Day 142, December 21st, 2009
Today's the day. Up by 6:00, breakfasted and waiting in the cockpit by 6:50 when the young fella arrived in the marina's tender to take us to shore. We were on the road at 7:10 and arrived at the airport around 9:45.
We're presently sitting in the airport at Gate 22 waiting for the flight. People are arriving all excited as their on their way to see Disney. We're all excited cos we're going the other way!!!
You won't hear anything from us for 10 days. Blog will resume in the New Year!!! Have a Merry Christmas and New Year everybody!
Monday, December 21, 2009
One More Sleep!
Day 141, December 20th, 2009
Yesterday there were so many people fretting as to whether they would manage to get home. A bad storm hit a big range of the US from Washington to New York gumming up all the airports. They're not quite as efficient when it comes to snow as Canada!! John checked our flight and it looks fine. Keeping our fingers crossed!
I did the laundry in the morning while John did some stuff on the computer. When I'd delivered the laundry back to the boat (all wrapped in a garbage bag so it didn't get wet in the dinghy), we walked up to Budget to get the car. There are no buses to Orlando from Stuart. The airport transport car costs double the rental car so rental car it was. What luxury - to ride in the car!!!
Since we picked it up early around 11:00 we had time to do some shopping at WalMart. Picked up some supplies to tide us over while we're in the Bahamas, where everything is so expensive.
We walked around the flea market which was kind of fun. Nothing much. Just doodling!
We had to get busy back at the boat in the evening. Putting the stores away, hoisting up the outboard onto the boat and getting the dinghy up on the bow and tying it down, digging out some warm clothes and packing, and finally having another chicken sandwich and a cup of tea!!
All systems go for the morning!!!
Yesterday there were so many people fretting as to whether they would manage to get home. A bad storm hit a big range of the US from Washington to New York gumming up all the airports. They're not quite as efficient when it comes to snow as Canada!! John checked our flight and it looks fine. Keeping our fingers crossed!
I did the laundry in the morning while John did some stuff on the computer. When I'd delivered the laundry back to the boat (all wrapped in a garbage bag so it didn't get wet in the dinghy), we walked up to Budget to get the car. There are no buses to Orlando from Stuart. The airport transport car costs double the rental car so rental car it was. What luxury - to ride in the car!!!
Since we picked it up early around 11:00 we had time to do some shopping at WalMart. Picked up some supplies to tide us over while we're in the Bahamas, where everything is so expensive.
We walked around the flea market which was kind of fun. Nothing much. Just doodling!
We had to get busy back at the boat in the evening. Putting the stores away, hoisting up the outboard onto the boat and getting the dinghy up on the bow and tying it down, digging out some warm clothes and packing, and finally having another chicken sandwich and a cup of tea!!
All systems go for the morning!!!
Bouncy Night!!!
Day 140, December 19th, 2009
We hardly slept at all last night. A cold front passing through bringing high winds and a real drop in temperature. The wind was rattling through halyards, the boat was swinging from one side to the other and the water slapping the bottom from every which way!!! Too noisy to sleep!! This is rather the Stuart we remember!!
We got caught up with e-mails and the blog in the morning. We seem to be one of the few lucky ones in the mooring field in that we can pick up wifi from the boat. We're just on the edge of the signal and its often slow but works.
In the evening there was a Meet & Greet up on the patio at the marina. More people have arrived, others have left, but there's always somebody to chat with. One couple had a great big Labrador/Doodle - he was very lovely but I couldn't imagine stepping over him on the boat! They're from Ottawa and going to Cuba. Somehow they managed to get insurance coverage.
We hardly slept at all last night. A cold front passing through bringing high winds and a real drop in temperature. The wind was rattling through halyards, the boat was swinging from one side to the other and the water slapping the bottom from every which way!!! Too noisy to sleep!! This is rather the Stuart we remember!!
We got caught up with e-mails and the blog in the morning. We seem to be one of the few lucky ones in the mooring field in that we can pick up wifi from the boat. We're just on the edge of the signal and its often slow but works.
In the evening there was a Meet & Greet up on the patio at the marina. More people have arrived, others have left, but there's always somebody to chat with. One couple had a great big Labrador/Doodle - he was very lovely but I couldn't imagine stepping over him on the boat! They're from Ottawa and going to Cuba. Somehow they managed to get insurance coverage.
Still waiting in Stuart!!
Day 139, December 18th, 2009
Still waiting in Stuart, counting off the days till we can go home! We did look into the possibility of moving the flight up a couple of days but all flights were booked. Oh well! I was brushing my hair first thing when my little hairbrush fell apart in my hand. That gave us a reason to walk up to the Dollar store and go shopping!!! What fun. All the chores are done so we're just filling in time. I would have liked to bike over to nearby Jensen Beach but the weather is still wet, windy and chilly. Not a beach day. We walked back via the old town and had an ice cream - getting quite addicted to "Hoffman's", the ice cream shop!
We went up to the common room when we got back to the marina and ended up chatting with other boaters. One couple told us all about their touring holiday in New Zealand and how they had loved it!! That's next year's project. Can't wait! We heard about the camping spots, all so well laid out and reasonably priced, whether you camp or take a little cabin. That sounds really good.
It was late by the time we got back to the boat - just time for a chicken sandwich!
Still waiting in Stuart, counting off the days till we can go home! We did look into the possibility of moving the flight up a couple of days but all flights were booked. Oh well! I was brushing my hair first thing when my little hairbrush fell apart in my hand. That gave us a reason to walk up to the Dollar store and go shopping!!! What fun. All the chores are done so we're just filling in time. I would have liked to bike over to nearby Jensen Beach but the weather is still wet, windy and chilly. Not a beach day. We walked back via the old town and had an ice cream - getting quite addicted to "Hoffman's", the ice cream shop!
We went up to the common room when we got back to the marina and ended up chatting with other boaters. One couple told us all about their touring holiday in New Zealand and how they had loved it!! That's next year's project. Can't wait! We heard about the camping spots, all so well laid out and reasonably priced, whether you camp or take a little cabin. That sounds really good.
It was late by the time we got back to the boat - just time for a chicken sandwich!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Stuart, FL
Day 138, December 17th, 2009
What a day!! It poured with rain all night and continued all day. I didn't leave the boat!! I read my Penny Vincenzi book all day. I love her books. Found a couple in the common room. I was introduced to Penny Vincenzi by my cousin Ali, in England. Just fun reads. I did make some muffins at lunchtime and hamburgers for supper. Not very ambitious! John did better than me - he nipped out between deluges and went over to buy some ice - what else, for margaritas!!!
