May 15-20, 2009 The Hampton Public Piers were our home for 5 days. We needed to rest, do laundry and clean, finish some maintenance, and wait out some nasty weather. There were plenty of places to go that were within walking distance. Larry and Margie visited the Virginia Air and Space Museum and the carousel museum. The four of us went to the farmer’s market Saturday morning and a street fair in the evening. On Monday we rented a car to facilitate errands and also drove to Newport News to visit the Mariners’ Museum, recommended by several people. It’s a wonderful place with several permanent exhibits that are fascinating: a collection of miniature ships, a Chesapeake Bay gallery, New World explorers gallery and others. The most interesting was the USS Monitor Center. The Civil War iron-clad ship was finally located about 10 years ago and recovery is ongoing, with many of the artifacts coming to this museum. The famous revolving gun turret is here being conserved in an enormous vat of a liquid solution to get all of the salt out of the metal; the process will take about 25 years. There are several other, smaller vats for smaller pieces.
May 20, 2009 With an early start and very calm Chesapeake Bay waters, we were able to go almost 100 miles in 12 ½ hours. Wanderin’ L & M traveled with us. About midday we encountered a fleet of boats catching menhaden, small fish used for bait, fish oil (omega 3), fertilizer, and many other things. Above the boats were two small planes flying around, which we thought were locating schools of menhaden for the boats. At Solomons,MD, on the Patuxent River, we found a nice anchorage for the night, although there was some noise from water skiers at first and later, from planes out of the naval air station nearby.
May 21, 2009 Again, the Chesapeake Bay was fairly smooth. We reached Annapolis, MD, in the early afternoon and motored past the Naval Academy on the Severn River to Weems Creek, where we anchored. That’s a popular spot and we had plenty of company. Larry got the dinghy down in the water and the four of us buzzed around in that and explored, although we had to abandon an attempt to go back past the Academy and into downtown Annapolis. Too rough, too much water splashing in.
May 22, 2009 We felt we didn’t need to leave until 8 AM, since the home marina for Going There was only about ½ a day’s travel away. However, as we approached the Naval Academy, we started to see armed patrol boats, both Navy and Coast Guard. What was going on? Soon we heard the Coast Guard on the VHF radio, broadcasting the navigation changes for the day: "The Severn River will be closed from 0900 hours to 1300 hours." What? We finally figured it out-graduation! Dignitaries-maybe the president! In any case, we were permitted to pass the patrol boats, run into Spa Creek for a quick look at downtown Annapolis, and be on our way.
Arriving back at Porter’s Seneca Marina, our Loop trip was completed. Raymond Porter helped us tie up in our slip and welcomed us back. Larry and Margie anchored in Seneca Creek to stay for the night. Our car was waiting for us in the parking lot, courtesy of Barb, Bruce, and Katie, who delivered it last week. We knew, due to a phone call today from Becky, that our house was aired out, and the majority of weeds in the flower beds were gone. Thanks, y’all, we appreciate everything you did! Check back in a few days for some more pictures.
Here are some stats:
Vessel: "GOING THERE"
1980 34 ft. Mainship I w/165 hp. Perkins turbo
Left Porters Seneca Marina in Baltimore on 05/20/2008 at 0745 hrs.
Returned 05/22/2009 at 1300 hrs.
Travel days 129
Traveled 5970 statute miles
Engine hours 809.9
Fuel used 1504.75
Average MPG 3.97
Average gals per hour 1.86
Average price per gal. $4.49
Highest price paid $5.95
Lowest price paid $1.74
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Going There is HOME!!
Mom and Dad pulled into their home marina last Friday. They traveled home on Memorial Day. Yippee!!! They are home!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
05/08/09 to 05/14/09
Working Snag Boat in the Dismal Swamp Canal
Narrow Channel
Mistletoe in Sweet Gum Trees
Free Docks at Elizabeth City, NC
Blimp Factory in Elizabeth City, One of the largest wooden structures in the world.5/08/09 to 5/14/09 We traveled for 7 days in a row, reaching Wrightsville Beach, NC, the first night, where we docked at a marina right along the ICW. On almost every mile marker post we saw nesting ospreys. The second day of travel, we had to wait for two different swing bridges to open, each with a clearance of 12 feet (our boat needs 18 feet to clear, because of the antennas). About noon Lois called a marina in Morehead City, NC, to reserve a slip for the night. The dockmaster said, "You don’t want to stay here for the night. This wind will bounce you against the dock all night long. Call Morehead City Yacht Basin, which is more protected." We thanked him and took his advice, although the wind was still substantial. Many of the slips at the Morehead City Yacht Basin were occupied by big sport fishing boats, but there were several cruisers traveling together who had stopped for the night on their way to Ocracoke. They were all out on the dock about six PM having hors d’ouevres and invited us to join them. One couple was starting their Loop adventure and we talked to them for a while.
May 10 was a beautiful traveling day; the wind didn’t increase until afternoon On Adams Creek we saw a beautiful wooden yacht that seemed familiar; the name on the transom was Sophie. She was in Clearwater Beach when we last saw her. Reputedly owned by a well-known Fox News reporter, she is kept in mint condition. When we mentioned her to the dockmaster at Belhaven, NC, where we stopped for the night, he recognized her immediately, and said she would be spending some time at the marina there.
Monday, May 11, we left Belhaven early and continued on the Pungo River to a land cut (canal) about 20 miles long that led us to the Alligator River. Although the day was overcast and breezy, it was not until we came out into the Alligator River that things started to get interesting. At first, the waves were 1-2 feet and we were headed north directly into them, which is doable. Then the river got wider and the waves increased to 4-6 feet. When we went through the Alligator River swing bridge and turned west toward a marina, the waves hit us broadside for the ½ mile or so to the marina, repeatedly tilting us back and forth. Finally we reached the breakwater for the marina, where numerous other boats had also taken refuge. Fortunately, experienced dockhands were there to secure us to the dock. The winds continued to blow until dark. For the first time, Bob used fender boards to help cushion us from the dock.. On the plus side, we bought diesel fuel for $1.85/gal., the best price since Clearwater, FL, in December.
Tuesday, May 12 This was the day for crossing the dreaded Albemarle Sound. In talking with other cruisers last evening, we agreed that an early start was best, so at 6 AM, several boats set off. The weather had to be sunny with little wind for a good passage. It went very well. As we approached the mouth of the Pasquotank River, we could see the Coast Guard Air Station and the enormous building which houses a blimp factory. Many years ago the same building was where they built dirigibles. We reached Elizabeth City by 10 AM., pulled in to the free city dock, and were assisted by volunteer "greeters". When we returned to the boat after walking around town and visiting the Museum of the Albemarle, other boats were arriving and by late afternoon all 14 slips were filled. In the afternoon, we went to the grocery store and ran into Bill and Joy from the Marilyn J, whom we last met a year ago in New Jersey, where they guided us through the harbor at Ocean City and the maze of lift bridges in Ventnor City.
