Vandenberg, Vandenberg, Vandenberg

As of Wed, May 27 at 10:21 am she found her way to her final resting place!

I took the day off (or course Tom already had the day off) and we went out with Jan, Ray and Louie on Jan & Ray's boat to watch the sinking. As we pulled out Key West we could already see Vandy in the distance waiting for her final hour. The site is about 7 miles offshore, outside the reef, so we made our way along with LOTS of other boats. It was estimated that over 200 boats came out to watch the historic event. We found our spot anchored in and waited. Usually things here do not happen on time but this was a special event and it actually did take place between 10 & 11 am as scheduled. There was a slight delay due to a turtle in the area that had to be moved. Seemed the creature was already looking for a place to live! We had the radio on and listened to the count down, then we heard the big boom of the charges going off, watched the smoke come up, then watched her sink down to just bubbles as The Vandenberg Song played, people cheered and boats honked their horns. I had goosebumps & tears!!! It all happened in 1 minute & 44 seconds which was faster than expected to witness history!

Here is the site that has a number of great video's on it. It will give you the feel of being there.

http://www.sinkthevandenberg.com/ondemand.html

So far there are 4 of them posted and new ones seem to be added each day.

The last one in the list (scroll down to see it) is the view from the chopper and is excellent. It gives the full view.

The second one in the list is the on-board cameras which shows what it looked like going down from different areas.

The third one is from the boat that the Joe Weatherby was on and you can hear his reaction. Joe is the brain child of the project. He had this idea 13 years ago and never gave up hope it would happen.

Of course the Mel Fisher group had a hand in this. They donated the salvage boats to come out and be used for the tech divers after the ship went down. Since they were on sight they were able to dive just hours after she had reached the ocean floor and before she was opened to the public to dive. Below is the video that they took of what she will be like when we get a chance to dive her. It is really cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPzju0TqHL0

Then of course in KW style the parties began.... we took our boat over to a sandy reef closer to shore, popped the cork on the champagne to celebrate, had lunch, swam and had a beautiful day.

That was just the beginning since that evening started with the Save the Vandenberg, Sink Joe Weatherby party at Half Shell. It was a tribute and honoring of Joe for all that he did. Then the party moved to the Rumbarrel where Howard Livingston and Mile Marker 24 band was playing (check them out in iTunes if you like Jimmy Buffett music). They are a favorite local band and wrote The Vandenberg Song. We finished out the night there with friends and toasts and to much RUM!

After she went down it as taken a couple of days to get her ready and open for public use. The 2 satellites that were on the top were dislodged during the sinking and had to be secured along with the other items that had to be finished. As of this morning.... the POOL IS OPEN!

Tom is working today (taking MF investors to dive) so we haven't decided when we will have a chance to get down and see her but it will be SOOONNN!!!

It seems that all we have talked about for I don't know how many weeks is Vandy. I am sure you are also wondering about it since there have been so many blogs about it. With having a the worlds second largest man-made reef it brings a world class dive site in our own backyard and so much more to KW. Here is the a list of the things that an artificial reef bring:

• boost the local economy, encouraging tourism and creating jobs
• create marine habitat and increase marine life population,
• relieve pressure from the surrounding natural reef,
• provide an opportunity to scientifically document the effects of artificial reefs with an ongoing monitoring program,
• provide a platform for education and research,
• preserve the history and honor the memory of those who served and traveled on the ship

Sinking the Vandenberg

For the past month or so it has been Vandenberg, Vandenberg, Vandenberg (or Vandy as she is locally called).... the talk of the town. After over 10 years of ARK (Artificial Reefs for the Keys) working to get the Vandenberg to be an artificial reef it is FINALLY going to happen on Wed, May 27!!!!! To say that Key West is excited and ramping up for a MAJOR party is to say the least. When the Vandy is finally on the ocean floor 6 miles south of Key West it will be the 2nd largest man-made reef in the WORLD!!! a major dive site for KW and will bring divers from all over the world here. With the Spiegel Grove (another man=made reef) being in Key Largo it will be great for the Keys.

In all of this Tom has been able to work on Vandy and be part of history in the making. Our friend Chris is president of ARK and of course is involved in all of it. Tom has been helping out from the first time the ship was brought in to KW thanks to Chris and has been helping out when he could (except for the Mel Fisher diving and Ashlyn's birth) in finishing the clean up of the boat. Now the historical date of May 27 has been set for the sinking. The ship is being towed out to the site on Tues and then between 10 - 11 am (EDT) the ship will be sunk (weather permitting and everything is on schedule since we are on island time). Tom will hopefully be helping out with the sinking and I am taking the day off to be out with Jan & Ray, on their boat, watching it sink. Then of course there will be MUCH celebration. Not sure when we will have a chance to get out to dive it. Once the ship is on the bottom

Here is the site that ARK has which has a lot of info on the ship, the events and everything else.

http://www.bigshipwrecks.com

There is also a video company that is going to be showing the sinking of the ship LIVE! So you can log on Wed morning and see the ship go down just like you were here.

http://www.sinkthevandenberg.com

So log on and join us in the adventure.

