We pause for a brief interruption.  The combination of LA (Lower Alabama) lacking internet connections and my intention to streamline the blog has caused a hiatus.  Will be back soon...I hope!

Apalachicola to Mobile Bay

May 22, 2013

Apalachicola was a delight!  Located on the ‘Forgotten Coast’

(Remember all the definitions of Florida’s areas---the Gold Coast, the Space Coast, the etc etc etc), well, this section of the Panhandle, from Carabelle to Panama City, has been called the Forgotten Coast.   And in Apalachicola, folks like it that way.

This is a town where volunteers plant flowers in public places, and then tend the gardens.  Where a local gentleman hailed us boaters on the VHF radio to point out an area of shoaling, shallow water---and then offered water hoses to wash the boats and fill the tanks----and then insisted that we tourists use his golf cart to get around town!

There are shops run by pottery makers, jewelry makers, antique shops,

a kitchen gadget store, and galleries for all kinds of art.   Did I mention the ice cream store?  Or the coffee shop that sells books to benefit the library and a commemorative chart of the Apalachicola River to benefit the Maritime Museum?

Fred did have one fairly crappy day, you should pardon the pun.  Our VacuFlush wouldn’t.  So, as Fred is captain and official repair person, he ran test after test to attempt to isolate the problem, and finally took the tank apart and discovered calcification inside—perhaps similar to what we found in a water pipe a few months ago.  I stayed out of the way (not exactly a sacrifice…) as he spent hours chipping away.  The newly restored tank works like a charm, and we are happy.

Over the weekend, the Civil War was fought yet again.  A tent city was set up by re-inactors, and Linda and I toured two antebellum houses where we were treated to stories such as the indignity of the capture of the CSS Tennessee.  Said the guide, “ Why, the Union changed its name to the  USS Tennessee, and used it against us!” 

A Union boat did maneuvers in the River where we were docked, and in the afternoon chased a Confederate sloop out of the area.  It was great.

While underway, we routinely peek into the engine room, just to check.  Half way to Panama City, Fred looked in and saw a broken clamp in the bilge (on the floor, for you non-boaters….).  It was important—a clamp that tightens the stuffing box around the engine shaft---translation---it is a place that keeps the water outside the boat.  A condition devoutly to be sought!  As luck would have it, White City was just ahead, and very politely provided a small dock for us to put a line on.  Bing, bang, boom.  New clamp and we’re off.  At Panama City (our next stop) we replaced all the rusting hose clamps.   

That is about all we did at Panama City---in and out. Next stop as we moved west was one we’ve routinely passed up---and will again, but had to check it out. 

The approach to Destin’s Harbour set off warning messages, but by then we were committed.  Not only were there boats, large and small, every which way in the skinny channel, to get into the channel meant making a hard left under a bridge and escaping the inlet to the Gulf.  Inlets are filled with rushing water that wants to take your boat out to sea.  In the midst of this melee was a woman blissfully riding a paddle board!  Once inside (whew) Destin’s Harbour was delightful!  SEA DREAM and YOUNG AMERICA found places to swing comfortably on our respective anchors, and although a water taxi was available, we chose to give Chucky, the dinghy, his first outing.

Ashore, the Boardwalk was a County Fair Midway with Disney overtones!  Many, many vacationing families surging about, drinking beer and scheduling fishing trips or sight seeing boat rides.  Country music filled the air and a little train full of wee folks threaded six cars through the crowd, tooting happily.  We found a hot dog stand and (surprise surprise) an ice cream stand, and spent an hour people watching, one of our favorite sports.

The next night’s anchorage was, in temperament, a full 180 degrees from Destin.  Just past Pensacola we crossed the Big Lagoon and found a totally quiet spot.  Around 5:30, when the day had cooled a bit, we dinghied ashore and walked in the white sand of the Santa Rosa Island beach.  Crossed over the dunes to wade in an angry looking Gulf, and enjoyed watching Louis, the Borum’s newly groomed poodle, chase sticks. We found many beautiful shells, but each turned out to be inhabited by a hermit crab.  The beach was delightful.

