Second Wind on the Great Loop and Beyond

Saturday-Sunday, March 27-28
I'm posting this quickly on Sunday morning as we make our way across Mobile Bay, where we will pick up the Tenn-Tom Waterway. We had a wonderful visit with Terry and Herb, long-time friends from home on Friday night. Dinner at the Live Bait restaurant, part of The Wharf Marina Resort complex. Where was my camera? I don't know! I had taken a picture of the ferris wheel and shops earlier in the day, but I simply forgot to take a photo at Live Bait. The meal was quite delicious and the entertainment, excellent -- both the live combo and the conversation with friends. Mother Nature nudged us Saturday morning to continue heading home. A weather system was on its way, and we needed to get to Fairhope before it hit.

Soon after we arrived in Fairhope, we had a quick but delightful visit with Doug and Sarah, who can see our boat from their back deck. They are "sort of" cousins because we shared my much-loved Aunt Virginia. Again, where was my camera? We wanted to stay longer and visit a day or two, but another weather system is on its way. It's no fun crossing Mobile Bay when it is stirred up. Before we left I took a few photos from the boat, just to remind myself how much I love it down here. I'll post them later. I'll miss salt water and coastal living -- until we return to North Carolina anyway.

We plan to anchor out tonight, somewhere between Mobile and Demopolis. There are several possible anchorages, and we'll pick one when the time comes, probably about 50 miles up river from Mobile.

P.S. We made it to the anchorage at Three Rivers, about 12 miles from Jackson, AL, as the crow flies, but longer on the winding Tenn Tom. Larry, our Lat/Long is 31 degrees 17.276' North /87 degrees 57.000' West if that makes sense. We turned off at Mile 64 on the Tenn Tom.

Thursday-Friday, March 25-26.
When we got up yesterday, the forecast predicted several weather fronts that could ground us for three or four days. We decided to take advantage of the existing good weather and go as far and as fast as possible. That meant cruising west on a course several miles out in the Gulf, running parallel to the Panhandle. This "outside" route allowed us to leapfrog two stops along the longer but prettier and more protected waters of the ICW. After 10 fairly monotonous hours, we were mighty happy to turn into the Pensacola Cut. It was great to see that black and white lighthouse on sandy banks again. Because we still had several hours of daylight, we passed some nice beaches and pretty scenery and chugged on until we arrived in Orange Beach, ALABAMA! Home, sweet home.

Lucky for us, Terry and Herb, friends from Huntsville, are already in this area on a mini-vacation. We look forward to dinner with them Friday night. Second Wind is docked once again at The Wharf marina in Orange Beach until the weather clears again. With any luck we will be in Fairhope on Saturday, with plans to head up the Tenn-Tom Waterway on Monday. As always, Mother Nature will call those shots.

Tuesday, March 23

We had great fun with Scott and Anne in Tallahassee last weekend. Somehow we never got a single picture! Now we are moving right along. Bob and I had an easy, easy run from Carrabelle to Port St. Joe today. The weather was calm, and we enjoyed watching the oyster fisherman as we came out into the Bay. Tonight we are staying at the "friendliest marina on the Panhandle." We had heard and read that this was true, and it really is! Maybe we will come back to the Port St. Joe Marina and spend a month or so during another spring. Nice, friendly marina, and the town is fun and attractive too. This is one of the primary fishing communities along the Panhandle. We love looking at the colorful fishing boats on the way in.

Friends Mark and Pat drove over from Apalachicola (known to locals as "Apalach") this evening so we could have dinner together. We are mighty glad we met these fellow PDQ owners at the PDQ rendezvous a few months ago. We crossed the Gulf with them the other day, and now we hope to spend some time with them when they come up the Tennessee River this summer. We all ate at an excellent restaurant called Provisions. The mussels were fabulous! We said a reluctant farewell to Mark and Pat for now. Hope our paths cross soon and that Pat has great success in physical therapy for her shoulder.

Because excellent cruising weather is forecast for tomorrow, we are planning to run "outside" in the Gulf rather than taking the winding Intracoastal Waterway. If so, we will cut a day out of the journey home. We need to keep moving while the weather is good, even though I'd love to stay and visit. We hope to make it to Ft. Walton or Pensacola tomorrow, then spend the weekend in Fairhope while another weather front comes through. Having weather delays just about anywhere along the Panhandle sounds pretty good to me.

Monday, Monday 22

Our Gulf crossing went well. The waves were really lumpy and uncomfortable the first day until we reached our night's anchorage at Cedar Key (first photo). We were thrilled when friends Mark and Pat on Catrina joined us there. Pat is still recovering from shoulder surgery, but her brother joined the crew for the crossing. We enjoyed rafting with them and comparing notes about PDQs.