Welcome Ashlyn Emma!

Since the 5 of us have spent the last 7 days with Ashlyn I thought we would share our insight with you about the newest addition to the family.

Patti -

From the second I saw her, she had my heart. She makes the cutest squeaky noises and adorable faces. She is an angel baby and I'm so glad she has joined our family. Oh, and I can't wait to buy you more shoes!

Tom -

On my drive to Richmond the closer I got the more excited I was getting to see them. When I got to the hospital and saw Taryn (my little girl) with Ashlyn (her little girl) and it was hard to comprehend but it did not take long for the proud grandparent feelings to take over. I can not believe how beautiful she is and she already has me wrapped around her little finger. I was not to sure about being called a grandpa but she makes it all worth it. I am looking forward to being a part of her life.

Myrla -

Our friends (who already have grand kids) told us how much we would enjoy our own and how RIGHT they were!

She is the most beautiful and amazing grand daughter ever (of course you knew I would say that)!

When I got to VA Taryn was so ready to deliver and we spent the better part of 2 days walking and walking (as you know from the previous blog), then when she went into labor I was more than beside myself. Here was my baby girl having her own baby girl!

Then when Ashlyn arrived the feelings are more than I can describe. The past 7 days with her have been all that I could have ever hoped for and more. She has brought a delight and love into our life as only a grandchild can. We cannot wait to share with her all of the experiences that grandparents get to share with their grand kids, especially island life!!

Taryn -

How can I put into words how I feel about my baby girl? She is truly an amazing blessing. From the moment she arrived, she has stolen my heart and I suddenly have a whole new meaning to my life. Not only is she the cutest baby in the world (of course! she is my daughter!), but she is also a ton of fun to be with. She makes little squeaky noises that just make you smile. When she wraps her entire hand around your finger, she instantly has you hooked. I love being a mommy to her and I know her and I will always have a special relationship. I truly enjoy the small, precious moments with her.....feeding time, napping together in the rocking chair, and watching Brandon gaze down at his baby girl. I can't wait to watch her grow into a beautiful girl. I love my baby Ashlyn!

Brandon -

Everything has been so surreal. I still find it hard to believe that when I am holding her, she is not just another baby but MY BABY! I am loving every second of it. The first time I had the chance to be completely alone with her I laid on the couch with her resting on my chest. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. And to top it all off, I finally realize what my parents went through.

There was one moment when we first got home where Taryn was laid up on the couch and couldn't move because of her C-Section and I was changing Ashlyn's diaper. I look up and see Tayler (our dog) puking on the rug, and while I am distracted Ashlyn manages to pee all over herself (and a little on me). So I am running around trying to take clean up everything while Ashlyn is crying, the dog is tracking her own vomit through the house, and Taryn is completely helpless. Oh the joys of parenthood! I wouldn't change it for the world.

Welcome Ashlyn Emma!

Ashlyn Emma Arrives!!!!!

Yes we are the VERY proud grandparents of a 7 lb 3 oz baby girl who is beautiful and healthy! The picture above is the her first one with Mom & Dad on her birthday May 9th. 

Now for the story of her arrival!

Taryn's due date was May 17 so I had made flight arrangements to come up to Virginia on May 10. After Taryn's doc visit on April 27 she called and told me that the doc says Ashlyn will never wait till then so I should come early. So I changed my flight reservation to Wed, May 6  since that was the earliest I could get my flight changed and it was investor week for Mel Fisher. I wanted to stay and attend at least a few of the get togethers to see our friends. 

I flew out on Wed night with no issues, flights were on time and it was good to see the kids. Taryn still didn't look like she was due any day. 

Thursday morning I get up and I have messed up my back. Not sure if it was the heavy backpack i was carrying, the airplane seats or the airbed that the kids have but by noon I had muscle spams that were horrible! Here I was in VA to take care of my daughter and now Brandon had 2 of us to take care of. 

Thursday afternoon Taryn and I head off to the Urgent Care. When we arrived they were unsure about who was there to be treated, it was a bit of a hoot. The doc fixed me up with some muscle relaxers and i knew after a night of those I would be good as new (this isn't the first time this has happened to me). So I got the drugs, we headed home, I took the first pill then both Taryn and I were out for a nap.

It takes an over night drug induced sleep for the muscle to relax so when I got up from the nap the pain is still there. The only way it is bearable is to lay flat on the floor. It is now Thurs night, Brandon is at the church, Taryn is in early labor pacing around the house to keep it going and I am laying on my back in the middle of the living room timing the contractions. What a pair we were!!! I had to write them down since the drugs had made me silly and I couldn't remember from one contraction to another when they had taken place. They were between 3-10 minutes apart but never consistent. This went on for about 4 hours. Brandon had come home, Taryn was exhausted, I was loopy and when she sat down to rest the contractions stopped. So we decided bedtime was best, I took another dose and off to drug induced sleep. 

