Second Wind on the Great Loop and Beyond

Home for Easter. Happy Day!

2010-04-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

Saturday-Sunday, April 3-4
I"LL ADD PHOTOS LATER!

After a very pleasant evening at Bay Springs Marina, we took a leisurely run to the mouth of the Tenn-Tom Waterway and found ourselves once again on our lovely, lovely Tennessee River. These are our home waters, and they made our spirits soar. After spending the night at Florence Harbor, we felt nostalgic as we passed the Muscle Shoals Sailing Club. The new clubhouse looks wonderful, and we are mighty proud to have been a part of making it happen.

Just as we entered Wheeler Lock, our last lock on this adventure, the cell phone rang. It was Peggy, telling us that we needed to come home and look at the beautiful wild flowers, redbuds, and dogwood trees in Huntsville. Joy of joys! We were almost home. Peggy and Paul offered to pick us up at Joe Wheeler State Park, where we are leaving the boat for a week. We were happy to take them up on their offer. Many pounds of luggage later, we were home in Huntsville in the company of dear friends.

My goodness, we feel blessed this Easter Sunday. Our Keys adventure was a delight. We will be reflecting on the laid-back lifestyle of the Keys, the joys of One Palm Court, our Gold Looper friends, visits with dear friends and family, dinghy rides, and sunsets for years to come. Those coastal birds in Florida will always hold a special place in my heart. We will go back! But it is also wonderful to be home -- nothing like it! New adventures are just around the corner.

Lotsa Locks! Getting Closer to the Mouth of the Tenn-Tom.

2010-04-08T11:37:00.001-05:00

Thursday-Friday, April 1-2, 2010

We haven’t had reliable Internet access in days and days – I’m suffering from withdrawal. That’s why nothing has been posted recently.

I had forgotten the number of locks that occur on this section of the waterway. We’ve seen only a few tows, so we’ve been able to pass right through each lock. After a pleasant evening at the Aberdeen Marina last night, we pushed hard all day today, passing through SIX locks. That’s a lot of hauling fender boards! But we are making great progress. The Waterway dips in and out of Mississippi at this point, and the landscape looks more like the beautiful Tennessee Valley. The Bay Springs area, south of Pickwick Lake, is one of my favorite spots, and I want to come back here soon. The lake is huge, the water is clear, and the land is undeveloped because it is owned by the Corps of Engineers. Lots excellent anchorages beckon us around here, and the folks at the marina are warm and friendly. We hope to be home Sunday or Monday.

On the Waterway To Demopolis and Aliceville, AL

2010-04-08T11:36:00.001-05:00

Tuesday and Wednesday, March 30-31, 2010
Bob and I keep reminding ourselves that traveling alone, mile after mile on the lower Tenn-Tom may be mind-numbing, but it is a small price to pay for our great winter in Florida. We are now putting in long days of slogging along the Waterway so we can get on home as soon as possible. At this point in the journey, spotting a tow pushing a bunch of barges is a welcome distraction. “Awrightcaptainyoucanmeetusontheonewhistle” means “pass us to your right.” This jargon seemed novel when we made our first trip down the Tenn-Tom, but it is old hat now.

The landscape on the Tenn-Tom is still gradually changing. Now we see more hardwoods and much more contour along the banks. The river hasn’t decided where it wants to go, so there are an unbelievable number of hairpin turns and many areas where raw clay banks indicate serious erosion. We marvel at the number of people who have built homes along the edge of the Waterway, now a few feet from destruction.

On Tuesday we were really happy that Jim and Martha could meet us in Demopolis for the night. We enjoyed looking at several ante-bellum mansions on our way to an excellent restaurant downtown. Bob was also able to buy two new engine starting batteries. We were sorry to bid Jim and Martha farewell Wednesday morning, but we all had to keep moving. They brought us some excellent literature about our upcoming summer adventure out west.

Today we passed several fascinating white chalk cliffs, including the well-known Cliffs of Eppes. Spring is clearly here. The weather is sunny and warm, and it is nice to see some redbuds and dogwood trees in bloom. Between the two of us, though, I’m sure we’ve inhaled at least a pound of pollen. Today we made a long, tedious run. We had to transit two locks, with the goal of getting to Pirates Cove Marina in Aliceville by late afternoon. All went smoothly until around 3 p.m. when we arrived at Tom Bevill Lock. Wouldn’t you know . . . we had to wait on two tows to pass through. This meant we locked in the dark, then we had to grope our way to the marina in the pitch black. Fortunately we spotted the appropriate marks, the folks at Pirate’s Cove Marina were expecting us, and the staff helped guide us to the dock. Whew! We were exhausted by the time we made it, but we are now more than half-way up the Tenn-Tom. If the weather continues to be this clear, we could be home in four or five more days!

Adventure on Bashi Creek Near Nowhere, Alabama

2010-04-08T11:33:00.001-05:00

Monday, March 29
As we slogged 83 miles along the many hairpin turns/horseshoe bends in the Warrior/Tombigbee River part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, I was thinking about what to write in today’s blog. It went something like this, “The wind blew very hard all day, Glad we aren’t on an open bay. River, river, river, river, river, river, river, pass through Coffee Lock, river, river, river, river, get fuel at Bobby’s Fish Camp, river, river, river, river, river, river. Stop for the night at Bashi Creek at 5:30 p.m.” You get the idea that the Tenn Tom at this point is pretty mind-numbing.

That would have been accurate until we did stop for the night. To be fair, the landscape has changed from yesterday. Instead of pancake flat shoreline, we now see some decent hills and a few bluffs. But there was truly very little scenery to brag about. Soooooooo when we arrived at Bashi Creek, located somewhere in Clarke County, Alabama (mile 145.2 on the Tenn Tom), we saw a large tow boat named “Biloxi” pulled up to the bank where we wanted to enter. They were having a problem, and maintenance workers were on the scene. The tug captain encouraged us to slip behind them, which we did. Then they left.

Unfortunately, significant wind was blowing hard right down the mouth of the creek. We had difficulty getting a bow and stern anchor set so that we were parallel to the shoreline. The wind kept blowing Second Wind catawampus. Then it happened. The stern anchor line got caught in the propeller—and it wrapped tight. No cell signal. No one was around--anywhere. Not a good prospect. After some strong profanity, Bob donned his wetsuit and jumped into the muddy creek. My hero! After Herculean effort, he eventually untangled the line from the prop, re-spliced the anchor line, and we were set for the night in this remote spot. Surprise of surprises, “Biloxi” came back. Their problems weren’t fixed after all. We were happy to have company here in The Boonies, even though they were off again by 9:30 p.m. Assuming our prop isn’t damaged too badly, we hope to get to Demopolis by Tuesday afternoon. Jim and Martha are joining us there for the night. It will be great to see them.

P.S. Bob did some limited tests that night, and our prop seemed fine. Now that the boat is running well, we can focus on the sulfur smell that Liz noticed before the anchor incident. Turned out to be a failed starting battery. Fortunately the boat configuration allows us to start both engines off one battery.

Fairwell to Fairhope--and Salt Water

2010-03-28T09:49:00.004-05:00

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.

Sweet Home Alabama

2010-03-25T14:04:00.006-05:00

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.

If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Port St. Joe

2010-03-23T21:42:00.007-05:00

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.

Second Wind is in Carrabelle, FL

2010-03-22T10:59:00.004-05:00

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.

The ICW to Tarpon Springs, FL. Waiting to Cross . . .

2010-03-17T15:28:00.007-05:00

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.

Sarasota Interlude with Update

2010-03-14T20:09:00.006-05:00

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.

North on the ICW to Sarasota

2010-03-12T15:30:00.013-06:00

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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.

Goodby Marathon -- for THIS year

2010-03-12T14:33:00.011-06:00

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.

YaYas Visit Marathon

2010-03-12T13:51:00.007-06:00

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.

Birds, Dolphins, and Iguanas

2010-03-10T20:31:00.019-06:00

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!

Butterflies and Susan

2010-03-10T19:43:00.014-06:00

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!

This Fickle Weather!

2010-02-25T12:09:00.014-06:00

Thursday, February 25.
Weather has been a dominent conversation topic all over the U.S., and the Keys are no exception. This winter has been a record-breaker for sustained cold in Florida, punctuated by those occasional blue-sky days that we live for. Monday was rainy, gloomy, and cold -- perfect for getting work done on the boat. With help and coaching from Larry, Bob replaced the starboard dripless shaft seal, and in the process discovered that the bilge pump had pooped out. He replaced that too. This job involved Bob folding himself up like a pretzel to fit into the engine area. (See the first photo.)Both of these repairs were routine, considering the number of hours we’ve spent on Second Wind. We are still thrilled with how few repairs have been necessary. Meanwhile I caught up on mail and served as a go-fer.

Tuesday was the perfect reminder of why we are down here. The sky was blue, and the temps were in the high 70s, so everyone jumped into dinghys for another joy ride. The next photos show the Staggs, Wades (with guests Reba and Jim), and Creeches having a blast scooting around the harbor and exploring Sister Creek again. This worked up an appetite, so we all headed to Bodines for a Reuben lunch. By the time we returned back to our boats, I sported a sunburn --imagine that! Taking full advantage of a gorgeous day, we had a One Palm Court grill-out that evening. There were two dozen Loopers joining us. Ahhhh, this day is what it’s all about.

Then came Wednesday—another cold, dreary, rainy day. Bob and Larry replaced the dripless shaft seal on the port side, while I did laundry. Meanwhile the wind built and built. By afternoon, while I was out getting a haircut, rain began pouring down. By nightfall winds of 30+ miles an hour were a-blowin', and we started rocking and rolling. Then around 10 p.m. we heard and felt a big bump. Lo and behold, a smallish sailboat had dragged anchor and blown into our bow. Bob went out to help secure the boat and offer assistance. I’m sure the man and wife had a long night, but they were ok. (In daylight we learned that these sailors are planning to cruise on this little boat to South America! More power to them.) The last photo shows their boat, looking down from Second Wind's flybridge this morning. Today the winds are still howling and it’s cold, but the sun is shining. We remind ourselves that the Northeast is getting two feet of snow today. Though the weather here is fickle, the temperatures are again in the low 60s. We have no complaints; that is, unless it stays cold and windy when daughter Susan is here this weekend.

Abandoned Boats, Yellow Submarines, and Deliverance Territory

2010-02-22T07:53:00.010-06:00

Monday, February 22
On Sunday the sky was blue and the temps were warm, so we hopped into our dinghys for a joy ride. The first photo shows Larry and Marge in front of several Looper boats as we headed out for lunch at Lazy Days, near the entrance to Boot Key Harbor. Because we had only recently stuffed ourselves at Louis's pancake breakfast, the Rosses and Staggs took a detour into the outer harbor. When we spotted an abandoned boat, we followed Larry and Marge into a shallow channel marked by sticks and plastic pipes.

Soon after entering the mangroves, the channel narrowed and deepened. Abandoned boats and machinery, litter, and dilapidated crab shacks told us we were in quite a different world. This could be the setting for any number of crime novels I've read. I stopped taking pictures, not wanting to alarm any inhabitants in hiding. We saw the hull of a home-made, half-submerged yellow submarine, with fans blowing in air. What the heck was that?!! Down another turn we saw some fishermen unloading a catch. I was relieved that they gave us a not-unfriendly wave. Of course I had on my brightest smile to show that we were just friendly people out for a Sunday ride. La la la la la! A dog started barking furiously, as two rough-looking guys spotted us and STOPPED opening the door to a shack. Whew, we finally turned around, and I was mighty glad to get out of there. All of this is, of course, woven into the colorful fabric that makes up the Florida Keys. Later, having survived our adventure into Deliverance-land, our Lobster Reuben lunch was even more delicious. In retrospect, those very fishermen could have caught the lobster we so relished for lunch. What a prima donna I am!

One Palm Court

2010-02-21T20:57:00.006-06:00

Sunday, February 21.`
On any given day, if it is near five o'clock p.m. and the weather is reasonable, you will find a group of folks gathered along the boardwalk at "One Palm Court." This spot is actually a collection of furnishings scavenged by our Looper friends, all of whom are spending the winter at Sombrero Dockside Marina. Sometimes we simply snack and sip various beverages (what IS that clear liquid?) and catch up on the day's events. At other times, we've shared delicious dinners. Louis Wade, with help from the other guys, is the primo grill chef. The girls contribute various appetizers, sides, and desserts. Each of us has had visitors who have also shared the camaraderie. This morning we feasted on grilled pancakes and sausage. Fine dining! I keep forgetting to take pictures, but a few are shown here. Life is good!

A Good Day in the Dinghy

2010-02-21T19:41:00.017-06:00

Sunday, February 21.
We are definitely on "island time," so keeping up blog postings usually falls among the list of things that should be done -- maybe later. Since it is now raining again, tonight seems like a good time to post some pictures and reflect on one particularly nice day.

For the entire week that Jim and Martha were with us, we had cool, cloudy, and windy weather. Exploration was done by car, not by boat. We had great fun anyway and were able to see things we would have otherwise missed. However, when we bade them a fond farewell last Monday, we noticed that the sky was finally blue. By early afternoon, the temperature was actually in the low 70s, so Bob and I decided to hop in the dinghy and explore nearby Sister Creek. Sister Creek flows from Boot Key Harbor to the Atlantic Ocean. Along the creek a maze of canals provides boating access to the many beautiful homes on the island. This is a literally a water maze lined with mangroves. We were amazed that every time we got to the end of one canal, we could turn right or left and head down another, thoroughly enjoying the sights. I was especially thrilled to see a bunch o' pelicans being fed by some owners of one of the lovely houses. We turned off the engine and just watched, with camera clicking!

After a while, we realized that our fuel needed replenishing, so we reluctantly left Sister Creek and made our way through Boot Key Harbor to Burdines to get gas. By the time we returned to Second Wind, we were chilly once again but happy about our day on the water.

Valentines Day in the Keys

2010-02-14T22:15:00.003-06:00

Sunday, February 14.
We spent yesterday evening with YaYa Karen Williams and her family in their condo near our marina. Her husband Darryl proved to be a masterful chef, serving up a fabulous dinner of grilled lobster tail and steak. It was really cold and windy outside, but he prevailed; we were mighty glad he did. Now grilled lobster has moved to the top of my list of favorite foods. I loved having the two families together, because they have all heard about one another through the years. Needless to say, various tales were told, and we all laughed a lot as we stuffed ourselves. In keeping with the "stuff ourselves" theme, we met again for a delicious brunch at Key Colony restaurant this morning. Again the meal was delicious. The picture shows Jim, Darryl, Karen, their beautiful niece Chevelle, me, Bob, and Martha (and an unknown lady on another table).

