We live 2 hours from DFW and have had this dilemma for years. We have done it all. Stay awake, got a hotel close to the airport and get a little sleep. We have decided that getting 2-3 hours of sleep, get up at midnight and on the. road by 1am works best for us.

"Kokomo", by the Beach Boys

I am not sure. I believe they do but in the frenzy to cover the anchorage with balls they might not be under their umbrella. If so your ball failure might be the first of more to come if they are uninspected.

OK, I have no idea what this thread is about anymore, so will close it down now.

Wow, thanks for sharing. We first went in 1992 so lots of familiar sights. I can just smell that leaded gas now, too! Memories...

We have AC but rarely use it. Even last summer in Grenada we simply switched on the fans (3 in our cabin) and opened the hatches. We lock the saloon door and the hatches in the other parts of the boat. We have motion detecting, high intensity lights in the cockpit that are not activated by wave action or lines moving. A person, or the occasional trespassing bird will activate them. No siren, but we keep an air horn close at hand. Our security lights are extremely bright and I think they are enough for reasonable security (during the night) at anchor.