Found a little bit of paradise!

Dec. 16 & 17

Days 35-36

Weather conditions: perfection

We were in for a wonderful surprise when we entered the gulf.  It was very calm with minimal rolling.  Most of our day was spent cruising down the coast past Ft. Myers, Naples and eventually Marco Island.  Our charts lead us to believe that there would be plenty of water south of Marco Island to work our way east into the Thousand Islands area.  Evidently there has been a little bit of shoaling in the area because we felt the sandy bottom once as we crossed. Caused for a little excitement but that was all!  As we dropped our anchor behind White Horse Key we knew we were in the perfect spot.  Other than our dink ride the day before, we had not been off the boat since leaving Dunedin on Saturday.  We were both more than ready for some beach time.

The highlight of today's cruising was spotting our first sea turtle.  

Bama Dream on the hook as we enjoy adding our footprints to the sandy beach.  Had no problem finding shells for our treasure box.

Found several small horseshoe crab shells.

The roots of the mangrove trees are amazing.  Many of the "islands" are actually nothing more than these trees with their roots all woven together.

Our selfies are not the best! I really would prefer getting the camera lens much further away!

Went for a nice dinghy ride through some of the keys.  If you went too far in it would be easy to get lost because after awhile they all look alike.

Fish were jumping everywhere so it was time for Jess to see if he could catch our dinner.  He had no trouble getting 3 nice sea trout that were awesome on the grill.

Sanibel Island

Dec. 15

Day 34

Weather conditions: very nice

Our plan for the day is to get to the Fort Myers area where we will come to the end of this section of the ICW.  After our last experience with gulf waters we want to enjoy one more day of the calm waters inside.  We have planned a relatively short trip down to the Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve where we hope to be able to stretch our legs.  Just as we are preparing to enter the anchorage, we meet up with fellow loopers on Simpatico who are headed in to drop anchor also.  It was nice to hear about their adventures so far.  

                    

Preparing for our adventure of the day got off to a slightly bad start.  "Someone" didn't use proper knot tying skills.  As we were preparing to put the motor on the dinghy, I noticed that it had decided to go for a ride on its own.  Luckily Jess did empty his pockets before diving in for retrieval.  As you can see the water is quite shallow here, so it didn't turn out to be a really big deal, thank goodness!

                    

Not enough depth to run the motor, so Jess jumped in and performed well as a draft horse.  He assured me that it was not too cold!

Very quite spot wit a few fishermen and many birds.  After watching these guys catch a few we returned to get our equipment.

                    

Not sure what this guy was (was told it was a red drum), but he put up enough of a fight to enjoy catching him.  Jess also caught a snook, but for some reason I didn't take a picture.

Sharing the ditch!

Dec. 14

Day 33

Weather conditions: sunny, warm

We were so glad to leave last night's anchorage that when we got back on track we just kept going.  Other than slowing down (even slower than our normal slow speed) for numerous manatee zones, and avoiding Sunday traffic, we just kept chugging along.  Our only bad experience came in a very narrow ditch area below Venice. A group showing off their very large Sea Ray was not overly concerned that the wake they were throwing up was rocking everyone as they went by.  Luckily after our rough seas yesterday we had secured our TV or it would have been a goner. As it was, most of the stuff that didn't hit the floor yesterday hit it today.  I guess I didn't really need my pretty red bowl anyway.  We did enjoy our dolphin visitors today. After covering 70 miles today we are anchored peacefully at Gasparilla Island. 

                             A nice sunrise, hopefully promising nice, calm waters.

I am not quick enough with the camera to get a shot of them jumping, so you will have to use your imagination!

These fishermen were catching boatloads full of mullet with their cast nets.  Personally I think that is cheating. You should at least have to give them a fighting chance by throwing out a baited hook.

One of several bridges that had to be opened for our passage. Gives one a certain feeling of power when traffic has to stop to let us cruise by.

Another learning experience!