What a day!! It poured with rain all night and continued all day. I didn't leave the boat!! I read my Penny Vincenzi book all day. I love her books. Found a couple in the common room. I was introduced to Penny Vincenzi by my cousin Ali, in England. Just fun reads. I did make some muffins at lunchtime and hamburgers for supper. Not very ambitious! John did better than me - he nipped out between deluges and went over to buy some ice - what else, for margaritas!!!
Stuart, FL
Day 137, December 16th, 2009
Its hard to buy John a Christmas present. But I had an idea and so borrowed a bike and off I went again to .......... (He'll read this so I can't say!) Another scorching hot day but its lovely tootling along on the bike. The poor marina people are having a little trouble with their bikes. They changed 3 tire tubes yesterday!
In the afternoon I made a pasta salad. In the evening lots of the boaters gathered together on the patio for a barbecue. We all took something to grill and a side dish as well. It was fun. People from all over the US, Canada and one couple from Sweden. We swapped stories and laughed and had a good time.
Its hard to buy John a Christmas present. But I had an idea and so borrowed a bike and off I went again to .......... (He'll read this so I can't say!) Another scorching hot day but its lovely tootling along on the bike. The poor marina people are having a little trouble with their bikes. They changed 3 tire tubes yesterday!
In the afternoon I made a pasta salad. In the evening lots of the boaters gathered together on the patio for a barbecue. We all took something to grill and a side dish as well. It was fun. People from all over the US, Canada and one couple from Sweden. We swapped stories and laughed and had a good time.
Stuart, FL
Day 136, December 15th, 2009
A hot beautiful day! Still chores to do. I took the laundry over to the marina and was delighted to find I had all the machines to myself. Could run 3 at once! I took my book with me and grabbed a lovely comfy rocking chair out on the patio so while waiting for the machines I just sat in the sun, read my book and rocked away! What a lovely way to do laundry!!!
John was busy with the computer up in the common room, so I left him to his devices, took the laundry back to the boat and then borrowed a bike to go mail a parcel at the Post Office.
We met up with our friends Bev and Dave (Back Roads) at 3:00 and went for supper! They have the restaurants all figured out! We had a great meal at Flannigans for $4.99 each!! (If you get there before 4:00 to place your order you can still get their lunch menu.) The clientele at that time in the day is somewhat geriatric but very good!!!!
A hot beautiful day! Still chores to do. I took the laundry over to the marina and was delighted to find I had all the machines to myself. Could run 3 at once! I took my book with me and grabbed a lovely comfy rocking chair out on the patio so while waiting for the machines I just sat in the sun, read my book and rocked away! What a lovely way to do laundry!!!
John was busy with the computer up in the common room, so I left him to his devices, took the laundry back to the boat and then borrowed a bike to go mail a parcel at the Post Office.
We met up with our friends Bev and Dave (Back Roads) at 3:00 and went for supper! They have the restaurants all figured out! We had a great meal at Flannigans for $4.99 each!! (If you get there before 4:00 to place your order you can still get their lunch menu.) The clientele at that time in the day is somewhat geriatric but very good!!!!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Stuart, FL
Day 135, December 14th, 2009
John's a little disappointed with the solar panel. It doesn't seem to be able to keep up the battery power sufficiently to run the fridge if we're just sitting on the mooring buoy. We've noticed it just the last few days when the ambient temperature has been so high. So today, he set up the little generator and with the two together the batteries were charging okay. I hope it doesn't disturb the neighbours too much!
Around 10:00 we took off for town as planned. This time we borrowed the tricycle and one bike. The trike has a big basket on the back for carrying more stuff. We figured this would be the best way to get the propane tank filled. John looked a bit funny riding his trike. The seat was low and he couldn't raise it, so his knees were kind of scrunched up. He got some kind smiles from some pedestrians though, I noticed! I think they thought he was a poor old codger who couldn't ride a two wheeler any longer! We made several stops - West Marine, the Propane place, The Nauti but Nice Store which was fun, and the grocery store. It was baking hot but we really enjoyed our biking.
Back at the boat in the afternoon, Bev and Dave returned. Looking brown and fit they said they'd had a great weekend watching the Cdn. Curling Olympic trials. We made plans for supper together tomorrow night.
After a sit, off we went again - this time we walked into town to the Visitors' Centre to find out about possible transportation to Orlando airport. There are no buses but we've got a couple of phone numbers to call. Failing that we also stopped at Budget today and know we can book a car one way. We'll shop for the best price.
John's getting pretty good at making margaritas and pina coladas!!! It was the latter tonight, before a hamburger on the barbie. Oh! and the first one was so good, the hamburger was washed down with another!
John's a little disappointed with the solar panel. It doesn't seem to be able to keep up the battery power sufficiently to run the fridge if we're just sitting on the mooring buoy. We've noticed it just the last few days when the ambient temperature has been so high. So today, he set up the little generator and with the two together the batteries were charging okay. I hope it doesn't disturb the neighbours too much!
Around 10:00 we took off for town as planned. This time we borrowed the tricycle and one bike. The trike has a big basket on the back for carrying more stuff. We figured this would be the best way to get the propane tank filled. John looked a bit funny riding his trike. The seat was low and he couldn't raise it, so his knees were kind of scrunched up. He got some kind smiles from some pedestrians though, I noticed! I think they thought he was a poor old codger who couldn't ride a two wheeler any longer! We made several stops - West Marine, the Propane place, The Nauti but Nice Store which was fun, and the grocery store. It was baking hot but we really enjoyed our biking.
Back at the boat in the afternoon, Bev and Dave returned. Looking brown and fit they said they'd had a great weekend watching the Cdn. Curling Olympic trials. We made plans for supper together tomorrow night.
After a sit, off we went again - this time we walked into town to the Visitors' Centre to find out about possible transportation to Orlando airport. There are no buses but we've got a couple of phone numbers to call. Failing that we also stopped at Budget today and know we can book a car one way. We'll shop for the best price.
John's getting pretty good at making margaritas and pina coladas!!! It was the latter tonight, before a hamburger on the barbie. Oh! and the first one was so good, the hamburger was washed down with another!
Work Day
Day 134, December 13th, 2009
We decided that this would be a work day. John got busy after breakfast and changed the oil in the engine and the air filter. He checked the transmission too and tweaked and polished. Meanwhile I scrubbed and cleaned. The cockpit looked awful, there were footprints all over the decks and the waterline was grungy again. Once the outside was done, I cleaned the cabin, while John got gas for the outboard at the gas dock and filled up the water jugs.
Things looked a whole lot better when we'd finished. It was a really hot day and we were just dripping with all this effort, so after a nice shower we walked up to town for an ice cream!
