Green Turtle Bay to St. Pete November, 2013

Whoosh!  And a month goes by!  We’ve been busy little rascals, as I’m sure you have as well!

Anyone who’s ridden horses may know the expression 
                                  “Hold ‘er, Newt—she’s headin’ for the barn!”   
A horse who knows the way home will, if allowed, take off running---and this month YOUNG AMERICA has behaved like that----or maybe it was us!

We left Green Turtle Bay, KY, and came down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway just as if there was a bear chasing us.  On the water?  I don’t think so, but we stayed only one night each at these ‘old familiar places…’

 Pebble Isle—where we didn’t wait around for the cinnamon buns---we were up and out early!

Aqua Harbor---where we guided the LI’L RED TUG into the harbor with our spotlight. Mike and Beccie had been held up at the lock until after dark, just as we were the last time we came south here.

Bay Springs---where I rode to WalMart with Tom and Melissa from JOURNEY.

 The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway was dressed in her finest fall colors,

and our timing on the locks was also magnificent. In one day we passed thru 6 locks while traveling 53 miles.  We tied up at the Aberdeen, MS marina at 4:50, and the sun went down at 4:54.  Perfect.

We laughed at the heron who joined us in two of the locks—lunch time for him, I guess, but he hopped down from ledge to ledge as we dropped.  OK, maybe it wasn't the same heron, just the same behavior.  They do all look pretty much alike... A bit haughty, don't you think?

Along the way we also saw a flock of turkeys, several cows, a dead alligator afloat,

2 eagles and, further south, many many dolphins. Note the change in water color.

This was waaaaay more wildlife that we usually see!  And up close.  This pelican entertained us for about 15 minutes.  Hilarious!

From Aberdeen, we went to Pirate’s Cove Marina where 3 Looping boaters joined us for Happy Hour.   Next day on the way to Sumter Landing a deer swam across the river in front of us, then stepped out to pose on the shore.  Lucky for him we’re not hunters!  

We anchored in Sumter’s Cove rafted to FRANCESCA (Chuck and Margaret) with  JOURNEY (Tom and Melissa with their dog Mango) across the way.  Knute came up covered with thick mud, while Tom smiled and said they were in nice clean sand.  We’ve anchored in the sand on that side twice before---now we know where the mud is!  UFFDA.

We did spend two nights in Demopolis, AL.  Actually left and rode to the lock at 10:30 in the morning, but when the lockmaster announced a 2 hour wait we went back to our slip and spent another night.  By 8 the next morning we were the 8^th of 8 boats exiting the lock.  Some go-fast boats hurried on, but 5 of us anchored in Bashi Creek where Tom, Melissa, Chuck and Margaret joined us for a ‘little bit of something’.   Nice visit.

Friday was a rainy morning with temps in the 50’s, and we decided to stop after a short run at Bobby’s Fish Camp.  We’ve paused there in the past but never had the full Bobby’s experience.  Got it this time!

YOUNG AMERICA and KAWLIGA were docked in the short spot to the right.  We left early.

8 boats spent the night rafted to the dock long enough for 3, and everyone enjoyed fried catfish cooked by Sheila---who also delivered hugs to all!

After one more night of anchoring at the Alabama River cutoff, and yet another day with no phone service or internet, we arrived at Turner Marine in Mobile, AL.

Immediately rented a car and drove to New Orleans.  It’s only 2 hours by car---much easier than the 950 mile slog down the MS would have been!  We met up with Captain Dave (from the excursion boat in MPLS) and his ‘we’ve known each other for 6 months on the internet, now we’ve met in person’ lady friend Linda. 

  Nice couple, very happy together, and besides that a great breakfast at Mother’s.

The World War II Museum in NOLA is, we think, a ‘must see’.

That flag is like the one that was in our window for the 2.5 years my dad served in the Army--1942-45.

  We spent a full day there re-living the battles via fabulous interactive displays, 4-D movies, planes and trains, boats and jeeps. 

