The Final Stats...........

Well, it's hard to believe it's already over. What an incredible fishing trip/cruise. We traveled a total of 1733 nautical miles which equates to about 2000 statute miles in 46 days. We made 14 ports of call, 8 that we had never been to before. We spent every night at marinas except 2 nights on a mooring ball in Warderick Wells. We had intended to spend a few nights on the hook, but it just didn't work out. We were as far as 300 nm from the Florida coast. We put about 185 hours on FF III's engines during the trip and burned 2033 gallons of diesel. We consumed over 50 cases of beer and ate fish almost exclusively for the entire trip, most of which we caught. We sneaked in a hamburger or two and a pizza at Cape Eleuthra. We had our customary steak at Outback Steakhouse in Islamorada the night we arrived back in the US. We swam in a blue hole and visited the homeland, Morgan's Bluff, on Andros. We snorkeled where James Bond has snorkeled at Staniel Cay. We climbed to the highest point in the Bahamas, visited the Hermitage and caught 2 Blue Marlin at Cat Island. We saw Whales in the "Tongue of the Ocean" and in Exuma Sound. And, we finally caught a Grouper trolling in Bimini to just recall a few highlights. We're home in Missouri now and I am suffering from post-cruising depression. CJM keeps telling me she was ready to be home. She says, "We live in a great place, especially in the summer," and she is right. But, we spent 46 days in the Bahamas and visited many beautiful ports, harbors and beaches. The memory that sticks in my mind was at Bimini Blue Water Marina the day before we left. We were all cooling off in the pool and nearby was a shady area with a rope hammock. Sprawled out in the hammock with his feet crossed and "just a swingin" was our old fishing buddy Freddie. Not a care in the world, kicking back after a few hard days of fishing. Since I've been home the only thing on tv is the oil spill in the Gulf, the dispute between BHO and General McChrystal, unemployment, and the failing economy. Life shouldn't have to be this difficult.... So, I guess I will get my "big girl panties on" and deal with it. But remember, we aren't going to live forever, so we/you'd better go for it. I realize in these difficult times it probably doesn't make much sense to "go for it!" I will end our cruise with a favorite quote of mine from Mark Twain. "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the things you do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." You can probably guess what I am thinking now. Bahamas Cruise 2011. It may be a little shorter next year as we will be busy in KC on May 14th and it will be hard to keep CJM (well, and me, too) away from Lola for that long, but I will be holding out for at least 30 days in the Abacos. Stay tuned for the planning and preparing during the next 11 months.

CTM