The Orange Bowl and The King Mango Strut

We arrived back at the boat yesterday early in the morning.  The boat is moored at Coconut Grove Sailing Club (CGSC), a great club that reminds us of Community Boating in Boston where Jamey and I met.

One of the wonderful things about CGSC is that it has 24 hour launch service on demand.  This was awesome for us as we arrived here from New Orleans around 3 am yesterday morning. It was particulary impressive that we were able to load all of our luggage and all the food, gifts and provisions we accumulated onto the launch.  In the past, we have had to balance everything precariously around the dinghy and take several trips back and forth from the dock to the boat.

Our drive from New Orleans took around fourteen hours of travel time plus an additional hour spent at Walmart in Tallahassee where we started stocking up as we had considered taking today's weather window to cross to the Bahamas.

We did not cross today because we were totally fatigued, spent most of yesterday sleeping and organizing the boat and still have a few errands and chores we need to do before leaving the U.S.  Jamey also had to return the car to Miami Airport. 

Plus it's totally relaxing and entertaining to be here. 

The CGSC is hosting the Orange Bowl Regatta this weekend, and we are surrounded by lots of seriously competitive sailors.

It was surreal for me to wake up and see this sail pass a couple of feet away from us. 

We walked down the street to CocoWalk and watched the hilarity that is The King Mango Strut, a satirical parade followed by a street party that is an annual event in Coconut Grove. 

The King Mango Strut parade was started in 1982 by a marching band that was denied entry into the official parade for the Orange Bowl (the football Orange Bowl, not the regatta mentioned above).  The band was not allowed in that parade because they used unconventional instruments including conch shells, kazoos, and garbage cans. 

Since then, the parade has poked fun at the year's newsworthy people and events.  The girls' tolerance for political satire was short-lived, but we totally enjoyed the live music and celebration in the street afterwards. 

The Broccoli Horror Show: Night of the Living Dead Vegetables, an anti-GMO group

Skye liked this funky vehicle -- lots of toys tied all over it. 

Jamey joined the Coconut Grove Juggling Exchange

He was good enough that he was asked by two of the jugglers to do a three-way act.