Dear Friends and Family,
      Well, the time has finally come to leave the enchanted isle of Key 
West. The boat is provisioned and all of the "to do" items have been done for 
the most part. The weather is calming down and to tell you the truth Mary and 
I are about "partied out." I love Key West and will definitely be back at 
some point in the future but I think it is time to leave. Any budget that I 
might have set for us has been shot to hell and the longer we linger the less 
our bank account will be. We will try and get an early start tomorrow morning 
(Tuesday) and head towards Marathon and Boot Key Harbor and gradually work 
our way North. We still plan on going to the Bahamas but the group that we 
originally intended to travel with canceled their plans because of time 
constraints and the bad weather that we have been having. We will also take 
Razor with us and hope that everything will work out with the Bahamian 
officials. A lot of people we have talked to have indicated that it is not a 
problem for live aboards and that the Bahamian officials usually turn a blind 
eye to it. We will see.
      Yesterday was the annual Schooner Wharf Bar "Minimal Regatta." It is a 
boat race in home made boats constructed out of a single piece of plywood, 2 
two by fours, a pound of fasteners and a roll of duct tape. Paint is 
optional. The whole race was sponsored by Captain Morgan Rum Company and they 
had the "Morganettes" there to spur the crowd on with tee shirts, hats and 
other paraphernalia. Somehow or another I got drafted by the "Morganettes" 
(scantily clothed young women with knee high black boots) to help them throw 
tee shirts and frisbees to the clamoring thong, I mean throng. Needless to 
say I became a very popular man during this time. Several young and not so 
young women were willing to "flash" me in order for me to throw a tee shirt 
their way. I also was paid by the Capt. Morgan Co. with memorabilia and rum 
since they weren't paying me with money and that was just fine with me. Mary, 
on the other hand, had to sit on shore and take pictures of the whole affair 
and had a good time also. Not as good as me, but all in all a good time was 
had by all. The race itself was really a blast although I think somewhat of a 
sideline to the partying and carrying on that took place on shore. So ended 
the next to the last day of the crew of Loafer's Glory. Today 
(Monday/Memorial Day) Mary and I will be saying good-bye to all of the great 
people we have met here and washing that last load of clothes before we 
depart. I leave with mixed emotions. Key West, on one hand, is a magical, 
enchanting place that is one big party. People that come here, come to have a 
good time and for the most part are in jovial spirits. Key West is also a 
town of heavy drinkers that think nothing of getting smashed night after 
night. I imbibe from time to time but have never been a heavy drinker. This 
town could turn me into one though. I won't miss the crowded restaurants and 
bars and I won't miss the street people that seem to be everywhere. I will 
miss some of the great people that we have met and the spectacular scenery. 
As Douglas MacArthur said "I will return."
      I will try to keep all of you updated on a weekly basis when I can. I 
am unsure of the e-mail situation in the Bahamas but I will try and ferret 
out any available service that is there. Please keep us in all of your 
thoughts and prayers. Good luck and God Bless.

Capt. Rick...............Signing off