Ed Robinson's Blog, page 21
November 22, 2013
November 19, 2013
November 15, 2013
Book Excerpt For My Fishing Friends
From chapter 21, Leap Of Faith / Quit Your Job And Live On A Boat
(discussing the freedom to do whatever I choose)
Maybe I’ll stalk the world’s most sought after game fish, the mighty tarpon. I feel the quiver in my knees as the school approaches, black backs and silvery sides slicing the surface of the azure Gulf. I try to make the perfect cast, presenting my lure expertly, hoping they are willing to play today. My arms are jolted by the lightning strike as the silver king rises, exploding out of the tropical waters in a writhing mass of acrobatic fury. It is primitive raw power combined with grace and beauty. Time slows and I am spellbound as his twisting arc continues incredibly high. Small rainbows form in the shaken off sea water. At the peak of this majestic leap, one more wrenching flip and my lure is dislodged and and spit back in my direction. The King crashes down with an ear cracking splash. I glimpse one mirror-like eye as he departs. I imagine him saying, “Not today my friend, not today.”
My heart is beating so fast I can barely retrieve my line. I bow to the King, tip my rod in salute, and say “May we meet again, some other day.” It’s a once in a lifetime experience for many, but I am free to attempt to recreate it anytime I wish.
If you’ve never fought a tarpon you can’t fully understand what it’s like. There is no other fish that can combine the power, speed and acrobatic ability of the tarpon. I just happen to spend most of my time in the world’s best tarpon fishery. There is nothing like it.
To get your copy of the entire book, click here:
November 11, 2013
Gutsy Living
Today I am honored to be showcased at Gutsy Living. Sonia Marsh is the author of Freeways
To Flip Flops, and the My Gutsy Story Anthology. Her blog shares true stories of love, courage, and adventure from around the world.
My Gutsy Story is titled “A Leap Of Faith”. I hope for it to be included in the second Gutsy Story anthology. You can read it here: http://networkedblogs.com/R1Ldt
Here’s the text:
A Leap Of Faith
My wife and I found ourselves discontented. We had good jobs, a strong marriage and an all around decent, middle class, American life. Somehow it wasn’t enough. We decided to make a change, a really big change.
We decided to quit our jobs and run away to paradise to live on a boat. At first it was a crazy dream. Later, as we planned and took actual real steps to make it happen, it became a true possibility. Eventually we made our dreams come true.
How did we do it? What steps did we take? First we tackled our debt. We continued working hard and made it our life’s goal to eliminate all of our debt. It took several years of dedication, but we finally managed to rid ourselves of every single debt we had. What a feeling!
Next we saved money. Without a car payment or credit card bills this was not so hard. We simply kept on living at the same comfort level we previous enjoyed, but put all the now freed up cash into savings. We maxed out our 401k plan contributions. We put every spare cent in the bank.
Along the way we learned to stop buying things we didn’t need. We simply quit buying anything new unless we could eat it, drink it, or wipe our butts with it. We started donating clothing to Goodwill. As our load was lightened, we started to feel unburdened. It was then that we made the decision to get rid of EVERYTHING. That’s right, we sold or gave away everything we owned, except some clothing, laptop, and a few momentos we couldn’t part with.
One day we decided we had taken enough of the ‘work till you die world’ and we quit the rat race. We loaded our meager remaining belongings into our pickup truck and headed south on I-95 for Florida. Did we have enough money saved to carry us for the rest of our lives? Nope. Did we have enough to hold us over until we reached Social Security age? Probably not. What did we have? We had enough to buy a decent boat and enough to live on for several years. We called it our Leap Of Faith. We were going to live for today. Tomorrow? Who knows?
Oh what a feeling of freedom we enjoyed driving south. We had no job to report to. We had no bills to pay. Of course, we had no home either, but that didn’t matter to us. We were only looking ahead. We landed in Punta Gorda, Florida on January 3, 2010. We rented a condo for a month while we boat shopped. Soon we settled on a gorgeous classic trawler, laid our money down and moved aboard. We named our new home Leap Of Faith.