We decided that this would be a work day. John got busy after breakfast and changed the oil in the engine and the air filter. He checked the transmission too and tweaked and polished. Meanwhile I scrubbed and cleaned. The cockpit looked awful, there were footprints all over the decks and the waterline was grungy again. Once the outside was done, I cleaned the cabin, while John got gas for the outboard at the gas dock and filled up the water jugs.
Things looked a whole lot better when we'd finished. It was a really hot day and we were just dripping with all this effort, so after a nice shower we walked up to town for an ice cream!
Stuart, FL
Day 133, December 12th, 2009
Having got a few little gifts together for our family in Winnipeg, we were in a hurry to get them parcelled off and into the mail. I was pretty sure the Post Office would be open on a Saturday morning, so we left the boat at 9:00 and dinghied over to the office where we borrowed two bikes. They were great! Big fat bikes, one speed only - the kind with big handlebars and those brakes where you have to peddle backwards. (I find this a bit of a challenge!) We found the Post Office without too much trouble - there was a long line of people getting their parcels off for Christmas. However, our little parcel went off and hopefully will arrive in time for the holidays.
Afterwards, we decided to bike to Wal-Mart and buy some kind of bag to take stuff home. We've only used the duvet once and all the books and charts for the Rivers can go home too. We're hoping to create some storage space. Wal-Mart was about 5 miles up the road but it was fun and Florida is flat!! On our way we spotted a West Marine and also somewhere where we could fill the empty propane tank, so that was made Monday's job.
After an afternoon nap, we went up to the Marina building where they have a lovely room upstairs for cruisers to hang out. About 6 couples turned up with drinks and nibblies and we had a lovely chat altogether. 4 couples were from Canada and 2 from the US.
Having got a few little gifts together for our family in Winnipeg, we were in a hurry to get them parcelled off and into the mail. I was pretty sure the Post Office would be open on a Saturday morning, so we left the boat at 9:00 and dinghied over to the office where we borrowed two bikes. They were great! Big fat bikes, one speed only - the kind with big handlebars and those brakes where you have to peddle backwards. (I find this a bit of a challenge!) We found the Post Office without too much trouble - there was a long line of people getting their parcels off for Christmas. However, our little parcel went off and hopefully will arrive in time for the holidays.
Afterwards, we decided to bike to Wal-Mart and buy some kind of bag to take stuff home. We've only used the duvet once and all the books and charts for the Rivers can go home too. We're hoping to create some storage space. Wal-Mart was about 5 miles up the road but it was fun and Florida is flat!! On our way we spotted a West Marine and also somewhere where we could fill the empty propane tank, so that was made Monday's job.
After an afternoon nap, we went up to the Marina building where they have a lovely room upstairs for cruisers to hang out. About 6 couples turned up with drinks and nibblies and we had a lovely chat altogether. 4 couples were from Canada and 2 from the US.
Stuart, FL
Day 132, December 11th, 2009
Our friend Bev had e-mailed us to say that the mooring field at Stuart was filling up quickly. This was our destination, where we planned on leaving the boat while we go home for Christmas, so we were anxious to get there and grab a spot. We left at 8:00. It looked as if it would be a nice day but soon clouded over and drizzled off and on.
We arrived around 11:00 and were told to pick up mooring #22 - which turned out to be right beside our friends Bev and Dave on Back Roads, a Gemini 105. They had gone to Bev's sister's for the weekend. After a bit of lunch we headed into the office to register. What a difference since 2005! We had heard various reports of the Stuart marina, but were delighted to see for ourselves. There are brand new roomy docks, the old building has had a complete face lift, there's a new restaurant on the front, the facilities are top notch, including some really fun courtesy bikes for boaters use. And all for the same price as it was 4 years ago! They have no problem with you leaving the boat unattended and even check on it daily if they know you are going to be away. Perfect!
We ended up walking into the old town centre where there are some pretty little shops where we did some Christmas shopping. It was fun to be back again, rather like coming home. From there we went to the bar at the restaurant and had a drink to celebrate completing the Great Loop. Having been all the way down the east part of the Great Loop and now completing the west part to this point, we have actually been all the way round. John later got on the computer and reported this to the American Great Loopers' Cruisers' Association as we now qualify for the Gold Flag instead of just the White Flag!!!
Our friend Bev had e-mailed us to say that the mooring field at Stuart was filling up quickly. This was our destination, where we planned on leaving the boat while we go home for Christmas, so we were anxious to get there and grab a spot. We left at 8:00. It looked as if it would be a nice day but soon clouded over and drizzled off and on.
We arrived around 11:00 and were told to pick up mooring #22 - which turned out to be right beside our friends Bev and Dave on Back Roads, a Gemini 105. They had gone to Bev's sister's for the weekend. After a bit of lunch we headed into the office to register. What a difference since 2005! We had heard various reports of the Stuart marina, but were delighted to see for ourselves. There are brand new roomy docks, the old building has had a complete face lift, there's a new restaurant on the front, the facilities are top notch, including some really fun courtesy bikes for boaters use. And all for the same price as it was 4 years ago! They have no problem with you leaving the boat unattended and even check on it daily if they know you are going to be away. Perfect!
We ended up walking into the old town centre where there are some pretty little shops where we did some Christmas shopping. It was fun to be back again, rather like coming home. From there we went to the bar at the restaurant and had a drink to celebrate completing the Great Loop. Having been all the way down the east part of the Great Loop and now completing the west part to this point, we have actually been all the way round. John later got on the computer and reported this to the American Great Loopers' Cruisers' Association as we now qualify for the Gold Flag instead of just the White Flag!!!
Air Boat Ride
Day 131, December 10th, 2009.
Before we started this trip, I told John that one of the things I dearly would love to do is take an air boat ride through the swamps and look for alligators! Just as we were sipping on our margaritas the previous evening, we saw an air boat that did just that. So, first thing after breakfast I went up to the desk and was introduced to the air boat guy who'd just walked in behind me. He said we could go as soon as the fog cleared!
