Don & Rachel's Great Loop AdventurE

Our nice little island anchorage last Monday took a turn in the middle of the night. We had left the windows open for the breeze and were woken up in the middle of the night by no see ums. So we shut all the windows and vacuumed up as many as we could. But the damage was done, add a few dozen more bites to my count 😩.

As soon as the sun was up so were we. We pulled up the anchor and headed to St. Augustine. We had been warned by multiple people about the current there so we made sure to arrive at slack tide. Slack water is a short period when there is no movement either way in the tidal stream, and which occurs before the direction the tidal stream reverses.

There were a few Loopers boats at the marina and that evening we went over to Caribbean Dream for docktails. That night the pistol shrimp were back.

Wednesday morning we went to Castillo De San Marcos. A Spanish Fort built to protect the coastline. It was built in a star formation that gave great vantage points from all sides. The Fort was eventually turned over to the United States when Spain ceded the Florida territory.

From there we went to the Pirate & Treasure Museum. It was really interesting with actual artifacts and treasure pieces from real pirates throughout history.

The last exhibit was of movie prop pieces from famous Pirate movies, including my favorite 😄.

We went back to the boat to get the fluff and take a walk to West Marine for a new boat pole. Ours had made its way into the water and got ran over. Afterwards I walked around checking out the town. The whole area is heavily Spanish colonial influenced with many beautiful buildings.

That evening we went to dinner with Ken & Kathy from Caribbean Dream to Casa Reina Taqueria and Tequila. They had really good salsa and excellent pork belly tacos! 😋 I’d put them in a close third place after the food truck in Miami Beach.

Thursday morning we left St. Augustine and traveled up the ICW. We came to the Jim King free dock just outside Jacksonville. There were already a few boats docked here and a few more arrived after us, some of them Loopers. We all gathered in the evening for docktails.

Friday everyone on the dock got ready to leave in the morning. We made our way to Jekyll Island in Georgia. Having first arrived in Florida in November I was ready to move on! It was low tide when we arrived and the amount of water between the shore side of the dock and land was very narrow. We got set up in our slip and I took Skia for a walk. We found this nice nature trail with live oak covered in Spanish moss.

Afterwards Don and I walked up to the market in town and then we met Dan and Deb from Razors Edge at Zachary’s Riverhouse right at the marina.  I had a very good crab stew.

Saturday we woke up to rain. As we left the marina it was a very dreary ride. We did see more dolphins along the way which never gets old. When we got to the anchorage we were aiming for it did not look very good so we kept going. We found a spot that looked nice and protected with a patch of sand across the way to take the fluff.

All night the wind kept getting stronger. Sunday brought heavy rain and more wind. We started heading for Savannah. It was a fairly rough ride especially crossing the channels going out to the Atlantic. When we got to a pass between two islands called Hell Gate the boat stopped moving.

The engine was still running but the throttle wasn’t engaging and we weren’t getting propulsion. Don tired bringing it back into neutral and re engaging but it wouldn’t move. The channel was super narrow with very shallow water on both sides. We dropped the anchor and shut the boat off. I called Tow Boat US (AAA for the water). They dispatched a tow boat to come get us. The driver called us to verify our location and said it was a very bad place to be stranded.  I also called the marina we were headed to and let them know our situation. When I told them where we were stuck the guy said that was just about the worst spot we could be. So that made us feel even better about the situation. Don got in the water to check the propeller, which best he could tell seemed okay.

We restarted the boat to see if we could at least get it into idle. It seemed to move so we pulled up the anchor and puttered out of that area. Once clear and in more open water Don tried to throttle up a little and it cut out again. We dropped the anchor back down and called our tow boat driver to let him know our new location. He was glad we were out of that other spot, picking us up where we were now would be a lot easier.

While going to check the prop, we also discovered the wind had tore the bimini top stitching out, ripped the solar panels off the roof and bent the aluminum mounts. Extra fun.

The tow boat got to us pretty quickly, we got hooked up and got a ride the rest of the 16 miles to Thunderbolt Marina.

When we got there they got us set up for a service call in the morning. We were docked behind Table Six and went over for much needed docktails that evening.