After a laundry session this afternoon, Martha and I were treated to a glorious sunset. She and I took these photos. Wow! Happy Valentines Day to all of us.

Hello, Mr. Pelican

2010-02-14T21:36:00.000-06:00

Martha took this picture of a pelican, who perched on a piling right beside our boat. Nice pose. From our boat we have enjoyed watching them swoop and dive for fish.

Storm coming

2010-02-14T21:23:00.000-06:00

A few nights ago we had gale force winds. This photo was taken from the boat just as the storm approached Boot Key Harbor. Some of the sailors tied up to mooring balls in the harbor clocked sustained winds of 45 mph during the night. We felt quite secure tied up in our marina slip, but we could hear the wind singing in the canvas.

Lots of Wind in Paradise

2010-02-14T21:14:00.001-06:00

We've had lots of wind. During the past week the highs have been in the low 60s. This is cooler than usual in the Keys, but you won't hear us complaining when we listen to reports of deep freezes and snow in much of the rest of the country.

Winter in Marathon, Florida --The Middle Keys

2010-02-12T22:54:00.006-06:00

February 12.
Now we fully understand the snowbird phenomenon. Freezing weather and heavy snows in the northern and mid-Atlantic states have made headline news for the past week. Even south Alabama had several inches of snow today (while we rode our bikes to the beach). Temperatures here have been in the 60s and occasional low 70s, which is a good bit cooler than normal. It has also been pretty windy, but how can we possibly complain!

Our days consist of morning walks, followed by excursions to various spots in the Keys. We went with a bunch of Loopers to a couple of art shows last weekend, and we’ve gone to the huge flea market on Big Pine Key several Saturdays. Row after row of open tents display everything from fresh produce to knives, clothing, jewelry, sunglasses, and marine supplies. Someone aptly called it the “dirt mall.” Pot luck dinner and watching the Super Bowl with good friends aboard Wandering L & M was great fun. Somehow they managed to hold 10 to 12 of us.

We have loved having Jim and Martha here on the boat with us this week. During a dinghy ride down nearby Sister Creek, we spotted a huge iguana among the mangroves. Iguanas are an exotic species to an Alabama girl. Jim has driven us to several state parks, where we have seen several Key deer, an endangered species found only in this area. They stand only about two feet high at the shoulder. At Blue Hole, the largest body of fresh water in the Keys, we spotted two iguanas in a distant tree. Martha took these excellent pictures. One was three or four feet long and displayed his orange neck flap with several flourishes. Today we meandered through the trails at Crane Point, fascinated by all the types of palm trees and the wild bird rescue center.

As always, we’ve eaten well. We had to take Jim and Martha back to No Name Pub – one place not to be missed. The pizza was again delicious. Pictures later--Keys Disease, you know.

Marathon: Random Reflections After a Week

2010-02-03T19:04:00.007-06:00

Wednesday, February 3.
Life has slowed down. Tackling the list of To Do's has been postponed again.

It's always fun to be with a group of Loopers, and we've made some great new friends. But still we know that dear friends at home are having difficult medical issues. We miss being there to see for ourselves that they are OK. Cell phone and email aren't always enough.

"One Palm Court," a collection of salvaged tables and chairs on the boardwalk right in front of a bunch of Looper boats, is where we cook out every Tuesday night. Last night about 44 people showed up for hot dogs and pot luck. All this started with Lewis and Larry dragging out discarded tables and chairs. Cleaned up and decorated with plastic tablecloths and lights, the resulting spot is "Keys fancy."

Morning walks feel good. That's the only thing keeping us from gaining 5 pounds a week while we're here. So much good seafood. So many restaurants to explore. So little willpower. Tonight we ate soup on the boat -- feeling virtuous.

Dinghying around is great fun -- looking at INTERESTING boats in the harbor, going to meals with Loopers (notice the Fried Key Lime Pie at Burdines), and exploring nearby Sister Creek.

We will be glad when we can finally move to our regular slip with the rest of the group. The Dockside Restaurant/bar is located about one foot from our boat windows. Fortunately, some of the musicians are quite good (and also loud). They stop playing by 9 p.m. How can we complain though! We are in the Keys, where daytime temperatures lurk mostly in the mid-70s.

Third Day. Busy Relaxing

2010-02-03T19:01:00.002-06:00

Saturday, January 30.
Skipped walking with the girls this morning to go with Phil, Alice, Lynn, and Jackie to the large weekly flea market at Big Pine Key. Amidst lots of junk and assorted stuff, a few gems emerged. Afterward the six of us went to the famous No Name Pub for an excellent pizza. This is another place completely decorated with signed dollar bills. No Name has been written up in Fodors and many other travel guides as a must stop. Delicious and interesting. We then rode around No Name Key until we spotted a lone Key deer. The rest of them must have been napping.

After we returned to the marina, we joined the group hanging out at One Palm Street, the makeshift Looper gathering spot. The guys have scavenged a table, complete with umbrella, a wicker settee, and a bunch of plastic chairs so that people can sit outside to chat and gather in the afternoon for cocktails. They even found an old tv. It only took a few fist slams to make it work. Bob and I had tickets to a music festival just down the street. We didn’t know what to expect, but it was quite good.

Second Day in Paradise

2010-02-03T18:57:00.001-06:00

Friday, January 29.
Although everything is laid back here, a few routines have been established. All the guys walk at 7 a.m., and the girls walk at 8 a.m. I am in the “slow” group for a mile-and-a-half walk around the golf course across the street. Later in the morning some boat issues came up: all of a sudden we had no water and no electricity in the galley. Thank goodness we had already had our morning coffee. Bob went to work. With some kibitzing from Larry, the problems were solved by installing a new water pump and changing settings on the inverter.

While Bob worked, I read. By late afternoon we started socializing and ended up with a group for dinner at an excellent Italian restaurant, Franks. It’s a good thing we will be walking in the mornings.

Cruise to Marathon

2010-02-03T18:28:00.009-06:00

Thursday, January 28. These photos were posted after the fact. After anchoring off New Turkey Key Wednesday night(not our favorite, but it got the job done), we dodged a maze of pesky crab pots until we finally arrived at the famous Seven Mile Bridge in the Keys. We were told to enter through the sixth opening from the left.... And finally, we saw what we had been waiting for: the entrance to Boot Key Harbor. Here hundreds of boats of all types, sizes, and shapes are tied to mooring balls. Some stay here long-term; others come and go. It is a laid-back life. Most transportation is by dinghy. Every morning at 9 a.m., a Cruisers Net occurs on VHF channel 68. Newcomers are welcomed; good-byes are spoke to those leaving; the weather forecast is given; announcements are made; questions and answers exchanged; and finally items are bought and sold. We are staying at a marina, Sombrero Dockside, but we arrived two weeks early. To accommodate us, the dockmaster has to move to various slips (including one in front of the loud, raucous bar/restaurant) until our original slip becomes available.

Marathon / Boot Key Harbor, Florida

2010-01-30T06:12:00.001-06:00

Thursday, January 28.
Woohoo! Made it to paradise. We had a happy reunion with Looper friends at Sombrero Dockside Marina this afternoon. Louis and Diane on the Bella Luna, Phil and Alice on Wonderland, and Larry and Marge on Wandering L&M. We were tickled to see other friends we’ve made along the way: Greg and Judy on Magic II and Steve and Carol on Here and Now. There were others, but my brain is in overload. Diane gave me the “orientation” and assured me that “Keys Disease” will infect us shortly. Plans for cocktails and dinner with the group had already been made before we arrived, so Louis and Diane took us with them for fresh shrimp and wings at the popular Sharpies restaurant. We already feel the cares of the world evaporating -- the first symptom of Keys Disease. I suspect that blog updates may be spotty for the five weeks we will be here. Photos later. (Another symptom?)

Everglades Wildlife Safari

2010-01-30T06:01:00.010-06:00

Wednesday, January 27. Our goal was to take an airboat tour of the Everglades to see birds, gators, and exotic foliage. But what we found is that most of the air boat operators around here give you a thrilling ride through the grasses, but they focus more on the ride than the wildlife. Instead we chartered a morning eco-tourist safari on a pole boat. Jack, naturalist, tour guide, and owner of Everglades Adventure Tours (www.evergladesadventuretours.com ), grew up poling through the Everglades with his dad, so he told us that his new thriving enterprise felt more like fun than work. He was especially pleased that there is a growing emphasis on ecology and preservation in the Glades.

Bob and I stepped into a small flat boat, and Jack quickly launched us into the shallow waters of the Glades. He proceeded to use a long pole to propel us forward through less than a foot of clear pristine water, surrounded by mangroves and grasses. We marveled at a cove filled with giant bromeliads, and he quietly propelled us to spots where flocks of birds – egrets, storks, herons, ibis – and yes, the gorgeous pink spoonbills – were perched. We had never seen storks, so we were in heaven! We even saw an alligator slithering right beside us underwater. The gator was in such a hurry that I forgot to be terrified. One stretch of the waterway was covered with what looked to be foam-covered algae. Our guide said this was the sign of pristine water. Long live the Everglades!

Tonight we are anchored near New Turkey Island, one of the many remote, uninhabited keys along the border of the Everglades National Park. This area is known as Ten Thousand Islands. We hope to be in Marathon tomorrow.

Everglades City and the Famous Rod and Gun Club

2010-01-30T05:45:00.009-06:00

Tuesday, January 26.
After a lumpy ride south in the Gulf about 2-3 miles offshore, we turned to shore at Marco Island Pass. The markings here are really confusing! I remember having to call SeaTow for directions the last time we went through this spot. The few markers we could find served as egret nests. Today we watched the chart plotter and both depth sounders, and we carefully threaded our way past Goodland and on to Everglades City without any trouble.

This is Florida just as it was 50 years ago; there’s nary a condo or high rise building in sight. Everglades City, population around 350 to 750 during “high” season, is a quiet community where men and women depend on the water for their livelihood. A number of Everglades tour boats went by as we approached. We docked in front of the Rod and Gun Club, a charming, rambling wood-frame inn that is a throwback to another era. Lots of famous people have stayed here including Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Hoover, and Nixon. Other notable visitors from the past include Ernest Hemingway, Burl Ives, John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, Shawn Connery, and Mick Jagger. It’s in the Everglades after all, a place for adventurers and manly men.

By late afternoon another cruising boat, a 39-foot Mainship named Magic II, arrived. After a brief chat with the owners, we agreed to have cocktails on our boat, then dinner together at the Rod and Gun Club restaurant. Greg and Judy are a delightful, fun couple from Hampton Roads, Virginia. They are also on their way to Marathon for a month. We all marveled at the beautiful old wood-paneled walls of the Rod and Gun Club, and we had a wonderful time comparing cruising notes. Our seafood portabella dinner was plentiful and delicious. They plan to leave in the morning and cruise straight to the Keys; we will anchor out one night before we get there.

An Afternoon with Birds and Mangroves

2010-01-25T21:14:00.008-06:00

Monday, January 25. The old saw,“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning,” proved true today. We were really glad to be tied up at a dock, because mighty winds blew all day long.

Bob and I spent the morning cleaning the boat and packing up 20 pounds of winter clothes, which are now bound for Huntsville in the mail. No more deep freezes allowed! We rewarded ourselves by driving over to Sanibel Island, where we toured the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This pristine wildlife area was named for J.N. “Ding” Darling, an editorial cartoonist and conservation activist during the early 1900s. We mainly saw lush mangroves, palms, and gumbo limbo trees because the wind kept most birds hunkered down out of sight. We did see a few Roseate Spoonbills from a distance, which made the trip a complete success. Magnificent birds! (I need a better camera.) One poor egret seemed troubled by the sign that said he couldn’t go any further.

Weekend With PDQ Owners in Stuart, Florida

2010-01-23T06:18:00.008-06:00

Sunday, January 24. Bob and I woke up Saturday morning in a huge king-size bed--nice! We had rented a car on Friday and drove over to Stuart, located on the Atlantic side of Florida, for a meeting of PDQ owners. The meeting was sponsored by Rhumbline Yachts, the primary PDQ broker. Various speakers discussed all aspects of owning and maintaining our boat. This was a great opportunity to compare notes with other owners, see how they have modified their boats, and explore the new, larger 41-foot PDQ. We've never seen so many PDQs in one place! On Sunday afternoon Bob and I gave our presentation on the Great Loop from a PDQ owner's point of view. It was fun. For us Second Wind has certainly been a perfect boat for long-distance cruising. We also met a neat couple who will be returning across the Gulf about the same time we will this spring. Hope that works out!

After doing a little more sightseeing tomorrow, we are planning to move south toward Everglades City on Tuesday, arriving in Marathon Key on Friday, January 29. We are looking forward to meeting up with a whole group of boating friends who are already celebrating life in the Keys. Our official reservations at Sombrero Dockside Marina don't begin for two more weeks. We do hope a slip will be available for an early arrival. Let's hope the weather cooperates.

On To Fort Myers Beach

2010-01-20T21:32:00.008-06:00

Wednesday, January 20.
We are out of cereal and I need a haircut, so it’s time to move on. As we pulled anchor in this lovely spot between Useppa and Cabbage Key Islands, we saluted again the attractive white houses of Useppa, nodded farewell to the Cabbage Key Inn, and began our cruise to Fort Myers beach. As we drove past Sanibel Island, we passed a familiar lighthouse and an island rookery of white birds. It was warm enough that people were actually sitting on the beach in bathing suits. Fishing boats, sailboats, cruising yachts, ferry boats, fast boats, and shrimp boats were all hanging out as we passed under the Matanzas Bridge from Fort Myers proper to Fort Myers Beach. We are now docked at Salty Sam's Marina, where we caught another gorgeous sunset. A pleasant but relatively uneventful day.

Anchorage at Useppa/Cabbage Key

2010-01-19T08:13:00.005-06:00

Monday – Tuesday, January 17-18. The storm we were expecting over the weekend turned out to be mostly wind. By this morning, Charlotte Harbor had only a moderate chop, so we headed on to the Useppa Island/Cabbage Key area, which came highly recommended as an anchorage. Our view consists of mangroves and palm trees along with the waterfront homes of the rich and famous. Useppa is a 100-acre island that was established as a private club. Members can get there only by water, but members we are not! Nearby mangrove islands host lots of birds, and the popular Cabbage Key is a short dinghy ride away.

Cabbage Key is an unspoiled island, famous because of the old Cabbage Key Inn, with its funky restaurant and bar. Fisherman on their way to or from various tarpon-fishing spots have stopped here for years to sip a cool one and get a meal. At some point they started a tradition of signing dollar bills and putting them on the walls and ceiling of the bar and restaurant. There are layers of bills covering every square inch, and the currency supposedly amounts to at least $50,000. This place was supposedly the inspiration for Jimmy Buffet’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” Behind the inn is a water tower that Bob and I climbed to get an overview of the island. A nature trail revealed several varieties of palm trees and tropical foliage. This is the first time we’ve seen Mother-in-Law’s Tongue growing wild. In one picture Bob is standing under a tree called a Strangler Fig. Unfortunately our camera battery pack is defunct, and we seem to have left the charger at home, so all pictures for a while will come from my I-phone.