It was just after 9:00 when he brought the air boat to the dock and we climbed aboard. Since it was just John and I, he said we could take turns riding up on the high seat beside him. I was thrilled! We had to wear ear muffs for protection and off we went. It was so much fun. It was a little windy and as we headed off down the waterway - he was looking for alligators but couldn't see one. Apparently they don't like the wind in their faces, it interferes with their hearing. So off we went into the wetlands. Lake Okeechobee is the 2nd largest inland lake in the US and is extremely shallow - 20ft at its deepest, mostly around 7 - 12ft. The shores are grassy wetlands. Its quite beautiful and just alive with birds, fish and alligators!! We did manage to find a couple in a quiet pool, one swimming and one sitting on a rock. Apparently they are not known to cause problems. They just mind their own business! Our captain told us the local children swim in the waters around there and don't think anything of it! I asked him what the pink bird would have been that we had seen the day before - it wasn't a flamingo, a bit smaller than an egret but its beak was the shape of a wooden spoon. "That would have been a Roseate Spoon Bill." What a lovely name! The air boat was fascinating - it seems the antithesis of a sail boat. With a sail boat you are constantly thinking of depth! At first it seemed quite scary to go in amongst the grass, but then you realise that this is what its all about! No worries it just flies over the top!! I was so enjoying my ride when the captain stopped the boat and told me it was my turn to drive! Wow! With my right foot on the gas peddle, he showed me how if I pushed the lever forward, we would go right, and if I pulled the lever back, we would go left! Easy!! Oh, it felt so good up there just whizzing over the grassland, with sudden flurries of birds as the approaching noise scares them into flight. I could have flown around there all day. He directed me to take us out to the lake proper where we stopped and he explained how in 1928 there was a terrible hurricane that caused such flooding that over 2,000 people died. Herbert Hoover was then president and he decided that something had to be done about Lake Okeechobee. So they dug a ditch, the canal, with locks all around the lake to control the water level. The canal took 11 years to build and was called - The Herbert Hoover Ditch. It was then my turn to sit down below and John's turn to go up top. I think he was a little disappointed that he didn't get a turn to drive!!! Our trip took about an hour - it was as much fun as I thought it would be. "She's gonna want an airboat now!" our Captain said to John!
As soon as we got back to Periwinkle, we got her ready to leave and we were off again. It was scorching hot and with the wind behind us, it looked to be a great time to cross the lake. We'd been told that the water can really kick up with high winds as its so shallow, but we were lucky, the wind was light and the water was flat. About half way across the wind died altogether and our little thermometer read 31 degrees Centigrade!!
As we were crossing, another sailboat passed going the other way. They called us on the radio and said "Periwinkle - we think we met you in the Bahamas a few years ago?!" It turned out to be a Canadian couple from Nepean Boat Club in Ottawa. They used to own a boat called Pendragon but have now moved up to a Beneteau 32 called Celtic Cross. We remembered them well. We promised to watch out for each other in the Bahamas in the New Year!
Watching the channel markers carefully, we crossed the Lake without incident. The lock was open the other side and then there were two bridges. The first was 55ft high, no problem. The second was meant to be 49ft high. We were wondering if our radio antennae might scrape a bit since we'd been told the water level was up. We were ready with the water jugs to hang them from the end of the boom and tip the boat over. However, after approaching at a snail's pace we figured we were going to be okay and passed by without a problem.
We spent the night at the marina in Indiantown. What a nice place! We had heard so much about it. Several friends have kept their boats there on the hard out of season - we somehow had the impression it was a basic kind of place. However, it was really lovely, with attractive patios, a screened room, good facilities and attractive landscaping. They made room for us on the gas dock and we spent a very pleasant evening.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Clewiston, FL
Day 130, December 9th, 2009
Just as we were finishing breakfast another boat arrived at the dock. An elderly gentleman of 86 with his son, on his Endeavour 37. His son was helping him move his boat from summer storage to Marathon where he would spend the winter. They've been doing it this way for about 8 years. Although this gentleman never actually told us, John heard from the local guy the previous evening that this was Mr. Garmin of the well known Garmin navigational GPS products. A charming old fella, he talked about his visits in the past to Thunder Bay and also to Collingwood!!
We had to go through a couple of locks. At the second lock the lockmaster called out that there was a manatee in the lock with us. We looked and looked but couldn't see it. As we left the lock I called out to the guy to say "I didn't see it". "Right behind you, he just came up for air!" I rushed back to the stern but couldn't see anything. Just my luck!
I looked all day for alligators too, but my luck didn't change there either. It was a pretty quiet day, more levees either side and not a whole lot to break the monotony.
We arrived in Clewiston and looked for the free dock but couldn't find it. Ended up taking a slip at the marina there. Kind of a fun place with a Tiki Bar right beside the dock. We went up for a Margarita and saw an alligator swimming across the basin right adjacent to the marina. Finally!! Also, on the far bank there were 3 iguanas, a male and two females. The male was a very fancy looking fella - perhaps you can see him at the base of the tree.
We had a nice chat with another couple, Kjell and Luanne, who were land cruising in their fifth wheel around the US. They were from Washington State. Land or water cruising sounds much the same!!
Labelle, FL
Day 129, December 8th, 2009
Beautifully warm day as we moved up the river to Labelle. Just a little town on the Okeechobee Waterway.
There was a free dock in Labelle. We expected pilings again at the dock but had to med moor.
We dropped a stern anchor as we approached and tied the nose to the dock. The boat beside us, flying a maple leaf, looked vaguely familiar but the name on the side was "Freyja" which I didn't recognise. It turned out that "Hart", the owner, had just bought her last April in Thunder Bay.
I asked what the boat's name used to be and he replied "O Canada". Oh yes! Now I remembered very well. Her previous owners, Steve and Lisa, lived in Longlac and we had know them and cruised with them back when we lived in Thunder Bay. What a small world. Hart, had done the same route we had, except he started in Sault St. Marie in October. He plans on taking "Freyja" to Mexico, Cuba and then hopes to cross the Atlantic.
The library is right there at the dock so we were able to quickly catch up with some correspondence and then went to find "JoneseZ". Instead of a chip shack it was a BBQ Shack which had been recommended to us. Their BBQ Ribs were the best we'd ever eaten!!!
With a stop at the grocery store on the way home, we were glad to get back to the boat. A local fella told us about the alligator that lived under the dock and would come out in the evening but we didn't see him, saw lots of mosquitoes though - time to go below!
Fort Myers, FL
Day 128, December 7th, 2009
Sue and Paul followed us for an hour or two as we tootled on down to Fort Myers. It was a little foggy at first and what wind there was, was right on the nose. Then they turned out the cut to travel down the coast to Naples and we turned left up the Caloosahatchee River. It felt so sad to see them disappearing in the other direction. We chatted for a short while on the radio and wished each other safe journeys.
There were a couple of wide sounds to cross on our way and again the water was just teeming with life. The dolphins were amazing. At one point a cigarette boat that had buzzed passed us at a million miles an hour had stopped in the water and were taking pictures of a pod of dolphins just playing in the water. They were chasing each other and jumping out of the water having a wonderful time. It was breathtaking. As we continued, again one joined us alongside, and this time I managed to catch a glimpse of him under the water with the silly little camera. All my efforts as he came to the surface were in vain and we deleted all those wasted shots. Shortly after this I caught a glimpse of a manatee - it looked just like a big bump in the water and then kind of rolled on and then I saw the flat tail fin break the surface. Birds were everywhere, the pelicans were diving, terns too, along with egrets and blue herons wading in the shallows. I just had the feeling that we were just visitors to this totally different environment. The ocean has a life all its own and we are spectators. I love it all.
