3-18 Home Again!

We decided to head back to New Port Richey for now and continue venturing around our Southern waters. The boat said it didn't want to be winterized ever again. We covered around 800 miles in 6 weeks and got to see some new places from the water. We have enjoyed this trip very much and hope to make many more in the future.

3-14 to 16th Sarasota

The crew is relaxing in Sarasota for a couple days on our leg of the trip back North up the Gulf Coast towards New Port Richey. We found ICE CREAM !! again and just had some fun around the park and marina. Buddy liked all the other dogs he was meeting too.

Okeechobee Locks

Locking through on the Okeechobee, the locks are not to bad as they were between 8 - 15 ft. and not too many boats at the same time. It ended up being about 90 the 2 days we did them and that can make a little warm when you are down in the hole with not much air flow, but some turbulent waters.
Usually about 30 minutes per lock and a few times we had to wait for someone locking through the other way before us. We did get stuck at 1 bridge after we came out of a lock as it was only 1000' in between the lock and the bridge. We waited over 1 hour and 40 minutes without any operator maneuvering in the wind, calling and signaling but no response. We finally called the sheriff dispatch and a car came out to try and get the bridge opened and they found someone.

3-11 to 3-13 Ft. Meyers

We decided to take a few days and explore FT. Meyers while we were there. We of course hit all the restaurants. Then one day we went to the Edison and Ford winter estates for a tour. Very interesting as Edison was into so many inventions. Besides the light bulb, generators and energy related inventions he was into mining then when that failed he turned them into concrete plants.
In Florida he set up a lab growing all sorts of trees and plants to try and create rubber for use in the US. Either that or one of the first Tax shelters set up down here? Very interesting tour.
We also met up with some friends from Albion,  Rich Colonna and Rod Finnefrock and family. They came over by boat to the marina and joined us for lunch. It was nice to visit with friends from back home, glad we got a chance to catch up.

3-10 Moore Haven - Ft. Meyers, Okeechobee Waterway

We  enjoyed dinner dockside in Moore Haven after a long day on the water. Slept good and took off around 8:00 AM for another long day to Ft. Meyers. We came accross a couple of boats we thought we could get a good deal on, just need a little TLC needed. Well this part was about 65 miles and 2 more locks on a day that hit 90, a record for that day here. We made it to Ft. Meyers late afternoon and checked into Legacy Harbor in downtown area.
 

3-9-15 Okeechobee Waterway Stuart - Moore Haven

We Left the East Coast today and turned inland across Florida back towards the Gulf Coast. Left Stuart for a long day on the Okeechobee about 58 miles today and 3 locks. Hot day and not as much scenery as we had on the intra coastal along the coast, just a big ditch most of the way. As we crossed Lake Okeechobee we had to make sure we stayed in the channel or else find shoals. The deepest parts of the Lake were only about 8 feet even though it was over 20 miles across. We stopped in a little town with a long dock to have dinner on the dock and sleep for the night, looked like a ghost town that use to be nice but most everything was closed up and gone. Probably due to a few years of low water levels before even though it was at a good level this year, even 2 foot above average, which was good for our crossing. As we came off the Lake it lokked like we were driving through Rice paddys, Yea that looks like safe water doesn't it.

Farmers Market 3-8-15

Well today is Sunday and we headed up to find some breakfast at the local greasy spoon with tables outside on the sidewalk too. Then off to the Farmer's market in the park, some vegetables and handmade foods and breads but mostly crafts. We did add to our family though since you know how Fran and I can't miss adopting we took the plunge and GOT A TURTLE! Yes we did but it is a wood carved replica of a sea turtle. We figure it can keep the Heron that Stu made for us company!

3-7-15 Stuart Hanging Out

We have had a good time in Stuart just hanging out at the docks and meeting so many people from all over the US and Canada that head for the South for the winter living on their boats. Many things to do here with in walking distance. Pizza on a little side street Café last night. Then walked the Riverwalk back to the boat. Then time to set up on the fly bridge for a glass of wine and coffee to watch the sunset.

Who says there aren't Pirates Out here!

No not really it is the NINA and the PINTA. They are 35 year old replicas that have been sailing around the world and are going to be on display this weekend. It had a fairly young crew on board and they stayed here at the Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart with us last night. They said they have been through the Panama canal about 7 times and rode out a couple Hurricanes and the boats are still doing well. But they are an interesting looking crew! But I guess a lot of people think that the Win Star is an interesting crew too with Mom, Dad, Wheelchair Ray and his Pirate Dog !

3-5-15 Stuart

We entered past the St Lucie Inlet through Jensen Beach and Stuart area through a couple bridges and decided to stay at the Sunset Bay Marina. It is a very nice Municipal Marina with many boats from up North that have been coming here for years and spending their winters. About half of them live at the docks but the rest live out on moorings and go back and forth. The marina has set up lounges for them and large picnic areas. In the morning it looks like retiree row when they all come in on inflatables and join with others on shore for coffee time and it looks like at night it is bring your own dish dinner almost every night. It is hard to believe how many boaters do this, there must be over 200 in this marina alone, many also from Canada and the Great Lakes too. Some I talked to went back and forth for years and now just leave their boats here for the summer in dry dock and come back each fall and put them back in the water and move on board. Seems to be one of the most friendly areas we have come across and they said that some had waited years to be able to get in here. It is also surrounded by restuarants and an easy walk to town where there are little shops and of course Ice Cream / Fudge shops, sounds perfect!

3-3-15 Palm Beack to Jupiter

Heading North up the Intra Coastal after leaving Palm Beach it was a nice Sunny day but still windy so we took the slow road through Manatee Zones. Many boats still heading South so we figured we must be going the wrong way? A lot of new construction along the way and this area seemed less populated along the water than anything else we had seen in a while. As we come up on Jupiter inlet we can see the lighthouse at the opening and the waves breaking through the inlet. We then continued
on toward Stuart.

3-1-15 Palm Beach

Nice Marina in Palm Beach that we stayed at for a couple of days. Since they gave Fran a bottle of wine when we got there I think she is ready to mellow and relax for a few. They took us all by courtesy shuttle up to town and we had dinner at Duffy's Sports bar and did some shopping at Publix.
Lots of nice people that are from all over the country seem to bring their boats and stay at these marinas for a couple months for the winter.

2-27-2015 Moved on to Palm Beach

We passed West Palm Beach first with all marinas full and found a nice marina in Palm Beach area.
Very friendly and Fran really liked it because when we checked in they gave her a bottle of wine as a welcome present. It has nice wide docks, visitors center, captains lounge, good internet for a change and about half the price of most marinas we have found. We figure we will stay here for a few days and relax before moving on again. We still don't know which way we will go as the wind keeps blowing and the crossing to the Bahamas we had planned would have only been possible 1 or 2 of the days in the past 3 weeks but we were not ready on those days. With all the North winds the Gulf Stream has been at 5 - 12 foot waves. Right now there doesn't seem to be any days coming for a while so we may continue along the coast. All our plans are up in the air and changing our thought process, as Ray is having a good time but it seems like even more work taking care of him on the boat with just the 2 of us. Showering and toileting out on the back deck makes us the center attraction at the high end marinas, but everyone seems to make the best of it! Most people can't believe that we can do all we do on a boat and love to see him using the elevator getting on and off the boat to take buddy out for a walk. I think even Buddy is starting to get used to the boat all except the rough water then he starts shaking again, but everytime he gets a little better!