4th weekend

[Freestyle]

Just left Plantation Key. Gina Marie and some very fine old Hatts down there. Nicest public pool I have ever seen. The kids loved the slide and chance to kill themselves off of a 3 meter high board. There must not be lawyers in Plantation Key.

Leaving Key Largo with a new 110volt water pump headed to Key Biscayne YC or anchorage nearby. I can't seem to get their dockmaster to call me back.

After a month underway the kids have left for camp and its just two of us. We could enjoy any place at this point.

Bruce

[Angela]

July 4th.....

One of my favorite holidays! Normally, I would be loading shells in mortars or mixing flash powder to make concussion mines (my favorite BOOM!). But, my pryotech days appear to have come to an end for now with the addition of the Hatteras. Looks like I'll be spending July 4 working on the boat, but I don't mind.

Bruce (Freestyle), I'm not sure how much dockage Key Biscayne Yacht Club has rebuilt yet - much of the dockage there had been destroyed in one of last fall's storms. As of late March, there wasn't much there, and my boat was still moored at the launching ramp there since her slip was one of those destroyed. I'm at Rickenbacker now, just minutes from there by water or car. If you need dockage and can't find any at KBYC you may want to try Rickenbacker. There are some empty slips here, depending on your size. I have the dockmaster's cell phone number to reach him at any time, if need be. If you don't need dockage with water and power, there is excellent anchorage in the "stadium bay" area behind Rickenbacker, a u-shaped area which is protected on three sides. Also, the restaurant at KBYC is terriffic, in case you haven't been there! I don't like fish or seafood (can you believe that?), and I found the Herbs d'Provence Crusted Big Eye Tuna to be incredible (Ed ordered it and I tasted it)! In fact, that's going to end up on my charteryacht menu. If you need motor vehicle transportation while you're in this area, send me a PM with your phone number or an email through the forum.

Ang

[Fanfare]

And here's a great, almost legal boom:

Save your 1 liter plastic soda bottles--green ones (7-Up, Sprite) are best. Buy 2 lbs. of dry ice. Chip it up into pieces which will pass through the top of the soda bottles. Put about 2 in. of water in the bottom of the bottle, add a small handfull of the dry ice chips. It begins to bubble. Carry to a place well clear of all people. Put the bottle on the ground and screw the top on tightly. Immediately retire 50 ft. or more. In other words, RUN!! Shortly the pressure will begin to build. If you are using green bottles the first indication will be when the top shoulder of the green bottle suddenly changes fron transparent green to a milky translucent green. Next comes the explosion, as the shoulder bursts, propelling the top third of the bottle up perhaps 100 ft, with a great BANG!! Best of all, it's not a firework--no fire.

(Disclosure--I DO own shares of the Coca-Cola Company. Sprite is the very best beverage to buy and enjoy for this purpose. I think it gives the most bang for your buck, so to speak.)

Have a safe and fun 4th of July every one. Thank God for the Patriots, past and present, who have entrusted us with this great country.

And may God bless America.

[Traveler 45C]

Well, my 4th hasn't been so grim after all (recovering from back surgery). My dock buddy invited my son and I out on their Bert fishing today. We had a great time. It is my son's 10th Birthday and he caught himself his very first 35 lbs Wahoo!!!

He's very happy, and so am I...

[Genesis]

Just a word of caution to people with homemade pyrotechnics (and things that go "boom" but have no fire in them.....)

I used to do this as well. Indeed, it is somewhat of a wonder I survived my adolescence with all my fingers (and perhaps my head!) still attached. I was rather good at it, if I do say so myself... and I would probably still be making such things, except for the changed climate in this country (that goes along with a lot of other stupid shifts in how our gummermint sees the people too!)

These days "Homeland Security" takes a kind of dim view of this sort of thing. I've heard of people being looked at as "manufacturing a destructive device" (a.k.a. a BOMB!) for making these dry-ice things!

Be careful out there - charges that come out of the ATF are very un-funny....

[Angela]

No worries....I have an exhibitor's license to shoot them. The most fun shows are the ones where we are permitted to hand light them (using a flare). The fuse burns at 40 feet per second, but its only about 18" long. There's no running from that. It's such a rush!

The next best thing I find exciting is a Hatteras air horn! Guess I'll have to fire that up for the 4th this year instead.

Ang

[Mike36c]

We're in Spanish Cay for the week, fished yesterday and boated ten nice yellowfin tunas, mmmmmm I just might have some grilled again tonight. As for the dry ice boomers, I've seen brave souls tie the bottle to a dock pole and hold it about two feet under water off the transom. The shock rattles the bridge hardware! Happy 4th

[jim rosenthal]

Yesterday we decided to go fishing up here. Got a boat permit, ice, food, soda, bloodworms, and some new line and hooks for my vintage fishing gear which hasn't been off the ceiling in two years...
Of course we didn't catch anything. The highlights of the day were:
-trying to weigh the anchor in Selby Bay- despite the fact that this was only my small hook, a Fortress 16, it took us half an hour to get it on board. The bottom there is sticky, shelly ooze which has the consistency of 5200, and the durability as well. This morning I finally got it all (I think) off the boat.
-fueling. The advertised BoatUS discount at Selby Yacht Basin is if you bring cash or check. Who boats with checks? Who boats with cash? Who uses anything but a CC, especially when a partial fillup cost $360?
-tanks full, fishing gear put away, we head out to go out the South River and come north around Thomas Point to go back home. Immediately we were in three-foot head seas, or worse. Boat did fine-captain and friend, well...we hung on. Clearing the lighthouse, turning northwest, big rollers going under the boat, occasionally six feet or bigger. Again, boat did fine- captain thinking "how did I get out in this mess?" Eyes wide with surprise- and relief, finally- we get into the slip.
How DID I get in that mess? Well, I didn't do the things I usually do- check the weather forecast, pay attention to the radio, etc. I was in a hurry to go fishing.
Every time I have been in a hurry to go boating and forgotten any of my usual routine, I have been sorry. Yesterday was no exception. Did I mention we left the brand-new fishing license and sticker at the dock and had to go back for it?
Listen to the radio. Look at the National Data Bouy Center forecast and local conditions. Above all, be smarter than I am. Which is not difficult.

[Paul45c]

Be careful out there - charges that come out of the ATF are very un-funny....

Good advice, Karl, but I can't resist throwing this in -- I'm a longtime firearms collector (thanks largely to an uncle who was a dealer and had a collection that would make most museums go nuts with envy). My most treasured possession for a long time was a t-shirt that said "ATF - Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms...Who's Bringing The Chips?!" Man, I wish that shirt could have defied the laws of physics and lived forever. Gotta find another one!

[(Nobody You Know)]

Just came back from hiking Table Rock Mt. in S.C. We live 6.5 hours from the boat (this may last 3 more years) so we are going to stay close by over the fourth. Might take the 1965 14' Starcraft (1956 Wesco trailer) for a spin nearby tomorrow. Drive my '49 Ford pu the fourth - all original (other toys). Then off to Ottawa Thursday! Will probably make a trip to the boat (the Hatty) in couple of weeks. Time for oil change.

Hope you all cruizin and with passangers take extra caution, and check those pfd'!

Capt'n Bill