This morning while waiting for the mechanic I sewed up the bimini and did laundry. Don looked in the engine hatch and found a corroded double wire with one of them severed. When the mechanic came he confirmed that it was the wire for the throttle relay. Don was able to repair it himself and the mechanic didn’t charge us for coming down. The wind was still pretty strong though so we couldn’t take the boat out to test it yet, but the code was cleared from the console so Don is 99% confident we are good to go.

We then took the marinas courtesy car to Home Depot for parts for the solar panels. When we got back Don set to fixing that while I took Skia for a walk to the historic Bonaventure Cemetery, dating back to the civil war.

Because we spent today on repairs we decided to extend our stay here so we can actually get to enjoy Savannah tomorrow.

Tuesday we made our way to Lakeland Florida. We planned to do the Sun N’ Fun Air show on Wednesday to see the night show. So after checking into the hotel we grabbed dinner at Ford’s Garage. They took the car theme to the extreme! Every door handle was a gas pump, the napkins were oil rags and the bathroom sink was set in a tire. It was a little over the top but kinda neat at the same time, and thankfully the food was pretty good.

That evening we went to see John Wick Ch. 4, which we really liked. But not the previews! John Wick being rated R, I’m assuming because of all the shooting, but it wasn’t really bloody, there wasn’t any swearing (okay one word at the end) and everyone kept their clothes on, so?? Anyway, because the main show was rated R so were all the previews. Which were for these disgusting horror movies that looked gory and gross and stupid. Not at all similar to John Wick, so that part was kind of annoying.

Wednesday we went to the air show. We knew it was one of the largest air shows in the country but it was beyond what we could have expected. Taking over almost the entire grounds of the Linder International Airport. We first stopped by the medical center to say hello to our Looper friend Margo from Rambler. She is the head nurse and medical organizer for the event. She then directed us over to the flying club where we could find her husband Bob. He has been a pilot for a long time and they’ve both been involved with the air show for many years. We said hello to him and Oreo, their Portuguese water dog who is also enjoying the Loop. He gave us a quick run down and told us where the must see areas were.

We caught a golf cart ride to the far side of the show where the helicopters and military aircraft were. Part of what makes this event so huge is the number of people who fly in on their personal aircraft and camp out. The majority of the field was airplane camp sites.

There were a lot of really interesting aircraft you could get right up to and look at. We were able to go into the cargo hold of a C130 and a Chinook, which were really cool to see up close. The only one we couldn’t get close to was the newest F-35, but we would see it fly later. We caught some of the afternoon airshow and walked around checking out the expo booths.

That evening we found a good spot to enjoy the night airshow. Then we got to see the F-35 in action. It was really cool, and very loud!

As it started getting darker they started incorporating lights into the show. The T-6 Texans put on a really good synchronized performance.

When the sun was completely set, after waiting for a few Amazon planes to take off, one of them put on a fireworks display while ground crews set off pyrotechnics. It was a long but fun filled day.

Thursday we headed back to Titusville. We bumped into Chuck, from Rival, on the dock when we got back and made plans to meet him and Kerri for dinner later. We were going to check out the American Space & Walk of Fame Museum. Chuck told us to walk the back way along the water where they have consistently seen some alligators.

We saw two! These were actually our first sightings of alligators.

When we entered the Space Museum we were greeted by a docent who was actually a former NASA engineer and worked on many of the shuttles. He led us around the museum and had a lot of interesting inside information to share.

From there we met Chuck and Kerri at Playalinda Brewing Co. They had a very unique strawberry banana sangria, and the best BLT I’ve had! Loaded with bacon, arugula, tomato, onion jam, and chipotle mayo on toasted sour dough. It was sooo good! 😋

Friday we were up early and off to Disney! We started the day at Animal Kingdom. The world of Pandora was super detailed, it was like being transported to another world, and Avatar flight of Passage was amazing. It really felt like you were flying on the back of a Banshee.

We then grabbed a quick and delicious lunch from Flame Tree BBQ and went to see the Tree of Life. With over 300 different animals carved into it you are always spotting a new one.

Then it was on to the Kilimanjaro Safari. The ride has changed a bit over the years but the views of the animals are still great.

