Greetings from Miami. How 'bout that - a picture of Miami minus the traffic! We travel a lot. In fact, we're mapping out a couple of new adventures in the upcoming weeks, though the mode of transportation, in one case, is under serious debate. First on the agenda is a trip to The Dry Tortugas, about 70 miles offshore from Key West. I want to go by seaplane - Deb's thinkin' that a boat's the way to go, since she's not a great fan of small planes, especially the ones that land in the ocean. Time to negotiate. The 2nd trip planned is a little further south to the Virgin Islands - by boat. For the record, taking off & landing in a seaplane is a total rush. So how 'bout helpin' me out with a strategy.
Now I get lots of emails askin' about the Rackhams & their lifestyle. It's true they're loaded, have a few awesome boats, including an 82' schooner named Reckless Endeavor, & they've recently built a second home in the Bahamas. In fact, here's a picture - taken from a seaplane I might add. It's much smaller than the house in St Augustine, but it's comfortable.
Where the Rackham tale is somewhat embellished in Reckless is the part about Nan being totally comfortable island hopping in a seaplane. Now the Rackhams have some very good friends, Eb & Flo, who own & operate The Last Resort - a secluded getaway in the middle of the islands. Flo pilots a yellow seaplane, 'cause it's easier & more fun to get around. In the story, Nan gets a kick out of cruising with Flo above the turquoise seas. In "real life" that's not quite true. The other day Flo sent Pop a picture of her new plane & he forwarded it to me to use for this post. (Sadly, the one in the book crashed in the Everglades, but at least it was insured.)
This plane's a real beauty, dontcha think? Congrats, Flo! Can you think of any reason NOT to wanna fly in one of these babies? So back to my dilemma. How do I convince Deb to forget the boat n' give the seaplane a shot?
Sidebar - I really like reader comments. This one was posted on my FB by Matt Keever from Houston:
(Thanks, Matt.)
Okay - now about the seaplane ..... Click the link - Dry Tortugas - Whaddya think???
10 comments:
I loved this post, Dave! What a great trip you have planned. If it were me, I'd take the sea plane before the boat, it looks awesome, some great photo ops for Deb. Has she seen the link?
All I know is....I wanna go, the sand, the sea. So now I, once again ask, what am I doing in the desert? I was born and raised on the south shore of Long Island with Jones Beach at my toe-tips, I miss the salt life!
No small planes for me...What am I saying, no planes at all. I guess I'm not very adventuresome. That's why I have to read your books, to see how the other half lives.. :)
Isn't it great getting feedback from readers? Cool...you're even making them talk like pirates...No better compliment than that...
Hey Arlene - Yup, Deb checked out the link & decided she's up for it. She's gonna do some underwater photography to go with the shots from the plane & on the island, so that'll be cool. We have a "grab" bag set up with spare clothes, camera gear, towels, etc - so we can disappear whenever - & do weird stuff.
Wussup Laura!!! Whaddya mean no planes for you! I once flew over an erupting volcano in Iceland in a small plane. Hit an air pocket n' almost lost my lunch. Feedback from readers (especially when it's positive) makes the entire effort worth it. Yaknow - Me n' Deb were talkin' just today about jumpin' out of a plane & wonderin' if we'd be too brittle (or chicken) to try it. We didn't reach a decision - yet. No rush - there's still time for that. Hah!
I'm with Deb, by boat! You go by plane, if you want. I'd go with Deb if I could, and I'm not joking. Our weather has been so wet. I had no internet access yesterday because of the lousy rain. Hey, we had hail!
I want your life for one week. Strangely, I don't want the big house tho. My first thought is you have to hire someone to clean it, and frankly, cleaning house is the only exercise I get.
"I'd go with Deb if I could, and I'm not joking." So when're ya headin' down this way? Warning - Deb would make you laugh - a lot.
Would you take a boat from BC to Florida or would you fly?
Deb's gonna step up n' take the seaplane. She watched the video (& I bribed her with an underwater camera) & she said okay. Gonna snorkel & do some picture takin'.
Hope your weather improves.
If it was a B I G cruise ship, I'd take a boat. But a 13'? No.
These pics are so kewl now that I've almost finished your book. I only got to it now because the men in my life kept snacking it before I could. I'm reading it to my grandson. His big blue eyes get even bigger during the adventurous parts. Reece is 6 and quiet. When I asked "What do you think? Should I read more?" He looks very serious for a moment, then says in a quiet voice, "Okay." He nods as he says this.
I read the first 2 chapters of Reckless when poppy informed us that we weren't reading in sequence. We're now cruising through Bad Latitude. Reece thinks Jack's grandpa is a lot like his poppy.
Joylene - Your grandson Reece sounds like a very nice kid & his taste in YA fiction is fabulous - making him highly intelligent as well. I'v heard great things about the author that puts out those Rackham Adventure books.
I do have to say - RECKLESS, even though it's a sequel, does fine as a stand alone - so no biggie if you read it first. In fact, RECKLESS is the better of the two, which I probably shouldn't admit. Something happened between Bad Latitude & Reckless Endeavor - the guy doin' the writin' got better at it.
As for the cruise - we'll take a big boat to the Virgin Islands, a seaplane to The Dry Tortugas - no 13 footers for me. (Just ordered some awesome underwater gear - so I'm stoked 'bout that.)
Thanks for readin' my drivel.
Dave, Just wanted you to know I've nominated you for the Liebster Award for your blog! You rock my buddy!
Hope that sea plane can dodge Irene!
Hugs---come on over to my blog to pick up your award----
Katt
That's probably true, about improving as a writer, but have to tell you, DH thought Bad Attitude was great.
So glad to hear you've given in, Deb. Who could resist the most inaccessible national park in north america, pirate legends, and... I'm a bricklayer's daughter... the largest brick building in the western hemisphere. The seaplane will get there so much faster than a boat, and think of the photo opportunities from above!
(I won't mention that I have to deal with claustrophobia so any jaunt in a small plane would have to be pretty short.)
It sounds like a couple fabulous trips. Have a wonderful time!
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