May 13 and 14 We waited until 7:30 for the Elizabeth City lift bridge to open, then traveled 18 miles on the twisty Pasquotank River to the South Mills lock, which raised us 8 ft. to the level of the Dismal Swamp Canal. The canal has a long history, dating back to George Washington’s time, when he and some partners got the idea to drain the swamp and harvest the timber. They built part of the canal and then Washington sold his interest to someone else. Eventually a lumber company bought the swamp, harvested the rest of the virgin timber, and donated the land to create a national wildlife refuge. The care of the canal is now supervised by the Army Corps of Engineers. It is very narrow, the water is tea-colored, depths rarely exceed 8 feet, and it is used mainly by recreational boaters. Along each side is a narrow strip of lush green trees and bushes which tends to make you think that civilization is far away (it’s not!). The honeysuckle was in bloom and its scent filled the air. Hanging in the trees we saw dark green mistletoe twined around itself to make big balls. Although we heard songbirds, we didn’t see them and there were just a few wading water birds (probably no fish to attract them). Overnight we stayed at the dock at the North Carolina State Visitors Center, near the border with Virginia. The next day was an early start in order to be at the 8:30 opening of the Deep Creek lock, 17 miles away. There were 3 other boats at that location, who had used a dock nearby overnight. This lock, the final one for us, was fun. There was a tiny white house, used for the lockmaster’s office, with a very attractive flower bed in the front. When all the boats were tied to the side of the lock, Robert the lockmaster picked up a conch shell, one of several on the edge of the flower bed, and blew through it, playing a little tune. ( Bob bought himself a conch shell when we were in the Keys, but can only play one note, no variations. This gives him something to aspire to.)
We continued on the Elizabeth River to Portsmouth and Norfolk,VA, across Hampton Roads (junction of the Chesapeake Bay, Elizabeth River, James River, and Nansemond River) to the city of Hampton, VA. It was a relief to get there, as Hampton Roads was quite choppy. At the Hampton Public Piers, we tied up next to Wanderin’ L & M, whom we hadn’t seen since Fort Pierce, FL. In the evening, all of us went out for Italian meal.
May 10 was a beautiful traveling day; the wind didn’t increase until afternoon On Adams Creek we saw a beautiful wooden yacht that seemed familiar; the name on the transom was Sophie. She was in Clearwater Beach when we last saw her. Reputedly owned by a well-known Fox News reporter, she is kept in mint condition. When we mentioned her to the dockmaster at Belhaven, NC, where we stopped for the night, he recognized her immediately, and said she would be spending some time at the marina there.
Monday, May 11, we left Belhaven early and continued on the Pungo River to a land cut (canal) about 20 miles long that led us to the Alligator River. Although the day was overcast and breezy, it was not until we came out into the Alligator River that things started to get interesting. At first, the waves were 1-2 feet and we were headed north directly into them, which is doable. Then the river got wider and the waves increased to 4-6 feet. When we went through the Alligator River swing bridge and turned west toward a marina, the waves hit us broadside for the ½ mile or so to the marina, repeatedly tilting us back and forth. Finally we reached the breakwater for the marina, where numerous other boats had also taken refuge. Fortunately, experienced dockhands were there to secure us to the dock. The winds continued to blow until dark. For the first time, Bob used fender boards to help cushion us from the dock.. On the plus side, we bought diesel fuel for $1.85/gal., the best price since Clearwater, FL, in December.
Tuesday, May 12 This was the day for crossing the dreaded Albemarle Sound. In talking with other cruisers last evening, we agreed that an early start was best, so at 6 AM, several boats set off. The weather had to be sunny with little wind for a good passage. It went very well. As we approached the mouth of the Pasquotank River, we could see the Coast Guard Air Station and the enormous building which houses a blimp factory. Many years ago the same building was where they built dirigibles. We reached Elizabeth City by 10 AM., pulled in to the free city dock, and were assisted by volunteer "greeters". When we returned to the boat after walking around town and visiting the Museum of the Albemarle, other boats were arriving and by late afternoon all 14 slips were filled. In the afternoon, we went to the grocery store and ran into Bill and Joy from the Marilyn J, whom we last met a year ago in New Jersey, where they guided us through the harbor at Ocean City and the maze of lift bridges in Ventnor City.
May 13 and 14 We waited until 7:30 for the Elizabeth City lift bridge to open, then traveled 18 miles on the twisty Pasquotank River to the South Mills lock, which raised us 8 ft. to the level of the Dismal Swamp Canal. The canal has a long history, dating back to George Washington’s time, when he and some partners got the idea to drain the swamp and harvest the timber. They built part of the canal and then Washington sold his interest to someone else. Eventually a lumber company bought the swamp, harvested the rest of the virgin timber, and donated the land to create a national wildlife refuge. The care of the canal is now supervised by the Army Corps of Engineers. It is very narrow, the water is tea-colored, depths rarely exceed 8 feet, and it is used mainly by recreational boaters. Along each side is a narrow strip of lush green trees and bushes which tends to make you think that civilization is far away (it’s not!). The honeysuckle was in bloom and its scent filled the air. Hanging in the trees we saw dark green mistletoe twined around itself to make big balls. Although we heard songbirds, we didn’t see them and there were just a few wading water birds (probably no fish to attract them). Overnight we stayed at the dock at the North Carolina State Visitors Center, near the border with Virginia. The next day was an early start in order to be at the 8:30 opening of the Deep Creek lock, 17 miles away. There were 3 other boats at that location, who had used a dock nearby overnight. This lock, the final one for us, was fun. There was a tiny white house, used for the lockmaster’s office, with a very attractive flower bed in the front. When all the boats were tied to the side of the lock, Robert the lockmaster picked up a conch shell, one of several on the edge of the flower bed, and blew through it, playing a little tune. ( Bob bought himself a conch shell when we were in the Keys, but can only play one note, no variations. This gives him something to aspire to.)
We continued on the Elizabeth River to Portsmouth and Norfolk,VA, across Hampton Roads (junction of the Chesapeake Bay, Elizabeth River, James River, and Nansemond River) to the city of Hampton, VA. It was a relief to get there, as Hampton Roads was quite choppy. At the Hampton Public Piers, we tied up next to Wanderin’ L & M, whom we hadn’t seen since Fort Pierce, FL. In the evening, all of us went out for Italian meal.