Our second day on the Gulf was a piece of cake. Because it was cool, we drove from the inside. The waves had calmed significantly, and having a buddy boat with us made a huge difference in our peace of mind. Waves were from the south, which boosted our cruising rate to a big 15 mph. Still it was a long, long day, even though we were in daylight this time. But this huge milestone is now behind us! We are now enjoying the warm and wonderful hospitality of Scott and Anne (and Boone) in Tallahassee. They are fun! We plan to return to the boat tonight, with hopes that the weather improves and we can head west to Port Saint Joe tomorrow. Pictures later.

Tuesday - Wednesday, March 16-17.
Even though crossing Tampa Bay Tuesday was a bit choppy, the protected waters of the ICW were fine for traveling. We enjoyed brief sightings of a dolphin or two, but the many condos and a pirate ship were our main attractions. We are already missing the Keys -- our friends at 1 Palm Court, that beautiful light turquoise water, dinghy rides through Sister Creek, stone crab claws, and all those big white birds.

Bob and I decided to bypass Clearwater Beach and head toward the Anclote River just outside of Tarpon Springs. That would cut a bit of time and distance when we do decide to cross the Gulf. I took a photo of Anclote Island, which is where many cruisers lay at anchor before or after their Gulf crossings, but it was too cool for us to try it. A small marina called Port Tarpon (I think) was OK for one night, but now it looks as if we won't be starting across until Friday. Today (Wednesday)we moved on to Tarpon Springs. Greek restaurants seem to be calling our names. You may have noticed that cruising and eating well often seem to be synonymous. Second Wind is currently docked at Tarpon Landing Marina, just across the bridge from the main town. The once boisterous Capt'n Jacks bar and grill seems pretty tame right now. We'll see about tonight. . . .

Biding our time . . . if the weather forecast holds and all goes well, Scott and Anne will meet us in Carrabelle, FL on the Panhandle late Saturday afternoon.

Sunday, March 14
Even though the sky is blue and the harbor is calm, we are sitting tight for a while. The Gulf is still stirred up; we won't be crossing any time soon. Meanwhile, Bob and I are loving Sarasota (sorry, no pictures yet). Marina Jack's has every amenity we could possibly want, and it is located downtown just a block or two from excellent restaurants, art galleries -- and a Whole Foods store. We've enjoyed hanging out with Roger and Erica Boe, fellow PDQ owners from Canada, who shared part of the Loop with us. After the four of us walked to a fine farmers' market yesterday morning, the marina shuttle took Erica and me to an antique show in the afternoon. Of course Erica and I contributed to the charitable proceeds. This evening we met another couple and enjoyed visiting their Mainship 34 Pilot boat. Hummmmmmmmm...... may be a good boat for future river adventures; meanwhile we still love Second Wind for long-distance cruising.

Still keeping our eyes on the weather. We will be move to Clearwater Beach soon, just to position ourselves for the Gulf crossing. Unless the forecast changes though, it will likely be late next week before we undertake this huge two-day milestone.

Sarasota Redux. Monday, March 15.
After a bit of shopping (Bob says more than a bit) on Monday afternoon, we enjoyed our second excellent meal with Roger and Erica at a Greek restaurant in downtown Sarasota. This is a fine place to visit; still lots more to do and see, but Bob and I needed to get ready for a Tuesday morning departure. The photos show the view of the park from the back of Second Wind and a view of downtown from the dock. We now think we'll leave in the morning for the Tarpon Springs area. Still watching the weather.

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Tuesday thru Friday, March 9- 12.
After leaving Marathon, we anchored near Indian Key on Monday night. This is one of the "Thousand Islands" outside of Everglades City. We would love to go back there when it is warmer and take the dinghy to a lovely isolated beach nearby. We woke up Tuesday to a cool overcast morning, but the sun had peeked out by the time we arrived at Captiva Island.

Bob snapped this shot of an egret perched on our dinghy. Mr. Egret stayed a while to welcome us to 'Tween Waters Marina. As luck would have it, this was the night of the Manager's Cocktail Party. We didn't need a second invitation! After a while, a distinguished man with spectacles, a black suit, and a pocket watch joined us. He looked a lot like Theodore Roosevelt! Guess what. It WAS Theodore Roosevelt, or at least a reprisor named Joe Wiegand who is touring the 50 states in honor of TR's 150th birthday. He stayed in character the whole time we visited. When he heard we were from Alabama, "Mr. Roosevelt" told us a lot more than we already knew about the patriot Joe Wheeler. FDR seemed genuinely interested in our cruising adventures. A delightful bit of serendipity!

On Wednesday, we left Captiva Island, staying mostly in the protected waters of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). You can always tell that you are on the ICW by the yellow symbol on the markers. We finally had a gloriously pretty day for cruising. Lots of other boats were out too; spring seems to be coming after all. This stretch of the waterway has a number of bridges, and we can't fit under a couple without waiting for a scheduled opening or by asking the bridge tender for passage through. Fortunately our timing was good, and we didn't have to wait in line. We enjoyed looking at the many beautiful houses along this stretch of the waterway. If it weren't for family and friends north of here, I might be campaigning to move to South Florida. We finally arrived in Sarasota late Wednesday afternoon. We are staying at Marina Jack's, a luxurious facility with a restaurant at the foot of Main Street while another round of wind, rain, and thunderstorms blows through.

