It all started with an expiring Alaska Airlines companion fare ...

Turks & Caicos - NW of Puerto Rico

Early in the summer, we had a companion fare on Alaska Airlines that would soon expire. That prompted discussions about possible destinations – how far does Alaska fly? The answer was Miami, so we set a course for the Turks & Caicos islands southeast of Florida for September. We hadn’t dove there since 2005 and it’s an amazing SCUBA destination. Yes, we realized it would be hurricane season, but we figured the odds were in our favor (?), took our chances and booked travel. The sisters who own the bungalow we’d stayed at on Grand Turk welcomed us back with a 10% discount and we would once again dive with Oasis Divers.

First things first - trimming branches on the shore
with neighbor Scott, before Mike heads out

That having been established, we started our work schedules which entailed Mike spending the great majority of July and August in the San Juan Islands teaching sailing with Passion Yachts. I remained in Portland working multiple jobs including with my long-term marketing clients.

My sister and I celebrated our Virgo birthdays
for several days - she's 9/5 and I'm 9/7

Welcome to Wisconsin!

We reconvened in early September and headed to Wisconsin to unite with my siblings after a long time (Covid separation like everyone!). My oldest sister planned an excellent getaway for us all at a really great log home in eastern Wisconsin near tourist attractions, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesen and the House on the Rock. Both were amazing experiences, and we had a lovely time together being tourists.

Player piano at
House on the Rock

All of us at Taliesen

Frank Lloyd Wright living room-incredible designs

Then it was back to Portland to pack up for our highly anticipated dive trip. Hurricane Fiona beat us to Grand Turk, wreaking havoc and shutting down the island literally the day before our planned departure from Portland to Miami followed by two short flights to that Caye / key. We canceled that part of our trip and decided to fly to Florida, thinking – in our brilliance – the tropical depression that followed on the heels of Fiona wouldn’t turn into a full-blown hurricane. Bad call on our part. By the time we arrived the next night in Miami, Hurricane Ian had been named and was definitely alive and increasing in strength with each passing hour, turning from tropical depression to tropical storm to hurricane over a several hour period.

Power cat ready to roll

Ibis in the lagoon at Biscayne Bay National Park

Our trip was exciting, short lived and full of changes. We flew back 4 days into the trip, thankful Alaska allowed us to make changes twice on our return travel. On the day the hurricane was making landfall over Florida, we flew anxiously out of Miami directly south then east to avoid the fray taking place all around us. Probably 85% of flights were understandably canceled, ours was not. After a rough take off, we were on our way and all parties happy to arrive safely to our destinations. We had a great time, as we tend to do, just not what we'd expected!

We managed to explore Key Biscayne by car and did a full day excursion via power cat in Biscayne Bay National Park. As the only customers, we had a great time with our captain. We learned great stories of the park, snorkeled and paddleboarded around the mangroves, and watched the storm approach. It was time to call it a day. We literally got to the dock and into our rental car when the rains and winds came with a vengeance, signaling the end of our trip.

When in Rome... appropriate to enjoy a Hurricane
as we escaped from the torrential rains! We got soaked
walking the 1/2 block - first door we could tuck into

Welcomed with his new 
concoction - had to try
one

Support Global Cooling!

The next flight we could catch was the following night, so we headed to Miami Beach for some adventure and exploring. The best part – we were but a handful of tourists on the beach and walking the city streets so that made Miami Beach much more palatable than if it was full-on tourist time! We got sandblasted walking the promenade and headed to Wet Willie’s to get out of the winds and rain.

We are very sorry for the incredible damage and devastation so many people are dealing with there, and consider ourselves fortunate to get in and out without issue.

We’ve just rebooked our travels to next June to use our credits. This is supposedly a calm time in the Turks & Caicos. Time will tell.

We are starting our journey to Mexico tomorrow, seeing family and friends along the way to Guaymas. We are anxious to see the work done on Pura Vida by our great vendors there, who we know and trust. And as we always know, time will tell what adventures await us south of the border.

Painting the cockpit, new companionway door, etc!