Friday, May 8, 2009
04/23/09 to 05/07/09
4/23/09/to 4/25/09 On Thursday we arrived in Savannah in mid-afternoon and tied up at a dock along the riverfront. During the rest of the day at least 6 ocean-going vessels, mostly container carriers, passed on the way to or from the port of Savannah. At one point two of them met in the Savannah River right in front of us. All day Friday there were similar commercial ships passing by. We’ve been having overheating problems with our boat again; both Wednesday and Thursday while we were underway, we had to stop and anchor to clean out a strainer or change a fuel filter. On Friday, Lorenzo and Chuck(a friend of Lorenzo’s who is accompanying them with his wife Julie) came aboard to help Bob try and identify the problem and remedy it. They removed the inner cooler and tried to clean it all out. Bob also replaced the impeller in the water pump, a job that requires him to squeeze into the engine compartment and lie uncomfortably alongside the engine. Saturday we headed out, traveled all day, no apparent problems. In the evening, we anchored at a nice wide area in the Edisto River, south of Charleston, SC. We were joined at a distance by several sailboats, also the vessel belonging to John and Phillipa, from New Zealand, and their 2 teenagers. Before sunset we were passed by a boat 150 feet long, proceeding back the way we had come. It surprised us, because this area is relatively shallow and we had to be careful because of possible shoaling.
4/26/09 to 4/28/09 Although we ran into fog shortly after leaving the anchorage this morning, we kept going with the help of radar and eventually ran out of it, arriving at the Charleston Marine Center about 1 PM. It’s off of the Cooper River, and close to the historic district. On Monday Lil’ David and crew left early, will probably arrive at their home port of Holden Beach, NC, in a couple days, completing the Great Loop. We took the water taxi across the river to Patriots Point and spent most of the day touring the aircraft carrier Yorktown, a World War II and Vietnam era vessel. At numerous locations within the ship are small museums and special exhibits. Tuesday we boarded a trolley near the marina to go to the Visitor’s Center, then took a minibus tour of Charleston. The driver gave the usual commentary on the city’s history and architecture. Later we went into the Charleston Museum near the Visitor’s Center for a short time. Then it was time for dinner at Sticky Fingers, a barbecued rib restaurant, your choice of 5 different flavors, from Carolina Sweet to Habanero Hot. The ribs were wonderful!
4/29/09 to 5/01/09 Wednesday, the 29th, was a beautiful boating day. We left Charleston in calm water with no wind and it remained that way for the entire trip to Georgetown, SC., a quiet town just a short way off the ICW. After docking, we went to pay the dockmaster and ask him where we could buy shrimp. He gave us directions, saying,"These won’t be local shrimp. Our season hasn’t started yet. These’ll probably be Georgia shrimp." ( And we were thinking non-local would be South American!) We went and got shrimp, ignoring the white heron hanging around the stoop at the market, and fixed ourselves yet another seafood meal, one of many we’ve had on the east coast. Dessert was intended to be ice cream, but till we ventured out to walk the town, most stores were closed. On Thursday, we had only 30 miles to go to our next stop, so we started out about 9 AM, 2 hours later than usual. Most of the trip was on the Waccamaw River, which had tree-lined shores, instead of the marsh grass that has predominated for the last few weeks. We stopped for the night at Osprey Marina, just a few miles from Myrtle Beach, SC.
The marina was very pleasant, situated in the trees off the ICW. We were concerned that smoke from last week’s extensive fire in the area would be a problem, but it was not. Shortly after starting out on Friday, the smoke detector sounded. Bob went down to the engine compartment and discovered a small connector in the fuel line leaking. He quickly repaired it with special tape and we got underway again. On this section of the ICW we began to see large, beautiful homes and a multitude of golf courses. Approaching Holden Beach, NC, we had to stop at a pontoon bridge across the waterway and wait for it to open. We had missed the opening at 12 noon by just a few minutes and had to wait until 1 PM. By then, there were probably 10-12 boats waiting for the pontoon to move out of the way. Within a short time after the bridge, we were docking at the Holden Beach Marina, with Lorenzo and John(from New Zealand) there to catch our lines.
5/02/09 to 5/07/08 There were repairs to be done to Going There, so that was the focus of our week in Holden Beach, NC. Monday Bob removed the injectors and the inner cooler and he and Lorenzo took them to Wilmington, NC, for diagnosis and treatment. The inner cooler had to be cleaned at a radiator shop; a diesel parts place ordered new injectors. Both promised he would have the parts "tomorrow", but it was Wednesday afternoon till they were available. When Bob finished putting things back together and ran the engine on Thurs., he was satisfied. Aside from the engine, we went to Calabash, NC, one night with Lorenzo and Lois for seafood. What we saw of the town was lined with seafood restaurants, at least a dozen of them, one after the other. The one we went to had lots of options and was very reasonably priced.
4/26/09 to 4/28/09 Although we ran into fog shortly after leaving the anchorage this morning, we kept going with the help of radar and eventually ran out of it, arriving at the Charleston Marine Center about 1 PM. It’s off of the Cooper River, and close to the historic district. On Monday Lil’ David and crew left early, will probably arrive at their home port of Holden Beach, NC, in a couple days, completing the Great Loop. We took the water taxi across the river to Patriots Point and spent most of the day touring the aircraft carrier Yorktown, a World War II and Vietnam era vessel. At numerous locations within the ship are small museums and special exhibits. Tuesday we boarded a trolley near the marina to go to the Visitor’s Center, then took a minibus tour of Charleston. The driver gave the usual commentary on the city’s history and architecture. Later we went into the Charleston Museum near the Visitor’s Center for a short time. Then it was time for dinner at Sticky Fingers, a barbecued rib restaurant, your choice of 5 different flavors, from Carolina Sweet to Habanero Hot. The ribs were wonderful!
4/29/09 to 5/01/09 Wednesday, the 29th, was a beautiful boating day. We left Charleston in calm water with no wind and it remained that way for the entire trip to Georgetown, SC., a quiet town just a short way off the ICW. After docking, we went to pay the dockmaster and ask him where we could buy shrimp. He gave us directions, saying,"These won’t be local shrimp. Our season hasn’t started yet. These’ll probably be Georgia shrimp." ( And we were thinking non-local would be South American!) We went and got shrimp, ignoring the white heron hanging around the stoop at the market, and fixed ourselves yet another seafood meal, one of many we’ve had on the east coast. Dessert was intended to be ice cream, but till we ventured out to walk the town, most stores were closed. On Thursday, we had only 30 miles to go to our next stop, so we started out about 9 AM, 2 hours later than usual. Most of the trip was on the Waccamaw River, which had tree-lined shores, instead of the marsh grass that has predominated for the last few weeks. We stopped for the night at Osprey Marina, just a few miles from Myrtle Beach, SC.
The marina was very pleasant, situated in the trees off the ICW. We were concerned that smoke from last week’s extensive fire in the area would be a problem, but it was not. Shortly after starting out on Friday, the smoke detector sounded. Bob went down to the engine compartment and discovered a small connector in the fuel line leaking. He quickly repaired it with special tape and we got underway again. On this section of the ICW we began to see large, beautiful homes and a multitude of golf courses. Approaching Holden Beach, NC, we had to stop at a pontoon bridge across the waterway and wait for it to open. We had missed the opening at 12 noon by just a few minutes and had to wait until 1 PM. By then, there were probably 10-12 boats waiting for the pontoon to move out of the way. Within a short time after the bridge, we were docking at the Holden Beach Marina, with Lorenzo and John(from New Zealand) there to catch our lines.
