It was an unusually warm, sunny morning, and we were up early motoring to the Clearwater Beach Marina for fuel and water. Joe's family was scheduled to arrive in a few hours for a feast; it was Thanksgiving Day 2016.
All of a sudden the RPMs shot up and the alternator alarm went off on the starboard engine. Joe shut it down and pulled outside of the channel in front of Seminole boat ramp to drop the anchor and diagnose the problem. One of the first things we learned owning a boat is always have spare parts! Having a captain that is an experienced diesel mechanic helps too. It was a broken belt; Joe had it replaced and we were underway again within the hour. We made it back to Dunedin and started the food prep!
One of the surprising things to people when visiting Kuma Too for the first time is that we have a fully stocked galley (kitchen). Our galley has a gas powered oven with 4-burner cook top that gets used daily, and we have most of the amenities of a land-based kitchen such as a microwave, blender, and toaster. Unfortunately, those items use a lot more power than our solar panels and wind generator can currently provide, so we only operate those items on shore power or generator.
It was our first time hosting so many people, so we prepared all the sides and appetizers but had family bring the turkey and desserts. As everyone arrived, we enjoyed appetizers and caught up on family events.
This was the first time Joe’s oldest brother and sister were seeing the boat, so it was exciting to share Kuma Too with them. When it came time to serve, we setup buffet style around the u-shaped galley and took our plates outside. Where else would you eat your Thanksgiving meal other than on a catamaran in the middle of St. Joseph’s Sound, Florida at the end of November? And don’t forget the picture perfect sunset as a backdrop!
Happy Thanksgiving! To learn about charters on board Kuma Too, visit www.SailingKumaToo.com
Until next week, Happy Sailing!
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