We arrived in Fort Myers shortly after lunch and found the Fort Myers City Marina where we picked up a mooring buoy for about $11.25. Laundry was at the top of the list, along with hot showers!! I was congratulating myself on the cheap night's stay and the cheap laundry machines when I got back to the boat and reckoned I'd left my little bag of quarters back in the laundry room ashore!!! I figured there were about $15.00 - $20.00 worth!! Leaving John to unpack, I jumped back in the dinghy and rushed back - no good, no quarters!!! Some cheap night!!! Back at the boat John called from the cockpit "No luck? That was $13.00 worth of quarters!! Good thing I found them at the bottom of the laundry bag!!!" Thank goodness!!
Useppa Island,FL
Day 127, December 6th, 2009
Coming away from the dock was a lot easier than going in!!! Thank Goodness!! We set off at 8:00. The rain had passed over, the sky was clear and bright but it was chilly. It was really a great day and with a north wind at our backs we were able to make good time with the jib.
Again we were visited by dolphins coming right beside the boat. Somebody told John that if you talk to them they'll stay longer! Sure enough, it seemed to work. Calling out "Pretty boy, come on, come and visit" one really seemed to stay with us for a long time. We also saw a bunch of white pelicans. We last saw a flock on the Illinois River as they were migrating South.
Apparently we hear, white pelicans do not dive for their fish but scoop it up as they swim along. The grey pelicans, however, dive from about 40-50ft!
As we approached Useppa Island we could see some gorgeous homes and were thinking that they would have to commute by water - not so for some folk, we watched a helicopter come into land!! It was a nice anchorage there though. It was a little open but fortunately it was a quiet night with virtually no wind.
We went for sundowners on Twice 's Nice. Our last evening together for a month or so. John and I would be travelling up the Okeechobee Waterway while Sue and Paul were heading for Marathon via the Everglades. We made plans to meet in Miami towards the beginning of January.
Still at Higel Marine Park
Day 126, December 5th, 2009
It continued to pour all night and the weather forecast for the day wasn't sounding promising at all. The four of us chatted on the dock after breakfast and decided we would stay put, watch the Christmas parade in the evening and move on the next day.
It continued to pour all night and the weather forecast for the day wasn't sounding promising at all. The four of us chatted on the dock after breakfast and decided we would stay put, watch the Christmas parade in the evening and move on the next day.
John and I walked to the convenience store about a mile away to get a loaf of bread in the morning and then a short walk on the beach. Not too many people about - just a couple of beach combers. There were some lovely birds though, all standing together, head into the wind!
We cozied up in the afternoon and played Scrabble. John was tickled pink with himself when he won!
The highlight of the day was the Christmas Parade. About 10-15 people started arriving just before 6:00 to stand on the dock just there. And shortly after 6:00 it began. We wished we had counted how many boats came by - it must have been at least 30, all shapes and sizes. They looked beautiful, all decorated with lights and lots had loud speakers for the Christmas music. What was most impressive was that the music and the lights were computer co-ordinated!!! We were told that some people hire professionals to get their boats set up. It was a lot of fun. We really enjoyed it all.
Higel Marine Park
Day 125, December 4th, 2009
A miserable day of rain!! The only thing that brightened it up was the wonderful dolphins. At one point we had a dolphin swimming along beside us. He was on our port side, right beside the cockpit. We saw him come up a couple of times before I went for the camera. I tried and tried to catch him as he surfaced but no luck! Frustrating! We need a better camera!!
A miserable day of rain!! The only thing that brightened it up was the wonderful dolphins. At one point we had a dolphin swimming along beside us. He was on our port side, right beside the cockpit. We saw him come up a couple of times before I went for the camera. I tried and tried to catch him as he surfaced but no luck! Frustrating! We need a better camera!!
We stopped for the night in Venice at a little park with a free dock, right beside the Venice Yacht Club. Docking was a bit of a nightmare. John and I couldn't see where the dock or the park were at first so had pretty much decided to drop the anchor close by. Paul and Sue were much more observant and saw where to go immediately. While we tried to turn around in shallow water (and touched a muddy bottom briefly), they were able to tie up and shout over to us that there was just room for us too. So we crawled over to the dock while I ran around tying on the fenders and getting the docking lines on. Unfortunately there was very little room - probably 40 ft and we must be about 38 ft with the dinghy tow. With the wind and current behind us, we were going in a bit fast and further away from the dock than was comfortable. I threw Sue the bow line and she caught it and wrapped it around a piling. My docking line wasn't quite long enough to throw to Paul so I had to leave it till the very last second. It was a one time deal, I threw the line and Paul just managed to grab the bitter end. If he hadn't done so we would have swung around on the bow and bashed into Twice 's Nice. Thank goodness for Paul and Sue!! Its not the first time they've saved our bacon! All this was accomplished in the pouring rain!!
We got talking to some locals also on the dock as they were decorating their boats with Christmas lights. There was going to be a big parade the next evening!!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
St. Petersburg, FL
Day 124, December 3rd, 2009
Pancakes for breakfast since we had a little more time than usual!
Then we both did some chores. I ventured back into the quarter berth and reorganized some of the gear which had got into a big muddle. Then I cleaned and tidied up a bit. Meanwhile John went to get diesel fuel and refill the water jugs from the marina around the corner. The batteries were low so I decided to stay home and we had the engine on to recharge a bit. (The solar panel has been working well during the sunshine but it had been overcast, and then the fridge draws more power than the solar power puts out.) I was sitting reading my book in the cockpit when I heard a sudden big splash and woosh behind me. I turned around and saw all this turbulent water - at first I thought it could have been a dolphin but when I looked more closely I saw a big school of fish. The turbulent water was as much as 100ft across and going round and round in a clockwise direction. Fish, up to about 2 lbs. were jumping out of the water and going round and around. I've never seen anything quite like it before. I haven't got a clue what kind of fish they would have been - there must have been hundreds. Gradually the turbulence seemed to roll around the anchorage and gradually back out again!!! It was quite weird. John arrived back just before it was over. He also found it strange that the birds didn't seem to take any notice. No birds were diving in amongst them. Where were all the pelicans?