5/02/09 to 5/07/08 There were repairs to be done to Going There, so that was the focus of our week in Holden Beach, NC. Monday Bob removed the injectors and the inner cooler and he and Lorenzo took them to Wilmington, NC, for diagnosis and treatment. The inner cooler had to be cleaned at a radiator shop; a diesel parts place ordered new injectors. Both promised he would have the parts "tomorrow", but it was Wednesday afternoon till they were available. When Bob finished putting things back together and ran the engine on Thurs., he was satisfied. Aside from the engine, we went to Calabash, NC, one night with Lorenzo and Lois for seafood. What we saw of the town was lined with seafood restaurants, at least a dozen of them, one after the other. The one we went to had lots of options and was very reasonably priced.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
4/17 to 4/22 2009
4/17/09 to 4/22/09 Lorenzo and Lois left Friday by car to go to a family get-together in Norfolk, and their guests Kathy and Bill (aka "the hitchhikers") are headed home to Michigan, so we rented a car for a few days and saw some sights. Saturday we headed for Jacksonville and checked out a new West Marine store and part of the riverwalk there. Coming back, we drove to Amelia Island and walked around the historic district in the city of Fernandina. On Sunday, we made the trip to Tybee Island to see the lighthouse and all the buildings that are with it. The climb to the top of the lighthouse is 178 steps, which we both managed but regretted! Monday our big accomplishment was to make an 8" high security net for a long shelf , hoping it will prevent things from falling the next time we have to go through rough water. Lorenzo and Lois returned, so Tuesday both boats filled up with diesel fuel ($2.02/gal., the lowest price in the area) and prepared to go on. Wednesday we went about 50 miles on the ICW to Kilkenny Creek to anchor. Wind made it too difficult to raft together, so we anchored separately about 400-500 ft. apart. Later in the evening, the wind stopped completely and the gnats started attacking, as they have been doing for a week or so.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
4/6 to 4/16 2009
Fort Pulaski Moat
One of the cannons
Tybee Light House
Tabby Ruins in Darien, Georgia
Shrimping Fleet in Darien
Waving Girl and Olypic Torch in Savannah, Georgia
Elegant Ironwork on homes in Savannah
King Bay Submarine Base
Orange House in St. Mary's, Georgia
Historic house in St. Mary's, Georgia4/6/09 to 4/11/09 Monday, April 6, was a day of horrendous winds. Twice, as we traveled, we crossed the intersections of two rivers, and wind and waves were especially difficult. It was a relief to come into Amelia Island Yacht Basin, probably our last stop in Florida. We stayed two days, waiting for the wind to die down, as did every boat that came in on Monday. Nice marina. One of the drawbacks was their "utilities fee" of $20 for electric, water, and cable TV. This was in addition to the slip fee of $1.60 per foot of boat length. Although many marinas charge a fee for electricity, it generally doesn’t exceed $10 and frequently is less.
Wednesday we took a side trip off of the ICW, up the St.Mary’s River, which forms part of the border between Florida and Georgia. Because we planned to stay a few days at Lang’s Marina in the city of St. Mary’s, the guys did the car shuffle on Thurs., returning to St. Augustine in a rental car to pick up the two cars at the marina there. In St. Mary’s, Osborne St. has many historic homes and churches along with quaint shops. A nice surprise was getting to view great horned owls about 7 weeks old, who were inhabiting a large live oak tree. Each night there were quite a few people watching for the mother to return with food for her youngsters, who are getting old enough (they’re about 15-18 inches tall) to fly. Although we weren’t able to get good pictures, there was a professional photographer present whose photos of the owls are online at http://www.jcknoll.com/ The pictures are in the "birds of prey" section.
Friday night at the marina was unpleasant because of a group of people who started partying early on a nearby boat, and got loud and nasty. Police got involved, 3 of the group spent the night in jail, and several of us boaters decided that we would move to our next stop before we had planned to. Bob and Lois made sure to go to Lang’s Restaurant on Saturday for their "all you can eat shrimp" special–didn’t want to miss that!
4/12/09 One of the first sights after we returned to the ICW was King’s Bay submarine base, the largest U.S. sub base on the east coast. Traveling was the same old story–terrible winds came up. We crossed St. Andrew’s Sound and St. Simon’s Sound. St. Andrew’s Sound had 4-6 ft. waves, which rocked us badly for the 45 minutes or so that it took us to cross it. Cupboard doors in the cabin fell open and contents rolled out on the floor, along with many of the items on open shelves. In the afternoon we left the ICW to go to the Two Way Fish Camp and Marina, up the Altamaha River. The river had high water and swift current, due to recent rain and flooding in Georgia. Crossing the river to get into the marina was another challenge for us, but we got tied up safely with the help of neighboring boaters.
4/13/09 Rain threatened all day and finally in the evening, it poured. Nonetheless, we put on rain gear and headed to Mudcat Charlie’s, the onsite restaurant. Bob had grilled grouper and Lois had a bowl of crab chowder, both very good.
4/14/09 Savannah, 50 miles away, was our destination in the afternoon. All 6 of us went in Bill and Kathy’s car. A 90 minute trolley tour introduced us to the last city to be settled in the original 13 colonies. Its founder, James Oglethorpe, planned the city in tidy squares, although the arrangement of the squares is a little odd. Many of the squares are dedicated to attractive city parks bordered with live oaks. Savannah is on a bluff 40 feet above the Savannah River, and cobbled streets lead down to the riverside and shops and restaurants located on the bottom floor of buildings that were originally warehouses for goods brought in by ship.
Wednesday we took a side trip off of the ICW, up the St.Mary’s River, which forms part of the border between Florida and Georgia. Because we planned to stay a few days at Lang’s Marina in the city of St. Mary’s, the guys did the car shuffle on Thurs., returning to St. Augustine in a rental car to pick up the two cars at the marina there. In St. Mary’s, Osborne St. has many historic homes and churches along with quaint shops. A nice surprise was getting to view great horned owls about 7 weeks old, who were inhabiting a large live oak tree. Each night there were quite a few people watching for the mother to return with food for her youngsters, who are getting old enough (they’re about 15-18 inches tall) to fly. Although we weren’t able to get good pictures, there was a professional photographer present whose photos of the owls are online at http://www.jcknoll.com/ The pictures are in the "birds of prey" section.