The weather is pretty now, with daytime temps in the low 70’s and nights in the 50’s. We do run the generator in the morning to brew coffee and take the chill off. Paradise would be more complete only if our family and friends were here with us.

P.S. We just dinghied over for dinner at the Cabbage Tree Inn -- really good. We posted our dollar bill under a tarpon tale, along with many layers of other bills. We found out that as the dollar bills fall off the wall or ceiling, they are donated to charity -- raising up to $12,000 a year. The sky was clear and the stars were shining as we made our way back over open water to our little island of light. It was a delightful evening, reminding us of other such dinghy rides in the Caribbean.

Visits to Pelican Bay and Punta Gorda

2010-01-16T18:59:00.007-06:00

Thursday – Sunday, January 15 – 17. Now THIS is what we’ve been waiting for! To avoid the slow speeds and a string of bridges required if we went the Intercoastal Route, we chose to make a run along the coastline about three miles out in the Gulf. This route was much faster, but the drawback was having to dodge long strings of crabpots. After several hours, we turned east through Boca Grande Pass into Charlotte Harbor and set anchor in Pelican Bay, behind Cayo Costa island. This cove is well named. There must have been more than 40 pelicans in one spot when we arrived. As the afternoon progressed, the water turned to glass, and the clouds reflected beautifully in the water. A few other cruisers in the anchorage shared one of the most gorgeous sunsets we’ve ever seen.

Just a short dinghy ride across the bay is Cayo Costa State Park. This park has some small cabins, a camping area, and some docks for smaller boats. We happily took the open-air cart that drove us across the island to a lovely white-sand beach. Of course a few shells called to us. We did notice a few dead fish and a lot of sea urchins on shore, reflecting the effects of the recent week-long freeze.

Because of strong winds and impending bad weather, we are spending the weekend in Punta Gorda, which is 20 miles inland at the mouth of the Peace River. The city has a beautiful new marina (Laisley Park) with a nice boardwalk, but we haven’t seen a lot of action around here. However, there are some excellent restaurants nearby, such as The Perfect Caper, where we just enjoyed a fabulous dinner. We will eventually need groceries, but I doubt that we will starve. A nasty-looking storm is headed this way, so we are happy to be tied up in the shelter of a marina. We hope to spend the first of next week at another anchorage.

Sunny Sarasota

2010-01-13T21:03:00.005-06:00

Wednesday, January 13. Today has been sunny, even if windy and cool, and we enjoyed our three-block walk into downtown Sarasota to find a grocery store. Whole Foods was a perfect place to get some bread and meat to grill. Afterward we walked in the park adjacent to the marina. The area is lovely – a nice path runs along the waterfront park, and sailboats are moored in the bay. Marina Jacks is quite a luxurious marina -- our first to feature valet parking for sure! Later in the afternoon some Loopers, Jim and Mary, pulled in and we invited them over for wine and cheese. We are envious that they have most of the Great Loop still ahead of them. Nice folks. I hope we run into them again soon.

The weather is supposed to be warmer tomorrow, so we are planning to anchor out in Pelican Bay. We've heard about the many lovely anchorages along Florida's west coast, and that’s what we’ve wanted to do as we cruised south, but then the cold weather hit. Let's hope we find a good spot.

Back On the Water: Sarasota

2010-01-12T17:54:00.007-06:00

Tuesday, January 12. With a weather forecast calling for "plentiful sunshine," we started our engines after a month of patient waiting and headed out onto Tampa Bay. Ahhhhhhh, we relish the freedom of being out on the water again. After three and a half hours of cruising in lots of shallow water ("Don't go where the birds are walking."), we finally spotted the huge Sunshine Skyway bridge and the Sarasota skyline. We are staying at Marina Jack’s, a marina noted for pampering its guests and offering several great restaurants on the premises. Crab Nachos have been highly recommended. Guess where we are headed. . . .

Fun in the Florida SUN? No, Fun in a Florida Deep Freeze!

2010-01-10T17:47:00.005-06:00

Wednesday – Sunday, January 6 – 10. Huntsville was having a cold snap as we climbed into Bob and Sue Kuehlthau’s airplane for a trip south to warm (usually) Saint Petersburg. The first day-and-a-half was chilly but not cold. Since then, however, we’ve been in a deep freeze. It is even warmer in Alaska than here! Floridians are shivering, and so are we.

The weather hasn’t interfered with our adventures though. During the few days Bob and Sue were here, we’ve toured both St. Pete and Tarpon Springs, shopped at specialty stores and galleries, marveled at Tiffany windows at the First Methodist Church, eaten well, gotten a different perspective from the Dali Musueum, been to a movie, and watched Alabama win the National Championship.

The Kuehlthaus have been delightful company, and we’ve had great fun exploring Saint Petersburg with them. They agree that this is an outstanding area to visit. There are plenty of things to do and see, plus the waterfront and downtown areas are easy on the eyes. Now it’s time to move further south. As soon as the weather improves (probably Tuesday), we will cast off our lines and turn south toward Sarasota.

Christmas and New Year 2009

2010-01-10T17:34:00.012-06:00

The Christmas holiday was a blur, but excellent nonetheless. A short visit with Scott and Anne in Tallahassee was a whirlwind of activity: go to a garage sale and an art show, paint a wall, redecorate, clean the house, cook, and put on a party all in the same day. That describes “Life with Scott and Anne”. It was great fun.

Then word came that my aunt Virginia in Birmingham was not doing well. Bob and Anne dropped me off at her hospital room on our drive back to Huntsville. She died a few days later. At the age of 90, Virginia was ready to go. The funeral was a celebration of a loving, vibrant lady and a life well lived. It also gave us an opportunity to see family members that we don’t often get to see. A couple of days later it was time for our annual party. So with Scott and Anne’s help, we decorated the house, installed our fabulous new painting series by Anne (visible behind the photo of Anne/Susan with antlers), put together some party food (with help from Costco), enjoyed being hosts at a fun party, delighted in the arrival of Susan and Keith, got ready for Christmas, relished a delicious, eventful Christmas dinner (including an emergency visit to the hospital by Anne), loved having Jim, Martha, Allison, and Mackenzie for a quick visit, partied on New Year’s Eve, then collapsed until it was time to head back to the boat. This Christmas holiday was memorable in every way, including the sensation of riding a roller coaster of activities and emotions.

Loving St. Petersburg! Heading Home For the Holidays

2009-12-12T18:16:00.015-06:00

Thursday through Saturday, December 10 - 12, 2009
During our Great Loop adventure a couple of years ago, we rarely stopped in one area for very long. Our schedule was usually driven by the need to meet people or to attend various events. Weather delays were the only reason we stayed in any town or city for more than a day or two. That is not the case during our current Keys Adventure.

As we work our way down Florida's west coast, we are taking the time to explore as we go. St. Petersburg has been an excellent stopover. I mentioned earlier our experience with the Dali Museum. On Thursday we learned some highlights of the history of St. Petersburg as reflected in the history of the fabulous Renaissance Vinoy Hotel, which overlooks the waterfront. This magnificent resort hotel, which had once fallen into a state of disrepair (vagrants, graffitti, volleyball city tournaments in the ballroom), has been restored to a new level of comfort and luxury. We took the Vinoy History Tour, which included a delicious lunch. A peek at the new gorgeous ballroom chandelier by Dale Chahuli, the famous blown-glass artist, was a wonder in itself. The chandelier is eight feet in length -- fabulous.

Afterwords we toured the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Art. Again we got to see a comprehensive collection of art, everything from Greek and Roman antiquities, to Pre-Columbian art to works by Monet and O'Keefe. A traveling exhibition by Leslie Dill reminded us very much of our own Anne's installation art. Too bad cameras were outlawed. Our senses were in overload.

I now understand why people want to live in this area. While I was expecting a bunch of condos and old people, what I discovered is a vibrant, friendly city that feels like a community. Beautiful waterfront scenery, galleries, excellent restaurants, specialty shops, trolleys, parks. We love St. Pete!

P.S. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner Friday night at Cerviche, a casual gourmet tapas restaurant in downtown St. Pete. Today (Saturday, December 12) we left the boat to head towards home for the holidays. We are now in Tallahassee, planning to drive home on Monday the 14th with our talented, fun daughter-in-law Anne. It's always fun to drop in on Scott and Anne's lives - think busy on steroids. We'll be back on the boat after the first of the year. Happy Holidays!

Discovering St. Petersburg, Florida

2009-12-09T20:12:00.006-06:00

Monday - Wednesday, December 7-9.
Our last day in Clearwater Beach was cloudy and cool, perfect for doing laundry. We enjoyed dinner with some Loopers at Frenchy’s Cafe, a local favorite. There will be a big influx of Loopers here in the next few days. If we hadn’t crossed the Gulf last Saturday, we would still be waiting for a weather window in Florida's Panhandle with about two dozen boats. Having enjoyed Clearwater Beach for a week, it’s time to move on. We are looking forward to meeting up with Looper friends further south.

Early Tuesday morning, Bob and I cast off our lines and headed south. The heavy fog was a surprise, so we were mighty glad to have our radar up and running again. The stretch of the Intercoastal Waterway between Clearwater and St. Petersburg is lined with condos and large private homes, punctuated by numerous bridges. It was slow going because of a steady procession of No Wake zones. By 1 p.m. we pulled into the Harborage Marina, where we plan to leave the boat for a month. Hurray, it has floating docks -- no pilings!

Bob and I immediately caught a trolley so we could see the lay of the land. The trolley fare was only 10 cents each for seniors – such a deal! Although St. Pete is tourist friendly like Clearwater, it has an entirely different character. St Pete is an active city with grassy parks, museums, interesting architecture, lots of history, and a lovely waterfront. With so much to see and do, we will stay busy every day we are here. For example, the only attraction in Florida’s west coast with top ratings by the Michelin Guide is the Salvadore Dali Museum, which just happens to be located next door to our marina. I never thought I was a fan of Salvadore Dali’s work, but after an excellent docent-led tour, we were both enthralled by his complex and confounding images as well as his jewelry.

The Ringling Museum Complex in Sarasota, Florida

2009-12-07T11:47:00.005-06:00

Sunday, December 6, 2009.
Because our boat is still in Clearwater Beach, Bob and I rented a car so we could see the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, only a few hours away. We had no idea that this huge complex included several venues scattered throughout the 66-acre John and Mable Ringling estate. Situated among walking paths, huge banyan trees, and gardens, we spent the day being immersed in art and nature as well as the razzle-dazzle of the circus.

One entire building contained the world’s largest miniature circus, every piece crafted by a single man. This artistic exhibit told the full story of the American Circus, depicting every aspect of a performance: from erecting the Big Top and support tents for housing and feeding the performers and animals, to the various maintenance areas, and finally to the arrival of the circus train, the parade, the side shows and the three-ring performance itself. The most fascinating part, of course, was the intricately choreographed behind-the-scenes activities. This exhibit alone was worth the cost of admission, and I’m not even a huge circus fan.

In another fabulous Italianate building we saw a world-renowned collection of fine art, including masterpieces by Rubens and van Dyck. These works were displayed in the dramatic style of the Ringling family. We also visited the palatial mansion of John and Mable Ringling. Did I mention that their home was 22,000 square feet? As we walked between these gorgeous buildings (and there were others that we missed), we were surrounded by gardens, statuary, and banyan trees. What a fabulous experience, certainly a highlight of this trip.

Family Time and Christmas Spirit in Not-so-sunny Florida

2009-12-07T11:44:00.003-06:00

Saturday, December 5, 2009.
The only words to describe Friday are wet and dreary. We didn’t even get off the boat. The weather the whole time we’ve been here has been unseasonably cool, but we can’t complain because it is even colder at home. Even though we aren’t seeing much of the sun, the weekend has been a treat.

We rarely get to see the Malone side of Bob’s family, so having cousins nearby has been a delightful bonus. Late this afternoon, Claudia and her Bob brought niece Amanda aboard Second Wind. Of course Amanda was intrigued by the living space, especially all the nooks and crannies. Then we all met for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in St. Pete. Amanda’s mother Marie ordered an authentic feast for all of us. Even the lemonade tea was unusual and delicious. Afterward we gathered at Al and Marie’s house to decorate their Christmas tree. With Amanda playing Christmas carols on the piano, the sparkling tree, and a collection of family, the Christmas spirit is alive and well. I am quite taken with 7-year-old Amanda, who is lively, cute, well-mannered, and smart as a whip.

Touring the Clearwater Beach Area

2009-12-07T11:41:00.006-06:00

Thursday, December 3, 2009.
After sleeping soundly through another big blow, I walked around the large Clearwater City Marina complex and took pictures of some tour boats and pelicans, my favorite coastal bird. Later Bob and I decided that we should take advantage of the Jolley Trolley to see the entire area around Clearwater. For only $3 each, we can use any trolley in Pinellas County, via a system of transfers. The Jolley Trolley is for Clearwater Beach only, but by catching a larger trolley, we could go north to Downtown Clearwater or as far south as St. Petersburg Beach. So that is how we spent most of the day. As we headed south, mile after mile of condos was mainly what we saw.

I guess I was expecting a bunch of cute villages with specialty shops and galleries, but this is serious retirement country. Most residents are looking for a place to escape the cold North and watch the sunset. One nice lady on the trolley suggested that we get off at St. John’s Pass, where we were happy to see a funky boardwalk with nearby shops and ice cream parlors. I helped the local economy by purchasing yet another pair of boating sandals. These are pretty clunky, but oh, are they comfortable.

By the time we got back to Second Wind at sundown, we were delighted to see a group of Loopers enjoying happy hour. Of course we joined them and spent the evening sharing adventures, wine, and snacks. As the temperature dropped, several of us went aboard Voyager II, where we continued doing what Loopers do – talk about where we’ve been and where we are going, while sampling cheese and crackers and sipping wine. It was fun.

Laying Low in Clearwater, Florida

2009-12-02T19:58:00.006-06:00

Monday to Wednesday, November 30 - December 2, 2009.
Clearwater Beach is delightful. One of the first things we did was to walk across the street from the marina to see the beach. White sand, great boardwalk, fabulous sunsets -- this is our reward for crossing the Gulf. Every evening at sunset, local vendors, tourists, and locals celebrate at the pier. It is a fun place to be. After one beautiful sunny day, the weather fell apart, however -- rain and wind are scheduled to arrive the day after we did.