Once all the jobs were done, the 4 of us went off to the Boat Show. We had a good time! Bought a couple of little bits. New wine glasses, a silicone baking dish, some new cruising guides. What I really would have loved to have bought was a new Tom Cat 9.7!!!! (Designed and built in Canada!) Oh Yeah!!! Very very nice. Lots of room for the family to join us, there are 3 state rooms on this very roomy 32ft catamaran. It doesn't heel girls!!!! Only $200,000.00 and it would have lots of extras!!!!! Cough, cough, splutter!!!! The other boat we really liked was a dear little trawler - a Ranger Tugs R-29. A real little sweetheart. So comfortable and beautifully laid out! John talks about having a trawler even now. I'm not ready to give up sailing yet - maybe one day!!! It was a fun day. Some gorgeous boats but generally we thought the Toronto Boat Show had more exhibits.
With a stop at the grocery store on the way home, we didn't get back to the boats till nearly 7:00 p.m. I thought I'd write this up right quick while I've got the chance. No pictures yet I'm afraid - the internet connection it too slow, we'll have to add them later. John is at the chart plotter, plotting the course for tomorrow. The weather forecast doesn't sound too bad for tomorrow so we may push on to Venice. We'd like to make some headway as its getting close to Christmas and we have tickets home from Orlando on the 21st!
Pancakes for breakfast since we had a little more time than usual!
Then we both did some chores. I ventured back into the quarter berth and reorganized some of the gear which had got into a big muddle. Then I cleaned and tidied up a bit. Meanwhile John went to get diesel fuel and refill the water jugs from the marina around the corner. The batteries were low so I decided to stay home and we had the engine on to recharge a bit. (The solar panel has been working well during the sunshine but it had been overcast, and then the fridge draws more power than the solar power puts out.) I was sitting reading my book in the cockpit when I heard a sudden big splash and woosh behind me. I turned around and saw all this turbulent water - at first I thought it could have been a dolphin but when I looked more closely I saw a big school of fish. The turbulent water was as much as 100ft across and going round and round in a clockwise direction. Fish, up to about 2 lbs. were jumping out of the water and going round and around. I've never seen anything quite like it before. I haven't got a clue what kind of fish they would have been - there must have been hundreds. Gradually the turbulence seemed to roll around the anchorage and gradually back out again!!! It was quite weird. John arrived back just before it was over. He also found it strange that the birds didn't seem to take any notice. No birds were diving in amongst them. Where were all the pelicans?
Once all the jobs were done, the 4 of us went off to the Boat Show. We had a good time! Bought a couple of little bits. New wine glasses, a silicone baking dish, some new cruising guides. What I really would have loved to have bought was a new Tom Cat 9.7!!!! (Designed and built in Canada!) Oh Yeah!!! Very very nice. Lots of room for the family to join us, there are 3 state rooms on this very roomy 32ft catamaran. It doesn't heel girls!!!! Only $200,000.00 and it would have lots of extras!!!!! Cough, cough, splutter!!!! The other boat we really liked was a dear little trawler - a Ranger Tugs R-29. A real little sweetheart. So comfortable and beautifully laid out! John talks about having a trawler even now. I'm not ready to give up sailing yet - maybe one day!!! It was a fun day. Some gorgeous boats but generally we thought the Toronto Boat Show had more exhibits.
With a stop at the grocery store on the way home, we didn't get back to the boats till nearly 7:00 p.m. I thought I'd write this up right quick while I've got the chance. No pictures yet I'm afraid - the internet connection it too slow, we'll have to add them later. John is at the chart plotter, plotting the course for tomorrow. The weather forecast doesn't sound too bad for tomorrow so we may push on to Venice. We'd like to make some headway as its getting close to Christmas and we have tickets home from Orlando on the 21st!
St. Petersburg, FL
Day 123, December 2nd, 2009
Beautiful morning that soon clouded over but it was hot! The weather reports all forecast a cold front coming through and it wasn't long before the wind started to get stronger. However, we were pretty sure we going to be okay in this protected anchorage and headed out to have a look around.
We took the Central Avenue trolley for 25 cents a ride from the pier and out on Central Avenue to the end of the track. On our way back we got off where Sue had seen a Marine Salvage business. That turned out to be a bit of a waste of time as the place was all empty and up for sale. So then we decided to walk back down to the pier. Hadn't got very far when a younger couple stopped us and asked us where we were going. Turned out he was warning us that the next four blocks were really not that safe and perhaps it would be better to get back on the trolley, they were going that way anyway!
Back down on the waterfront we walked up to see where the St. Pete's Boat Show would be held the next day and then back again towards the Pier for a hamburger for lunch. We sat and watched the pelicans from the window gliding and hovering in the high wind. They are really amazing birds.
From there we were all getting a little nervous about the wind. The books had described the bottom at this anchorage to be "soupy", whatever that means. Sue and Paul had put two anchors out. We hadn't but had plenty of rode out. The young fella at the dinghy dock had also said that sometimes boats did drag. So we decided we'd better go back to the boats and just be ready in case anything untoward happened.
It turned out to be just fine. We were swinging a lot but nothing else. After supper the thunder and lightening started. Sheet lightening mostly but just seconds apart, lighting up the whole sky. It was really quite spectacular, just like watching fireworks. John and I sat out in the cockpit for quite a while, before it really started to rain and then it came down in buckets and we retreated down below to watch a movie!
Beautiful morning that soon clouded over but it was hot! The weather reports all forecast a cold front coming through and it wasn't long before the wind started to get stronger. However, we were pretty sure we going to be okay in this protected anchorage and headed out to have a look around.
We took the Central Avenue trolley for 25 cents a ride from the pier and out on Central Avenue to the end of the track. On our way back we got off where Sue had seen a Marine Salvage business. That turned out to be a bit of a waste of time as the place was all empty and up for sale. So then we decided to walk back down to the pier. Hadn't got very far when a younger couple stopped us and asked us where we were going. Turned out he was warning us that the next four blocks were really not that safe and perhaps it would be better to get back on the trolley, they were going that way anyway!
Back down on the waterfront we walked up to see where the St. Pete's Boat Show would be held the next day and then back again towards the Pier for a hamburger for lunch. We sat and watched the pelicans from the window gliding and hovering in the high wind. They are really amazing birds.
From there we were all getting a little nervous about the wind. The books had described the bottom at this anchorage to be "soupy", whatever that means. Sue and Paul had put two anchors out. We hadn't but had plenty of rode out. The young fella at the dinghy dock had also said that sometimes boats did drag. So we decided we'd better go back to the boats and just be ready in case anything untoward happened.