Friday night at the marina was unpleasant because of a group of people who started partying early on a nearby boat, and got loud and nasty. Police got involved, 3 of the group spent the night in jail, and several of us boaters decided that we would move to our next stop before we had planned to. Bob and Lois made sure to go to Lang’s Restaurant on Saturday for their "all you can eat shrimp" special–didn’t want to miss that!
4/12/09 One of the first sights after we returned to the ICW was King’s Bay submarine base, the largest U.S. sub base on the east coast. Traveling was the same old story–terrible winds came up. We crossed St. Andrew’s Sound and St. Simon’s Sound. St. Andrew’s Sound had 4-6 ft. waves, which rocked us badly for the 45 minutes or so that it took us to cross it. Cupboard doors in the cabin fell open and contents rolled out on the floor, along with many of the items on open shelves. In the afternoon we left the ICW to go to the Two Way Fish Camp and Marina, up the Altamaha River. The river had high water and swift current, due to recent rain and flooding in Georgia. Crossing the river to get into the marina was another challenge for us, but we got tied up safely with the help of neighboring boaters.
4/13/09 Rain threatened all day and finally in the evening, it poured. Nonetheless, we put on rain gear and headed to Mudcat Charlie’s, the onsite restaurant. Bob had grilled grouper and Lois had a bowl of crab chowder, both very good.
4/14/09 Savannah, 50 miles away, was our destination in the afternoon. All 6 of us went in Bill and Kathy’s car. A 90 minute trolley tour introduced us to the last city to be settled in the original 13 colonies. Its founder, James Oglethorpe, planned the city in tidy squares, although the arrangement of the squares is a little odd. Many of the squares are dedicated to attractive city parks bordered with live oaks. Savannah is on a bluff 40 feet above the Savannah River, and cobbled streets lead down to the riverside and shops and restaurants located on the bottom floor of buildings that were originally warehouses for goods brought in by ship.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
3/31 to 4/05
03/31/09 to 4/05/09 From our anchorage, it was only 20 miles or so to the Canaveral Barge Canal, on which we traveled eastward about 4 miles to Harbortown Marina. The Kennedy Space Center is nearby and we visited it the next day for a few hours. Then we headed north by car to St. Augustine. Both couples on Lil’ David have cars for this stretch of the trip and usually one car is left at the current marina and one is moved ahead to where they’ll be in 2 or 3 days. At this point they had fetched Bill and Kathy’s car from Fort Pierce. Lorenzo and Lois’s car was at this marina already, so we set off in 2 cars. In St. Augustine, we found a marina, made reservations for the weekend, and left Lorenzo’s car there, all returning to Harbortown in Bill’s car. (Who’s on first,............) Now it was time to move boats and on Thursday, we went to New Smyrna and docked for the night at the city marina. Actually, because there were no open slips, Lorenzo created his own space and we rafted to him.
On Friday, as we cruised toward St. Augustine, the weather seemed to change every few minutes: rain, sunshine, then wind. The wind endured. At one point, a small boat approached Lil’ David. It turned out to be someone from Lorenzo’s home area who knew him. He was comercially crabbing in the ICW and gave them a batch of freshly caught blue crabs. After we got tied up in St. Augustine, Lois J. cleaned the crabs, floured and fried them briefly, and then made crab gravy to eat over rice. Delicious!
As we were all sitting on the aft deck later after dark, we saw a bright, moving light in the sky. Turned out to be a rocket taking up a satellite.
To get an overview of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States, we did a brief trolley tour on Saturday. The driver did a continual commentary and we could get off at any stop, sightsee, and re-board any other trolley when it arrived. Since the tickets were valid for three days, Sunday was more of the same. We got off to walk thru the pedestrian mall, to visit the fort Castillo de San Marcos, the old jail, the museum, and the San Sebastian Winery. It was a great way to get acquainted with the city and its history. The name Henry Flagler (co-founder, with John D. Rockefeller, of Standard Oil) was mentioned numerous times. He built or refurbished many of the bigger buildings in the late 1800's and early 1900's, attracting many wealthy New Yorkers to spend winter vacations in St. Augustine.
On Friday, as we cruised toward St. Augustine, the weather seemed to change every few minutes: rain, sunshine, then wind. The wind endured. At one point, a small boat approached Lil’ David. It turned out to be someone from Lorenzo’s home area who knew him. He was comercially crabbing in the ICW and gave them a batch of freshly caught blue crabs. After we got tied up in St. Augustine, Lois J. cleaned the crabs, floured and fried them briefly, and then made crab gravy to eat over rice. Delicious!
As we were all sitting on the aft deck later after dark, we saw a bright, moving light in the sky. Turned out to be a rocket taking up a satellite.
To get an overview of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States, we did a brief trolley tour on Saturday. The driver did a continual commentary and we could get off at any stop, sightsee, and re-board any other trolley when it arrived. Since the tickets were valid for three days, Sunday was more of the same. We got off to walk thru the pedestrian mall, to visit the fort Castillo de San Marcos, the old jail, the museum, and the San Sebastian Winery. It was a great way to get acquainted with the city and its history. The name Henry Flagler (co-founder, with John D. Rockefeller, of Standard Oil) was mentioned numerous times. He built or refurbished many of the bigger buildings in the late 1800's and early 1900's, attracting many wealthy New Yorkers to spend winter vacations in St. Augustine.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
3/20 thru 3/30
Edison and his Banyan Tree
Edison's Night Garden
Kathy at the Edison Estate
Leaving Fort Myers Marina
House along the Okeechobee Water Way
Cattle with egret
History of Water Way and the begining of the Everglades
Miles of swamp
Clewiston Lock
View from the Lake looking south
Lil' David in the Port Mayaca Lock
Sign at Fort Pierce City Marina
Manatee on it's back drinking water from air conditioner discharge
Shuttle dropping in from orbit 
Wheels down and on the approach to landing03/20/09 Because Fort Myers is known for being the winter home of Thomas Edison in the early 1900's, we thought we should visit his estate. The house, garages, and other buildings are intact, and many of the trees and plants that he loved are still here. The neighboring estate, which belonged to Edison’s friend Henry Ford, is also open to the public, although it is undergoing renovation. Incredibly, the Ford estate has garage space for only one car; additional ones were stored in Edison’s garages.
03/21/09 (Note to the Lebanon Coast Guard Auxiliary: Dean and Linda live in the Fort Myers area. For several years, they kept their boat in the marina where we are, but have sold it and bought a home nearby. Bob talked to Linda on the phone.)
03/22/09 After a month in Fort Myers, we’ve gone back to cruising! Today we headed east on the Caloosahatchie River with Lil David and her crew Lorenzo and Lois, with their guests Bill and Kathy. Marinas are a little hard to find on the Okeechobee Waterway, so we ended up at the Ortona lock, about 40 miles from Fort Myers. Just before the lock are several dolphins (multiple pilings, or posts, lashed together at the top and driven into the river bottom) that boats can tie up to. Lorenzo tied to two of them and we rafted onto him. It was an interesting operation and we had an audience from the campground nearby.
