Hi Gary, Haven't heard from Doug or John since we left them on Tuesday. John had popped a spreader on Monday so they were having to get that repaired as well as wait for the weather to get better for the trip to DT. While sailing with us the week before, John hit something that popped his rudder tearing the center gudgeon out of the transom. The wood around the bolts had rotted so he spent a day getting that repaired too. 'Twas not the best of trips for John. Hopefully, things went better this past week. They were hoping to get to DT toward the end of the week - Our sailing was great - almost laid Carol II on her side with one gust that caught us during a come about when the released sheet hung up. Took several gallons over the starboard gunwale in the instant before she righted. Winds were never below 12 knots and the chop was ever present - sometimes moderate to heavy. This was also the first time we got to surf with Carol II. Returning from a snorkeling run out to Sand Key (5 miles S of Key West) the already strong winds and seas picked up. Our stern would lift into an oncoming wave and we'd accelerate along its crest as long as I could hold her there before slipping into a wallow in the trough before rising on the following wave. GPS claimed we did almost 6 knots on the best runs. On another day we decided to anchor for a lunch break. I tossed my anchor overboard believing I had tied it off only to discover the bitter end was nowhere to be seen. I hurriedly tied a line to the backup 5 lb. mushroom and that held us while I prepared to swim about to find the other anchor. We were tossing about a fair amount when suddenly the anchor line wasn't giving that comforting bit of reassurance as it drew taut. My hasty knot had come undone ! Hope I don't get a citation for littering the waters !! I wondered what had happened to the bumper - assumed it floated off into the sunset. Thanks for holding on to it. Stan