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!