Snowbird Fall Migration: Skip's Impressions

A month or two ago, I signed on as an able seaman to assist in the delivery of Guided Discovery from Hingham to Sarasota, not really knowing what to expect other than a leisurely trip to warmer clime.  I figured it would be mostly sightseeing, getting in plenty of reading, and learning about weather forecasting, navigation, seamanship etc.  well, as a reader can see from reading the rest of the blog, it was all of that, plus much more, minus the chance to read, which never happened! Busy, busy, busy constantly.  3 men handling a 63 foot yacht hundreds of miles, part of the trip 24 hours a day, made for quite a 9 day stretch.  Les, Guy and I shared great companionship and cooperation, super meals including Les' great shakes and an occasional glass of wine!  The best was the ongoing tutoring from Les on weather forecasting, navigation, lock and bridge passing and the history of many of the sights we passed.  Too many to list of the fun we had.  Most are in other parts of the blog.  Standing out in my memory was dinner in the (Roland Martin's) Marina redneck bar on Lake Obekochobee, patrons in confederate hats, heavily tattooed with interesting female companionship, to the next night at the SouthSeas Resort on Captiva, surrounded by many trustfunders with the ladies in Lily Pulitzer sun dresses.  Sort of a trip highlight memory!  What an experience!  What an education!  Thanks so much Les for allowing a sort of "unable seaman" to becoming a more educated "able seaman"!  Skip

Skip, Les and Guy at South Seas Resort on Captiva

Guided Discovery at South Seas Resort