It's 11:45. I've finally dragged what was left of me out of bed. I
thought a little report was a good idea before I go down to strip some
electronics out of a friend's Endeavour 35 (a beautiful boat in fine
condition that's now for sale, by the way) in preparation of going with
the "delivery crew" in the spring to retrieve his new Jenneau 40 from Ft
Lauderdale...my spring vacation.

Arriving at the dock, expecting to see Lionheart all ready to participate
as usual, I was surprised to see it dark, it's mast cleared and the boat
empty. "Larry! We're all over here!", they shouted.

The "Christmas Parade Party Barge" had moved to another friend's Grand
Banks 42, that hadn't left the dock in something like 8 months as Archie,
it's owner had other things on his mind. We left quite a trail of clods
of attached marine life that the American 6 diesel dragged off on the way
out of the marina way up past the CG station. It looked like the Y-valve
was in the wrong position...(c;

Well, there were 8 of us, a nice mixed company of old men and young
females, one of which is a magazine writer who just kept me on the edge
of my seat in those low-rider hiphugger jeans her shirt didn't quite
reach all night. A great crew of party goers.

It was a beer and wine evening, but the assortments of fine wines kept
only one of us drinking his beloved beer. A huge pot of Archie's Bilge
Buffet Chili was slowly bubbling away on the stove and the most delicious
cornbread I think I ever tasted was made in a well-seasoned old skillet
in the oven. They continued to prepare as we motored the trawler out to
what Cap'n Archie THOUGHT would be a good place, our normal place, to
view the Christmas Parade of Boats. Well, we could see them off in the
far distance, on the other side of the harbor about 2 miles
away...nautical miles, that is. Pinpoints of Light in the black void
nicely lit by a nearly full moon. Temperature on deck was in the mid
60's. Temperature in the cabin was a toasty 75 from the cooking....oh,
and the SMELL of that cornbread!

After the docking crew got the fenders properly stowed and the deck made
presentable, a platter of cheeze and crackers to compliment the wines
appeared and, now on the hook in the wrong spot, the parade was soon
forgotten. As we got to know the newcomers aboard, in their low-rider
hiphugger jeans her shirt didn't quite reach all night, we found out two
of the newbies are very active on the square rigger Spirit being built
and outfitted here to join the square rigger fleet. One other guy was a
diesel engineer of long standing, making me feel a little better about
being out on a diesel trawler that was running on 3-year-old oil that
hadn't been run in nearly a year. She ran fine, as did the diesel genny.

A large barge pushed by a tug came straight at us about 2000 hours and
stopped about 150 yards from the stern of our trawler. This seemed odd
as it just sat there adrift, its tug holding it in place. All of a
sudden World War 3 broke out! IT WAS THE FIREWORKS BARGE and WE had the
BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE! There was a beautiful display for the crowds
along the city's waterfront park on the other side from our wonderful
vantage point. Wine glasses were quickly refilled by a dedicated crew
and the guests took to the rail to watch the show....complimented by some
great reggae music snuck back through customs from previous trips to the
islands aboard various vessels. The "grand finale" the fireworks crew
provided was MOST impressive from 150 yards away. Concussions could be
felt to your very bones standing on the aft deck. Of course, our captain
took full credit for his wonderful boat placement skills as the show
ended.

No sooner had the last fireworks floated down then that heavenly boat
cornbread and Archie's Bilge Buffet Chili were cut and scooped into
little styrofoam cups. The previously boisterous, and slightly
enibriated guests, were very quiet stuffing themselves, the parade
forgotten into a distant memory. Someone commented later that, "We
didn't really need the parade as an excuse to do this, you know.",
obviously trying to hint that this should be a more frequent occasion in
the near future. All agreed...The eating continued until we ran out of
all of the cornbread and most of the chili. Now full, of course, it was
Sea Story Time as Jimmie Buffett was singing "Sailor Man" on the boat's
extensive stereo system.

It was still quite early, for the usual crew, but we pulled the hook and
trawled back towards City Marina under that beautiful moon and the city
lights with me standing bow-watch-for-crabber-toilet-floats because I had
the good sense to bring my bright yellow Old Navy foulie gear to keep
warm in. The temperature had dropped into the low 50's and the wind had
picked up. The outgoing tide slowed our progress, but noone really
cared. Back at the dock...there was a problem....

Try as he may, our captain just couldn't get her to back into her slip in
this wind and current. There are no poles to put lines around in our
floating marina out on the finger piers, so that didn't help. The
current was really ripping and we were in a single screw with no bow
thruster. After several attempts, he shoved off to the turning basin and
we poked her bow into another slip that was open where the current wasn't
so intense. Tied up, problems soon forgotten, the party went on until
about midnight with different libations from the wonderful larder of
"Lionheart", just down the dock.

I rode me electric scooter up the dock about 12:30 and the cold wind in
my face on the way back to Ashley Marina upriver from City had sobered me
to drive home by the time I arrived. The drive home was uneventful.

Sorry you all missed the party. If anyone saw the parade closer up, let
us know what those pinpoint of lights looked like. I didn't see much of
them from so far away....(c; My ears are still ringing from the
fireworks bombs going off....

Larry

Ok, that's my report. Time to go to the marina and earn my keep.....
Life is GOOD!