After a getting acquainted period, we threw the lines, left the marina and set off to explore the west coast of Florida. We lived at anchor, mostly off uninhabited islands. We became one with nature. We made friends with the dolphins and manatees. We staked claim to our own personal beach. Every night we celebrated the sunset. Every night we slept the sleep of the contented.
Once we got our sea legs we began to travel. We cruised to the Keys, hopping from island to island until we landed in Key West.
We cruised north, falling in love with Longboat key and the Manatee River. The place we called home was Pelican Bay, a pristine cove tucked between the islands of Cayo Costa and Punta Blanca. We would spend months isolated from society, returning only to re-provision occasionally. Our love for each other deepened dramatically. We learned so much about each other. We also learned to appreciate the silence sometimes. We slowed down our pace and took in the beauty of nature. We discovered our Eden in Pelican Bay.
Our blood pressure lowered. Our heart rates slowed. Time itself slowed down for us. We lost weight. We felt healthier. We felt happier. We were so damn happy, sometimes we would just sit and laugh at our good fortune. We still feel that way today.
Money? Yes we still had to spend some. Food, fuel, boat maintenance and repairs all added up. Two major boat repairs took a big chunk of what was left of our savings. We lasted three years before we started to get nervous about how little money we had left. I constantly reassured my wife, “It will work out.” Soon enough we returned to civilization. I wrote a book that is selling moderately well at Amazon. I also picked up a part-time job at the marina. My wife is waiting tables in town. I’m well into writing a second book and we are starting to rebuild our bank account.
We have absolutely no regrets. We’ve got egrets, but no regrets. What will we do when the bank account gets big enough? Take off again of course!
ED ROBINSON was a reporter and editor of a weekly newspaper, The Smyrna Times. He was also a contributing writer for The Mariner Magazine, a Maryland based publication covering all things boating and fishing. After twenty years working for a major utility, he quit his job and moved onto a boat. He and his wife Kim are somewhere on the west coast of Florida.
His book Leap Of Faith / Quit Your Job And Live On A Boat is currently a best seller at Amazon.com.
Click on cover to go to Amazon
Ed’s book is available on Amazon. Please join Ed’s Facebook page.
November 6, 2013
What is a “Leap of Faith”?
A leap of faith is defined as one of two things:
Believing in something whose existence can not be proved . . .
Attempting something in which the outcome is unknown . . .
Our decision to quit our jobs and live on a boat was a HUGE leap of faith, for both of us. We had no idea what the outcome might be. We had romantic visions of calm tropical coves, white sandy beaches and clear, blue waters. But we also knew we might face adversity due to weather events, mechanical breakdowns, etc. Could we stand living so closely together all the time? Could we make our meager savings last by accepting a more minimalist lifestyle?
Lots of questions with no clear answers. We simply had to have faith that it would all work out. Some may find that admirable. Others may think it irresponsible. Let me tell you, we have no regrets. Our leap of faith has been rewarded beyond our wildest dreams.
My book was an attempt to show others that they too can break out of the normal routines of modern american life and shoot for their dream, whatever it may be. I wanted to show people that they DO have other choices in life. Sure it takes courage, it takes balls, and a whole lot of faith. What is your reward?
There are many talented people who haven’t fulfilled their dreams because they over thought it, or they were too cautious, and were unwilling to make the leap of faith.
James Cameron
By leaving your comfort zone behind and taking a leap of faith into something new, you find out who you are truly capable of becoming.
If you haven’t yet read Leap of Faith / Quit Your Job And Live On A Boat, you can purchase it here: http://www.amazon.com/Leap-Faith-Quit-Your-Live-ebook/dp/B00F3PE5W6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
November 4, 2013
Cayo Costa
The Boca Grande pass is the gateway into Charlotte Harbor from the Gulf of Mexico. To it’s north is Gasparilla Island (home of Boca Grande), to it’s south is Cayo Costa. Spanish for Coastal Key. this island is basically uninhabited. There are a few self-sustaining weekend homes and some park rangers. It sits in it’s natural state, undeveloped and undisturbed.