With forecasts of weather unfit for boats, we’ve decided to stay at the Clearwater Marina for a while. Moving from a slip constantly rocked by tour boats to a protected slip near the fuel dock (and behind a big Hatteras), we are now a lot more comfortable than we were. We’ve spent a good bit of time trying to figure out plans and make reservations for the next month or so. I do miss being able to go online!

With strong storms headed this way, Clearwater makes a good hidey hole. A mechanic is available to change some filters on the engines, the local Jolly Trolly comes every half hour to carry us to nearby stores and restaurants, and a sandy beach, complete with boardwalk, is just a short walk away. Sunset is celebrated every night with beach musicians and vendors. An added bonus is that Bob’s cousins Claudia and Al live nearby in Largo, FL. Claudia and her dear friend Bob drove us to St. Petersburg yesterday, then took us to her lovely home, and ended the evening with dinner at an excellent Greek restaurant. We also got to get reacquainted with Al’s wife Marie and their adorable 7-year-old daughter Amanda. We now have a stash of sweet ruby red grapefruits from Claudia’s garden – no scurvy for the Staggs! We’ll look forward to visiting with them again while we are in this area of Florida.

Thanksgiving and the Momentous Crossing of the Gulf

2009-11-30T14:31:00.005-06:00

Wednesday – Sunday, November 25 – 29
Thanksgiving in Tallahassee with Scott and Anne involved everything that makes life good –- enjoying easy, fun time with our kids and eating a banquet of fine food. It was delightful to visit with their good friends too. Anne spent hours hauling us around town to run boat errands, and Scott spent a day with Bob working on boat repairs. We also managed to get in a little bit of Christmas shopping and were finally able to look at lots of Anne’s paintings. We picked out our favorite of her works, and we can’t wait to install this exuberant collage of colorful paintings. Now this Thanksgiving visit can be added to the list of memorable happy holidays with our family. We just wish Susan/Keith, Jim/Martha, and Allison and Mackenzie could have joined us too.

The upcoming Gulf crossing remained ever on our minds, and finally the day came when Scott and Anne brought us back to Second Wind in Carabelle, Flordia, where we were soon to depart. I’ll have to say that Bob and I were both pretty apprehensive. Scott and Anne hung out with us for several hours, just to give us moral support. We never cruise at night, and we were about to head out across the Gulf of Mexico as the sun was going down! What were we thinking!

Our plan was to rendezvous with two Looper boats, Doug and Kathy on Nonchalance, and Bill and Jane on Loose Stones. We had met them only through email, but they were willing to let us tag along, even though they were leaving from Apalachicola and we were departing Carabelle. Bob figured out a point where our routes could intersect around sundown, and we cast off our lines at 3:20 p.m. on Saturday the 28th. Sure enough, just as the sun set, we spotted two black dots on the horizon. (you can barely see them as tiny dots in the sunset photo.) And were we ever glad to be in the company of two other boats as we cruised in the dark all night long. Seeing the lights on their boats was comforting to say the least – and we had someone to talk with as we struggled to stay awake.

Dark, boring, cold, and interminable best describes “The Crossing” experience. Somehow I never imagined how dark it would be, nor did I realize that reading would be out of the question. Any light at all ruined our night vision, and we HAD to be able to read the chart plotter and radar. Because it was cold, we drove from the cabin pilot station instead of the flybridge. We thought turning on the XM radio would provide some entertainment, but we couldn’t really hear it over the roar of the engines. Because our buddy boats had super powerful radars, they could spot other boats miles before we could see them. A “sighting” was something to look for and discuss, so we welcomed them. Bob and I each napped off and on, drank hot chocolate, and snacked all night long. We felt quite lucky that the seas were fairly calm most of the way. As we got closer to land, we had about an hour where the waves kicked up a bit. While that one hour was bumpy, we realize how lucky we were that the weather was kind to us.

By 10 a.m. on Sunday the 29th, we were safely tied up at the Clearwater Municipal Marina, thankful that we had safely completed this milestone. We checked in, washed off the first layer of salt, and crashed the rest of the afternoon. Later that evening we finally met our “Crossing Buddies” face-to-face. Just as we expected, Doug & Kathy and Bill & Jane were delightful. We hope our wakes cross again.

(We are still having problems connecting to the Internet.)

Apalachicola to Carrabelle. Tallahassee for Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T11:43:00.007-06:00

Monday to Wednesday, November 23 - 25th
The minute we spotted Scipio Creek Marina in Apalachicola, my mouth started watering for oysters on the half-shell. After a quick walk around this charming town along Florida's "Forgotten Coast," we went straight to Papa Joe's for several dozen. Yummmmmm! Bob and I wanted to stay longer, but we needed to head over to The Moorings Marina in Carrabelle, our "parking spot" until after Thanksgiving. The two-hour ride across Apalachee Bay seemed pretty uneventful until we spotted two large birds that seemed to have white tails from a distance. Sure enough, they were bald eagles out on the open water! We have only seen eagles along rivers, so we were tickled.

Soon after we were tied up in our slip (those #$@#! pilings again), Scott and Anne appeared to whisk us away for several days of Thanksgiving celebration at their home in Tallahassee. On Tuesday night we had a delicious dinner and great fun with their friends Christine and John. Now we are awaiting the main event -- Thanksgiving is always happy when we are with family and friends.

A Few Days at Bay Springs Marina in Panama City, Florida

2009-11-22T15:34:00.012-06:00

Friday - Sunday, November 20-22, 2009.

Another blue sky day graced us as we cruised through the narrow ICW cut and entered huge Choctawhatchee Bay. Because the wind was fairly calm, the long, zig-zag route across the bay was pretty comfortable. Our arrival at Bay Point Marina in Panama City Beach wasn’t exactly my best moment. Since most of my docking experience is on the rivers where floating docks are the norm, I’m used to catching a cleat, then tying the boat up. I seem to have forgotten how tricky it can be to pull into a dock defined by wood pilings. In addition, each slip is different. In this one, we needed to back the boat in. I fumbled with the lines and couldn’t figure out which line should go where and when. Bob couldn’t see what I was doing, so he couldn’t help either. Aaarggghh! Oh well, we made it without mishap.

Because the weather was turning, we decided to stay at Bay Springs for a couple of days. This place carries wonderful memories for our family. The Marriott Resort here was the site of Susan and Keith's wedding three years ago. A few days later, Second Wind was delivered to this marina by our wonderful broker Billy Martin. We've used the time well -- to relax, clean up the inside of the boat, and of course visit with some Looper friends on Sea Sea and RoyEL. Visits on their BIG boats reminds us just how compact Second Wind actually is. But that's ok, she continues to serve us very well. We're getting ever closer to a decision about when to cross the Gulf. It will be after Thanksgiving for sure. As soon as a good weather window presents itself, we'll be off for this overnight adventure on open water.

Orange Beach, AL to Ft. Walton Beach, FL

2009-11-19T19:03:00.003-06:00

Thursday, November 19, 2009.
After a week in Huntsville taking care of “home stuff,” we are back on the boat. While we were gone, we had Second Wind washed, waxed, and buffed, and she looks very perky. It took an extraordinary amount of time to put the boat back together after all the preparations for Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ida, so we didn’t leave The Wharf Marina until nearly noon. It felt mighty good to be back on the water.

Cruising in salt water is quite a bit different from cruising on the rivers. Instead of contending with current, we have tides and big, wide bays with many routes to choose from and navigate. This is where having a chart plotter with auto-pilot comes in handy. By plotting our course in advance, we don’t have to make as many on-the-spot decisions when trying to choose from the multiple buoys/routes available . Today’s route was pretty straightforward, but sometimes it can be quite confusing.

Even though the sky is blue, the temperatures are cool, so fleece feels good. How strange it feels to be passing those fabulous sugar-white dunes of Perdido Key and Pensacola, Florida, wearing fleece jackets instead of shorts and bathing suits. Today we saw a lighthouse, a few dolphins (who refused to pose for a picture), and some cormorants perched on lighted buoys. They posed for a short spell, but by the time I took a photo, they were just sitting there.

After we passed Pensacola Bay, we entered “The Narrows.” As we cruise east along the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway, the mainland is to our left, and 49-mile long Santa Rosa Island is to our right. It is fun knowing that ocean is just past the sand dunes we see. The Air Force has a strong presence here, and we were intrigued by the tall radar measurement tower.

Tonight we hare tied up to the free town dock at Fort Walton Beach. We’ve had a long day, so hummus, cheese, crackers and apples served as our dinner. Accompanied by some wine, it hit the spot. Not enough wifi signal to post pictures again! Darn!

We Survived Ida in Orange Beach, Alabama

2009-11-11T19:35:00.005-06:00

Monday - Wednesday, November 9-11. We have had lousy Internet access for the past few days, so I haven't been able to post. Thanks for the calls and messages. We are fine.

Bob and I spent Monday completing boat preparations for Ida, which seemed unsure whether to return to full-fledged hurricane status or just remain a big blow. Rain, rain, and more rain, accompanied by lots of wind pretty well described the weather all day. We secured all the cushions and anything that could move, added lines, positioned fenders, and went back and forth about whether to stay on the boat or accept the Conrads' kind offer to return to their house during the storm. Because it looked as if Ida was weakening, we finally decided to stay where we were.

We never lost power, and we slept like babes as Ida finally came ashore on Dauphin Island, then headed east towards us. Our only crisis was a shrieking alarm that came on just as we were going to bed. As it turns out, the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector were dying, and the shrieking was to let us know that it was time to change them. That REALLY got our attention since the worst of the storm was imminent, and we had nowhere to go. Fortunately, Bob changed the batteries, and the confounded detector quit alarming us.

Tuesday brought more rain and wind, but we were able to get out of the boat and explore this amazing marina complex, which consists of condominiums and lots of specialty shops and restaurants. The Levines and their company joined us. I can't say that I've ever been to a marina that has a large ferris wheel! But the Wharf has been an excellent place to take shelter in a big storm. As the storm got closer, the marina filled with huge sports fishing boats and large cruising boats -- all here for the same reason -- shelter in a storm. The staff was very professional, supplying lines and fenders to boats that needed them. They were even planning to walk the docks when the eye of the storm passed through.

Today (Wednesday) we picked up our rental car, which just happened to be located in Foley, Alabama, where a huge shopping outlet resides. After retail therapy for me and a visit to West Marine for Bob, we are back on the boat, preparing for our 6-day trip home to Huntsville. When we come back, we hope to move quickly down the rest of Florida's Panhandle.

Gracious Hospitality turns to Hunkering down for Ida

2009-11-08T16:27:00.003-06:00

Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8.
On Saturday the skies were blue and the winds fairly light but building as we left the Levines at Mobile Bay to spend a day or two with Looper friends Tom and Patsy Conrad in beautiful Russell Bayou just before Pensacola, FL. The Conrad’s house is lovely, their dock secure, and their hospitality superb. Tom is the “Weather Guru” for Loopers for the waterway stretch that begins in Mobile, runs along the Panhandle, and continues across the Gulf or around Florida’s Big Bend. Loopers depend on his “Weather Musings,” which he sends out every morning during the late fall and winter. Even as we enjoyed Patsy’s delicious dinner, our conversation kept returning to the weather, specifically Ida, a volatile minor hurricane which was supposed to reduce intensity and become a tropical storm, turning east before it reached this part of the Gulf.

Unfortunately the weather update at 9 p.m. Saturday evening got our attention. In spite of all the factors against Ida affecting us too badly, conditions have changed. We needed to prepare for a pretty big blow. So this morning (Sunday), we headed back to The Wharf, a huge marina/resort complex in the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area. The wind has picked up, and Ida is currently a Category 2 hurricane in the lower Gulf. Fortunately our slip is well protected and has floating docks. That’s a big plus if Ida continues her status as a hurricane by the time she arrives in the northern Gulf. We are now under a hurricane watch, but we are hunkered down and feel pretty secure. The forecasters still aren’t sure how the storm will progress, but they assure us that we will likely see rains of 6-8 inches, lots of wind (gusts to 85 mph?), and heavy thunderstorms. This is more excitement than we expected, but we’ve experienced plenty of big storms in the past and did just fine. Oh, and I'm happy to say that the Levines are also here at The Wharf with us, as well as some other Loopers. We’ll update the blog as we can. For the record, our current Lat/Lon is 30 17.6 N / 87 37.88 W.

Fairhope, Day 2

2009-11-06T20:37:00.002-06:00

Friday, November 6, 2009.
Today was a lay day -- bought groceries, washed clothes, refueled, pumped out, had some routine maintenance work done on the boat. We rewarded ourselves by going out to dinner at a little seafood place called Market By the Sea. The fried shrimp and gumbo were excellent.

On the first Friday of each month in the Fairhope, merchants put on an Art Walk. Shops and art galleries stay open until 9 p.m., many offering wine and refreshments. A number of musicians entertained us as we walked the streets with another Looper couple, Nancy and Ross on Oddysea. Fairhope is a truly delightful place; I'd like to come back for a visit, especially on First Friday. Tomorrow we're heading east to stay at Tom and Patsy's harbor near Pensacola. Lots of uncertainty still exists about the storm Ida that is currently wreaking havoc near Nicaragua. Ida has stopped many Loopers from heading on down the Tenn Tom to the Gulf. We will be looking for a safe haven just in case the storm picks up, but it's too soon to tell whether it will be a significant event around here or not.

We're in Fairhope, Alabama!

2009-11-05T20:56:00.003-06:00

Thursday, November 5.
We are back in big water! We left our idyllic Three Rivers anchorage at 7 a.m. for the final stretch of the lower Tenn-Tom Waterway. Passing under the "Dolly Parton Bridge" and the 14-Mile Railway Bridge, the terrain looked different again -- flatter, sandy soil banks with patches of coastal foliage. As usual, we were in awe as we passed under the suspension bridge leading into busy Mobile Harbor. Ranked 8th in the U.S. for exports, the Port of Mobile passes 40 million tons of cargo each year. Huge ships, working cranes, and tows lined both sides of the harbor, dwarfing little Second Wind and Sandpiper aw we passed through.

Mobile Bay was only a little choppy this time, so our passage across to Eastern Shore Marina in Fairhope, Alabama, was relatively easy. How different it seems to tie the boat up to pilings instead of the floating docks we're used to on the Tennessee River and Tenn-Tom Waterway. Late this afternoon, Sarah and Doug Kennedy, "sort of" cousins from Fairhope, drove over to the boat and took us for drinks at the fabulous new Fairhope Yacht Club. Sunset from the porch was lovely, and we really enjoyed our short visit with them. Afterwards, the Levines joined us for a delicious dinner at Tamara's Downtown.