The scenery today was varied: orange groves, cattle ranches, modest homes, trailer parks occupied by snowbirds from colder climates, and lovely large homes beautifully landscaped.
There were also stretches where we saw nothing but water and the banks on either side of it.
03/23/09 We made a short day of it today, only going 15 miles and passing through one lock. At the town of Moore Haven, there was a municipal dock that was perfect and the price was right: $1 per foot of the length of the boat, including electric and water hookups. It was located in front of a town park, which included a water playland, discovered early by Bob and Bill. Bill ended up soaked in a water cannon battle.
03/24/09 A long day–70 miles, 3 locks, wind 30 mph. We crossed Lake Okeechobee, which is the second largest fresh water lake totally within the continental US. (Lake Michigan is the largest) After passing the town of Clewiston, we looked back and saw two big plumes of smoke. Then we began seeing them ahead of us in several spots. We think the sugar cane fields were being burned off.
About 5:30 PM we arrived in Stuart, FL, the end of the Okeechobee Waterway. We tied up in the municipal mooring field, a new experience for us. To explain to those who aren’t familiar with mooring: the mooring field is a reserved area out of the main traffic patterns of a waterway. In it are floating mooring balls for boats to tie to for the night. The balls each have a rope attached underwater to a big piece of concrete to keep them in place. The first mate (that’s Lois) lies on the bow of the boat and reaches down to the water with a boat hook, attempting to hook another rope attached to the mooring ball. The ball bobs continually in the water. The rope is slimy and may have sharp critters (barnacles?)on it. Attached to the end of the 4-6 foot rope is a ring, through which the first mate slides one end of a line (rope) from the boat. She brings the line end back to the boat and secures it. Voila! It’s time for a cold drink and a chair facing the west to watch the sunset.
03/25/09 to 03/29/09 Fort Pierce, on the east coast of Florida, was our destination today. We traveled by ourselves, as the crew of Lil’ David had something else to do and will join us tomorrow. Our route from now on, going north, will be the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) for the remaining 1500 miles of our adventure. Because it was very windy again today, Bob had a terrible time getting into our slip at Fort Pierce City Marina. At one point, the boat was sideways in the fairway between rows of slips and he could not get turned. With the help of an experienced dockhand, we got in with no casualties.
We enjoyed our stay here. The marina is very busy and all the boaters are sociable. Two restaurants are on the premises, and both had live music Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. On Saturday, a crowded farmers market nearby offered breakfast, lunch, and plants and vegetables. The main street in the business area of Fort Pierce had evening activities, too–one night there was a food fair, another time it was motorcycle night, and the third night was for classic cars (50's, 60's and 70's). We rented a car for the weekend and could go where we wanted to. On Saturday, we drove up to Cape Kennedy to watch the space shuttle return and that was a thrill. Another interesting place was the Navy SEAL Museum, located here because the first "frogmen" were trained in this area during World War II.
03/30/09 What a beautiful, non-windy day on the ICW! We traveled 50 miles and anchored for the night at Dragon Point near Melbourne, FL.
03/21/09 (Note to the Lebanon Coast Guard Auxiliary: Dean and Linda live in the Fort Myers area. For several years, they kept their boat in the marina where we are, but have sold it and bought a home nearby. Bob talked to Linda on the phone.)
03/22/09 After a month in Fort Myers, we’ve gone back to cruising! Today we headed east on the Caloosahatchie River with Lil David and her crew Lorenzo and Lois, with their guests Bill and Kathy. Marinas are a little hard to find on the Okeechobee Waterway, so we ended up at the Ortona lock, about 40 miles from Fort Myers. Just before the lock are several dolphins (multiple pilings, or posts, lashed together at the top and driven into the river bottom) that boats can tie up to. Lorenzo tied to two of them and we rafted onto him. It was an interesting operation and we had an audience from the campground nearby.
The scenery today was varied: orange groves, cattle ranches, modest homes, trailer parks occupied by snowbirds from colder climates, and lovely large homes beautifully landscaped.
There were also stretches where we saw nothing but water and the banks on either side of it.
03/23/09 We made a short day of it today, only going 15 miles and passing through one lock. At the town of Moore Haven, there was a municipal dock that was perfect and the price was right: $1 per foot of the length of the boat, including electric and water hookups. It was located in front of a town park, which included a water playland, discovered early by Bob and Bill. Bill ended up soaked in a water cannon battle.
03/24/09 A long day–70 miles, 3 locks, wind 30 mph. We crossed Lake Okeechobee, which is the second largest fresh water lake totally within the continental US. (Lake Michigan is the largest) After passing the town of Clewiston, we looked back and saw two big plumes of smoke. Then we began seeing them ahead of us in several spots. We think the sugar cane fields were being burned off.
About 5:30 PM we arrived in Stuart, FL, the end of the Okeechobee Waterway. We tied up in the municipal mooring field, a new experience for us. To explain to those who aren’t familiar with mooring: the mooring field is a reserved area out of the main traffic patterns of a waterway. In it are floating mooring balls for boats to tie to for the night. The balls each have a rope attached underwater to a big piece of concrete to keep them in place. The first mate (that’s Lois) lies on the bow of the boat and reaches down to the water with a boat hook, attempting to hook another rope attached to the mooring ball. The ball bobs continually in the water. The rope is slimy and may have sharp critters (barnacles?)on it. Attached to the end of the 4-6 foot rope is a ring, through which the first mate slides one end of a line (rope) from the boat. She brings the line end back to the boat and secures it. Voila! It’s time for a cold drink and a chair facing the west to watch the sunset.
03/25/09 to 03/29/09 Fort Pierce, on the east coast of Florida, was our destination today. We traveled by ourselves, as the crew of Lil’ David had something else to do and will join us tomorrow. Our route from now on, going north, will be the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) for the remaining 1500 miles of our adventure. Because it was very windy again today, Bob had a terrible time getting into our slip at Fort Pierce City Marina. At one point, the boat was sideways in the fairway between rows of slips and he could not get turned. With the help of an experienced dockhand, we got in with no casualties.
We enjoyed our stay here. The marina is very busy and all the boaters are sociable. Two restaurants are on the premises, and both had live music Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. On Saturday, a crowded farmers market nearby offered breakfast, lunch, and plants and vegetables. The main street in the business area of Fort Pierce had evening activities, too–one night there was a food fair, another time it was motorcycle night, and the third night was for classic cars (50's, 60's and 70's). We rented a car for the weekend and could go where we wanted to. On Saturday, we drove up to Cape Kennedy to watch the space shuttle return and that was a thrill. Another interesting place was the Navy SEAL Museum, located here because the first "frogmen" were trained in this area during World War II.