We called it our home for the past two years, living in it’s protected harbor of Pelican Bay. It is only accessible by boat. Ferries run from Punta Gorda, and Pine Island to bring visitors. We tend to avoid the area where tourists congregate, instead preferring pristine beaches with no other humans in sight.
Nature abounds on and around the island. At any given moment one may spot manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, osprey, eagles, racoons, gopher tortoises, otter, and hundreds of fish species.
The natural features of Cayo Costa Island are stunning: Miles of beaches, acres of pine forests, oak palm hammocks, mangrove swamps and a spectacular display of bird life. The unique tropical vegetation looks much as it did 500 years ago when the first Europeans arrived here. Because it occurs in the area of transition between the temperate southeastern coastal plain and tropical south Florida, the vegetative composition of Cayo Costa is unique among barrier islands. The interior of the island contains a mixture of pine flatwoods, oak-palm hammocks and grassy areas interspersed with palms. Mangroves dominate the shoreline along Pine Island Sound.
Nearby are the islands of Useppa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel and Captiva. We have traveled from Tampa Bay to the Keys on our trawler, and we have not found a more pleasant place to be. It’s a superior anchorage, well protected from most any wind. You have your choice of Gulf side or Pine Island Sound side for beaches. Hiking, snorkeling, fishing, and bird watching are all spectacular.
Most of the island is designated a state park. Hopefully development will never find this little piece of paradise. If you ever have the opportunity to spend some time on Cayo Costa, don’t turn it down.
I invite you to enjoy more images of Cayo Costa here: https://www.google.com/search?q=cayo+costa+state+park&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=2tx3UtCME4W6yAGDrYCICw&sqi=2&ved=0CGQQsAQ&biw=1538&bih=839
November 1, 2013
A Best Friend
Jamie Brown is a true friend. He is mentioned in my book, not by name, but as the guy who lives for today. We’ve spent many hours sitting on a sand bar drinking beer and telling tales. We met 3 years ago when we were both anchored off Gilchrest Park in Punta Gorda. Since then we’ve traveled together often. Regardless of either of our travels, we always meet up out in Pelican Bay whenever we can.
Jamie is a non-conformist. He is the most apolitical person I have ever meet. He cares nothing about politics. Doesn’t watch popular tv or listen to the radio. He purposely avoids the news. He’s never heard of Kim Kardashian or Miley Cyrus, and doesn’t care. You see, Jamie has battled and beaten cancer multiple times. He has a half dozen surgeries to remove brain tumors. Once recovered, he sold the house, hopped on his boat and has never looked back. He is a unique individual. Friendly and outgoing, always with a bright outlook, he makes friends wherever he goes.
He is quick to lend a hand, even if you are a stranger. He has spent the past three years enjoying remission. Every three months his doctors declare him still cancer free, until this last time. He has another tumor, behind his right eye. Headaches alerted him that something might be wrong. Right now he is stuck in Orlando, awaiting a surgery date. They changed his medication so he’s feeling more comfortable and itching to get it over with and return to his boat.
Last night I took my dinghy out to check on Bay Dreamer. I opened her up to air out. Checked the bilge and batteries, and ran the diesel for a bit. All seemed well. I phoned him from his boat to let him know, and he sounded normal, if not a bit perturbed with the situation. This damn tumor crap is interfering with his cruising lifestyle.
I’ll tell you all something right now. Jamie is a pro at this. He’s handled it before and come out on top. He will come out on top again. All I can say is take this as a lesson. You never know how much time you have left. We don’t all have to have a bout with cancer before we decide to live for today. Nobody does that like Jamie, my best friend. 
October 31, 2013
Giving Value
I didn’t write a book to gain fortune or fame. I had no dreams of making the NY Times best seller list. I wrote a book because I was happy! I was happy not through some quirk of fate, luck or serendipitous circumstance. I was happy because I made a plan, took steps to achieve my goal, and executed the plan. I knew exactly how I got here and I figured I had enough ability to share my experience with others.