We are carefully watching the weather forecast. Another Gulf crossing is looming, and we need two days straight of calm weather -- a rare event this winter. We will probably leave from Clearwater Beach (or an anchorage nearby at Anclote Key). This time we hope to cross in daylight, with an intermediate stop at a Cedar Key anchorage. Meanwhile, we've met up with Roger and Erika, fellow PDQ owners, who we have traveled several times with. They are actually moving their boat to Vancouver, so they are simply waiting for the transit. We hope to leave for Clearwater Beach Saturday or Sunday -- as soon as the weather clears -- with hopes of crossing next Tuesday/Wednesday. Stay tuned.

Monday, March 8.
The first photo is of Joe Mama, our favorite performer at Sombrero Dockside Marina, where we have lived for the past five weeks. The second photo is another shot of "One Palm Court," which now sports a Christmas wreath. Various "lovely" furnishings (all scavenged to reflect the laid-back, easy Keys life) have been added to the decor after we arrived: a dolphin wall hanging, a second table, a name plate, a potted plant, and the wreath among them. You really have to be there to "get it."

To say that it was hard to bid farewell to our terrific Gold Looper friends--and all the camaraderie, dinners, morning walks, cocktails, and fun--is an understatement. But as we pulled away, they were there to say "farewell for now." The pictures I took of them didn't turn out too well, but this group included Bella Luna (Diane and Louis, who are also warm and wonderful friends whose company we also enjoy in Emerald Isle, NC, and are known far and wide for their fabulous cooking. They introduced us to the rest of the group.), C-Life (Robert and Kay from Southport, NC, good-natured, friendly folks who shared recipes and told tales from home), Our Turn (Roy and Ellen, friendly, fun Loopers from Ft. Lauderdale, who filled up their boat with orchids and set the morning walking pace), Wandering L & M (Larry and Margie, generous, warm New Yorkers who have helped Bob tremendously in doing boat maintenance), and Wonderland (Phil and Alice, dear friends who we Looped with in 2007. Alice had a root canal and appendectomy while we were there). Other great boater friends came and went, but this group was there the whole time we were. We already miss them.

As we left Boot Key harbor, I had to snap one more shot of mangroves filled with birds, the Seven-Mile Bridge, (hard to see in the distance) -- and of course, the minefield of crabpots that we dodged. We would love to spend another winter there, hopefully one with warmer weather.

Thursday thru Sunday, March 4-7.
One of the joys of cruising is that we sometimes get to visit with friends and family who like the same spots we do. Our stay in Marathon was the perfect excuse for a rendezvous with the YaYas from the Orlando area. One of these fun-loving girlfriends (Karen) has a condo less than a block from our marina, so the three of them drove down for a visit. I left Bob to batch it on the boat while I moved to the condo for a few days. These spirited, fun-loving YaYa occasions always involve gift-giving, eating, drinking margaritas -- and shopping. They are shopping mavens. Art festivals were being held in Islamorada and Key Colony, both nearby. We must have also visited every open shop within a 20-mile radius. Such fun, such kidding, dear friends!

Bob joined us for a delicious brunch one morning. On our last afternoon together, we ate stone crab claws at Keys Fisheries, one of Bob's and my favorite places. We celebrated the sunset together with a toast to good times and good friends. I did take them by One Palm Court that night so that YaYas and Loopers -- ALL dear friends -- could meet. The photo shows the TV, one of the scavenged One Palm Court amenities. We had another wonderful time.

Wednesday, March 3.
While the weather could have been much warmer and a lot less windy, Susan's visit -- plus the realization that our time in Marathon was coming to a close -- prompted us to savor again some of the things we love the most about the Keys. Visits to the beach, a trip to the Dolphin Research Center, and a long (and chilly) dinghy ride down Sister Creek were especially fun because we were sharing it with our daughter (aka our "dorter"). Susan spotted a big old iguana sunning on a mangrove, just waiting to have its picture taken. She walked with "the girls" every morning and enjoyed the easy camaraderie of Loopers at One Palm Court. We even managed another trip to No Name Pub and rode around until we found key deer. Suz picked up the laid-back Keys lifestyle really quickly! Fun time!

Saturday, February 27.
We had a wonderful visit with daughter Susan the last weekend in February. After picking her up at the Key West airport, we drove down to Mile Zero and happened to spot the Butterfly Conservatory. Terry Lewis had highly recommended this attraction, so we bought tickets. What a delightful discovery! A profusion of butterflies of all sizes and colors fluttered around, sipping nectar from pretty flowers. An especially showy one lit on Susan's blue jeans. This was the beginning of a wonderful visit!