We're glad to be off the river, but now we have something else to keep an eye on. It is possible that a minor hurricane may come into the Gulf early next week. We will keep our eyes peeled. We're staying here another day just to visit the neat shops and galleries -- and enjoy the many seafood restaurants.

Demopolis to Waaaaay Down the Tenn-Tom.

2009-11-05T20:50:00.000-06:00

Wednesday, November 4, 2009.
First let me say that we did a record run today of 150 miles! The day began with another 6 a.m. start. We were through the Demopolis Lock by 7 a.m., with one eye-opening occurrence. While we were waiting for all the other boats to tie up, I saw the lockmaster peering intently down the bollard chamber right across from us. A bollard is essentially an empty metal cylinder, 3 feet in diameter, which floats up and down a chamber within the lock wall as the water is filled or released. At the top of a bollard is a metal stob that boaters use to tie their lines to. This way they can be lifted or dropped securely along the lock wall. Well, I heard the lockmaster mutter “We have a critter here,” and he proceeded to bang on the bollard chamber. I yelled across the lock, “What kind of critter?” His answer: “A water moccasin. Guess he wanted to stay out of the cold water.” He continued, “I’ve told people that it’s not a good idea to tie off too cozy against the bollards.” About that time another boat, God Speed, pulled up and tied off. They never even knew about the “companion” they missed. Now I’m paranoid, of course.

This morning we started down the lower end of the Waterway, which is where the Black Warrior River joins the Tombigbee. The water is still at least 10-15 feet higher than normal, and the current is giving us a three to four mph boost. This stretch is full of hairpins curves, which is why we still have so many miles to go before we reach Mobile. We encountered a number of tows, so the Waterway is clearly being used commercially. The weather today has been excellent, and we made such good time that we bypassed a good anchorage and the infamous Bobby’s Fish Camp, passed through Coffeeville Lock (our last lock until spring), and anchored 64 miles north of Mobile in an area called Three Rivers, which was recommended by another Looper on the boat Royale. In addition to Sandpiper, Second Wind, and Royale, three other Loopers and three Canadian sailboats are all anchored here. We’ll have to remember this location. It is a great anchorage. Grilled chicken, potato salad, stewed apples, a bottle of wine, and some freshly cooked chocolate chip cookies on Sandpiper was an excellent way to end this long day!

An Early Morning Run to Demopolis, Alabama

2009-11-05T20:46:00.001-06:00

Tuesday, November 3, 2009.
Bob Levine knocked on our boat at 5:15 a.m. with the news, “The lockmaster says if we can be there in 15 minutes, he will lock us through before the commercial traffic.” Boaters are clearly crazy people, but being in that category too, Bob and I threw on some clothes and were out on deck in record time. It was still pretty dark, the moon was almost full, and mist was rising off the water. Many blobs of foam (industrial pollution?) were floating everywhere as well as large clumps of ubiquitous aquatic weeds as we made our way to Tom Bevill Lock. Four other Looper boats were behind us – all wanting to get a head start. By 10 a.m. we had cruised 40 miles and had passed through both Bevill and Heflin Locks.

The Tenn-Tom is mostly mile after mile of waterway surrounded by trees brush, and some clay banks with an occasional bridge to change the scenery. Today we passed something fairly unique: stretches of tall chalky cliffs. One section is actually named the White Cliffs of Epes. Of course I got some pictures, which will be posted eventually. Just before we arrived in Demopolis for the night, we passed the mouth of the Black Warrior River. We are just a little over halfway down the Waterway. Thank goodness we have Fred Meyers guide book, The Tenn-Tom Nitty Gritty Cruise Book to give us navigation tips and information about what we are seeing. After a dinner with Loopers at the Demopolis marina grill, we headed back to the boat. Tomorrow will be another early departure. No more marinas are available until we get to Mobile.

Columbus, Mississippi to Pirates Cove Marina

2009-11-05T20:43:00.002-06:00

Monday, November 2, 2009. Columbus, Mississippi to Pirates Cove Marina
While we were still in the civilized city of Columbus, Ann and I spent the morning at the grocery store while the Bobs cleaned filters and worked on the boats. Our only lock today was Stennis, and we left before noon for our short run to Pirate’s Cove Marina, located somewhere in rural Alabama. As we left Columbus, we saw a big flock of white pelicans. Wish my camera had been handy.

The Tenn-Tom has changed character; the terrain now looks more like a regular river than a cut. The current is trucking along because of all the recent rains. Although we are definitely in the boonies, we saw a bit of development. Every once in a while a few houses graced the waterfront, especially where a highway crosses the waterway. I wonder how long it will be before major waterfront development begins along the Waterway.

We spent the night at Pirate’s Cove Marina, a small facility that actually had a courtesy van. This marina is located somewhere near Aliceville, Alabama, I think. The Levines and Staggs went on a short outing to see the Tom Bevill Visitor Center, a beautiful mansion/museum that was designed by combining the best features of many southern mansions. Although the museum itself was closed today, we walked down to see the historic 108-foot snagboat, the Montgomery. (I thought Ann was saying, “Let’s go down to the snack boat,” so I was pretty excited about the prospect of getting an ice cream sandwich. Darn!) Anyway, this huge boat was used by the Corps of Engineers to clear southern waterways of trees and large debris. The Montgomery was moved here in 2003 for protection and minor restoration, but it is no longer in service. Pictures later.

From Somewhere to Columbus, Mississippi on the Tenn Tom Waterway

2009-11-01T18:08:00.005-06:00

November 1, 2009
We FINALLY have a good Internet connection. Pictures will come later.
The Fulton Lockmaster (the lock just a few miles past Midway Marina, wherever that is located)called bright and early to say that he would be ready for southbound boats within the hour. Since I was still in bed, that meant some fast moving for so early in the morning. Dew was heavy, so we had to wipe down the flybridge seats and all the Isenglass just to be able to see as we drove. Running a few mintues late, we tried to cast off, but the boat didn't move. All of the "greens" held us hostage until Bob gave a quick blast with the engines forward and back to clear the props. Fish may love the aquatic weeds, but boaters don't! This action was repeated several times until we got to deeper water. By 10 a.m. we had gone through Fulton and Wilkins locks and were entering our third one, Amory. Somehow along the way we grabbed granola bars for breakfast and finished dressing.

The terrain has changed now. It is flatter, and the fall foliage is not quite so far advanced. We see lots of cyprus trees and very little development. The waterway probably looks very much like it did when it first opened in 1985. We are still cruising with a flotilla of south-bound boats. Many of us have stopped for the night at the Columbus Marina, where the WiFi actually works! Tonight we'll join the Levines, the Suttons, and a sailor named Pete for dinner at the marina restaurant, which is open for boaters only (being Sunday). The dockmaster "T" indicated that they are happy this time of year when all the Loopers and snowbirds are coming through. I'm sure marinas have really felt the economy too, and having so many transient boaters stopping for overnight dockage and fuel certainly helps.

I doubt that we will have much Internet access for the the next few days. I'll catch up again whenever we do. Pictures won't be posted until we go home for a short visit mid-November.

Halloween on the Tenn-Tom Waterway

2009-11-01T16:51:00.003-06:00

Friday, October 31, 2009.
Yesterday's heavy rain continued through the night, but by 7 a.m. the skies were clearing, and by 8 a.m. we were heading down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in the company of the Levines on Sandpiper and the Suttons on Double SS. Because so many boaters were leaving the Rendezvous, along with the snowbirds from Canada, Lake Michigan, and parts south, the waterway that takes us all to the Gulf and sunny Florida is a lot more crowded than usual. We locked through three locks -- Whitten, Montgomery, and Rankin -- with a passel of big boats. The weather has turned colder, so fleece was in order, but we were happy to see blue sky again in the afternoon.

We all spent our first night on the Tenn-Tom at Midway Marina. To get to our dock, Bob and I had to drive through what looked like a huge bowl of turnip greens! These aquatic weeds are different from the millfoil that we are used to, but just as obnoxious. The weeds were quickly forgotten when we were all invited to a Halloween Party, given by the marina for all boaters. The locals all had on costumes, and everybody brought a dish. BOOOOOOOOO! It was fun. Because we were pretty exhausted from a long day on the water, our evening ended early.

Rolling on the River to Aqua Marina on Yellow Creek, Pickwick Lake.

2009-11-01T16:49:00.005-06:00

Thursday, October 29 – Friday 30th, 2009.
Soon after we finally cast off from Joe Wheeler Marina, the sky opened up and the rain started. Because of our late departure, we were in the third group of Loopers to lock through Wheeler and Wilson locks. Somewhere along the way we realized that our radar wasn’t working and the steady drip, drip on our heads reminded us that we should have refreshed the waterproofing on our Bimini before we started. Pretty soon we were thoroughly damp and a little chilly, but as we’ve said before, “Just being on the water makes everything OK.” By 4:15 p.m., we were safely tied up at Aqua Harbor Marina with our Looper friends the Levines and Woody and Ellen Sutton. (Woody and Ellen had also been in on the “Susan surprise,” joining her for dinner before the award.) Aqua is located at the head of the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Thursday night we all piled into the courtesy van and celebrated with a fabulous dinner at Jimmy T’s Restaurant/Bar.

A lousy weather forecast of high winds and rain kept us safely tied up on Friday. I slept soundly until 9:45 a.m. Guess I was tired. Bob has dismantled the toasted radar and has sent it back for repairs. We really do need it before we get to the Gulf! Our fingers are crossed that they can fix it quickly. We’ve lost our “boating eyes.” Thank goodness we can follow the Levines on Sandpiper. Thursday night the Levines invited us and the Suttons over to their boat for a "snacky" supper. We all brought something to eat, sipped some wine, and planned future trips -- all while the rain poured bucketfuls. A day in the rain with Looper friends is a pretty good day! It's good to be cruising again.

Winter in the Keys Adventure Begins at the AGLCA Fall Rendezvous!

2009-11-01T16:36:00.006-06:00

October 25 - October 28, 2009
Our 2009-2010 Keys journey and adventure really begins at the Fall Rendezvous for Great Loopers at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, Alabama. We have attended this event each fall since 2004, the first time a Rendezvous was held at Wheeler Lodge. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reunite with some of our favorite friends, glean information from the experts, and experience the excitement of current Loopers. Because the event is held so close to home, Bob and I have always volunteered our help to be sure the 200-plus attendees have a good time. This year was no exception. The Rendezvous, which had been fully booked with a long waiting list, was a great success. By the last evening we were exhausted and looking forward to getting to bed early, with plans of heading out at first light the next morning for the initial leg of our Keys adventure. My goodness, how a single moment can alter your plans.

A highlight of the banquet on the last night of every Rendezvous is the naming of the “Skipper Bob Award” recipient. Skipper Bob was a giant among the cruising community for his practical, accurate guidebooks that carry boaters safely around the Great Loop. He was also a kind, generous, colorful man who was willing to help boaters any time of day or night. His philosophy was that you weren't always able to return the favors of those who had helped you, but you could pass the kindness forward. In other words, “make it better for the next guy.” Skipper Bob died in 2007, and the entire boating community has felt his loss. Sooooo as usual, there were to be two Skipper Bob awards announced at this Rendezvous, one for Summer and one for Fall.

Our dear friends Bob and Ann Levine, who had initiated this award, announced that Fern Hopper, who “runs the might Mississippi River” and has guided thousands of boaters safely through the treacherous areas of “her” river was the recipient of the Summer Skipper Bob award. What an excellent choice – no one is more deserving. Everybody in the room stood and cheered! Then Bob Levine said that a special guest would present the Fall Skipper Bob award. We looked expectantly back at the door and saw a tall, attractive, young woman making her way through the crowd. Then we saw her face. It was Susan Stagg Cooper, of all people.

I don’t remember much after that. Bob and I were floored, honored, thrilled, and totally surprised. I’m not sure why we should be honored for following our boating passion, loving our Looper friends, and helping with the Rendezvous, but I can tell you that it is one of the highest honors either of us can imagine. The fact that the Levines had contacted both Scott and Susan to see if they could be there for the event was over the top. Scott tried hard to come, even tried to use SKYPE to make a virtual appearance, but there was simply no way. That technology wasn’t available, and he couldn’t make the long drive from Tallahassee. If both Scott and the Cowhigs had been able to show up as they had hoped, I wouldn’t be writing this. I would still be in the hospital from shock. But what a thrill that Susan could be there! She spent the night on the boat with us; I was too excited to sleep much. The next morning she headed back to Atlanta, while we cast off – a few hours later than planned – to start the long trek down to the Gulf and the Florida Keys. We are still humbled and shocked, and genuinely grateful. Thank you, thank you, Bob and Ann Levine for your generous spirit and friendship. We also are grateful to Elaine Reib, Skipper Bob’s wife, who supports this award in his honor.

Fall Cruise on the Tennesee River

2009-11-01T16:05:00.003-06:00

September 4 - 14, 2009. I'm writing this after the fact, but I didn't want to skip our relaxing, fun, beautiful cruise up the Tennessee River with Bob and Ann Levine on Sandpiper. Having planned the trip months in advance, it was hard to believe that we actually made it happen. Both couples had been scurrying around all summer, and it was finally our time to chill on the River. When we started out, we didn't know how far we would actually get before we had to turn around and come home for other commitments.

As we cruised along, Bob and I again marveled at the rolling green hills, the colorful cliffs, and the views of the Smokey Mountains from a waterway perspective. As many times as we have driven to Chattanooga in a car, going by boat is an entirely different experience. And what a joy to be with Bob and Ann Levine again. We ate fine food, sipped fine wine, and did a lot of laughing and reminiscing about our adventures on the Great Loop. But mainly we just took it easy and enjoyed every second of the beautiful scenery along the river in the company of good friends.

Surprise of surprises, we made it all the way to Fort Louden, Tennessee, which is just outside of Knoxville. We were thrilled to find Ron and Eva Stob at the marina, ready to catch our lines. They are especially dear to our hearts for being the inspiration for our Great Loop adventure. Ron and Eva wrote the book that opened up this new world. They invited us all to dinner at their lovely house on a beautiful cove just off the Little Tennessee River. Heaven must include a place just like this. After a lively, delicious dinner, the Stobs entertained us with music -- Ron on the guitar and Eva on an assortment of dulcimers. What a night!

The trip was full of surprises. Little did we realize that Fort Louden marina is just outside of Knoxville. We hadn't bothered to look it up on a map because we didn't think we would make it that far. When I called cousins Janet and Bob Upchurch to tell them we were somewhere in Tennessee, they said, "You are only 20 minutes from our house!" So the next night was another perfectly delightful event in the company of people we love dearly. Dinner at the Upchurches' house was fun and absolutely delicious, and Janet and Bob got to meet the Levines. We also got to meet the Levines granddaughter Rachel, who is a sophomore at UT. Loopers really do feel like family.

