St Petersburg - Marco Island

Met some nice people in St Pete at the marine. Flew to New Orleans where my son picked us up and we spent the night at his & Kerry's house. We picked up our truck and went back to Houston for a short visit with some of our friends and attended KK's birthday. Ron got some dental work done. Drove back to Lake Charles for a couple of days then on to New Orleans were we stayed at Karen's brother Ricky & Donna's home and attended his daughter Heathers' wedding on Friday. What an event it was one of the nicest weddings we have been to. Drove the truck on down to St Pete the next day. Got to do a little sight seeing around the area once we had the truck. We also installed a new Autopilot while in St Pete.

We are on the hook in Marco Island in Factory Bay as I write this. We are hoping for a little better weather to make the hope over to Key West tomorrow. We left St Petersburg on Thursday morning and anchored in Lemon Bay over night. Ron went out side the boat the next morning and it was surrounded by Manatee. Well more than we had ever seen in one place 6 or 7 including a baby. They came right up to the boat. They probably wanted us to feed them but we did not. They are protected and should not be approaching boats. That is how they get killed. Then on Friday we went on to Fort Myers filled up with fuel and took a mooring ball for the night. What a cool place, lots of restaurants & bars along the waterfront here. Left Saturday morning for Marco Island have to go out into the Gulf of Mexico wind is 15 - 20 and seas are 2'-3' from the east so right they are on our side. Making for some bumpy conditions.

St Petersburg

We have been here in St Petersburg for over a week now. Some boats have been moving from one side of the marina (east) to the other side (west) because of the weather the night we made our Gulf crossing. A 43' Cantana Cat pulled the cleats out of the dock. Another boat that moved next door to us, told us they were at a 18 degree heel for over 3 hours that night. There is a cement wall between the marina and the cut that opens into Tampa Bay. So when the wind blows from the east we do get some wave action in the marina. Most of the slips head north/south so we all roll side to side.

We met some boaters out by the pool and Karen mentioned we had not seen any Manatee yet. A few minutes after one of the ladies left the pool for her boat she came back to get us. There were two Manatee right by the docks coming up for air just hanging out. No pics, we didn't have our camera or even have our shoes on.

There are quite a few Tarpon tailing around in the marina.

We have been exploring St Pete on our bikes. We went to a hotel built in 1925 named the Venoy. We rode our bikes 4 miles to Lowe's and stopped half way back for lunch at Panera Bread.

A tropical storm passed south of us but we did not really notice from the weather. It has rained for about half a hour or so the past few evenings. They obviously don't know what 80 percent chance of rain is here. That's like 8 solid hours of rain fall in Houston.

We have cable TV in this marina. I do not think the cable has ever been connected on board Summertime before. We have 2 connectors on the outside of the boat on each side. Best I can tell they are wired together not to the TV outlet. Those Taiwanese that built the boat probably did not have cable TV.

We rode the trolley around and listened to a very interesting tour from the driver. The trolley is only 25 cents. There are 2.5 million people in the Bay Area! We see a lot of homeless people living in the parks and on the streets. We met one last night at the marina bar and restaurant. He had just bought an Irwin 27' sailboat and was planning to living on it. I asked him where he got the money and he told me he had received a school grant from the government for $5,500 that day and he used it to buy the boat the same day. He said he was teaching the other homeless people how to get the free government money also. But he said they all do crack and they would just smoke it all up. Our tax dollars at work.

I got my dive gear out and changed my own zincs out for the first time underwater. The visibility was good and I saw a few fish swimming around a sandy bottom.

Panama City - St Petersburg

Left Panama City early morning going thru the small Bays on the ICW not very many other boats so every Dolphin in sight was ridding our wake. I mean they were making a b line for the boat from every direction. They had us surrounded in front on both sides, jumping in the wake. The first 2 we noticed were with us for hours until we left the last bay before getting into a smaller ICW type ditch. We actually got tired of watching them. They all had pink bellies.

For some reason our auto pilot has not been working so we have been having to hand steer.

We arrived in Apalachicola and called the Marina. We had a reservation at Water Street Marina & Hotel. They pretended they could not find our reservation and asked us to wait to dock. Well they actually wanted to get pictures of us docking for their new brochure. They had us toasting and receiving wine upon arrival. We just wanted to get tied up. They were very friendly. They even offered us the hotel if we needed to make provisions.

