It seems like just yesterday that we arrived here in Marathon, FL. The winter is now fading and the days are getting longer......either that or I'm just sleeping later than usual.

We've had company over the winter, Bill & Robin on Blue Magic, Judy & Gene on Loco, (a Mexican name that I can never spell correctly) and Carl & Lois on Puffin. Plus for a few weeks we had Terri & Ted on Berlie Mae and Neil, Sheila & Rio the dog on Silver Queen.

Cousin Robert & Kerri made good on their promise to stop in en route to Key West and have been so busy with activities that Connie & I are wondering if we should overhaul our schedule a bit. They are looking anxiously at doing more cruising and enjoyed listening to others who have made the, "Great Loop", up the Hudson River, through the canals, Great Lakes and down the Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico.

We on the other hand are ready for another summer in RI with family and friends.
The Rose is ready to go and we've made arrangements to be hauled out in the Melbourne, FL area for bottom paint and buffing of the pilothouse.

The weather looks promising on Tuesday & Wednesday of next week. We hope to run outside and avoid the multitude of bridges that cross the South Florida ICW.

Stay tuned..............

Paul & Connie
M/V The Rose, GH37
Marathon, FL