Pelican Bay – Exhale on the Water

Somebody’s Watching Me

This is for Cat Eisele- here’s why! She was spying on Captain Rick today as he was in repair mode for Tonto’s Reward at SCYC. Thanks for looking out, Cat.

Go ahead, click here and sing along with Michael Jackson: “Sometimes I feel like, somebody’s watching me.”

Zooming in …

This blog post will wrap up Part 1 of our Florida tour, focusing on the west coast of Florida. In this post we traveled from Longboat Key to The Field Club, to Pelican Bay, to Cabbage Key, then Fort Myers.

Longboat Key

Rick and David B. TRIED to help our dockmate, Sapphire – a 52 Beneteau – relocate the washer/dryer to the bow of the boat. But the cozy hatch opening was a bit of a struggle.

After several tweaks and determined tries, the appliance was lowering, but not enough, then the heavy rains came. Quick thinking, our dinghy cover did the trick, protecting the appliance from the deluge.

The next day Rick and David B removed ALL protruding nobs and hardware, and detached the hinges on the tight fitting hatch.

Finally, the appliance was lowering!

Unfortunately, there was another impediment inside, so they could not complete the job, a disappointing moment.

Quest for the Perfect Hamburger

Capt Rick LOVES a good burger. Longboat Key delivered.

Field Club

Boater’s Tip: We had to book nearly one month ahead to secure docks at The Field Club – it’s that popular!!

It’s an old club, sort of. Originally a mansion for the Field family (part of the Chicago family behind Marshall Field & Company), the main structure dates back to 1927. It was converted to a club in 1957, when the Fields, in their 80’s, moved back to the Chicago area full time. Sarasota Yacht Club was the first to be given the opportunity to purchase, but some short sighted board members passed on the chance. Capt Rick loves to say, “You can’t fix Stupid.”

The 16-acre waterfront property is absolutely beautiful!

Pelican Bay

The waters of Cayo Costa State Park include our favorite anchorage. We anchored out for two nights.

Cabbage Key

We docked at Cabbage Key for one night. First a shout out to Ray and Caryl – who are cruising the Greek Islands – we know you love Cabbage Key. For those of you who have visited, you know there is a LOT of money hanging from the ceiling and walls.

Did you know that Cabbage Key donates the money that falls from the walls to local charities? To the tune of roughly 20,000, annually. SOO cool.

Capt Rick knew this was a good place to honor Michael Gillespie since he and his wife Susan Gillespie absolutely LOVED this place!!

We miss you, Gonzo.

Fort Myers

We returned to Fort Myers on May 27. Here’s a little nod to my firstborn. Celebrating your recent birthday, on Memorial Day.

Breaking News: So far we have 14 Florida Council Yacht Club signatures, qualifying along with Tonto’s Reward for the annual Founders Award. Stops so far include Bird Key, Bradenton, Carlouel, Charlotte Harbo, Clearwater, Davis Island, Field Club, Isles, St. Pete, Sarasota, Tampa, Tarpon Springs, and Venice.

Hey Carl, Gary, Cat and Jim – YOU CAN DO IT! Keep Boating, Safely.

What’s Next – Part II

On June 5 we will head to SCYC, then we will join Tonto’s Reward to commence Part II of our Florida tour. First stop is Naples City Dock followed by Marco Island Yacht Club, then Marathon and Key West. Weather permitting we will anchor out at the Dry Tortugas.

Celebrating Milestones: Birthdays – May 25 – Zach Silverstein; May 28 – Scott Ginsburg, Brennyn turned 10; May 29 – Doug Belknap; May 31 – Pamela Ledward; June 1 – Craig Adford, Mark Marlow, Amanda Saylor, Skyllar Tanner; June 2 – Susan Gillespie.

May 25 – Anniversary Gail and David Bernstein; May 26 – Jeff and Patty North

Thanks everyone for following our travels!

A Windy Start

Singalong now …

And Windy has stormy eyes
That flash at the sound of lies
And Windy has wings to fly
Above the clouds (above the clouds)

Here’s a YouTube of the Song by The Association ‧ 1967

More than a blustery day, in the past few days we have experienced winds up to 30 knots, Capt Rick said the average was 20 to 25 knots. Although we were safely tied up, it was not fun for Buttercup. But I digress …

Pelican Bay / Cayo Costa

We started this journey with an overnight at Pelican Bay, a favorite spot for all of us. The only thing missing was the conch at sunset, blown with much gusto by SFYC Commodore Connie.

Boater’s Tip – open the hatches and enjoy the fresh air! The stars at night are beyond compare. The splashing sound near your hull is very likely bait fish!

Yes, there were Pelicans in Pelican Bay!

Isles Yacht Club (IYC), Punta Gorda

Our first Florida Council Club stop was at IYC.