Sue Lampton, our new best friend at the Museum

We had lunch with Sue, and caught a few minutes of an Andrews Sisters-type group's performance.  We had to leave the museum when it closed, so we topped off the day with dinner at the Bon-Ton, Fred’s favorite NO restaurant. 

Next day the Bon Ton’s #1 ranking got seriously challenged by the Commander’s Palace.  We were treated royally, enjoyed a delicious lunch and recommend the place highly! The food probably tasted better because the service was so 'over the top'. 
We were given Celebration hats after we ate!

                                  Thanks, Ted and Kris for sending us there!

New Orleans is just fun.  Where else will the Sheraton Hotel be decorated with Blue Dogs? 

Billy Joel and others have autographed this Steinway on display in the lobby.

Or a beignet (fried square of dough) be heaped with powdered sugar as at Café du Monde?   Part of the fun there is watching at the back window as the dough is flattened, cut and tossed over the baker’s shoulder into the vat of hot oil! 

He was so quick I couldn't catch the toss! He never looked back.

We walked and walked—and enjoyed our brief visit thoroughly.

We might as well have stayed longer in New Orleans. From Friday until Wednesday we were weathered in at Turner’s.  High winds make crossing Mobile Bay a no-no.  Our only trip was to the marina next door for a pump out and that was not a nice ride.  On Wednesday, we joined 40 or so others at the Marina’s annual day-before-Thanksgiving pot luck feast, and then had 11 of our neighbors over for beer and wine at 5.  (oops no photos...)

On Thanksgiving Day the wind finally calmed and we headed out.  Tied up in Pensacola, and the next day found an empty slip at the Marbella Yacht Club in the Destin Harbour.  On Saturday we arrived in Panama City just in time for the annual Christmas decorated boat parade and festival at the Marina.  Fun.

Sunday morning Fred was up at 4 a.m. checking websites that sport isobars, wind velocity, wave height and such, and by 8 am we’d decided to poke our noses into the Gulf of Mexico and see if it was calm enough to cross.  We did and it was.

Nearing sunset. 4 fishing boats abeam to port---one had to be towed home.

 29 hours later we entered the Clearwater, FL inlet and anchored in a gorgeous cove. This Gulf crossing was the calmest of the 5 that we’ve experienced.   How calm was it?   Not once did we use the windshield wipers to remove spray---NO waves over the bow!   That is amazing.

The only tension came when, after dark, a boat with proper running lights, on a course to cross from our left to right, stayed on a collision course, according to our radar screen.  We gave way, veered behind it and watched its lights cross in front of us.   Thought it must be a fisherman who sets a course and never sees another boat, so doesn’t pay much attention--- until the radar blip turned around 180 degrees and, again, according to the radar, came back straight toward us. We could no longer see any running lights---just a radar blip aimed directly at our starboard side.  

At that moment, knowing we were about 20 miles from shore, in the black dark with no one else around, I was very sorry we’d seen the movie “Captain Phillips”.  

Without warning, instead of ramming us, the blip on the radar suddenly disappeared (???) and the ‘boat’ was gone.  NO explanation for that one, and we are very happy that the rest of the ride was totally without event!  

We anchored in 'Mike's Cove' (SEA DREAM, discovered this spot back in May), and after a bowl of soup we had a good long sleep!  In the morning we were hard put to leave Clearwater (even though the Sherriff came by to ‘make sure we were ok’)

as it was so serene and gorgeous.  But St. Pete was calling and so we made the  easy 4 hour ride, and here we are.  Back on last year’s dock (St. Pete Municipal Marina),  and we are in Slip SX3, just across from last year’s slip.  We’ve a roof over our heads and a long list of plans! 

This will be the end of the blog for 2013.  We expect to spend about 6 weeks in Newburgh over the holidays, and then from January to April, simply relax in the sun while preparing the boat for whatever comes next.  There is a Hampton Inn just 2 blocks away, and we welcome all visitors!

The geranium is masquerading as a poinsettia, and it is festive!

Enjoy your holidays!  December presents us all with the challenges of  keeping in touch with the family and friends who are with us, and holding in love those who are only available in spirit.  So remember to breathe, and above all, be well!

See you in the spring!