Come Friday morning the spasm is gone and just a sore back. I was getting back to where I needed to be. Taryn was really uncomfortable but no contractions. So the day was spent with me working, Brandon mowing the lawn and Taryn trying her best not to be miserable. 

Friday night Brandon had a softball game so we went to dinner (Chipotle, YUM since I am getting all of the food I can't get on the island) and then to the softball park. Taryn and I figured it was a great place for her to walk and see what happens. For 3 hours we walked! As soon as we started walking the contractions started up (during this time Brandon hit 2 home runs). It wasn't till the last hour that they really kicked in and were consistently 2-3 minutes apart. We decided that they needed to go to the hospital after we stopped off at the house for Brandon to shower, pick up the hospital bag, and leave me to babysit Tayler (my grand dog). 

Not only was I there to help with Taryn but stay with Tayler while Taryn and Brandon were at the hospital. VA requires a 2-3 day stay depending on the type of delivery so I was also needed to babysit the dog. 

So off to the hospital Taryn and Brandon went. They admitted her, broke her water and waiting for Ashlyn to arrive. 

When I got up Sat morning Ashlyn had not yet made her appearance. Since Taryn had arrived at the hospital she had made very little progress. She had only dilated to 3 cm and the baby wasn't completely down in the birth canal. They had her on full pitocin and an epidural. 

When I arrived at the hospital she still had no progress and the doc had just shown up to check her again. They found that Ashlyn's head was too large to enter the birth canal and Taryn was still only 3 cm after 12 hours of labor so a c-section would be necessary. At 12:15 pm they took Taryn to the O.R. and at 1 pm she came back with a 7 lbs 3 oz, 19 1/2 inches long, blonde hair, blue eyed baby girl. Ashlyn was wide awake and beautiful!

What a day May 9th was!   

Now that Ashlyn is here Tom will be driving out from Key West to VA on Monday (it is a 2 day drive). We are exchanging cars with the kids. They are getting the Murano since they need a bigger car and we are getting the Echo since we need a smaller car. He will be here on Tues and CANNOT wait to see his granddaughter. His arrival is great timing since that is the day Taryn and Ashlyn will be coming home from the hospital. 

Patti has also made arrangements to fly out and see her great niece! She will arrive on Wednesday and stay till Saturday. It will be great to have us all together. 

Although our move to Key West was a great adventure I think being a grandparent will be the BEST one yet!!!

Vandenberg, Car Wreck, Neighbors, Investor Week & VA Trip

So many things happening.... as usual!

After Tom was involved in bringing in the Vandenberg he was also asked to help out with the salvage clean up of the boat so he has been out working on it almost everyday. Its a dusty, DIRTY job but he has been accepted as part of the salvage crew, is getting great experience on what it takes to clean a ship and is getting to know the layout of the ship inside and out. That will be great info when he starts taking people out to dive the ship once it has been sunk. He is one of the few drivers that gets to do this. Yes a blessing and a curse, hard work to get knowledge. The picture is him getting on the ship for the first time when it was still out at sea and they were bringing it into the harbor.

Then on Thursday morning I had a bit of excitement! It's 11 am and I am on a conference call for work when I hear this horrible crashing. When I ran outside I found my neighbors Mercedes up against our front fence. A drunk guy (yes it was 11 am) has turned the corner to fast a half a block up, swerved into the oncoming lane and side swiped a car going the other way, fishtailed (he was in the white truck) and hit the Mercedes which was parked in front of their house (which is beside us) and he kept going so the Mercedes went into

the silver truck that was parked in front of our house (counting our blessing for now having off street parking) and the truck ran over the scooter parked in front of it. The truck belongs to another neighbor that lives in one of the apartments on the other side of us and the scooter belongs to the apartment manager! Tom was at the Vandenberg otherwise it would have been his scooter since that is usually where he parks. Yes the drunk managed to wreck 5 vehicles including his own. The best part was No One was hurt! The picture tells the story!

Out of this we got the chance to meet more of our neighbors since we hadn't had a chance to meet many with only moving in a couple of months ago. The Mercedes belongs to Bill and Carol who live next door. We had met them but not really talked yet. I had taken pics of the wreck and Bill wanted them for insurance so we had the pleasure of having happy hour at their house Saturday night. A very enjoyable 3 hours and we found out all of the friends we have in common. They are seasonal and will be leaving in the next couple of weeks to their summer house in North Carolina. In fact we found out that a number of people that live by us are seasonal and will be leaving soon. That will make for a quite hurricane season!

This Saturday also started the annual Mel Fisher Investor Division week. Tom was supposed to take investors out diving the last 2 days but the winds have been to high to get the boats out so nothing has taken place yet. Looks like Tues would be the earliest to get out. This also means a week of parties and get togethers. We started with Fri nights happy hour since there were a few investors in early and it will continue all week. We have another one Mon, Wed, Thurs and the big one on Saturday night.

Now Tom will be attending all of the celebrations from Wed night on by himself. I will be off to Virginia to wait for baby Ashlyn to arrive. Taryn's doc says she should deliver any day so I didn't want to wait to long to be there. Tom will then follow after she is born.

That is it from the island!