Next stop, Mobile.  Or not.  Weather Works, our Sirius Radio weather program showed a really big storm over New Orleans.  As the day wore on, the storm dissipated, but by the time we neared the entrance to Mobile Bay the wind was up to 30 mph.  Poked our nose into the Bay at 11:30 a.m., and quickly decided that we didn’t want to be pounded by tall waves for four hours.  Fortunately, LuLu’s was at hand.  We motored back ½ hour and tied up at the famous restaurant owned by Jimmy Buffet’s sister just in time for lunch!

LuLu’s is an amazing spot.  We were told they served 700 lunches and over 1200 dinners by 6 p.m. And this is the slow season!  Both our lunch and dinner servers can’t wait for the ‘Season’ to start, so they wlll get busy!   The complex staffs over 300 locals and is expanding!  Our server, Victoria, explained that people are hired for 5 different areas in the food prep area and must prove themselves before being allowed to wait tables.  In the highly specialized kitchen a separate area is allegedly set aside for allergy prep.  A manager is alerted when a customer asks for the allergy menu---which has separate pages for Gluten, Dairy, Shellfish and Soy and is as glossy and well done as the regular menu.  Allergy orders must be taken by, and the food delivered by a manager!  “We take this seriously”, said Cheryl, the evening manager.  What an example for restaurants that are far less busy!  Or maybe that is part of why LuLu’s IS so busy…

Well, OK, maybe it has something to do with the fact that outside there is a huge sandy ‘beach’ with a gift shop, beach volleyball court, wet area for toddlers to build sand castles, and a multi-tiered ropes course.  For $12.00 one can don a harness and walk tightropes, rope ladders, steel beams, steep stairways and the turn arounds connecting them---all 3 stories above the beach. The play area is no doubt a huge draw!

The season begins this weekend, and the pace will double or more.  LuLu is in Key West this week, (where she does her thinking…) and construction is underway for the next addition---to open in June.  We’ll stop again in the fall, I betcha!

Today the Gulf is calm, and for insurance, we’re up and out at first light.  Next stop, as I said before, is Mobile.

Take care of you, and enjoy the Memorial Day Holiday!  Our thoughts will be with those who serve.  We’ll fly our big flag to honor veterans, past, present and future!

Clearwater to Apalachicola, FL

Greetings from the Gulf of Mexico!  As I look out the window, over the waves (of which there are waaaay too many that are waaaaay too tall) I see SEA DREAM scooting along beside us, as we head for the Florida Panhandle and points west and north!  More about that later...

We returned to St. Pete at the end of April.  While at our vacation condo this time, we satisfied Uncle Sam, took our annual trip to Boston for brunch with MIT students, I made another jaunt to Illinois where I spent a weekend with brother Gene, and we wrapped it up with

 a weekend in Westchester Co. for the (also annual) Power Squadron D2 Spring Conference and Change of Watch. Entertainment included a trip to the Broadway Dinner Theater in Elmhurst to see Guys and Dolls.

And, of course, the best part, we were able to celebrate all over the place!  Birthdays with grandchildren Katie Rae, Paul and JT, and the engagement and forthcoming wedding (Sept.) of Kris (oldest daughter, my side) and John.  Big doings!

Tuesday’s flight to Tampa was smooth and easy, and we were ready to move back onto our beautiful boat with its newly varnished floors.  Hmmm.  Failure of expectations, some say, is the toughest to bear.  What we chose to do was move into the Hampton Inn for three nights while phase 2 of the varnishing process took place.  The end result is clean and shiny, and, well, not exactly what we’d expected.   C’est la vie.

All signs of the St. Pete Grand Prix have been removed, and a new event has taken over.  A huge set for the Summer Playhouse Theater has been erected on a section of the grass of Diemen’s Point (where our marina is located).  Now every Wed-Sunday through May, from 7-10 pm a musical comedy entitled the Spelling Bee is performed.  Auto access is by marina pass only, as the audience must enter on foot---and they do, carrying chairs and picnic dinners.  It is a hoot.  Past performances, we’re told, have included Rent, Hair, and the Rocky Mountain Picture Show. 