It turned out to be just fine. We were swinging a lot but nothing else. After supper the thunder and lightening started. Sheet lightening mostly but just seconds apart, lighting up the whole sky. It was really quite spectacular, just like watching fireworks. John and I sat out in the cockpit for quite a while, before it really started to rain and then it came down in buckets and we retreated down below to watch a movie!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
St.Petersburg, FL
Day 122, December 1st, 2009
John and I got up early and after breakfast we re inflated the dinghy, got it back in the water, put the outboard back on and hooked up again to the dinghy tow! Ah! its good to have our "car" back in order!
We brought the anchor up at 9:00 and were off again, along with Twice 's Nice.
What a beautiful day! It was HOT!!! Just in T shirts and shorts we were scorching! We went through 5 bascule bridges and under another 2 fixed bridges. Gorgeous homes along the waterway, and lots of fancy hotels and condos. Its hard to know where to look next.
We arrived at the anchorage around 2:30 p.m. The St. Petersburg Boat Show will be just up the way on Thursday. We are right beside the Pier. There's meant to be bad weather coming through Wednesday and Thursday so we have decided to stay here and wait it out. We'll have a chance to look around tomorrow and go to the boat show on Thursday!
After getting settled we dinghied over to the Pier and found an ice cream. Had supper on Twice 's Nice where Sue cooked up the last of the Trigger fish, sauteed with herbs and spices this time.
Chocolate eclairs for dessert!!! Its a hard life!!
John and I got up early and after breakfast we re inflated the dinghy, got it back in the water, put the outboard back on and hooked up again to the dinghy tow! Ah! its good to have our "car" back in order!
We brought the anchor up at 9:00 and were off again, along with Twice 's Nice.
What a beautiful day! It was HOT!!! Just in T shirts and shorts we were scorching! We went through 5 bascule bridges and under another 2 fixed bridges. Gorgeous homes along the waterway, and lots of fancy hotels and condos. Its hard to know where to look next.
We arrived at the anchorage around 2:30 p.m. The St. Petersburg Boat Show will be just up the way on Thursday. We are right beside the Pier. There's meant to be bad weather coming through Wednesday and Thursday so we have decided to stay here and wait it out. We'll have a chance to look around tomorrow and go to the boat show on Thursday!
After getting settled we dinghied over to the Pier and found an ice cream. Had supper on Twice 's Nice where Sue cooked up the last of the Trigger fish, sauteed with herbs and spices this time.
Chocolate eclairs for dessert!!! Its a hard life!!
Belleaire, FL
Day 121, November 30th, 2009
We woke up feeling so much better after having slept like logs all night!
During the storm at Carrabelle, two welds had broken on the stern rail from the dinghy getting sloshed about by the waves. (We have a contraption called a dinghy tow whereby we pull the dinghy backwards. Part of its support is attached by brackets to the stern rail.) The harbor master in Tarpon Springs had been able to find us a welder who could come to the boat and fix the welds right there. He arrived around 11:00 a.m. and had a look at the job and then returned with his equipment at 1:00 p.m. He did a great job and we were happy to get the repair done. We pulled away from the dock at about 1:45 and met up with Sue and Paul at the anchorage. We were off again.
It was warm and beautiful as we went back into the Intracoastal Waterway and tootled along just a short way to a lovely anchorage at Belleaire. This is really the Florida we were looking for. Palm trees, gorgeous homes with docks and lanais - beautiful!
For supper, Paul and Sue came over and we cooked up the Trigger fish that Buz had given us.
His deckhand had recommended we bake it in a can of mushroom soup. We did that and along with rice and a salad we had another gourmet meal!!! All this brain food!!
We woke up feeling so much better after having slept like logs all night!
During the storm at Carrabelle, two welds had broken on the stern rail from the dinghy getting sloshed about by the waves. (We have a contraption called a dinghy tow whereby we pull the dinghy backwards. Part of its support is attached by brackets to the stern rail.) The harbor master in Tarpon Springs had been able to find us a welder who could come to the boat and fix the welds right there. He arrived around 11:00 a.m. and had a look at the job and then returned with his equipment at 1:00 p.m. He did a great job and we were happy to get the repair done. We pulled away from the dock at about 1:45 and met up with Sue and Paul at the anchorage. We were off again.
It was warm and beautiful as we went back into the Intracoastal Waterway and tootled along just a short way to a lovely anchorage at Belleaire. This is really the Florida we were looking for. Palm trees, gorgeous homes with docks and lanais - beautiful!
For supper, Paul and Sue came over and we cooked up the Trigger fish that Buz had given us.
His deckhand had recommended we bake it in a can of mushroom soup. We did that and along with rice and a salad we had another gourmet meal!!! All this brain food!!
Still Hopping!
Day 120, November 29th, 2009
John was at the helm from 10:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. then I took over while he went to sleep.
My shift from 1:30 to 5:00 seemed busy.
I'd been watching these two boats on radar to port, getting gradually closer. The first one crossed in front of me aways off. The second I was watching quite closely as I realised either one of us would probably have to give way to the other. Then I got the call on the radio "Periwinkle, is that you?" It was Sharpie's Dream! Zephia with Pam and Steve were the first boat! We were surprised to meet with them in the middle of the trip - all were doing well, but tired!
At 3:00 a.m., the third boat that was travelling with us - "Endurance" with the young fella, Casey, single handing, called to say he was just too tired and had decided to drop his anchor and sleep there for a few hours before continuing. The Gulf is so shallow, we were in about 25ft of water at the time, and the night was so calm and peaceful, we had no worries on his behalf and said goodbye. I think he was also worried about the crab pots, as they were becoming more and more frequent.
Around 4:00 a.m. a lovely breeze came up and we were able to pull out the jib again. When John took over at 5:00 he was able to shut the motor down and just sail for the next few hours, less worry about the crab pots fouling the prop. that way! I curled back up in the V-berth - good thing you can't fall out sideways, as John told me he had it heeling over quite a bit and doing a good 6.5 under sail.
We arrived in Tarpon Springs around 10:00 a.m. only 27 hours instead of the 30 we expected.
We pulled in at the municipal marina. Paul and Sue were exhausted. Sue reckoned she didn't sleep at all and Paul only very little! Tarpon Springs is a funny little place, very touristy with its million and one gift shops and restaurants. Its famous for its sponges and Greek heritage.
After a shower and lunch in a Greek restaurant, we felt somewhat revived. Sue and Paul went off to anchor at a good spot while John and I snoozed the afternoon away.
John was at the helm from 10:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. then I took over while he went to sleep.
My shift from 1:30 to 5:00 seemed busy.
I'd been watching these two boats on radar to port, getting gradually closer. The first one crossed in front of me aways off. The second I was watching quite closely as I realised either one of us would probably have to give way to the other. Then I got the call on the radio "Periwinkle, is that you?" It was Sharpie's Dream! Zephia with Pam and Steve were the first boat! We were surprised to meet with them in the middle of the trip - all were doing well, but tired!