Afterwards we walked the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail where we got to see even more animals.

Over on the Asia side was the Maharajah Jungle Trek, where two of my favorites could be found. The flying fox and tiger!

Last stop was Dinoland. The Dinosaur 3D ride was really good and then it was over to Hollywood Studios.

We started off at the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, which is always exciting to watch.

From there it was on to Star Wars Galaxy Edge. Once again you are transported to another world and feel like you are part of the story. The new Rise of the Resilience ride was awesome. Super interactive with many different sections, hard to explain, but really cool.

We walked through Toy Story Land last. It was also extremely well designed. Made to feel like you are toy size with everything being larger than life. And if you see any toys walking around, be sure to warn them that Andy’s coming 😉.

After an event filled and exhaustive few days, we decided to make Saturday our errands and bum around day. I took a trip to the grocery store and Don picked up pizza from Hungry Howie’s. Although it is a somewhat national chain it was my first time trying it. For a non Buffalo pizza place it was pretty good. They have custom flavored crusts with personal sized build your own. I got a butter garlic crust with sesame seeds which was very good.

That evening we met up at the picnic shelter for docktails with Loopers Gemma, Yachts of Fun, Rival and Shoreline, who we met for the first time. They were just a few years older than us and excited to meet people close to their age.

Sunday we got up early again and went to Universal’s Volcano Bay water park. Definitely one of the bigger water parks we’ve been to. The giant volcano in the middle was really impressive and had several slides coming down and through it.

Having got there right when it opened we were able to ride many of the slides with little to no wait. For the busier slides you get a wrist band that gives you a wait time to come back and ride, while in the meantime you can do other things. So you are waiting, but not standing in line.

The water coaster was a lot of fun and very unique. Allowing you to have multiple drops like a regular coaster and going through the volcano which was cool. We grabbed lunch while waiting our turn for the drop slides. Two quite quick body slides that dump you into a pool 4-6 feet above the water. They were really fun!

This morning I went to return the rental car while Don got the boat ready to go. Right away when we left the marina we saw dolphins all around. As we went through this one channel where our kayak tour was, we kept seeing manatee the whole way.

There were tons of them! While they were cool to see it was kind of nerve-racking because we didn’t want to hit them. We pretty much were at idle speed or just floating with the current through there. We also saw a bunch of ray, one swim right by the boat, the others kept their distance but you could see the tips of their wings break the surface of the water.

There was even another alligator. This was the first one we saw while underway.

We were aiming to get to the Daytona area but a little before there we saw a nice looking anchorage. It was well off the main ICW channel in between some islands with plenty of sandy landing spots for the fluff. We decided to just stop here and enjoy the nice location 😊.

We took our time getting ready to leave last Tuesday morning, and slowly made our way up the ICW. There were a lot of dolphins along this stretch. I was finally able to get some good videos of them swimming by our boat! 🐬

We had an anchor spot in mind for the night but it was super crowded. So we came to another spot where there was a library that had a dock. It was pretty tall however and getting Skia up out of the dinghy was a challenge. But we saw another dolphin swimming by our boat while anchored which never gets old.

Wednesday we headed to Cocoa Village. The docks here were slightly taller than we like but manageable. We got ourselves set up and I took Skia for a walk around town. That evening we went with Jack and Vickie to dinner at Villa Parma for Vickie’s Birthday. Very delicious Italian food, and enough for several meals! There was another scheduled rocket launch that night but it got delayed and past 11:30 I turn into a pumpkin, so I didn’t catch it.

Thursday morning we went with Jack and Vickie for breakfast to the French Delights Bakery. They had a large tempting selection of goodies. I got my favorite fruit tart and a vegetable quiche. Don tried their apple turnover and almond croissant, which he said was particularly good.

Later in the day Vickie and I walked the main shopping area and checked out the stores. We also stopped at a salon for pedicures, always a nice treat.

That evening we met for docktails up on the patio with Jack, Vickie and and met new Loopers, Ian and Trina on Stella Maris.