Now I had no delusions that everyone who read the book would suddenly start planning to quit their job and live on a boat. That’s not the point at all. My aim was to show others, through my experiences, that there are more choices in life then what is generally pushed on us by society. My story is a “Path Less Traveled” one. It’s coloring outside the lines, blazing your own trail.
Kim and I reinvented ourselves at an age when most feel they have no choice but to continue doing what they’ve always done. We stepped off the hamster wheel and on to a white sandy beach. I thought maybe, just maybe, I might inspire others to reconsider their position in the rat race.
Now that the book has been out almost two months and sold moderately well, I’m starting to hear from readers. Scores of people have messaged me or posted to my Facebook page. I’m receiving thanks for the inspiration. I’m hearing how my book affected someone’s life in a positive way. Folks who have no desire to live on a boat are telling me they are beginning to take steps to simplify their life. Some have dreams of doing what Kim and I did. They think maybe it’s not just a dream anymore.
I wrote at the end of my book, that this was my purpose. I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to realize that the purpose has been achieved. I hoped to provide some value. Having readers confirm that they’ve been influenced or inspired by my story has given me great value in return. If you read the book you know that money isn’t high on my list of priorities. Having readers thank me, and tell me that I’ve inspired them is worth more than all the money Amazon may send me in the future.
Thanks to everyone who has reached out to communicate with me. It makes my day every time.
October 7, 2013
Book Signing At The Navagator Grill
Had my first book signing Oct. 6, 2013. Sold 30 books. Met some nice people. It was a satisfying event.
October 4, 2013
J. Harold Lowry and Key Lime Floats
I friended J. Harold on Facebook after reading his book almost two years ago. We stayed in touch via the internet for many months and then he disappeared. Through the Coconut Telegraph I heard that he had cancer and was receiving treatment. He was given three months to live. Recently he reappeared on Facebook and reached out to his friends, asking to meet in person. Several events were arranged around SW Florida and they were all a huge success. He shook hands, hugged, smiled, got his picture taken, signed books and sold books. It was really uplifting to see folks show their appreciation and celebrate his life. He is in his fourth month now since the doctors told him he had three. Previously him and his wife had “Quit Their Jobs and Lived On A Boat”, just like I’m doing. I got to sit and talk with him and came away feeling good about knowing him.
His novel first caught my eye when I was on a Key West phase. I was reading anything and everything that had to do with the Keys. Most of them were thrillers or adventure stories. Key Lime Floats was different. There are no evil bad guys or drug cartels. No cops and robbers, no explosions or gunfights. Instead it’s a warming tale of a young man coming of age on The Rock.
From the book jacket: Based on actual events, “Key Lime Floats” is the humorous tale of Boner Morgan.
A naive young man growing up in Key West Florida.
Boner, a good hearted young man, has never been exposed to life on the
Mainland.In fact he has never been out of the Florida Keys, until now.
His funny adventures will take you from Key West, to a university in
Columbus Ohio where he encounters the ever calculating Sorority girls,
seeking their husbands.
Follow his funny exploits as he discovers life outside of the Keys. Laugh at his hilarious encounters with the police, a scheming mother, Napa Valley Wine tasting, Bikers and TSA Pat Downs.
Read about the funnier side of life, through Boner’s eyes.
My experience with the book: At first I didn’t get the writing style. One of his reviewers didn’t understand either. But as I read on I realized what the author was doing. the characters live a simple life, bred from a simpler time. They don’t talk in pretty language. They don’t care much for adjectives and adverbs. Their world is straightforward and to the point. The author wanted you to see the story from their point of view, and uses his no nonsense writing style to further the point. This isn’t Shakespeare, or even Hemingway, but it is poignant and worth the read.
If you are looking for something lighter to read, without all the politics or tension of most of today’s novels, I recommend you click the link and get your paperback or Kindle version today.
