By 0845 on June 1st, Dan and Old Geezer were underway and on a mission. Armed with GPS coordinations of uncertain origin, a grid search was undertaken, with the objective of locating and recovering the crate which B. Frank Franklin ran aground on a few years ago.
 
You may recall that Franklin was at a BEER cruise when he tried to take a shortcut to catch a SeaPearl, but grounded on what turned out to be a large crate of Laphroaig scotch whiskey. Franklin loaded his boat to the gunwhales with the stuff, but failed to account for a falling tide and rising wind, so he was forced to unload most of the stuff. Franklin did not have a GPS, but marked his chart with the accuracy he is known for. How El Commandante came by this information is uncertain.
 
At any rate, Dan ran a grid search, and reports that about 100 yards from the reported location, in otherwise deeper water, he sighted a group of birds who either had extremely long legs, or were standing on something.  What he found, first with his centerboard, and then by visual inspection, was a rocky shoal. He also reports that the birds seemed to mock him as they left, and loudly.
 
That mission has been scrubbed, and Dan continued to Pensacola Shipyard Marina, where he decided that he should wash his clothes and sleeping bag, rather than burning them. He has also linked up with Ray, builder of his combat rudder, and has been introduced to local culture in places like the Azalea Bar and Jerry's, where burgers and onion rings are top notch.
 
There has been rain, but the weather should be good for the cruise. Dan reports that several boats have arrived already, and he has helped with rigging and launching. Before heading to the Azalea last night with Ray, Dan reported that 8 or 9 boats were rigged, among them Hunters, Bob Metzger's Seaward Fox, a Venture, and a Potter named Old Geezer.
 
We're heading that way.  —Steve Haines