Friday morning I walked back to French Delights Bakery. I picked up another almond croissant for Don and this time I tried their mini stuffed beignets. One fruit and one chocolate, both were excellent! That afternoon there was yet another rocket launch. We were able to watch this one, and being closer to the launch site the sound was incredible!

Saturday we moved on to Titusville. The docks here are nice and low, which makes it a lot easier to get off the boat, especially for the fluff. After getting set up, I took a scooter ride to pick up a rental car for the week. While I was gone Don washed the boat which attracted a visitor. I was able to see one later that evening. You never get tired of seeing them either!

Chuck and Kerrie from Rival are out in the mooring field but the marinas dinghy dock is right across from us, so they stopped by to say hello on the way back to their boat that afternoon.

That night we went on a kayak tour in the Indian River Lagoon of the bioluminescent jelly. It was really cool! In clear kayaks you could see them light up right underneath you.

Sunday morning we celebrated Skia’s 8th Birthday! She even got a special doggo cookie cake for breakfast. 🥳

We went to Bagel 13 for breakfast, which had more than 13 varieties of bagels, all looked very good. We were informed the name refers to a baker’s dozen. From there we went to the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum. They had a lot of very cool aircraft from all different eras. There were some listed as actively flying that they asked you not to touch. Some of those were even from the 1930’s and made of a wooden frame covered in fabric. Crazy to think about them still flying.

There were many other cool artifacts in the museum, including the actual propeller that made the first flight around the world. And it’s made of wood! 😯

From there we went to Walmart to supply for Don’s brother coming down to visit. Then that evening we walked to Pier 220 Seafood & Grill for dinner with Chuck and Kerrie. It was at the end of the pier right next to the marina with great views. Chuck and Kerrie were able to come over on their dinghy right to the restaurant as they have their own small boat dock. We finally tried a Florida specialty, conch fritters. They were pretty good.

Monday we were supposed to pick Don’s brother up from the airport but he called us last night and said he wasn’t feeling well. Thought it would best he maybe change his flight to possibly Tuesday to see how he feels.

So Don and I still got up early and headed to Universal. We were advised to start at Islands of Adventure in Harry Potter world, Hogsmeade. It was incredible! You really felt like you stepped into a scene from the movies.

First up was Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. It was a really cool coaster, including a very unique vertical drop. Not like a very steep curve, I mean literally the track drops down from under you!

We also really enjoyed the other Harry Potter and Spiderman rides, which both had really good 3D effects. Jurassic Park was a lot of fun too, all the dinosaurs were really cool.

We then took the Hogwarts Express over to the Universal Studios park via Kings Cross Station to Harry Potter world Diagon Alley. Which was sneakily hard to find, can’t be letting any muggles get in. It was equally impressive, especially the fire breathing dragon on top of Gringotts Bank.

Inside, the Escape from Gringotts ride was just as impressively detailed and the ride was really fun. We made our way to the Fast and Furious ride which was cool, another really good 3D effect ride. I went on the Revenge of the Mummy coaster and then we walked through the Simpsons Springfield USA land. I’m not a big fan of the show but it was really well done and had a lot of the landmark locations from the show.

Our last stop was the Transformers 3D experience. This type of ride seems to be a Universal go to, and while this one was also really well done with visually interesting effects, my body had had enough of being jerked around.

We had done two parks in one day and we were ready for food and to sit. We ended up at good old Moe’s at the parks entrance. Can’t go wrong with burritos! 🌯

Don’s brother was not feeling any better so he won’t be coming to hang out with us here after all which is a bummer.

For us, this morning we are off to Lakeland Florida for the Sun N’ Fun Air Show!

When we woke up Tuesday morning there was strong wind and the water was getting choppy. We got underway heading for Fort Pierce. While the ICW is more protected than the ocean side, it did widen a bit as we went along, providing more fetch for the wind to push around. It was a little bit of a bumpy ride.

We made it to the Fort Pierce Marina though and ended up being docked right next to Sojourn. There were many Loopers here actually. Don washed the salt off the boat and I took Skia for a walk along the water. All over in Florida we’ve been seeing these little brown lizards with the curled tail, but here I found a larger multicolored one that was very interesting.

The marina had given us some coupons for the two restaurants on site so for lunch/dinner we went to Cobb’s Landing. It was a nice, fairly large, tiki bar with very good food.