At 3:00 a.m., the third boat that was travelling with us - "Endurance" with the young fella, Casey, single handing, called to say he was just too tired and had decided to drop his anchor and sleep there for a few hours before continuing. The Gulf is so shallow, we were in about 25ft of water at the time, and the night was so calm and peaceful, we had no worries on his behalf and said goodbye. I think he was also worried about the crab pots, as they were becoming more and more frequent.
Around 4:00 a.m. a lovely breeze came up and we were able to pull out the jib again. When John took over at 5:00 he was able to shut the motor down and just sail for the next few hours, less worry about the crab pots fouling the prop. that way! I curled back up in the V-berth - good thing you can't fall out sideways, as John told me he had it heeling over quite a bit and doing a good 6.5 under sail.
We arrived in Tarpon Springs around 10:00 a.m. only 27 hours instead of the 30 we expected.
We pulled in at the municipal marina. Paul and Sue were exhausted. Sue reckoned she didn't sleep at all and Paul only very little! Tarpon Springs is a funny little place, very touristy with its million and one gift shops and restaurants. Its famous for its sponges and Greek heritage.
After a shower and lunch in a Greek restaurant, we felt somewhat revived. Sue and Paul went off to anchor at a good spot while John and I snoozed the afternoon away.
The Hop Across the Big Bend
Day 119, November 28th, 2009
All fired up we left at 7:00 a.m. I'd dug out the survival suits just incase it was cold on the open water but didn't actually use them in the end. With two fleece jackets and my all weather gear and my fleece hat I was lovely and warm. Even John put on his fleece jacket and all weather gear too!
It took a couple of hours just to get out of Carrabelle, over to Dog Island and through the cut onto the Gulf. It was a little choppy but nothing too uncomfortable. We'd put the main up as soon as we left the marina. As soon as we set our course of 123 degrees to R2 en route to Tarpon Springs, there was a beautiful NE wind and we were able to pull out the jib and make great headway. We left the motor running in order to get some miles behind us and were making great speed, anything between 6.5 and 7.2 knots. We started off on auto helm but had to hand steer for about four hours as auto was over steering. John even reckoned he was feeling a bit queesy at one point. John had put the bread maker on first thing, so that we could have a hunk of fresh bread with a chili later in the day. The breadmaker was sitting on the Nav. table on the high side. It seemed a bit precarious there for the three hours - I half expected it to go flying off onto the floor but all went well and it stayed put. By the time the bread was done, the water had settled some and we both enjoyed a hunk of a sandwich for lunch. As usual we took turns at the helm, and turns having a snooze down below. The time passed quickly.
Sue and Paul came along behind us and we were in pretty regular contact by VHF. This was their first overnighter and it was a great time to do it under excellent conditions.
Sunset was around 6:00 p.m. but there was a big moon so we had really quite good visibility.
The chili was good at suppertime, followed by a hot chocolate. The evening was quiet and uneventful. We both really love being out on the water, out of site of land, in the quiet.
All fired up we left at 7:00 a.m. I'd dug out the survival suits just incase it was cold on the open water but didn't actually use them in the end. With two fleece jackets and my all weather gear and my fleece hat I was lovely and warm. Even John put on his fleece jacket and all weather gear too!
It took a couple of hours just to get out of Carrabelle, over to Dog Island and through the cut onto the Gulf. It was a little choppy but nothing too uncomfortable. We'd put the main up as soon as we left the marina. As soon as we set our course of 123 degrees to R2 en route to Tarpon Springs, there was a beautiful NE wind and we were able to pull out the jib and make great headway. We left the motor running in order to get some miles behind us and were making great speed, anything between 6.5 and 7.2 knots. We started off on auto helm but had to hand steer for about four hours as auto was over steering. John even reckoned he was feeling a bit queesy at one point. John had put the bread maker on first thing, so that we could have a hunk of fresh bread with a chili later in the day. The breadmaker was sitting on the Nav. table on the high side. It seemed a bit precarious there for the three hours - I half expected it to go flying off onto the floor but all went well and it stayed put. By the time the bread was done, the water had settled some and we both enjoyed a hunk of a sandwich for lunch. As usual we took turns at the helm, and turns having a snooze down below. The time passed quickly.
Sue and Paul came along behind us and we were in pretty regular contact by VHF. This was their first overnighter and it was a great time to do it under excellent conditions.
Sunset was around 6:00 p.m. but there was a big moon so we had really quite good visibility.
The chili was good at suppertime, followed by a hot chocolate. The evening was quiet and uneventful. We both really love being out on the water, out of site of land, in the quiet.
Preparing to make the hop!
Day 118, November 27th, 2009
The weather looked good on all the websites. Both the wind forecast and the waves. All the wind was looking good at less than 16 knots and out of the north or north east both Saturday and Sunday. Wave height was forecast as up to 2ft or less. We decided that we would leave at 7:00 the next day and go straight across to Tarpon Springs, expecting it to take about 30 hours.
So we spent the day preparing. First we walked over to the Moorings to say goodbye to Sharpie's Dream and Zephia. They had decided to leave Friday evening and take a longer route around the Big Bend, stopping at Alligator Harbour to sleep the first night and then stopping to sleep a few hours off to break the journey in the middle.
Having wished them well we went back to the Fisherman's Wife and had deep fried shrimp for lunch. Then in the afternoon I cleaned the boat and made a big pot of chili for the next day's journey.
In the evening we ate Grouper. I'd bought it off Buz a couple of nights before and they recommended frying it in garlic butter. Sue and Paul joined us and we enjoyed it. A baked potato, coleslaw and Grouper! Washed down with a bottle of wine.
The weather looked good on all the websites. Both the wind forecast and the waves. All the wind was looking good at less than 16 knots and out of the north or north east both Saturday and Sunday. Wave height was forecast as up to 2ft or less. We decided that we would leave at 7:00 the next day and go straight across to Tarpon Springs, expecting it to take about 30 hours.
So we spent the day preparing. First we walked over to the Moorings to say goodbye to Sharpie's Dream and Zephia. They had decided to leave Friday evening and take a longer route around the Big Bend, stopping at Alligator Harbour to sleep the first night and then stopping to sleep a few hours off to break the journey in the middle.
Having wished them well we went back to the Fisherman's Wife and had deep fried shrimp for lunch. Then in the afternoon I cleaned the boat and made a big pot of chili for the next day's journey.
In the evening we ate Grouper. I'd bought it off Buz a couple of nights before and they recommended frying it in garlic butter. Sue and Paul joined us and we enjoyed it. A baked potato, coleslaw and Grouper! Washed down with a bottle of wine.
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