We left Bob and Ann at Fort Lounden to head back toward Huntsville, and we had yet another surprise. At Shady Grove Marina in Tennessee, we ran into Harold and Elizabeth DeHart, who now live there but whom we knew from the Huntsville Power Squadron. We hadn't seen them in quite a while, and we didn't really know where they had moved.

The weather was great most of the time, but as we got closer to Guntersville, dark clouds were gathering. We stopped at Alred's Marina, and Russ loaned us the courtesy car so we could drive home to make a meeting the next day. After the trip was over, Bob and I asked ourselves again, "Why don't we do this more often!" It was a wonderful fall interlude! We are happy to be back on the boat again. I'll post pictures later.

Call of the Water

2009-08-21T06:53:00.003-05:00

A year has gone by since we've done any serious cruising, but the call of the water is getting quite loud. It is music to our ears! Second Wind has served mostly as our floating condo on Wheeler Lake as we have completed some long overdue work on our home in Huntsville, Alabama. We've also been involved in building a new clubhouse (photo shown) with our sailing friends at the Muscle Shoals Sailing Club, near Rogersville, Alabama. That activity has given us reason to spend lots of time beside the river, even though we haven't been on it! The new clubhouse is delightful, and we will enjoy it for years to come.

Our next cruising adventure has never been far from our minds, and plans are coming together for fall and winter boat trips. We've had several get-togethers with much-loved Looper friends, which has only made us want to accelerate the schedule. So in early September 2009 we will be heading toward Chattanooga with the Levines on Sandpiper. Then in late October we are heading south, in the company of the Levines and a new crop of Loopers, with plans to spend winter 2010 in the Keys. Can't wait!

What's Next -- Revised Plans!

2008-11-07T19:24:00.005-06:00

Our plans to head south to the Keys have been postponed until next year. Reality set in when Bob realized just how much work we still need to do on our house in Huntsville. We may be kicking ourselves by January and February for this big decision, but right now it still seems like a good idea.

So instead of starting a long cruise as we had planned, Bob and I, in the company of six other Looper boats, just returned from a 5-day "Fall Color" cruise on the Tennessee River. We went only as far as Goose Pond Marina in Scottsboro, AL, but we loved every minute of it. The weather was glorious, and the trees were spectacular. Meeting new fun and friendly Loopers and having an opportunity to travel with friends Louis and Diane Wade ("Bella Luna") was delightful.

"Second Wind" is now back at Joe Wheeler, awaiting our next adventure . . . .

What's Next?

2008-09-21T13:02:00.003-05:00

We've been landlubbers for a year now, and Bob and I are ready to hit the waterways again. Soon after the Fall Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park in October 2008, we plan to head south toward the Keys on Second Wind. We are thrilled to know that we will be on the water again in the company of other Loopers. This time we will take our own advice and have NO SCHEDULE! We may even make it over to the Bahamas. We'll see. All of it promises to be great fun.

During this past year, our Great Loop adventure was never far from our minds. We have relived it several times by giving presentations to different groups. But even better, we've experienced the joy of hooking up with dear Looper friends on land. Such fun we've had! Stay tuned; there's more to come.

We Crossed Our Wake!

2007-09-19T16:03:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 13, 2007. We are happy to announce that Second Wind officially “closed the Loop” at 12:30 p.m. on September 13^th when we passed the red buoy at the entrance to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. We stopped the boat for a moment to celebrate with hugs, kisses, and a tear or two (or more). What a huge milestone! When we started this crazy adventure last October, we thought we could imagine what this day would mean to us. Suffice it to say that the reality was ever so much bigger than that. WooHoo!

The photo of our battered burgee says volumes. Every single day of our odyssey revealed extraordinary sights and glorious new adventures. (If you've been reading this blog, you know we also experienced lots of wind.) But best of all, we shared the fun and the challenges with a host of warm, friendly people we met along the way. We’ve told life stories over meals and sunset parties, caught each other’s lines as we docked, and endured outrageous weather together. What a thrilling year we’ve had and how fortunate Bob and I are to have done this together.

How can we begin to thank Ron and Eva Stob, who sparked the dream with Honey Let's Get a Boat (and to Scott and the Kammeruds who gave us this book one Christmas); and Fred Meyers, Skipper Bob, Claiborne Young, and the Doziers (Waterway Guides). Their publications have guided us through 6,200 miles of waterways without a hitch. We are grateful to them all and to the Looper Class of 2007. We smile just thinking of you.

Second Wind is currently staying at Aqua Harbor Marina on Pickwick Lake getting some much-deserved TLC. After we bring her to the Fall Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park, she will eventually reside at Goose Pond Marina in Scottsboro, AL. From there we will begin our post-Loop adventures, proudly flying a gold burgee to signify our new status as "Veteran Loopers."

On Our Way Home – Sights on the Tennessee River

2007-09-19T15:59:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 13, 2007. Having seen many other waterways in the last year, we enjoyed these sights as we cruised along our much-loved Tennessee River. For our last day on the Loop, the water was smooth as glass – pretty ironic considering all the wind we’ve had this year!

Feels Like Home on the Tennessee River

2007-09-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

Monday-Tuesday, September 11-12. After saying fond, then funny farewells to the Cowhigs (Happy Destiny) and the Elliots (Christine), we pulled away from the Green Turtle Bay dock late Monday morning. (Jane and Joanie were giving us their rendition of “So Long, Farewell . . . .” ) We are now within days of finishing our own Great Loop adventure! Bob is taking it in stride; I get choked up just thinking about it. The prospect of seeing our kids in their new houses, other much loved family members, and old friends is thrilling. At the same time, we will miss terribly the daily adventure and wonderful friends we’ve made along the Loop.

A right turn took us into the entrance of a mile-long canal that connects Lake Barkley on Cumberland River with the Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River. Seeing those rolling hills, limestone cliffs, and cypress trees made us feel right at home. I wanted to jump in the water for old times’ sake. By the time we pulled into Pebble Isle Marina late in the afternoon, we had watched a bald eagle soaring and spotted several deer in the woods. Pebble Isle Marina is located in a peaceful cove, and the staff couldn’t have been more cordial. We hope to come here again later. Today (Tuesday) Bob drove 60-plus miles while I read, napped, and started mentally preparing for a land-based life after almost a year on the water. We are staying at Clifton Marina in Clifton, Tennessee, another friendly, peaceful marina on the Tennessee River. Tonight we will start packing.

Cumberland River to Green Turtle Bay in Grand Rivers, Kentucky

2007-09-10T23:31:00.000-05:00

Monday, September 10. WooHoo! Tears and rejoicing! When we turned off the Ohio River onto the Cumberland, one mile from where we anchored last night, the Cowhigs officially crossed their wake on Happy Destiny. We began the Loop with these fun and crazy friends, so it was only fitting that we see them finish! Being early risers, September Morn and Christine waited for us down the Cumberland, so a celebratory bottle of wine could be exchanged mid-river via a fish net. When a Coast Guard boat passed a short time later, we all held our breaths in case we had done something illegal. Whew! We weren’t busted; they passed right on by.

Parts of the Cumberland River look a lot like the Tennessee, our home water. We saw herons and egrets (also a few more white pelicans). We also passed a huge gravel processing pit on another part of the Cumberland – quite a contrast to the calm, quiet picturesque scene that describes most of the river.

The Cowhigs led a "Victory Parade" up the Cumberland, through the large, relatively new and impressive Barkley Lock and Dam, then on to Green Turtle Bay Marina in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. The Loop Completion Celebration continued with cocktails aboard Christine, and later we all went to dinner at the famous Patti's restaurant. Congratulations, Paul and Jane! We are right behind you.

“The Rivers” – Mississippi and Ohio to the Mouth of the Cumberland

2007-09-10T22:25:00.000-05:00

Sunday, September 9. Huck Finn was much on our minds this morning as we continued to be swept down the Mississippi River in light rain. Photos can’t capture the turbulence we saw and felt, but I did snap a picture of the smaller whirlpools. Some of the turbulence is caused by wing dams, the Corps of Engineers’ ongoing attempt to control Mother Nature. These dams are submerged (usually) concrete jetties intended to interfere with the flow of water and keep the water stirred up. In this way silt stays in suspension, and the main channel stays clear – or that’s the theory at least.

Entering the Ohio River at Cairo, we saw a record amount of barge traffic and dredges. This is a busy, industrial area. The Ohio River is much cleaner and calmer than the Mississippi, and we are now going upstream, which seems strange. After the floods north of us, this river level is way down. In fact, many tows with barges couldn’t get through Lock 52 because of the shallow depth. After a wait, the lockmaster told us to go ahead and float through the lock without tying off. Lock 52 on the Ohio is really old and will be replaced eventually. We anchored at a place called Cumberland Towhead Island, just at the mouth of the Cumberland River with Happy Destiny (SeaSea and B and B were there too). The Cowhigs came over for spaghetti on their last night before completing Loop. Lots of laughs, but plenty of nostalgia too!

The Mighty Mississippi River

2007-09-08T22:12:00.000-05:00

Friday-Saturday, September 7-8. On Friday we took on the Mississippi River! Everything we had heard about this river was present in spades: swift current, plenty of turbulence, and hordes of commercial vessels of every description. We actually saw a bald eagle and some white pelicans too. Two large locks were also on the agenda today; the lockmaster had us float through one without tying the boat to the wall. Second Wind is so light that we had a hard time fending off because the wind kept pushing us right against the side.

Eventually we passed right on through St. Louis, where there is no place to tie up or get off the boat. Still it was a treat to see the famous Arch from the vantage point of Second Wind. Light rain fell most of the day, so by late afternoon we were ready to pull up to the famous Hoppies Marine Services. Hoppies is the only place to stop for many miles, and even though the series of docks strung together is anything but fancy, Hoppies' reputation for service is stellar. Soon at least six Looper boats were there, all happy to partake of Fern and Hoppie’s hospitality. It's common knowledge that Fern actually runs the Mississippi River and generously shares the secrets of navigating it. Several of us took a courtesy car to Taylors Restaurant for dinner. I was tickled to surprise dear friend Teddy Hart with a phone call, but we couldn’t schedule a rendezvous this time.

Although Saturday’s forecast called for periods of heavy rain, we slogged on down the Mississippi River, along with an amazing number of tows pushing large barges. In some places, especially around curves, we experienced turbulence like we’ve never seen before – we even saw a small whirlpool. Our boats could handle it fine, but it is easy to see why there are so few pleasure boats on this river. The current is amazing, boosting our speed downriver by about four miles per hour from normal. Places to pull off are few and far between, but one nook, the Little Diversion Channel, proved to be an excellent place to anchor. Four Looper boats are here tonight: Christine, September Morn, Happy Destiny, and us.

The “Gypsy Boat”

2007-09-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

While we were in Grafton, the marina staff told us about the notorious “Gypsy Boat” that had passed through the day before. We actually saw the strange-looking vessel as we passed through Alton, Illinois. No one is sure exactly how many people live aboard, but the “boat” is really an amalgamation of various pieces of junk, bound together in such a way that it actually floats. In the close up shot you can see two small fishing boats at the side, which appear to be part of the construction. Anyway, word on the river was that the Coast Guard had boarded the “Gypsy Boat” and asked them to move along -- something about some unsavory people aboard. Interesting!

The Illinois River Ends at Grafton, Illinois

2007-09-08T21:37:00.000-05:00

Wednesday – Thursday, September 5-6. By the time we pulled into Grafton Harbor marina, we were more than ready to stop for the day. This is where the Illinois River runs into the mighty Mississippi; we could see rocky cliffs in the distance where the Mississippi flows by. The town of Grafton was small, but several shops and restaurants were within walking distance. Three of us “Admirals” took the marina’s courtesy car to the grocery store, which was combined with the hardware store. Needless to say, the food selection was pretty slim. Because of rain and thunderstorms, we ended up staying in Grafton two nights. This gave me a chance to do some laundry and “house cleaning,” and Bob had a chance to continue troubleshooting the port engine, which still has a minor but pesky overheating problem.

Looper Boats on the Illinois River Today

2007-09-04T21:57:00.000-05:00

September 4. Here are photos of some Looper boats we happened to see today going down the Illinois River. Except for tow boats loaded with barges heading north, Loopers were just about the only boats on the river today. It seems that after Labor Day most pleasure boats have buttoned up for the season. Loopers, on the other hand, are heading south! Included are Happy Destiny, a sailboat (didn't catch the name), Christine, September Morn, Karma, Winnie W, and Jeanne Marie. The final photo shows the Loopers tied to the Beardstown Barge tonight, all of whom were on these boats earlier.

Tied to a Barge in Beardstown, Illinois

2007-09-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, September 04. After tanking up for the next 170-mile run down the rivers where there is no fuel available, we cruised past the city of Peoria first thing this morning. The Illinois River is still over its banks, and the effect of the flooding is still evident. This would have been a long, relatively uneventful day except for two things: we were able to pass over the Peoria Lock and Dam without having to lock through (in the third photo, we passed to the right of the flood gate where the wickets had been lowered because of flooding to allow boats to pass over the dam), and we spent the night tied to a barge in Beardstown, IL with five Looper boats. Meeting new Looper friends on Time Out and Karma was a treat.

The barge in the last picture (with five boats tied to it) is actually the town dock. The temperature in Beardstown was 103 degrees when we arrived, and we all lamented the “good old July days” on Georgian Bay and the North Channel, where we wore fleece to ward off the chill. We fully intended to cook onboard tonight, but that thought vanished when a group gathering at Henry’s restaurant was proposed. Supper was delicious.

Illinois Valley Yacht Club Marina in Peoria, IL

2007-09-04T08:14:00.000-05:00

Monday, September 3. The sun was bright, the river still in flood stage, but we had a good, long run today after a 2-plus hour wait for a tow at Marseilles Lock. Since this is Labor Day, we were greeted by lots of people partying at the IVY Club in Peoria. When we pulled up to the fuel dock, I got a standing ovation from the folks at the bar because I managed to lasso a cleat on the first try. Pretty funny because it is a rare accomplishment, but who’s to know! Four Looper boats are here: Winnie W, Jeanne Marie, Happy Destiny, and us. We had fun and a delicious fried chicken dinner at the club restaurant. Everyone has stories to tell.

Illinois River to Starved Rock Marina in Ottawa, Illinois

2007-09-03T06:53:00.000-05:00

Sunday, September 2. After waking up at 5 a.m. to get a head start on a series of locks, it was more than five hours later before we got through even the first one. Several large tows (barges) are backed up, probably because of the flooding last week. By the end of the day, a slow flotilla of about seven Looper boats had passed a number of huge tows and through a total of three locks. It seemed as if a zillion other boaters were out on the Illinois River, enjoying the last holiday weekend of summer. The day was hot, the sun was in our eyes, and we dodged debris from recent floods. By the time we made it to the Starved Rock Marina (love the name), we were tired and more than a little bit grouchy. Seeing the friendly faces of Mike and Jeanne (Jeanne Marie) on the dock saved the day. Over a hamburger with them and the Cowhigs, we caught up on everyone's adventures. Talk of future cruising trips restored our spirits before we crashed for the evening.