Dec. 13

Day 32

Weather conditions: began as the best day in a long time, ended differently

We started our day cruising down the ICW, enjoying the sights as we made our way south.  As we passed by Clearwater and then on to St. Petersburg the skyline on both sides was dotted with highrises and beautiful waterfront homes.  After maneuvering around the weekend cruisers for several hours, we decided to pass out into the gulf, on our way to an anchorage at Egmont Key. Bad choice!  The gulf was terribly rough, but we kept thinking that the eastern side of the key would be protected from most of the wind.  One lost fender and numerous items scattered across the salon later, we realized that our rocking and rolling was not going to get any better.  Our anchors did hold with no problems, but this was by far not one of our most comfortable nights. Hopefully lesson learned about wind direction.

Marinas, highrises, and waterfront homes complete the scenery along this section of the ICW.

Getting to the beach is very important for the residents and visitors of the Bay area.  Thus there are many bridges crossing the ICW. At least most of them are very attractive.

This version of the Mayflower used modern power to give their passengers a tour of the bay.

Dunedin

Dec 8-12

Day 27-31

Weather conditions: not what I expected in Florida, cool, windy, some sun

A short trip down to Marker 1 Marina in Dunedin so that we can have an electrician track down our issues. Couldn't have found a nicer place to spend a few days. The weather has not been great, but I guess we shouldn't expect perfection. This marina welcomes loopers and it is located within walking distance of some very good restaurants, as well as, a Walgreen's and a Publix.  Recommendations: Across the street at Brenda's you will be treated to a nice breakfast or if you are around at lunchtime try one of her specials. Her pot roast melt is by far one of the best sandwiches I have ever had.  A couple blocks down the street, Frenchie's Outback serves an amazing pulled pork nacho for an appetizer, of course it will become your meal if there are less than 6 of you sharing it.  Some of our fellow loopers had wheels, so one night we all checked out the Ozona Pig.  Jess and I shared the Boss Hog plate, taking home as much as we were able to eat.  It made great sandwiches for lunch the next day.  The Pinellas Trail runs through Dunedin giving walkers and bicyclists a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors. We had a nice day on Thursday so we took advantage of our opportunity to get outside by taking a three hour walk around town.  The electrician finally showed up this morning. It appears that we are all wired correctly again so it is time to drop lines and head south tomorrow.

Jess and I gave it our best shot, but all this bar-b-que was too much.  What you can't see is the half of chicken tucked under the ribs.

We had 17 loopers gathered to enjoy the good food and share our cruising stories.  That is one of the best parts of our trip.  We have met so many wonderful people from all over the U.S. And Canada.

                           

The other table of cruisers.

A trip to pick up a few groceries is no problem thanks to our handy little red wagon.

New friends can be found in the most unexpected places. Tom and Janet Rupp ran into us at Publix. They winter here and are at home in Petoskey, Michigan during the summer.  After Jess told Tom about the Loop they came by the marina to see Bama Dream.  We plan to visit with them when we are cruising down Lake Michigan next summer.

One more unforgettable sunset!

Tarpon Springs

Dec. 7 & 8

Day 25-26

Weather conditions: foggy, cool

Other than intermittent fog, our roughly 21 hours worth of open water while crossing the gulf turned out to be uneventful.  Have to say that I like my bed at night. I am glad that from here on out we will not have to do any more all nighters.  We arrived at Turtle Cove Marina about 2:00 p.m.  Perfect timing because the tide was rising, enabling us to enter the marina with no problems. Our draft would not have allowed us to enter at low tide.  So many things to consider that we didn't have to worry about on the river system.  Obviously, after our long night, Jess was ready for a nap.  We saved our visit to the town of Tarpon Springs until Monday morning.  We have discovered a few electrical issues that require some attention (if we want to brew coffee or take a hot shower) so we are headed down to Marker 1 Marina in Dunedin for repairs, but first we must have some Greek food.

We were hoping for the light of the full moon on our crossing. Unfortunately the fog rolled in and put a stop to that idea.

After the sun came up the fog cleared and the rolling waves got rougher.  Bama Dream took the rough seas with no problem.  We did have to pick up a few things down below.  The dolphins didn't seem to mind as they came out to great us.

On our walk around Tarpon Springs we found a very nice park full of huge live oaks.  This was an area of beautiful old homes that had canal access to the Anclote River. We watched manatee coming up for air in the canal, but none of them came close enough for pictures.

We know we have gotten to a more tropical climate when we see poinsettias growing in flower beds along the sidewalk.