Wednesday we woke up to surprise rain. We took a short walk to the Sunrise City Cafe for breakfast. They had a whole selection of specialty Eggs Benedict. As I don’t care for ham, this was perfect. I went with the Philly Benedict, shredded beef with sauteed  onions and peppers 😋. Soooo good!

From there we took a Lyft to the National Navy Seal Museum. It was very interesting and gave a whole run down of the origin of the Seals and their evolution over time. One of the original training facilities and mission departure locations was here in Fort Pierce from WWII.

They also had a lot of equipment and artifacts spanning their involvement throughout history.

When we got back the rain had let up and we walked to the local library that was having a book sale. Picked up a few new to us things to read, and then had docktails on another Looper boat, Arion.

Thursday we started out with breakfast at Importicos Bakery. They had a whole array of fresh baked breads and pastries. We both got a breakfast sandwich on a fresh croissant, they were very scrumptious. Then we walked over the bridge to one of the barrier islands where the St. Lucie County Aquarium was.

It was a small but very interesting aquarium. They focused a lot on local wildlife spawning and repopulating. We got to watch the feeding of several of the different tanks, led by a guide.

On the way back we stopped at the Manatee Observation Center and saw a mom and calf hanging out around the sea grass.

That evening we went to Dinner at the other marina restaurant, Crabby’s, with a group of Loopers. The coupon for this restaurant was for a free appetizer. They had a very delicious spinach and crab dip!

🍀 Friday we walked to Publix to pick up something for the St. Patty’s Day pot luck the Loopers were having up in the marinas boaters lounge. When we got back Razors Edge was pulling into the slip on the other side of us. We helped them tie up and let them know about the gathering that evening. They are one of the boats we met back in Michigan that are part of the New York contingent, Dan being originally from Western New York actually.

It turned out to be quiet the feast with a fairly large group. I even tried my first corned beef and cabbage.

Afterwards we went with Jack, Vickie, Dan and Deb down the street where there was a whole section blocked off in front of Sailfish Brewing. There were tents and tables set up, bounce houses and a live band. It was a very festive block party.

We stepped away for a few minutes to go watch the Space X shuttle launch that was happening from Cape Canaveral. It was really cool to see! Apparently they have them quite often so when we get up to Cocoa Beach we hope to see one closer up. It was still fun to watch from here though.

We were originally going to leave on Saturday but there was a Rib & Wing Festival happening this weekend so we decided to stay for that. Then the next few days looked quite windy and possibly rainy, and if you stay a week at the marina you get a discounted rate. So that’s how we ended up here now till Tuesday.

Vickie, Deb and I went for a walk in the morning. When we got back there was a craft show and farmers market happening in the park across from the marina. We walked through it and checked things out. I came back to get Don, there were several food tents serving cooked on the spot dishes that looked good. I got a breakfast gyro 🥙, basically a classic gyro sandwich with a fried egg on top. It was the smell of them freshly sauteing onions that got me. They were also shaving the meat directly off the roaster right there too. It was very good!

There was also a live band playing that was entertaining. We hung out a bit and enjoyed the music.

Later that afternoon we walked over the bridge to the Rib & Wing Fest. It was an eating extravaganza kinda day. There were a lot of different BBQ food trucks that all smelled delicious. Don and I ended up each choosing a different place to try. I got a “small” portion from mine which was still huge!

Sunday was cloudy and windy as predicted. We walked back to Publix for a few things we inevitably forget on our first trip there. We brought the fluff with us, so she and I waited outside trusting Don not to come out with an extra cheesecake variety pack. Always a gamble 😆. We came back and met Jack and Vickie up in the lounge to play cards.

Today Don wanted to try and clean some of the algae growth off the hull. We just haven’t been traveling fast enough to knock it off and it grows so fast down here! We walked to Ace with the fluff so he could get a stiffer bristled brush then Skia and I took an extended walk so Don could work on the boat.

When we got back I cleaned up the inside of the boat and then went back to the store, because ya know, third time’s the charm. Later we got treated to an interesting show of some workers trying to put in a new dock piling.