The River System: From Chicago to Joliet, Illinois

2007-09-03T05:59:00.000-05:00

Saturday, September 1. Cruising through the heart of Chicago in the still of the morning on our own boat will be another image stamped indelibly on our brains. Reflections of skyscrapers in the glass-smooth river more than doubled the impact of the architecture itself. Then we passed under bridges, bridges, bridges until we were outside the buzz of the city. One of them, a fixed railroad bridge, is only 17 feet high. This is the controlling height for boats wanting to pass through downtown Chicago to get from Lake Michigan south to the Illinois, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers, and eventually to the Gulf of Mexico. Several other low fixed bridges were white knuckle events, but we held our breath and squeezed under, once just as a train came roaring by. (The alternate, but less scenic Calumet Sag Channel route includes a fixed 19.1-foot clearance bridge that cannot be avoided in doing the Great Loop.)

Continuing down the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, we experienced the industrial face of Chicago, an entirely different world. The channel is narrow, so we had to dodge tows pushing barges filled with sand, chemicals, scrap, and who knows what else. The tow captains were invariably polite and helpful, wanting to get us out of their way as much as we wanted to dodge them. To the left and the right we saw various plants spewing smoke. The water looked toxic, but we’ve been assured that it is merely “polluted.”

After a long, long day, we pulled up to the free town wall in Joliet, Illinois. We were met by a cadre of Loopers who not only took our lines but graciously invited us to a potluck party in a few hours. We are still amazed to be meeting new Loopers every place we go. Most of this group (SeaSea, Skinwalker, B and B, Puffin, LeGrace, among others) had been tied off in Joliet for nearly a week, waiting for the flooded southern rivers to recede. We swapped stories, ate well, than crashed. This had been a tiring day, but we were on our way home!

Chicago’s Architecture via River Cruise

2007-08-31T21:56:00.000-05:00

Friday, August 31. We were ready to cast off our lines bright and early this morning, but the strong message from Loopers south of us was, “Don’t leave Chicago; you will have no place to stay!” So. . . . . we extended our stay in the Windy City one more day and signed up for an architectural river cruise sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Seeing downtown Chicago’s magnificent and varied architecture from the perspective of the Chicago River was fascinating. The river runs right through downtown, which is one reason for the city’s beginnings and subsequent rapid growth. Canals connecting Chicago to Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River contributed to making the city an important national center for manufacturing, lumber, grain and livestock.

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 wiped out the entire central business district, destroying more than 17,000 buildings. The city quickly rebounded. Architects and developers then had a blank slate, which they used to build “new” steel skeleton frame skyscrapers. From the graceful, highly ornamented, classic design of late 19^th century buildings to stylized Art Deco designs of the 1920s, then to the sleek, austere, highly engineered buildings in more recent years, Downtown Chicago has it all. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about the skyscrapers we had been passing all week. We will take some of the same river route through the city again tomorrow, but this time from the vantage point of Second Wind.

Touring and Eating Our Way Through Chicago

2007-08-31T09:21:00.000-05:00

Chicago: Tuesday thru Friday, August 28-31.
The plan was to leave Chicago early this morning (Friday), but the conclusion from multiple calls to marinas, locks, and Loopers is that we would have no place to stay tonight. Tomorrow promises to be better.

With Mother Nature in charge, we’ve enjoyed this bonus week in Chicago, waiting for the flooded Illinois rivers to recede. The Windy City has been added to our list of favorite places to visit. We’ve seen a lot, thanks to a Blue Line Tour, hoofing it on foot, and regular use of public transportation. The tour took us through Lincoln Park, (we took a quick peek at the Conservatory and the Zoo), then Bus #146 took us to the Field Museum (where we learned perhaps more than we wanted about dinosaurs, cicadas, Darwin, and dirt). True to form, we’ve sampled some of Chicago’s culinary delights too: dinner with Paul’s family at Angelina’s Italian restaurant within walking distance of our marina, and dinner with Loopers Ellen and Woody Sutton at another wonderful Italian restaurant, Erba. Thursday night we walked forever until we found a good Thai restaurant after making a hasty retreat from a not-so-great neighborhood.

Our brief view of urban life has been fascinating: walking seven or eight blocks to the grocery store (then carrying all those bags back!); dodging lightening-fast joggers, walkers, bikers, skaters every time you cross a path on foot; and most important, finding your way around town using public buses. Lots of walking! With all the huge apartments on Lakeshore Drive, people are out and about all day and night. This is such a different way of life for us. What’s with the sign about an Elderly Crossing? You can’t get old with all this exercise!

Chicago: Day Two. We Got Culture!

2007-08-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

Monday, August 27. We couldn’t have planned it better if we tried. Having lived here in the past, Paul and Jane knew how to work the city transit system to get us to the Art Institute of Chicago – what a world-class treat! Our biggest thrill was seeing up close three bronze relief panels from The Gates of Paradise, the Renaissance masterpiece by Lorenzo Ghiberti.

As we were walking down Michigan Avenue, we popped into Millennium Park just to see what was there. We couldn’t miss the “Bean,” a prominent large polished stainless sculpture. Hundreds of tourists were doing just what we did – taking photos of ourselves reflected against the Bean, with the Chicago skyline in the background. Then we noticed a crowd gathering at the amphitheater. We had lucked into a free concert by the Chicago Philharmonic Jazz Band, which continued well into the night. We ate a late supper, caught a bus (then walked an extra mile or so because we got off at the wrong stop), and we got back to the boat by 11:30 p.m., feeling very cosmopolitan.

Flooding on the Illinois River is still a serious problem. Based on Corps of Engineer predictions, Friday will be the earliest day we can leave Chicago. Meanwhile, it's a great place to be.

We “Crossed Over” to Chicago!

2007-08-27T09:55:00.000-05:00

Sunday, August 26. The forecast for clear skies and calm water proved true for Sunday, so after a fuel stop in Saint Joseph on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, Happy Destiny and Second Wind made our big crossing to Chicago. Seeing the Sears Tower from 30 miles out was amazing, but we could only realize the full impact of the skyline when we got close enough to see Navy Pier. As we drew closer to Chicago Harbor’s outer breakwall, we passed a huge sailboat regatta. I had to hold on to Bob to keep him from jumping ship!

The closer we got to the harbor, the crazier it became. Boats were coming from everywhere at high speed! Being waked from every direction, I couldn’t take a picture because I was holding on for dear life. Of course, we took our obligatory run beside Navy Pier, which is a “see and be seen” requirement for Chicago boaters.

We are currently staying at Belmont Harbor marina on the northern part of the Chicago shoreline, but we may move closer to the hub of things if we can get a reservation. It looks as if we’ll be in Chicago for several days because the rivers south of here are still above flood stage. Boaters are reporting serious problems with logjams from trees and other large debris as well as a wicked current. Oh darn! We’ll be forced to tour this great city!

Riding Out More Stormy Weather in South Haven, Michigan

2007-08-25T21:31:00.000-05:00

Thursday thru Saturday August 23-25. After a night of strong wind, we were pleased when the Thursday morning forecast called for a break in the storms. Second Wind and Happy Destiny said a fond farewell to the Lillys and the vibrant city of Holland, and we headed south again. We hoped to make it all the way down to St. Joseph in Benton Harbor, Michigan, but big swells became mighty tiresome after just a few hours. South Haven (only 26 miles from Holland) is considered another excellent “harbor of refuge,” so we happily pulled in.

As it turned out, the South Haven Municipal Marina was our stopping point for three days because a nasty weather front came through, wreaking havoc on Chicago and adding more rain to the already flooded Illinois rivers. While we were exploring the town Thursday afternoon, a shop keeper told us that a super strong thunderstorm was heading our way. We ran back to the boat and started adding additional lines. The first gusts blew off a large seat cushion that was snapped and velcroed to our back bench. Fortunately, it caught on the railing, and Bob retrieved it. From our boat I watched a tree blow down (no damage), and we both watched a canvas bimini blow off from a boat across the river. This storm screamed through with winds in excess of 60 mph. Second Wind handled it well because we were securely tied up.

Unstable weather and high waves continued for the next two days. On Friday we rented a car from a dealership and drove to Saugatuck, MI, described in Skipper Bob’s guidebook as “a small but popular art community that has become a tourist Mecca near the mouth of the Kalamazoo River.” It was colorful, fun, and filled with tourists, even though dark clouds threatened rain. On our way back to South Haven, we stopped at a produce market. Fresh corn and peaches for supper!

We spent a good bit of time Saturday planning our next run. Another break in the weather is forecast for Sunday, but we have two hurdles ahead: crossing Lake Michigan over to Chicago, then dealing with the rivers south of there, which are still above flood stage. As I write this, our plan is to make a long run to Chicago tomorrow (Sunday), staying there a few days until the floodwaters recede. We had a mini-Looper rendezvous at the marina tonight (Saturday), where we caught up with old friends that we haven’t seen in a while and visited with new ones. We all brought food, (including enchiladas and Pronto Pups), then Phil from the 49-foot Gulfstar Wonderland gave us a great “chalk talk” about the rivers south of Chicago. The fellowship was great, the food delicious, and the talk informative!

Michigan’s Harbors of Refuge

2007-08-25T21:23:00.000-05:00

Lake Michigan is roughly 307 miles long and 118 miles wide and is a wonderful cruising ground with harbors and excellent stops along both its eastern and western shores. It is also a body of water noted for unexpected strong storms, with waves sometimes topping 10-15 feet.

We are fascinated by the concept that since 1947, the state of Michigan has supported a series of safe harbors along the coastline. Every 20 miles or so along the eastern shore, the high Lake Michigan dune line is broken by entrances to harbors that have reasonably priced marinas. Here mariners can seek refuge when the water gets too rough. If slips in the designated "harbors of refuge" are full, the harbor master simply starts rafting boats up. No one is turned away. Through the years the towns around these harbors have become popular tourist destinations. Having these nicely maintained harbors may also explain why there are more registered pleasure craft in Michigan than any other state in the United States. We want to come back!

Holland, Michigan

2007-08-25T21:12:00.000-05:00

Tuesday andWednesday, August 21-22. We left Pentwater early Tuesday morning in the cool, cool mist (quite a contrast to 100-plus degree temperatures at home). We started the day rocking and rolling, but by the time we got to our marina, Eldean Shipyard, Lake Michigan was almost flat. We passed by the long line of tall Lake Michigan dunes, broken only by harbors of refuge: White Lake, Muskegon, and Grand Haven; but our destination was Holland. This is the home port of our good friends and boating buddies Barry and Sheryl (Seaquel). Holland is also where our mail had been forwarded. Because we’ve been in Canada and haven’t gotten mail since we were home in early July, a huge box was waiting for us. (I’ll have to admit that I haven’t missed sorting through all those catalogs.)

Eldean Shipyard is a very, very nice marina, and Holland is a lovely resort community. The Lillys served as excellent tour guides, leading us to great restaurants (Boatwerks and Piper) and the delightful downtown area. In the winter, the sidewalks and parking lots are heated, so people come here year-round. Flowers lined the streets, and the Victorian homes and cottages were charming! What a pretty place and what dear friends are the Lillys. We will miss traveling with them, but they have now officially completed the Great Loop. Woohoo and congratulations to Barry and Sheryl!

We woke up early Wednesday morning to a strong thunderstorm, but although more bad weather was predicted during the day, we were treated to several hours of hot, sunny weather. Jane and I took advantage of blue skies to walk over to the beach area beside the Holland Harbor lighthouse, appropriately called “Big Red.” It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed the feeling of sand under my feet and waves actually breaking on my legs – and the first time ever in fresh water as opposed to salt.

As soon as we finished a delightful dinner at the Piper restaurant with the Lillys and Cowhigs, we noticed awful black clouds through the window. Rushing back to the boat, we saw strong winds whipping up the water. Bob added more lines and fenders, we zipped up the boat, and rode out the storm from the safety of Second Wind.

Pentwater, Michigan

2007-08-20T14:51:00.000-05:00

Sunday and Monday, August 19-20. Sunday was a gray day with cold rain and fog, but we made it all the way to Snug Harbor Marina in Pentwater. Traveling in the rain isn’t as bad as it sounds as long as the waves behave, which they did. This is a good, protected spot to wait out lousy weather. Across the lake from us are mooring balls, most with one-design sailboats attached. We can easily imagine how much fun it would be to sail here.

Monday morning brought hard rain and wind, so we decided to stay put. Several Looper couples met for brunch and made plans for exploring later (after laundry duty). This is a really pretty resort town – yet another place to visit again when we can stay longer.

Loopers Jim and Joanie invited the five Looper couples to see their gorgeous Pilgrim trawler Christine late this afternoon. What a lovely boat and what fun people. We all went to dinner at Gull's restaurant -- still eating our way around the Great Loop!

Frankfort, Michigan

2007-08-19T20:35:00.000-05:00

Saturday, August 18. We took advantage of the first good weather in several days and headed out early in the morning. With the cool cloudy weather, wearing down and fleece felt good. It was in the low 60's on the water, but we were happy that Lake Michigan was finally calm. Lake Michigan fascinates me. On our right were huge sand dunes including the famous Sleeping Bear dune, and all we could see on our left was the horizon. The vista could be the Outer Banks of North Carolina but without the salt water. We passed several Lake Michigan lighthouses, including one that was part of a large building.

Most Loopers stopped in Leland, but we pressed on to Frankfort, another really pleasant town. The marinas were technically full, but the municipal marina managed to squeeze both Happy Destiny and Second Wind into one slip – not ideal, but manageable. Two other Loopers were here (Odyssee and Ciderella). As we walked the town, we stopped for fudge at Kilwin's. Dinner consisted of fresh whitefish and Coho salmon at Rhoda’s Wharfside Inn -- really good. I would love to stay here another day, but calm seas have been forecasted so we'll keep moving south.

A Day in Charlevoix and Bay Harbor, Michigan

2007-08-19T20:18:00.000-05:00

While waiting for the winds to lay down, we rented a car with the Cowhigs and the Braffetts to check out some of the destinations along Lake Michigan that we will pass by. We drove to Bay Harbor and Charlevoix, both popular boating destinations. The summer houses were large and beautiful, and the flowers were in profusion. Now I fully understand the draw of this area. The lack of huge waterfront condo complexes is refreshing. Of course the girls checked out some of the specialty shops while the guys got ice cream.