03/30/09 What a beautiful, non-windy day on the ICW! We traveled 50 miles and anchored for the night at Dragon Point near Melbourne, FL.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
03/05/09 to 03/14/09
03/05/09 to 03/14/09 We’ve done some land travel in the last week and a half. Had to go home to PA for medical and dental appointments, getting income tax info together, etc., so we rented a car and set out from Fort Myers at 4 AM on March 5. By about 5 PM, we arrived at the home of friends and fellow Loopers Gary and Judy in Tabor City, NC. We spent the evening catching up on events, including Gary’s recent knee surgery, but it was early to bed and early to rise for Thursday’s travel (thank you both for getting up to see us off at 4 AM, Gary and Judy). By early afternoon, we entered PA, and went to our daughter Barb’s home for a quick visit. Then it was onward to daughter Becky, who had venison steaks ready for supper. Another short drive on the PA turnpike and we were at our own home, which looked pretty good to us.
The first weekend in March was beautiful at home–sunny and unexpectedly warm. The ground was soggy, though, so we waited until later in the week to work in the flower beds and do other outdoor chores. Throughout the week, we went to our appointments, including a couple of extras when Bob experienced severe back pain one morning. One evening, our family held our early spring birthday get-together for the five of us with March and April birthdays (Katie, Bobby, Becky, Barb, Lois). Lois had already had her free birthday dinner at Shady Maple smorgasbord earlier in the week.
On Sunday, March 15, we started southward again, stopping in Brunswick, GA, for the night. Unfortunately, we forgot about the shuttle launch scheduled for that evening or we might have driven for another hour to try to see it. Monday was a more leisurely day. We had time to make a couple stops, one at Don’s Boat Salvage near Clearwater, another at the Clearwater Marina to see if any boaters we knew were there. Then we met our friends Michael and Anne Marie, who were near Clearwater vacationing with some of Anne’s family. Bob and Michael worked together at Koch/Plains in Schaefferstown. When we got on the road again, it was just a couple hours to Fort Myers and our home away from home.
The first weekend in March was beautiful at home–sunny and unexpectedly warm. The ground was soggy, though, so we waited until later in the week to work in the flower beds and do other outdoor chores. Throughout the week, we went to our appointments, including a couple of extras when Bob experienced severe back pain one morning. One evening, our family held our early spring birthday get-together for the five of us with March and April birthdays (Katie, Bobby, Becky, Barb, Lois). Lois had already had her free birthday dinner at Shady Maple smorgasbord earlier in the week.
On Sunday, March 15, we started southward again, stopping in Brunswick, GA, for the night. Unfortunately, we forgot about the shuttle launch scheduled for that evening or we might have driven for another hour to try to see it. Monday was a more leisurely day. We had time to make a couple stops, one at Don’s Boat Salvage near Clearwater, another at the Clearwater Marina to see if any boaters we knew were there. Then we met our friends Michael and Anne Marie, who were near Clearwater vacationing with some of Anne’s family. Bob and Michael worked together at Koch/Plains in Schaefferstown. When we got on the road again, it was just a couple hours to Fort Myers and our home away from home.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Key Largo & Key West visit
Logger Head Trutle
This Friendship is sealed with a kiss
Can't go farther south
Lois has taken this ride to it's limit
Wyland painted this building with spray gun02/28/09 We are back from a three day car trip to the Florida Keys with Lorenzo and Lois. First stop was Key Largo to meet up with Dave, Kathy, and Bill aboard Cats Cradle. The next day all of us set out for Key West, 95 miles to the southwest, to see the sights. There were , as always, plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants. At the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, we saw displays of gold bars, coins, jewelry and many other items recovered from the shipwrecked galleon "Atocha". We looked in the gift gallery, but did not buy once we saw prices for some of the gold coins and other things from the Atocha’s treasure. A long walk down Duval Street brought us to the southernmost point in the continental United States. There was a line of people waiting to have their pictures taken at the marker there and strangers exchanged cameras readily to do so. As we walked back toward the center of the city, we made stops at an ice cream store and then an art gallery featuring the work of Robert Wyland (wyland.com), known for large murals of marine life done on buildings. In the gallery there were prints of his work and his sculptures of marine animals, all impressive. There’s still lots to see on future visits to Key West.
On another day, we went to the "Theater of the Sea" in Islamorada, a small, well-kept facility featuring dolphins, sea lions, and tropical birds and fish. At the sea lion show, our friend Bill was among those chosen to get up close and receive a kiss from "Mimi", the sea lion. Lois J. teased him that he and Mimi looked alike, due to the facial hair on each of them.
On another day, we went to the "Theater of the Sea" in Islamorada, a small, well-kept facility featuring dolphins, sea lions, and tropical birds and fish. At the sea lion show, our friend Bill was among those chosen to get up close and receive a kiss from "Mimi", the sea lion. Lois J. teased him that he and Mimi looked alike, due to the facial hair on each of them.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Key Largo/Key West
Dad and Mom walked the main street in Key West yesterday. They've been as far South in the USA as one can get. Last night they were staying in Key Largo. Lorenzo and Lois have their car with them in Florida and Mom and Dad rode down with them.
I commented it was 50 degrees here, so Becky and I wouldn't be skiing today. Dad said it was 80-85 degrees in Key West.
Katie is anxiously awaiting their return to PA next week. She says she misses them. Me too!
Barb
I commented it was 50 degrees here, so Becky and I wouldn't be skiing today. Dad said it was 80-85 degrees in Key West.
Katie is anxiously awaiting their return to PA next week. She says she misses them. Me too!
Barb
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ft. Meyers
We are enjoying the warm weather and our friends Lois and Lorenzo. We seem to find many things to do. Last sat. we attended a picnic given by a fellow looper that lives here in an orange grove. There were about 50 loopers, including the Stobbs and the Meyers and 50 friend and neighbors at the gig. It was a great event. We have an opportunity to go to the Keys and will leave this morning and be gone for a few days. Lorenzo has his car. Will take pictures and update the blog when we get back.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Family Visit: Feb 1-7
Becky, our daughter, and her family came to visit us at Betty's house in Lakeland, FL. Bobby, who is 7 years old, took his first airplane flight to get here. The first day, they went to The Magic Kingdom and watched the Steelers win the SuperBowl that night. Yeah! They went to Kennedy Space Center. They met and spoke with Astronaut John Fabian. That's the Space ShuttleDiscovery on the launch pad. They took a cold day and spent it at WonderWorks. And the last day here they went to an old attraction, Gatorland. Bobby even got to "wrestle" an alligator. The white alligators were new in the last 3 days to Gatorland. Not albino, though. Its a condition called lucism and they have blue eyes. They had a great time at the Vandelinders home and even saw and caught a gecko on the sidewalk. Bobby picked lemons and made fresh squeezed lemonade. Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry had fun teaching us all how to play "Dirty Marbles".