Fun fact: Punta Gorda is Spanish for “Fat Point”. Spanish fishermen from Cuba, who frequented the area in the early 1800s, are believed to have given the area its name, long before permanent settlement.

Boater’s Tip: It’s a perfect place to launch a dinghy to explore the waterfront neighborhoods.

Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club (CHYC), Port Charlotte

The water is too shallow at CHYC for us to overnight, but it is an easy run by dinghy from IYC. The owner, Jeffrey, is delightful

and the brunch at the club is exceptional. Gail and I both ordered the Eggs Benedict, with a Bloody Mary, all was delicious!! It was nice to see the SCYC burgee prominently displayed in the club house.

The weather was calm in Punta Gorda.

Buttercup waited on Tonto’s Reward for Gail B. to bring her a treat, Capt Rick said what she really wanted was to take a nap with Bert and EJ, on David B’s pillow.

Venice Yacht Club, Venice FL

Celebrating it’s 75th Anniversary, Venice Yacht Club was a WINDY stop.

To our pure delight, SCYC Past Commodore (PC) Gary Ralph, on Knot Dreamin’, joined us on the second evening in Venice. He is also busy visiting Florida Council Clubs!

PC Rick Ginsburg (SFYC) and PC Gary Ralph (SCYC) on board Exhale.

The wind continued to howl! We were happy to stay put, to let the fowl weather pass. Heather R, don’t you love my crazy hair :-)

A little ambulatory update from this blogger – thank you to the numerous followers who asked about my recovery from the unfortunate gravity-driven accident last August on Tangier Island, VA. I am happy to report I have now taken on all First Mate duties, with no issues! And, I am walking like a normal human with minimal challenge (although not to be compared with super walker David B). Navigating stairs – going up – is fine, but going down stairs, and uneven surfaces, require extra effort; that’s just a minor inconvenience. So thanks again for checking!

Special Note to Sideways – we know you are making progress with all those projects. Can’t wait to connect on the water, again.

Celebrating Milestones: Birthday April 22, Katrin Ericson

Next Up: Sarasota Yacht Club and Bird Key Yacht Club – both in Sarasota, FL

Thanks everyone for following us! Your comments and “likes” are appreciated.

Let’s Go!

It’s April, and Exhale is on the water again! Buttercup says, it’s been a long time, been a long time, been a LONG time!

First, a little catch up. In our September 2025 post – Chesapeake Summer – Hello Gravity – we reported the bizarre boating accident – on August 29 – on Tangier Island, Virginia. The next day, with the first mate out of commission, Capt Rick moved the boat from Tangier to Onancock, by himself. Thank you for the escort by Tonto’s Reward.

The diagnosis was a fractured tibia plateau – fancy medical words for a broken leg. On September 5 surgery was performed to realign and elevate the knee cap, and to insert a total of 10 metal screws!

The ortho surgeon told us to hold still for another two weeks in Onancock. Meanwhile, Rick and Buttercup were just waiting to Exhale …

This patient was sustained by a lot of yummy grilled cheese sandwiches, with pickles and fresh fruit, thanks to Chef Ricardo.

We were cleared by Ortho to travel on Sept 19, a total of 21 days after the accident. Next up – Norfolk, VA.

SeaBee Ray Houle climbed on board to help! A true hero, after securing Exhale in Norfolk, Ray drove with Rick and I back to Fort Myers, a grueling 950-mile road trip. The next morning, the men said goodbye to Buttercup and me, then drove back to Norfolk to retrieve Exhale, with a helping hand from Caryl, who flew in to the St. Augustine area to join the men.

In Rick’s absence, a BIG thanks to the many friends and neighbors who walked Buttercup, drove me to medical and physical therapy appointments, and helped me hobble around.

Thanks Zach for this fancy cane from your travels in Asia!

Exhale is On the Move!

Fast forward to late March of 2026 … it’s time to get back on the water, but first,

Summer Breeze

a little tribute to Seals and Crofts, one of the great soft rock bands from the 70s. Sadly, Austin, Texas singer Dash Crofts passed on March 25 at age 87. They wrote “Summer Breeze”. You probably know the sweet lyric, “Summer breeze, makes me feel fine / Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind”; and, you might know that my daughter, Alisha Jasmine, is named after that song.

Florida Boating in the Spring is Heavenly

On April 16, 2026 Exhale left the home dock, stopping for one night at St. Charles Yacht Club.

Jane Linscott, Capt Rick, Past Commodore John Linscott

What’s the Float Plan?

Early on April 17 we travel in tandem with Tonto’s Reward, heading first to Pelican Bay.

This boating season we will visit the Florida Council Clubs! There are 36 in total, let’s see how many we actually reach.

First, we will spend about six weeks exploring the west coast of Florida – going north from Fort Myers. Our destination is a bit north of Clearwater, to Tarpon Springs. On the map below it’s a little north of Tampa. After a short return to Fort Myers, we will head south towards Key West, then loop around towards Miami, heading north on the east coast of Florida, towards Jacksonville and Melbourne. Boating friends, please join us when you can!