Walking along the pier Jess found his next project. This fixer upper was one of many old sponge boats that had seen better days.  Learning about the sponge industry was a highlight of our visit to Tarpon Springs.

A wonderful Greek lunch and then it is time to head back to the marina so that we will be able to head out with the rising tide.

Carrabelle

Dec. 5 & 6

Day 24

Weather conditions: Fog

We hauled up the anchor at 7:45 to make the short run over to Carrabelle. We are on Eastern time now, so we feel like we are staying up later (at least till 7:30) and sleeping a little later. That probably won't last long. As we pulled out into open water the fog thickened to the point that we couldn't see from one marker to the next. It is times like this that I am thankful for the magenta line on my chart plotter.  The fog had finally lifted by the time we entered the waterway into Carrabelle.  Our plan is to stay here until Sunday in order to watch the SEC Championship game. So much for that. We have learned that if we don't head across the gulf by Saturday afternoon our weather window will close and we will not be able to cross until at least Thursday.  We did manage a picnic lunch, fairly long walk around town, and a nice dinner at the Fisherman's Wife restaurant with some fellow travelers. Bama Dream and Raydiance will be headed across the gulf on our way to Tarpon Springs at game time. Roll Tide Roll!!!

              Maybe not quite as thick as pea soup, but certainly thicker than we like.

                                      Carrabelle is a very friendly, picturesque small town.

Every place should have something that gives them a claim to fame.  The smallest police station in the world as recorded by Guinness Book of World Records.

Apalachicola

Dec. 4

Day 23

Weather Conditions: Absolutely beautiful

After a very peaceful night on anchor we pulled out at 8:00 for a short run to Apalachicola.  This area of the ICW is a narrow passage through the swamps.  We didn't encounter as much wildlife as we expected, but Jess was thrilled to finally see a few turtles again.  We dropped anchor in Apalachicola Bay and dinked over to a very welcoming city dock.  The historic section of downtown has been very nicely restored making for a great place to stretch our legs.  Our main goal here was to make sure Jess had a chance to enjoy some of the famous Apalachicola oysters.

                 You can tell when you have reached a seafaring town by its Christmas decorations.

                  The Cypress trees provide stunning Fall colors against the brilliant blue sky.

 

Even tree stumps are carved to show how close Apalachicola's ties are to the sea.

A shrimp boat passes by as we enjoy a great supper on the wharf at Boss Oyster restaurant.  This restaurant is ranked among the top 10 oyster restaurants in the U. S.  According to Jess they are well deserving of the honor.  You can see Bama Dream on anchor in the background.

Life doesn't get much better than this.  Bama Dream on the hook in peaceful seas, a nice sunset, and a rising moon.

Cruising the Panhandle

Dec. 1-3

Days 20-23

Weather conditions: Sunny, a little cool, warming as we continue southward

Our first day out of Barber Marina didn't get us very far down the ICW.  After fueling and pumping out our holding tank it was already 9:20 before we could get underway. As we headed east toward Pensacola we were thrilled be able to meet our daughter, Clare, at the pier as we crossed under the Perdido Key bridge.  It was nice to be able to visit for just a few minutes before continuing our trip.  We found a nice anchorage about 2:00 beside the Santa Rosa Beach park. A short dinghy ride provided us with a nice walk on the beach.  The crashing of the waves was a great backdrop for a restful night.  We were up and ready to head east by 7:40 on Tuesday. It was an uneventful day of cruising with the dolphins along the ICW.  We dropped anchor at 2:50 on the east side of Choctawhatchie Bay.  There really wasn't any place to go ashore, so we spent the evening relaxing with a game of cribbage and an early bedtime. We both were in need of some recuperation time after the excitement of last week.  After a day cruising by Panama City, through St. Andrew Bay, and into the narrow ditch of the ICW headed toward Apalachicola, we are now anchored in Wetappo Creek.

Our one person send off committee! It was great getting to have a short visit with Clare as we made our final pass under the bridge at Perdido Key.

Other than a few birds and an abundance of jelly fish, the beach on this section of Santa Rosa Island was virtually deserted.

The dolphins have enjoyed swimming in our wake.  At times we have had as many as 5 or 6 of these beautiful creatures entertaining us.

               Wainwright Shipyard at the entrance to St. Andrew Bay near Panama City.