Karen really liked Apalachicola they had some nice restaurants, antique stores and very friendly people.

We decided to go across the Gulf from Apalachicola to Tarpon Springs. The weather forecast shower 5-10 from the SE over night and less than 2 foot seas. We had a great nights sleep the night before so we left about 2 pm. The estimated time in route was 20 hours at 8 mph. We filled with fuel and went out into the gulf at St. George Island cut. Soon after we saw a very large sea turtle right in our path. He was not budging so we had to steer around him. Nice 10 mph ES wind was blowing and about a 2 foot chop. It stayed like this for the next 8 hours. The moon was about 3 quarters full so it was a nice bright night. That's when things change a 35 mph wind kicked up from the east. About an hour later the 10 foot seas started rolling in right from the direction we were heading. Now we have never been offshore in this boat or any small boat in this size seas. Karen was so scared she could not look out the front of the boat while we were in those 10 footers. They lasted about 3 hours and then went down to 6 footers for about 3 hours. They were steep and not breaking. We had to tack back and forth and take the seas at a 45 degree angel and throttle back to about 6 mph. We were at the upper steering station and were not going down into the cabin. A few things came loose and started banging around but we stayed up at the helm until we got into the 6 footers. Then we went down and secured the loose items. We had our bail out bag at hand and our offshore life jackets on the whole time.

We arrived in Tarpon Springs after a 24 hour run. Checked into the Anclote Village Marina and went to bed about 5:30 pm. We slept till 7:30 am the next morning got up and started cleaning the boat and getting our office work done. A guy from the marina knocked on the boat and asked Karen if she would do a TV interview with channel 28 news. They interviewed her about the BP oil spill and what we had seen on our way from Texas. They did a second interview with her about the river traffic and the fact that there was not a No Wake zone past this marina.

We left the following afternoon and found a place to anchor along the Intercoastal for the night. Departed for the Tampa Bay area the next morning. Got checked into the Harborage Marina after checking out of another place across the bay. We are planning on staying put for a few weeks. Looks like a nice place to explore St. Petersburg. It's right downtown next door to University of Southern Florida , College of Marine Science and a big Coast Guard station. The town also has a trolley that takes you around all over for only 25 cents. The grocery and others shops are just two blocks away from the marina.

Pics are of

Cut into Gulf leaving Apalachicola
St Petersburg Skyline for Tampa Bay

SS Minnow in Apalachicola

Party boat at the Tiki Bar in Panama City Marriott

Margaritaville Restaurant in Panama City

Ron Bill & Karen at the Tiki Bar by Bay Point Marina in Panama City

Pensecola - Panama City

Pics - Hugh Power Cat behind Summertime in Palafax Marina belongs to the Lamar Advertising owners family. I have no ideal what that big tower is, if you do please let me know. View from the pool at the Boardwalk Hotel. Friends we met at AJ's.

We made it to Pensacola from Pass Christian in 4 1/2 hours to Palofox Marina (downtown Pensacola) where Ron the harbor master greeted us. Our friend Bill Berg arrived at the marina that evening. We went for pizza & drinks. Next morning we went on to Destin at Harborwalk Marina. It's basically a party & shopping strip with lots of commercial fishing & pleasure charters going in & out. This made it a little rough in the marina.

The people were so friendly at the Boardwalk. We hung out at the hotel pool and AJ's Bar. Karen managed to get a ride to the grocery from two ladies that we met at AJ's. We took a dingy ride to the beach and to a beautiful shallow area that people anchor boats and stand out in the crystal clear water. We stayed a couple of nights at the Boardwalk Marina.

We left at 7am for Panama City, FL and Bay Point Marina. What a neat ride the Intercoastal is so different in this area. The sides are 20 plus feet high and all sandy. Bay Point Marina is very pretty and protected. When staying here you also have free shuttle service (Golf Carts) to the Marriott next door and the bar called Limes down a long pier out over the water.

Bill left in a cab for the airport today and we started catching up with our office work.

There is a lot of Sea Weed here. It is growing on the bottom around most of this area. When it dies or comes loose from the bottom and starts to rot it stinks. No fun to walk through either. They told us that when it dies off like this it stains the water. So the water is not that clear in the bays in Panama City right now. There is a lots of dead sea weed floating along the banks and in the bays.