Here’s a map and a list of the clubs

For now, say hi to Danielle’s new mascot from the birthday trip to Orlando.

Celebrations: Recent Birthdays include April 7, Ryan Mendoza;

April 8, Grandson Tyler Hendry turned 10, to celebrate in style, nine of us gathered in Orlando. He’s such a cool dude.

A shout out to Anders, can you believe that 10 years have passed since we took delivery of our first Exhale, time has flown by!

April 10, Dale Morgan; April 13, Piper Jackson turned 18! April 14, Meghan Reese; April 18, Rachel Gill; and April 19, cousin John Gill, Jr.

Congratulations to our sweet friends, Ray Houle and Caryl Moulder on their new boat, a Mainship 350, soon to be named “Sideways”.

Special Shoutouts – Thanks for the new bridge – Joyce and Dr. Bennett! Congratulations to Bill Greggs and our VITA team – it was a great season!

Next Up: Cayo Costa, looking forward to lunch at Cabbage Key and anchoring out in Pelican Bay with Tonto’s Reward.

Walk Right In!

A New Adventure Begins

In 1963, The Rooftop Singers got it right with their No 1 single:

Walk right in, sit right down
Daddy, let your mind roll on

Everybody’s talkin’ ’bout a new way of walkin’
Do you want to lose your mind?
Walk right in, sit right down
Daddy, let your mind roll on

This YouTube clip is for David Bernstein, Tonto’s Reward and for Doug and Dana Belknap, M/V Tumbleweed :-)

How is this folksy song relevant? Drum Roll please … Exhale now has a walk-in engine room! Feeling dazed and Confused? Yes, Dave Lubs, we are still married, and yes, contrary to what I told you repeatedly – we sold our magnificent 2021 North Pacific 49 Euro Pilothouse. New subscribers – if you are not familiar THIS is/was our boat, https://northpacificyachts.com/boats/49-e-pilothouse/

Backing up a little bit in time, selling was a difficult decision but, drastic action was prompted by Father Time – you see, Capt. Rick cringed every time he merely contemplated the hot yoga required in the 40-inch high engine room. The captain was tired of crawling around on his knees to perform the daily engine room checks, it was just too much pain for those achy knees and hips.

One night he sighed deeply as he announced – it was time to give up boating.

Buttercup was in shock – what about those sunny days on the water, most important she did not want to lose out on the dog treats and belly rubs from Gail Bernstein! I was dismayed at the prospect of losing our floating home. For the past 8 years we have escaped the muggy summer heat of Florida, spoiled by the splendid respite of cool northern waters.

So, I asked Capt. Rick one simple question – why don’t we buy a boat with a walk-in engine room???

Kadey Krogen 52 walk in engine room. Buttercup approved.

After several months of searching, Capt. Rick found the perfect fit. Similar in size and amenities to the North Pacific 49, BUT with a walk in engine room. Oh Yes!

We are proud to announce our boating adventures will continue (WooHoo!) since we now own a lightly used 2019 Kadey Krogen 52, formerly known as Papa Whiskey.

After a purging and renaming ceremony to appease Poseidon and the four wind gods (thanks, Gail and David), we enjoyed a brief shake down cruise to my all-time favorite waters – Pelican Bay – with Tonto’s Reward and Knot Dreaming (thanks Gary for bringing the delicious old fashioned!).

Knot Dreaming NP 44, Capt. Gary Ralph; Pelican Bay

Anchors Away! Introducing the new Exhale!!

Departing our home dock on Saturday, April 26, we are heading somewhere north for the summer months. For the first time in our boating career, we do not have a float plan – we will meander (that’s for you, Marty and Anders) at a turtle speed. Keep an eye out for our travels.

the **new Exhale** anchored in Pelican Bay, Florida – March 30, 2025.

Here’s the view from the pilothouse – looking great!

Capt Rick at the helm of the new Exhale.

CELEBRATING FRIEND AND FAMILY MILESTONES

April Birthdays: Ryan Mendoza, April 7 (the Big 50); Grandson Tyler J. Hendry, April 8 (9 years old!); April 10, Dale Morgan; April 13, Piper Jackson sweet 17; April 14, Meghan Reese; April 19, Cousin John Gill; April 22, Katrin Ericson; and April 27, Monica Babich.

Congrats on your new home, Caryl and Sideways! Join us soon.

Rest in Peace, Pope Francis.

Post Script – Don’t worry North Pacific family, the NP49-11 is in great hands. Soon to be known as Above Expectations, the new owners, Ron and Dr. Karen Oldano, are amazing people you should get to know!

Finally, WELCOME to the new subscribers. If you like our whimsical blog, please give us a thumbs up, offer comments, and feel free to share with your friends!