I’ve been thinking a lot about Cayamo, the floating music festival I attended last year. It pulls out of Miami a week from today with a lineup that is every bit as strong as the one in 2012. Lyle Lovett is back again, as is Richard Thompson and Keb Mo and Buddy Miller; Brandi Carlisle returns after a one-year absence; Shawn Colvin and Rodney Crowell and Jim Lauderdale and Joan Osborne are going along; Justin Townes Earle, who I’ve always wanted to see, is on the boat; perhaps Joe Purdy will play another incredible stairway jam; Sara Watkins and the Milk Carton Kids and Shovels and Rope will be there, and on and on and on. There are 43 acts and passengers have seven days to try to catch all of them — and there are dozens and dozens of other musicians from all over the world who show up as guests and jam all night long, every night.

Shortly after we returned from last year’s festival, I got wifely dispensation to go to another one. I was hoping I would be on the boat that’s departing next week, but that’s the week before the presidential inauguration. You have to book Cayamo seven months (!) in advance to assure you get on the boat, and there was no way I could tell last May whether I’d have to work during what often is a very busy week in Washington.

I hope to return in 2014, and I’ll be thinking about the friends I made and the music I heard when the boat pulls away in a week. I’ll also look forward to the inevitable YouTube videos that will be posted.