On Saturday and Sunday, I did my ‘gig’ as an usher at the Mahaffey Theater.  The production was a very talented Chinese troupe from New York City called Shen Yun.  They danced a series of vignettes celebrating classical Chinese dance style, with a wonderful orchestra live in the pit.  Next year, if we’re back in St. Pete, I’ll usher again.  I met some really nice people, and look forward to returning.

The next weekend, we again joined the AWAPS (Airport Preservation Society) as volunteer helpers at the first-ever St. Pete Latin American festival.  It got off to a slow start, but turned out to be successful enough that it will become the first annual.   Great music, good food and a good day!

Our focus now is getting ready for this year’s trip---the Mississippi Sleigh Ride.  The plan is to go back across the Gulf to Mobile, then north to the Tennessee River.  We’ll ‘detour’ out the Tennessee River, through Chattanooga to Knoxville, then return and head north on the Mississippi to Minneapolis.  The Sleigh Ride will take us straight to New Orleans.  Plan A.  Always subject to revision, but for now….

Chucky, our replacement dinghy, came home from the painters looking very spiffy.  He’s now outfitted with a Lehr 9.9 HP Propane Motor.  No more gasoline!  He’ll take us as fast as we want to go, and did a fine job on his trial run.  Now he lives atop YA, poised and ready for action!

The Inflatable RIB did not sell.  Would have, except the motor did its ‘carburetor clogged with old gasoline’ thing again, even though Fred has drained it each time we’ve used it recently.  Recently is a relative term.  Louisville, KY was the last time we recall taking the RIB down.  So two potential buyers refused our deeply discounted price, and we ended up sending the RIB away on consignment.  Norm, the friend of our neighbor, Dick, repairs and sells boats and trailers.  One day we shall hear from him that the RIB has a new home.

For about a week, we had 6 Great Harbours in one marina!  We had three separate ‘farewell’ dinners!  After the first, LAZY DOLPHIN headed south and east, planning to summer on the Chesapeake.   As of today, BLUE SKIES is away on vacation in the Dry Tortugas and Key West; LONE WOLF has crossed the Gulf and is heading for Mobile,  CAROLYN ANN  is also moving to the East Coast of Florida and the Carolinas, and now SEA DREAM, with us, is moseying along in the now calm open water of the Gulf of Mexico.

We left St. Pete on Monday and had a nice easy run to Clearwater.  With new alternators, oil changes and various other engine work that Fred’s done over the past couple of weeks, a one day start seemed like a good idea.  We opted for the closer half of the Clearwater Municipal Marina—the 50 year old part is across the bay on the beach; the 3 year old Harbor Marina is right under the bridge.  Literally.

It was a dicey place to dock with sudden gusts of wind and a whooshing current grabbing us as we rounded the bend.  Turned out well, though, and this morning a sea slug came swimming and put on a show for me.   The name is ugly, but the critter is a fluttery, graceful swimmer, who apparently doesn't surface often.

From our departure at the Clearwater Pass at 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., the Gulf was not kind.  In 5 years of cruising there have been maybe 6 times we've had to seriously batten down the hatches.  This one was a doozey, but the AeroGarden is now bungeed to the wall, so it could only slosh, and we've learned about most other potential problems.  Surprisingly, the computers and printer sat perfectly still.  At 5 o'clock, as Mike had predicted, the wind ceased, swells softened, and the Gulf treated us to a marvelous night's ride.  

Having had to go slow to survive the pounding, we shifted our plan from the 28 hour ride to Panama City and instead opted to leave the Gulf at East Pass. After a glorious sunrise, a left turn at 8 a.m. took us along St. George Island on the Florida panhandle.

And now we are docked in Apalachicola, Florida.  Will spend a day or two here enjoying the hospitality, the fresh seafood and the  friendly folks.  Not to mention desalinating the boat----salt crystals from the Gulf are everywhere!   Thank heaven for cool clear water!

So happy summer, folks.  Enjoy, and do remember to breathe!