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Fort Myers, FL
Mom called this afternoon to say they'd been at Venice FL last night and were headed to Fort Myers today. They were encountering rough weather (waves and wind) and it was going to take them longer than expected to get to Ft. Myers.
Barb
Barb
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Talked to Dad tonight. The boat is fixed. Seems to be running well. The diver even cleaned the bottom while he was there installing the fixed prop.
Dad said they will be leaving possibly Tuesday for St. Petersburg, then to Fort Myers, through the Okeechobee to Fort Pierce.
They've had a great time seeing Dad's sister and brother-in-law several times while they were in Clearwater. Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry picked them up after Christmas and Mom and Dad spent about a week at their home in Lakeland. When they were ready to return to the boat, Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry gave them one of their cars to use while they were in the area. How great is that! Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry, you are awesome! Mom and Dad made several trips to spend a few days with them as the boat wasn't going anywhere due to the bent prop.
Becky and her family visited during the first week of February, staying at Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry's as well. Got to see Mom and Dad as well as go to Cape Canaveral, Disney World, etc w/ Bobby.
It's been great to know Mom and Dad have been relaxing for a while. They were really pushing to get places for a month or two. Hopefully they will post some pictures soon (hint! hint!). Or that Becky will of their trip to FL.
Safe travels, Mom and Dad!
Love,
Barb
Dad said they will be leaving possibly Tuesday for St. Petersburg, then to Fort Myers, through the Okeechobee to Fort Pierce.
They've had a great time seeing Dad's sister and brother-in-law several times while they were in Clearwater. Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry picked them up after Christmas and Mom and Dad spent about a week at their home in Lakeland. When they were ready to return to the boat, Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry gave them one of their cars to use while they were in the area. How great is that! Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry, you are awesome! Mom and Dad made several trips to spend a few days with them as the boat wasn't going anywhere due to the bent prop.
Becky and her family visited during the first week of February, staying at Aunt Betty and Uncle Harry's as well. Got to see Mom and Dad as well as go to Cape Canaveral, Disney World, etc w/ Bobby.
It's been great to know Mom and Dad have been relaxing for a while. They were really pushing to get places for a month or two. Hopefully they will post some pictures soon (hint! hint!). Or that Becky will of their trip to FL.
Safe travels, Mom and Dad!
Love,
Barb
Thursday, January 29, 2009
January 2009
Super Bowl visitors
Hank and his boat
Frost on Betty's front yard01/18/09 to 01/28/09 The third week in January presented a variety of weather conditions. High winds (40-60 mph) blew in from the Gulf of Mexico early in the week. Then we went to Bob’s sister and bro-in-law in Lakeland for a few days and temperatures at night went down to freezing. Betty and her neighbors covered the tenderest of their outdoor plants to save them. No one has had to shovel snow, however–what a break for us.
This last week of January has been much warmer. On Monday we went to Tarpon Springs and our friend Hank Demler took us for a ride in his boat. We went out the Anclote River and into Clearwater Bay, between the mainland and the barrier islands. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed the ride.
We’re seeing a variety of boats in our marina. Some are staying a month or so, as we are; others are here for a short time and are on their way in a day or two. Yesterday a 141 foot-long vessel came in; it is a charter, has a crew of 9 people, and will be here until the Super Bowl is over. The individual who rented it is reportedly the coach of a major league football team, although not one of the Super Bowl contenders. The dock master here says we’ll see a couple more big boats come in before game day. Super Bowl mania is rampant and the news media inundates us daily with information. All we have to say is: Go, Steelers!
This last week of January has been much warmer. On Monday we went to Tarpon Springs and our friend Hank Demler took us for a ride in his boat. We went out the Anclote River and into Clearwater Bay, between the mainland and the barrier islands. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed the ride.
We’re seeing a variety of boats in our marina. Some are staying a month or so, as we are; others are here for a short time and are on their way in a day or two. Yesterday a 141 foot-long vessel came in; it is a charter, has a crew of 9 people, and will be here until the Super Bowl is over. The individual who rented it is reportedly the coach of a major league football team, although not one of the Super Bowl contenders. The dock master here says we’ll see a couple more big boats come in before game day. Super Bowl mania is rampant and the news media inundates us daily with information. All we have to say is: Go, Steelers!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Lakeland & Clearwater, FL
The original Hooters is here in Clearwater and business must be good.
This is a Customs and Border Patrol Vessel. Your tax dollars at work.
My sister Bety and Husband Harry and Lois
Betty and Harry's House in Lakeland01/03/09 to 01/11/09 We spent this week in Lakeland, FL, with Bob’s sister and bro-in-law, Betty and Harry. They live in a beautiful 55+ community of 1150 homes, occupied mostly by refugees from the cold, cold North. Citrus trees are abundant and we were able to pick grapefruit, oranges, and gigantic lemons sized more like big navel oranges. We met new people, played cards, board games, and Mexican train dominoes, and walked through the community almost every day. One day a shopping mall nearby had to serve as a substitute walking venue–a real hardship! On Friday, we headed to the Auburndale flea and farm market in search of strawberries, as the season is getting started here. When we returned to Clearwater Beach on Sunday, we drove Harry and Betty’s van, which they kindly loaned us for a few weeks. You Loopers will appreciate what a great convenience it is to have a vehicle to use at any time and how grateful we are.
01/12/09 to 01/17/09 Back at the boat, everything is fine. We located the Clearwater Library and the used book shop operated by the Friends of the Library, Bob located a Walgreens, where he got his flu shot, Lois found Country Quilts and Bears quilt shop, purchased batting for her quilt, and located Lucky Sew and Sew, where Marlene will do the machine quilting. Bob found a diver to inspect the bottom of the boat, the prop, and the shaft. He reported that the shaft seems to be OK, but the edges of the blades on the prop are rolled, causing the vibration we reported in our blog of 12/26/08. The diver will remove the prop, take it to be repaired, and bring it back and replace it. On the weather front, this week has been cold, night temperatures going down into the 40's here, an abrupt change from the previous two weeks. Oh, you folks in PA and NY feel soooo sorry for us, don’t you?
01/12/09 to 01/17/09 Back at the boat, everything is fine. We located the Clearwater Library and the used book shop operated by the Friends of the Library, Bob located a Walgreens, where he got his flu shot, Lois found Country Quilts and Bears quilt shop, purchased batting for her quilt, and located Lucky Sew and Sew, where Marlene will do the machine quilting. Bob found a diver to inspect the bottom of the boat, the prop, and the shaft. He reported that the shaft seems to be OK, but the edges of the blades on the prop are rolled, causing the vibration we reported in our blog of 12/26/08. The diver will remove the prop, take it to be repaired, and bring it back and replace it. On the weather front, this week has been cold, night temperatures going down into the 40's here, an abrupt change from the previous two weeks. Oh, you folks in PA and NY feel soooo sorry for us, don’t you?
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