Tom's Latest Adventures

I have been quite busy lately with actually working (one day), finishing school and helping with the Vandenberg.

Working, well let me explain..........

My friend Chris works for Tow Boat U.S., a water towing company that (you guessed it) tows broken down boats back to KW to be fixed. So Chris called me one morning around 8 o'clock to see if I could help a captain with a tow. I said I would so he told me where and when to meet Capt Glen at the tow boat. I should have been suspicious when he told me I needed to bring a book, change of clothes and food. Capt Glen and I met up and finally left KW around 10:00 am. We made it to the broken down boat at about 2:00 pm (the broken boat had hit a reef and broke it's rudder the day before out at Dry Tortuga which is 60 miles out). We were able to stabilize the rudder and get it hooked up to tow by 3:00 pm to start the tow back to KW. Well for the next 13 hours we towed the behemoth boat back to KW and got it secured to the dock about 3:30 am. The people were very thankful for our help and I made it home by about 4:00. Most of the tows are not that long but of course my first trip was a long one.

Next on to the Vandenberg..............

For those of you that do not know what that is, it is a 520' ship they are going to sink 6 miles south of KW as an artificial reef. This project has been in the works for almost 11 years and has had many ups and downs but the ship finally made it to KW. They towed it from Virginia and it made it here last Wednesday. I was one of 8 people to get on the ship about 3 miles out of KW as a line handler to help dock the ship from the deck. It was pretty cool with all the attention it was getting from boats following it and the helicopters flying around filming it coming into KW. The ship made it in and now they are doing the final prep work to sink it around May 20th. The workers are working 12 hours a day and I am helping out with that work doing what ever is needed. Its great to get to know the ship before it is sunk so I will know the areas to dive. When the crew is not working there has to be a safety fire watch on duty the other 12 hours. There is a company employee on this shift but he needs a safety buddy with him at all times so one of the college dive instructors got students to volunteer for 6 hour shifts from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am and 1:00 am to 7:00 am. My first shift was from 1 to 7 and it was cool being able to walk around the whole ship at night and check it out but it was kind of creepy at times. I do it again in a week but I am doing the 7 to 1 shift. The good thing is that I don't have to work on the days I have the night shift watch, that the nice part of volunteering... working when you want to.

School, I AM FINISHED!!!!!

Yes I am now a certified NAUI scuba instructor so those of you that want to learn how to scuba dive can come down here and I can teach you, or we can just go to Duval and get loaded, your choice. School was fun but intense and I am glad it is over because things are going to get busy with Taryn having Ashlyn any day, the Vandenberg arriving and Mel Fisher division week coming with all that brings (including taking divers out to the site to look for treasure). When that is all over I plan on getting a job at a dive shop as a captain, dive master or an instructor, all three if possible.

So that is the latest on what has been going on and will update you when there is more to add to the Adventure.

Events and More Stuff To Do

And so begins a week of events and much to do. It has been pretty quiet the past few weeks and now it all seems to be happening in the same week!

It starts with Conch Republic Independence Celebration. 10 days of events that celebrated when we seceded. It has always been one of our favorite weeks and really a local event. The tourists will be confused as to why drag queens are running down Duval today (and yes we will be there for it)! Check out the site if you want to see all the events. http://www.conchrepublic.com/schedule.htm

Tom has his last set of scuba instructor classes this week end. YEA!!!! Then next Fri is the official sign off and end of class party so he will be an official NAUI instructor. That dive certification will be added to the ones he already has as a dive master for PADI and SSI. Sometime this summer he is also going to take the cross over test to be a PADA instructor. I think he is collecting agency certifications!!!

Monday night is the Taste of Key West. An AIDS fundraiser where 50 local restaurants get together and you can buy 'tastes' of the various food being offered. Of course there is beer and wine (this is Key West!) We went last year and had a blast so back for more this year.

Then last but not at ALL least is the arrival of the Vandenberg!!! That is to take place on Tues (hopefully if the weather holds out). All of us dive crazies can hardly wait!!!!!

The Vandenberg is an old Navy ship that will be sunk off of the coast of Key West to create an artificial reef, the worlds 2nd largest. A groups of locals have been working years to make this happen and there have been LOTS of issues but it seems it will finally take place. The ship has been cleaned and will be in KW for the final prep before it is sunk. That is to take place between May 20 & June 1 since it has to be done before the start of hurricane season. Tom and I both plan on being there when the ship comes in on Tues.

Check out the sites if you want to know more and I will keep you up to date on the status.

http://www.bigshipwrecks.com/index.html

http://www.fla-keys.com/news/news.cfm?sid=7395

Taryn Update

So we thought it would be good to send the latest on Taryn and the grandbaby.

First our grand daughter has been 'officially' named. 

Ashlyn Emma

Now there are a few of us who still think that she should be named Emma Ashlyn or Crazy Ray Ann (that is from our friend Ray) but we have been told (many times by Tom & friends) that it is up to her parents and not us to name her. 

Here are a couple of the latest pictures. The first one is her at Virginia Beach last weekend. 

 Taryn was getting a little 'stir crazy' and Brandon took her out to the beach for a little sun and sand that was needed. The water was cold but the day outing did her good. Virginia Beach is only about 1 and a half hours from them. (I think she looks like Patti in this picture).

The next picture is off of their back porch. I thought the one of the two of them was very sweet! Someday the rain will stop and the summer will finally be here for them. 

Taryn has been doing well. She is due May 17 so  is in her 35th week and just waiting for the day to deliver. She still has the sickness so there are good and bad days. There are mostly good days now which is great after the long days of being sick. She has even started to gain weight which the doctor is happy about. 

I will be heading to Virginia on May 9th or so depending on what her doctor says after her visit next week. I want to be there when she delivers (NOT in the delivery room since that is Brandon's job!) and then help her out for a few weeks after she gets home. Luckily my work lets me work from anywhere so have PC will travel. Then Tom will come out after Ashlyn is born. 

So I will keep you posted on the progress and when Ashlyn makes her arrival.