We rented a car from Enterprise they pick you up drove around the city and had lunch at Margarettaville Cafe. It's at a neat mall with a long pier. Then we had a beer at Schooners a neat locals beach bar and did some shopping at Home Depot. We'll pick up some groceries and get ready to go on to Apalachicola today.

Pass Christian, MS - Pensecola, Fl

We left Pass Christian on a perfect weather day. Took us about 11 hours to get over to Lu Lu's Home Port Marina in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Went over to check out LuLu's for dinner and watched the Saints game. The next morning Karen & I walk to the end of the dock to check out the boats and a boat from New Orleans is docked a couple of boats down form us. Karen says hello to the guy and he comes out of the boat and he is from Chalmette. Karen used to work with his wife and their family owns a Shrimp and Oyster fleet in Violet. They had a book written about them "The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayous" so did I hear some stories. (In pics Corky Robins & Chris Robins his cousin)

Karen gets to second line with LuLu (Lucy Buffett Jimmy's sister) (Karen Lucy & I in pic) and we hear a great Cajun Band named Roddie Romero. The drummer was from Lake Charles. His brother was in my buddy Roberts' band named Lightship that I used to roadie for when I was in High School.

The next night we went over to the Boardwalk with Karen's friends from Chalmette. They were having a concert in an amphitheater and John Mayer was playing. There were like hundreds of women and no men in the bars there. We had a great time but did not get in till 1 am and we were planning to leave at 7 am for Pensacola, Fl to pick up our friend Bill Berg who was flying in from Houston to meet us.

We also docked next to a Krogen 55 that we had met the people while we were at Portofino Marina a few years ago right after they came back from cruising in it. (in pic)

Madisonville - Pass Christian

We picked up our Cousins Scott & Darlene with our truck in Long Beach, MS the day before we left and dropped their truck off at the Pass Christian Harbor. Karen cooked for Darlene, Scott, Kerry, Chris and us a nice pre-departure dinner & Chris took our truck home with him.

We departed Madisonville 6:30 a.m. on Sept 1, 2010 with Scott & Darlene aboard. We had a really nice cruise through Lake Pontchartrain and the Rigalees out into Mississippi Sound. Where we ran into the only thunder storm along the gulf coast. Sort of nasty but at least the seas were coming off the bow quarter.

Scott & Darlene took us out to Salutee's Restaurant, a nice Italian place with a 2 for 1 happy hour. We were all VERY happy by the time the fantastic dinner was served. They had Vodka Martinis and we had Long Island Ice Tea.

The next day my Aunt Bonnie came by the boat for a visit and took us over to Scott & Darlenes' house for dinner with Uncle Dick. After dinner Karen, Scott & I took off for a little Flounder Gigging along the beach front. After about 2.5 hours we had not seen a single Flounder so we went over to Shaggy's Bar at the Marina for a couple of beers.

Next day we went over to the fuel dock and Uncle Dick came by for a visit. That night Scott & Darlene took us over to the Island View Casino. Where Darlene started playing the slot machines. Before dinner she was up $130. They treated us to a great steak dinner. I broke a tooth on the salad. The steak just melted in my mouth. After dinner we played video poker at the bar and drank Long Island Ice Tea while Darlene won another $1,240 on the slot machines in about a half hour.

Madisonville August 2010

We have been here in Madisonville Louisiana for a few weeks and have been having a good time. Here is some of the things we have done.

We only have our bikes here so we have been riding around to the neat little old town of Madisonville. Lots of nice homes and marinas full of all kinds of boats. Rode our bikes to get groceries, museum, restaurant, bar, hardware store & marinas. We have to cross a swing bridge to get to most of them.

We had Chris, Kerry, Lisa & Eddie (Kerry's parents) down to the boat. Karen cooked a pig butt using Jeff Aufil's recipe. It was great. We all went for dingy rides up the Tchefuncte River. Where we saw John Goodman's home on the river with his boat named Redneck Cowboy.

Went to the Tchefuncte Maritime Museum where we learned a lot about this area. Like most of the wood and brick that built New Orleans came from here in Madisonville. They used sailboats to ferry it back and forth to the canals that went into the French Quarter. The site of the Maritime museum used to be a shipyard that built 300 foot military ships on the river. Then they would be placed on a barge and taken out to the gulf to be launched.