Petoskey, Michigan, Little Traverse Bay

2007-08-19T19:35:00.000-05:00

Monday thru Friday, August 13-17. Who would have thought we would spend five days in Petoskey, Michigan! But if we had to be weathered in somewhere, this was a great place (except for s-l-o-w Internet connection). Even though we haven’t had rain, the winds on Lake Michigan have been ferocious this week. Various boats have tried to leave, but they have come back reporting 6-foot seas. So Second Wind has been safely rocking and rolling at the dock. Meanwhile we have thoroughly enjoyed the town. Petoskey was a lumber and manufacturing city in the late 1800s; now it attracts tourists year round. Fortunately, Petoskey feels like a thriving community of local folks rather than a tourist town. Ernest Hemingway’s family summered near here as he was growing up, and this is where he returned in 1919 to write while recovering from World War 1 injuries and a broken heart.

The Petoskey Municipal Marina is adjacent to the attractive Bayfront Park area. A pedestrian tunnel connects the waterfront with the downtown Gaslight District, where we’ve sampled local restaurants, bakeries, galleries, specialty shops, and a wonderful farmer’s market. A great shuttle service has also taken us to more utilitarian places: the grocery store, West Marine, and Radio Shack - a service much appreciated by boaters.

After doing our part for the local restaurant economy all week, on Thursday night we slaved over dinner (of the crockpot variety) and had the Cowhigs and Braffets over. The picture of remnants of a pretty sunset shows just how fickle Lake Michigan can be. There were huge whitecaps and breaking waves earlier in the afternoon. By 8:45 p.m. (sunsets are later this far north) the water was relatively smooth. But Friday morning brought the highest winds yet – around 40 mph. Every day Bob has added new security features to the boat: additional lines and fenders, chafe guards, and today he added snubbers to try to keep the lines from jerking as the waves rock us. I could write a book titled “Boat Sounds.” Our evening wind lullaby sounded like “eaaakkk, rrraarfff, screeeek, plunnck, eerrch, croarck, eeeeak.”

Today (Friday) was the start of a summer festival weekend, so we put on our fleece and down jackets to go listen to a steel drum band and watch fireworks. We nearly froze. The first wave of winter has come to Lake Michigan. The festival was, well, festive, and reminded us a bit of Huntsville's Panoply, but on a smaller scale. The weather is supposed to improve tomorrow, so we'll be putting in long days to get as far south as possible. Petosky has been a nice place to visit, and we only scratched the surface.

On to Petoskey, Michigan

2007-08-16T07:15:00.000-05:00

Monday, August 13. Sage advice for boaters is that you must pick your weather carefully to travel on Lake Michigan. Winds and waves can be especially wicked and can come up unexpectedly. Today’s forecast was favorable, so we cast off from Macinaw City, past Mackinac Bridge, once the longest suspension bridge in the world. We were heading south to Petoskey. A few whitecaps made the trip bumpy at times, but it wasn’t uncomfortable because the wind was behind us most of the way.

Several lighthouses and large buoys were our guides until late afternoon when we arrived at the Petoskey Municipal Marina. That's when the wind did a number on us, but Captain Bob was up to the challenge of docking without mishap. Even though I didn't even know how to spell Petoskey before we got here, it has a whole lot to offer visitors and will be an excellent place to wait out the weather system that's on the way.

Mackinac Island, Michigan

2007-08-15T21:20:00.000-05:00

Sunday, August 12. Heavy rain during the night cleared up by 9 a.m. so that four Looper couples could take the go-fast Shepler Ferry across the Straits to Mackinac Island for breakfast at the Iroquois Inn. It’s been a while since we’ve dined in the lap of luxury, but Eggs Benedict tasted mighty fine in this beautifully appointed restaurant. The weather had scared most people away, so we had the dining room almost to ourselves.

We took a full tour of Mackinac island on a horse-drawn carriage – the only form of transportation allowed on the island. No cars were in sight, but plenty of horses were hauling people and supplies around. I must say that Mackinaw Island has a distinctive errrr, ummm, aroma! This is a touristy place with an abundance of tee shirt, ice cream, and fudge shops (17 fudge shops!).

Our carriage ride took us to a butterfly garden, the interesting Arch Rock, and the impressive Grand Hotel. We passed up an opportunity to buy tickets for $12 each just to walk on the Grand's porch. Next time, we will tour the fort, but we passed it up today. Once the tour was over, we grabbed some ice cream and caught the Shepler Ferry back to the marina. By now the winds had really picked up again, but that big ship cuts right through the chop. Since spray was blowing in my face, I was glad we weren't making this trip on Second Wind.

Mackinaw City, Michigan, USA!

2007-08-13T22:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday, August 11. Blessed with calm seas, we headed past the DeTour Reef Light toward the Straits of Mackinac (pronounced “Mackinaw” no matter how it is spelled). On the radio we talked to several Loopers whom we haven’t met, but whose boat names we recognized from the airwaves. Approaching Mackinac Island, there were no fewer than four big ferries bearing down on us and three coming up behind. That was thrilling! To our right were the gorgeous Mackinac Straits bridge and two more lighthouses. A weather front is headed this way, so we are happy to be tucked into the Mackinaw City marina until it passes through. Both Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island promise to be fun.

Drummond Island and DeTour, Michigan

2007-08-13T22:07:00.000-05:00

Friday, August 10. We made the 4-hour run to Drummond Island, where we hung out in the water until there was room at “the wall” for check-in with U.S. Customs. A nice customs official asked us a bunch ‘o questions, then took our delicious marinated steak and fresh onions. Darn! After that we headed to DeTour Marina, still on Lake Huron. The Cowhigs and Staggs walked into town past the Passage Keeper, a statue carved from the trunk of a tree. After we ate dinner (fresh pollock) at the Mainsail Restaurant, we walked back to the boat to attempt Internet access. We didn’t have much luck; the connection was s-l-o-w! We can use the cell phone again though. Hooray!

Just a note, the temperature is in the low 80’s here, which felt hot until we heard that it is 101 degrees in Huntsville.

Blind River on Lake Huron, Canada

2007-08-13T22:04:00.000-05:00

Thursday, August 9, 2007. After an uneventful run west across the North Channel, we arrived at the Blind River marina. After yet another fish and chips dinner at the marina café in the excellent company of three other Looper couples, we took a photo of the sunset and called it a night. Tomorrow we will be back in the U.S. and have good cell phone service (we hope).

The Benjamins to Turnbull Island, North Channel

2007-08-13T21:29:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, August 8, 2007. Before leaving Croker Island this morning, we enjoyed watching a momma duck and her babies as they made their route around the boats, looking for handouts. Those pink rocks keep calling my name; I can’t get enough of them. Along with Happy Destiny, we headed back out into the North Channel through open water until we reached a tight squeeze named “Little Detroit” on the chart. We made a “securite’ call” to say that we were coming through this narrow passage, but an oncoming boat just ignored it (they probably didn’t even have their radio on.)

By mid-afternoon we pulled into our anchorage for the evening: Turnbull Island. We immediately launched our dinghies and started exploring. We saw two minks swimming, then climbing to the shore. How cool is that! So many different nooks and islands to explore and so little time! The various rock colorations are fascinating. Our dinner offering was frozen veggies, applesauce, and burnt kabobs – not one of our best “company meals,” but the companionship was excellent. Also, Jane provided brownies. Yum!

Canada has been delightful -- the best part yet. The realization that we are approaching the final few chapters of our Great Loop adventure has begun to sink in. Hearing now-faint radio calls from Looper boats who were on the flotilla and are still anchorage-hopping make us want to stay longer. For the record, claims that Georgian Bay and North Channel waterways are the Caribbean of the North aren’t exaggerated. They have been glorious. We have only one more day here before we head back to the U.S. and home. Come to think of it, that doesn’t sound so bad either.

Croker Island in “The Benjamins” on the North Channel, Lake Huron, Canada

2007-08-09T21:20:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, August 7. The weather forecast was better today, so Seaquel headed out early in the morning. We will miss the delightful Lillys and look forward to seeing them again at their home port in Holland, Michigan. Bob had to have a crown glued on, so Second Wind and Happy Destiny didn’t get away until almost noon. Our plan was to head west toward The Benjamin Islands, which is further away from civilization, but further west toward home. These islands are famous for gorgeous scenery and pink granite rocks, so we weren’t surprised to find a number of other boats, including several Loopers, already anchored in the cove on Croker Island where we were headed.

We had our first experience tying the boat directly off to shore, a standard North Channel practice. After putting down bow anchors, Bob and Paul took a dinghy and long lines to the big rocks on shore. Dinner onboard Happy Destiny was delicious, as was the beauty of the night. I’d love to stay here for days -- maybe longer. I have fallen in love with these Canadian waterways.

Still in Little Current on the North Channel

2007-08-07T08:06:00.000-05:00

Monday August 6. The sound of whistling wind told us that we will not be traveling until the weather improves. Some Loopers left on Monday and reported a very lumpy ride; many others stayed put. The arrival of good friends Jane and Paul on Happy Destiny confirmed that our decision to stay was meant to be. Hooray! These Laggard Loopers have finally caught back up! The Lillys (Seaquel), Cowhigs, and Staggs enjoyed a delightful reunion dinner at the Anchor Inn. All of us need to be pushing on for various reasons, but meanwhile we are enjoying the fellowship of great Looper friends. We're hoping to head out tomorrow!

Almost forgot this . . . on our way to dinner, we ran into Looper Bob Hilligus on Catch Me If You Can and heard his tale of woe. Three bad things happened to his gorgeous 46-foot Grand Banks Europa today: a sailboat crashed into his stern while docking, doing a fair amount of damage, his vacu-flush head erupted, spewing sewage everywhere, and his microwave died. He was shaking his head, but somehow he was still smiling. A great guy who certainly didn’t deserve this kind of day!

Flotilla Day 7 thru 9. Town of Little Current, North Channel of Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada.

2007-08-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Friday thru Sunday, August 3-5. The route from Killarney to Little Current included the distant pink granite La Cloche mountain range. A string of Loopers timed our arrival to coincide with the 15-minute opening each hour of the Little Current bridge. Lots of wind made docking at Spider Bay Marina a bit of a challenge, but we were glad to be tied up for a few days.

The time here has provided good old Second Wind an opportunity for needed clean-up after the excitement of the day before. We were lucky to find spots for all the Looper flotilla boats because this was a national holiday weekend, and it is also the Little Current 40th Annual Haweater Weekend. Loopers have dined together and enjoyed a wine and cheese party hosted by gracious flotilla leaders Karen and Bob Jantz. On Sunday, the Chamber of Commerce provided a school bus tour of the surrounding area. We tend to forget that we are on Manitoulin Island, which is Ojibwe country. We went to Kagawong and saw the Bridal Veil Falls and to Ten Mile Point to look down on the North Channel. A visit to the Kasheese Art Studio and the Ojibwe cultural center gave us insight into the culture of the First Nation here on the North Channel. Evening brought a Parade of Lights and fireworks, which we enjoyed from the comfort of Seaquel’s flybridge.

All’s Well That Ends Well! Flotilla Day 6 to Killarney

2007-08-03T23:01:00.000-05:00

Thursday, August 2. Thursday's cruise included some exceptional scenery, some amazingly tight turns, and so much more. In the early part of the trip, we threaded back and forth through markers as if on a slalom course, except we were dodging granite rather than plastic. I’m happy to say that Captain Bob took the tricky turns in stride – he actually seems to enjoy the challenge. The charts show one such area, near Roger’s Island; it was named “Roger’s Gut.” We certainly understand why! Eventually we had to cross the large, open Northeast Channel on Georgian Bay. The wind had built up some hefty waves in this area, so we had a bumpy ride for quite a while, even as we were enjoying the gorgeous rocky island scenery.

That’s when things got exciting! I went below to fix lunch, opened the door to our stateroom – and saw the floorboard floating and soap bubbles at my feet. Not a good thing to see while underway! Bob immediately alerted the Loopers with the words he never wanted to say, “Second Wind is taking on water in our port hull. Please stand by.” He immediately activated more pumps and began to troubleshoot while I took the helm. Meanwhile, our dear, wonderful Looper friends rallied around. Flotilla leaders Bob and Karen Jantz led us to a quiet anchorage where we could stop, and Bob announced that the pumps were getting ahead of the water intake, a signal that we were OK for additional investigation. We then rafted up with Looper boats Our Bonus and Sun Rise, and the guys went to work to find the source of the leak. Tom Cat was standing by to do whatever was necessary, while the other Loopers listened for progress. After about 20 minutes, Bob discovered that the drain plug for the fresh water intake, which pumps water through the heat exchanger, was not sealed. To complicate matters, the bilge pump was clogged with trash left over from boat construction, so it wasn’t pumping. We had a soggy mess, but the integrity of the boat wasn’t compromised. As it turns out, the drain plug problem occurred during some routine maintenance we had done while in Penetang. We will be contacting the Maintenance Department at the marina as well as PDQ for sure! Bob estimates that we pumped out about 250 gallons of water! One side effect was that the cabin water pump was fried, so we had to do without fresh water for a day. But considering the other possibilities, that was a piece of cake. Out of this whole experience, the main thing we will remember is the fellowship and comfort we felt from our Looper buddies during a potentially dangerous incident. Woohoo and a heartfelt thanks!

Crisis resolved, we continued through the absolutely beautiful Collins Inlet. I couldn’t begin to take enough pictures to show the beauty of the bluffs, the rocks, the trees, and the water. After we were safely docked at the Sportsman’s Inn Marina in Killarney, we ate at the town’s most famous restaurant, Mr. Perch. Here delicious, fresh white fish and chips are caught by Herbert Fisheries and served from a red schoolbus. To get to Mr. Perch from the marina, we simply called the “Fairy Boat” named Tinkerbell, which came right to our dock to deliver us to and from dinner. We had ice cream for dessert. The sign (see picture) shows our other options: Ice Cream, Boat Tours, Boat Rentals, Crafts, Worms. What a memorable day!

Flotilla Day 6: Cruise to Byng Inlet

2007-08-03T21:39:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, August 1. Today’s long cruise to Byng Inlet took us through yet more gorgeous scenery and sights to remember. We saw dwarfed cedars believed to be 1,000 years old, another Inuksuk (assuring we were on the right path), the most photographed lighthouse in Ontario, lots of cottages, a seaplane, hundreds of rocky outcroppings, and that glorious clear fresh water! We stayed at Wright’s Marina among some artistic-looking lilypads. At tonight’s Looper hors d’oeuvre gathering, we presented Karen and Bob Jantz with a basket of goodies. They have been superb flotilla leaders.

(Today we received the unfortunate news that my aunt Virginia, who had fallen a few days earlier, has been hospitalized. We will pick up our pace to get home as soon as feasible.)