Bucket List

Ever since we first started boating (some 35 years ago), we have dreamt about cruising the beautiful tropical waters of the Bahama's in our own boat, on our own time in our own way. It has just been one of those things on the proverbial "bucket list".

This summer, we are finally going to make that dream come true!

The first part of the trip is to get ENCORE from its home port in Sarasota on the Gulf coast around the state to West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side. While this would normally be a relatively "short" trip through the Okeechoobee Waterway, a few of the locks are closed most of the summer for repairs. So, we are going to take the long (but fun) way around through the Florida Keys.

On the first part of the journey, my younger brother (a.k.a. the "First Mate") will join me to assist in handling all the normal duties of the Admiral, who has opted to do a little visiting with the "the kids" up north. While I will miss her companionship and competence, the First Mate is an able soul with good boating skills and a strong liver -- an essential attribute when spending time in the Keys! Our route will take us from Sarasota to Marco Island to Key West to Key Biscayne to West Palm in about a week's time. 

Once ENCORE is docked in West Palm we will take a short one week break, re-provision the boat and switch crews (the First Mate off, the Admiral on). We will then depart the end of June on our planned month long cruise to the Bahamas including five different islands in the Abacos, Grand Bahama Island, then south to Bimini, and finally back across the Atlantic Gulf Stream. We will once again circumnavigate the Florida Keys (with a few favorite stops along the way) before returning to Sarasota.

While we will be at the mercy of the weather, seas and winds (not to mention tropical depressions or hurricanes this time of year),  if all goes according to my totally flexible "float plan", we should get back to Sarasota by the end of July. 

Here is where our 1400 mile journey will take us!