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Freeing the lines to set sail, using a little dingy.
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Fetching beverages from down below.
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Kevin steering us out of the harbor in his flowery hat. Whatever it takes to not get burned by the Florida sun.
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We thought this barge was going to drop the beam overboard, but it was actually preparing for work ahead, setting the beams in special slots along side. We sailed on for play, leaving them to their work.
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Looking far too serious, I'm at the tiller steering us out of Miami harbor.
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View from the tiller, skyward.
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Forward view from the tiller. A long way through canals to get to the open ocean.
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Bird on the marker at the edge of the channel.
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Miami skyline.
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Kevin and Amie raising the forward sail. Enough of this powering stuff.
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Sail raising lessons.
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Spider-Kevin, hanging off the side of his boat.
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Photographing a photographer on his perch.
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All that tillerman needs is a little tea.
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Evidently they're loading from the stern.
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Kevin and his boat.
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Okay, we're really raising the sail this time.
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Watching the sail go up.
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'Untie that rope' was the distinct command, then suddenly we watched as the dingy disappeared into the distance behind us. Moments too late, Kevin realized he should have specified which rope to the ambitious Amie. This was quickly followed by a dingy rescue.
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Looking up the sail.
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It's too hot. Time to strip down and jump in. No worries that we're under full sail.
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Kevin in the water saying goodbye to a couple of green sailers who barely know that ropes are called lines. Speaking of lines, you can see the line that Kevin is holding on to, soon to pull him forward.
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It looked so fun, I had to have a turn too. Nothing like a refreshing drag in the Bay of Miami.
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Dragging and looking for Jaws. No sign.
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Laying on my back, trying to get on step. An unsuccessful but noble attempt.
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Headed back to the boat, climbing up the rope.
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Me and my computer geek build ungracefully exiting the water.
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Amie's turn for a drag. She's about to dive under.
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Looks like we caught an Amie-fish.
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A little backward body surfing.
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Getting out is the tricky part. Especially after dragging behind the boat for a while. I should be helping her out, but was rather enjoying taking pictures instead.
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The two-roped drag.
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'Please put down the camera and help me out', she says. Perhaps she used different words.
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Seconds after pulling the third person out of the water, a Coast Guard boat came screaming up to us at full speed, lights on top flashing. We thought they were coming to rescue a 'man (or woman) overboard'.
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It wasn't a rescue. They kept on heading up the coast and over the horizon.
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Looking forward, into the sun.
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Amie and Kevin, steering into the sun.
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Where boom and mast meet.
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Peering ahead.
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Amie proving she can steer with her feet. 'Look mom, no hands!'
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Kevin in silhouette.
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Kevin keeping watch on the bow.
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My turn keeping watch on the bow.
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Back to self-proclaimed 'civilization'. After a trip on the ocean, we're less convinced.
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When they said 'walk the plank', I could have sworn they said 'walk the anchor'.
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The three of us.
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Amie on the bow, A1A bridge in the background.
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Amie's first attempt at being a bowsprit.
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Of course, any good bowsprit has to be topless.
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Kevin being stoic.
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Myself being a smartass.
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Myself not being a smartass.
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Resting after a hard day's sail.
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The ragged look of this flag is much like the ragged shape of the government it symbolizes. Known as a curtousy flag, the ship flies much more proudly under the Canadian flag from where it hails.
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We arrived back after dark. Kevin was giving Amie and I anchor setting lessons.
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Having arrived back home, Mango was ever eager to hear the day's stories. One day he will be along for these adventures, calling a sailboat home.
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While we only sailed just outside of Miami today, we were quick to imagine the rest of the world and all the waiting destinations of tomorrow.