-of.  We will dip her bow into the Atlantic Intercostal Waterway and continue our journey up the coast to Beaufort, NC.

Part of the excitement of the journey is studying charts, planning menus, prepping the boat, paying taxes, and trying to make sure all the details are taking care of before sitting on a boat for 30’ish days.  My crew for this incredible journey will be a great bunch of friends.  Lynsay Bush will be on board from Everglades City to Beaufort.  I am excited that she will be with Yankee Girl for the entire voyage.  A positive soul that will be a good balance for some of craziness.  My dear friend John Gray will step off the dock here in Everglades City and sail for a few days.  A regular fixture in many of my adventures.  We will then celebrate the 15th anniversary of his marriage to his beautiful partner and my amazing friend Mary Fingeroff.  She will toss John’s pack onto the dock and stow her gear for our passage across the Big O…Lake Okeechobee.  Mary will not be able too long because she and John will be heading to Spain for two months!  Lynsay and I will continue on in the Intercostal Waterway up to Fernandina Beach.  There we will do a needed resupply and pick-up our new crew member, Lisa Fierman.  Lisa will be a grand addition to our little boat.

Life is about get pretty simple.