We spent an afternoon at a sand bar in the dingy near the entrance to the Tchefuncte River and Lake Pontchartrain, where lots of people hang out to party. Then went over to a water front bar named Friends for some kick ass Daiquiris.

Went out to dinner at Keith Young's Restaurant for our anniversary were we got to hang out at the bar with the owner and his wife.

Steve & Elizabeth drove over from Houston to visit. We went to eat at Friends for lunch and Commanders Palace for dinner on Friday. Spent the afternoon at the New Orleans Aquarium and drove around the garden district. After dinner we went out in the French Quarter to the Pirate Bar for a hand grenade, Pat O's for a Hurricane and Cafe Du Monde for coffee & Beignets. We saw the after party for the red dress run in the picure above on the way to the French Quarter.

Karen, Kerry & Elizabeth went to a Southern Living Home on Saturday while Chris, Steve and I went out to a remote subdivision and saw a hug gator, while enjoying a Fat Tuesday Daiquiris. We are really making use of all the drive thru Daiquiris places Texas doesn't have.

Sunday I rode back to Lake Charles with Steve & Elizabeth and picked up my truck. Karen had her brother Ricky & his wife Donna down to the boat for a visit. Man is it nice to have a vehicle in the parking lot! Thanks to Chris & Kerry for loaning us their car and hauling us around.

We took an overnight trip to visit our cousins Scott & Darlene in Long Beach Mississippi. We had a great time with them. By the way, not a tarball in sight on the beach. They had crews on the beach looking for them.

We went to the Abita Beer Brewery in Abita Springs and enjoyed all the different kinds of Abita beer they brew for an hour.

Took the boat up the Tchefuncte river on Saturday. Lots of boats out. Stopped at an anchorage, swam and cleaned the hull for a few hours. It's nice to be on fresh water.

We're planning on leaving here Sept. 1st heading to Pass Christian Marina. From there we're planning to head to LuLu's for the Labor Day Weekend. Then on to Florida.

Karen's 25th High School Reunion

We borrowed my son Chris's car for the weekend. Drove over to the French Quarter and checked into the Omni Royal Orleans. Karen's friends from school Lisa & Stephen joined us and we went to a mixer at My Bar on Bourbon Street on Friday night.

Hung out at the Omni's roof top pool and walked the Quarter during the day on Saturday.

We attended the Reunion on Saturday night in Metarie, then had Sunday Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues.

Houma - Madisonville

Man did we like Houma had my cousin Judy and her husband Terry visit on Friday. Wish I would have met him a long time ago. We had a lot in common. My son Chris & Kerry came down Saturday, they took some people we had met on a 30' cat to return one of those portable a/c unites. Then took Karen & I grocery shopping.

Left Houma about 6 a.m. headed towards the Harvey Locks. Got to Lafitte, La and I can tell you this is a place we could live. Just 35 minites to the French Quarter. Lafitte got it's name from the Pirate Jean Lafitte. Humors are that Jean Lafitte has teasure hidden in the canals off from the intercoastal. I think the the gator count around here out weighs the teasure hunting. Nice homes along the ICW with shrimp boats behind them. These shrimpers are not hurting. Most of them are working for BP cleaning up the oil spill. We saw lots of diapers and booms on their shrimp boats. We found out that to work the spill you have to agree to sell your hull to BP after you finished. You can keep everything except the hull.

Saw some old river boats and casino boats. Lots of commercial boats up close to the Harvey Locks.

Lock through the Harvey with no problems. Rose up about 5 feet to river height. They we very nice. Down the Mississippi River past the French Quarter up to the Industrial Canal Locks where there was a red flag tow in front of us. Went around the side of the Lock and tied to part of the Lock that was floating. They called us in with a tow boat with no barge and a light Louisiana boat. Locked us in and Karen tied the rope they drooped down to us off to our mid cleat. Well the guy was on the phone so he did not give Karen any instructions. Water starts going out. The boat starts drooping. The port side of our boat stays up held by rope. I start calling them on the radio and Karen cuts the rope. They drop us down another rope and then we head out the locks.

Stayed at the Seabrook Marina, just before going into Lake Pontchartrain. Karen had some heat exhaustion. But felt better after getting cooled off.

Got up Tuesday after sleeping in. Had a very nice ride across Lake Pontchartrain to Marina Del Ray in Madisonville, La. We will stay here a few weeks. It's Karen's class reunion this weekend in the French Quarter.