We picked out an anchorage for tomorrow and are headed up to the lounge to play some more games.

It’s been a surprisingly eventful week. 😄

The marina we were in had fixed docks, and with an almost 2 foot tidal swing, we had to time getting the dog off and back on the boat strategically. So at high tide Sunday morning we took her for a walk. We then took ourselves for a walk to a local farmers market near the ocean side. I know I’ve been spoiled all my life with North Tonawanda’s farmers market, but this one was quite lack luster.

On the way back we went into Morelia Ice Cream. They had some interesting flavors, all on a stick, that you could customize with your choice of dip and toppings.

Monday we took Skia for a walk in the morning again and then went to hang out on the beach. We rented an umbrella and relaxed. It was a beautiful day.

We had wanted to go to this one other place in the Keys, but couldn’t get there with the boat. Don also wanted to go see the Miami Dolphins Stadium. So Tuesday we picked up a rental car. We first drove to the stadium but it was closed to the public due to construction. Kind of a bummer, so we went an had an early lunch at this local sports bar chain, Bokampers, that is a Dolphins backer bar. They had pretty good food and it definitely would be a good place to watch a game.

On the way back we stopped at a few stores and ran some errands. That evening, Food Truck Tuesday was happening in the park next to the marina. We walked down there to check it out. It was quite the set up. The whole park was lined with trucks of every different type of cuisine, picnic tables, bounce houses and even a DJ.

Don had a bigger lunch and wasn’t too hungry. He decided to just get dessert, which still ended up being quite the feast. I got these absolutely amazing pork belly bao buns! 😋 I’d say they were a very close second to the pork belly tacos I lost from Smoke On The Water closing in NT.

Wednesday we drove back down to John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo. We went out on a snorkel tour to a beautiful coral reef off shore. There were tons of really cool fish and coral. A huge spotted ray swam right by us!

While under water you could hear the crackling of pistol shrimp, but we couldn’t spot them though. Afterwards we went to lunch at Senor Frijoles. It was right along the water and had very good food!

Thursday morning I dropped the rental car back off while Don got the boat ready to leave. We intended on going to West Palm Beach but it was slow going through the ICW with mostly slow or no wake zones. We only made it to Delray Beach. Along the way we passed a major shipping port that had several cargo ships unloading. It was pretty neat to see. We got fuel from the marina and then anchored just across from it.

Friday we were up early and made it to West Palm Beach. The anchorage we were planning on going to was closed for an upcoming boat show. So were the city day docks 🫤. Luckily there was a corner of sand right along the bridge we could take Skia to. Don actually dropped Skia and I off to take a walk. We went to see the popular Worth Ave Clock Tower.

Saturday marks day 200 that we’ve been on the Loop! Which is crazy to think about! We moved on again. Don had an anchorage in mind but when we got there it was too busy and the water was very choppy. We went a little ways further and found a spot that seemed okay. It was right along the channel a good distance away from the markers, but we knew we’d still have boat wakes to deal with for the rest of the day. Even though the area was a no wake zone, we’ve noticed that Florida boaters don’t seem to be the most courteous. Actually many downright don’t seem to give a flying fart about anyone else around them.

Still, this location had a day use dock which made taking Skia to shore easier, and a floating hot dog stand.

Fisherman are just a different breed. At 6 am on a daylight savings change over night, which makes it actually like 5am, how is anyone so hyped up to be blasting and singing old school Nelly?? 🤫😴

Needless to say we were up early on Sunday. We headed for a place Looper friends of ours told us about, Peck Lake. It was a nice spot, a good amount of space with room for many boats to anchor here. We got set up and took a path along the barrier island to the ocean side. The waves were really crashing!

Today we took our chairs over to hang out on the beach for a while. The waves were considerably smaller but you still had to time your entry into the water to keep from getting barreled over.

The wind kicked up considerably and after getting blasted with sand, we decided to head back to the boat. I got in the calmer water by the boat to rinse off and had quite the surprise.

And this was close to high tide. Good thing our boat has a shallow draft! The wind had turned the boat a different direction and Don wasn’t particularly comfortable being in such shallow water, especially knowing it was still dropping. So we pulled up the anchor and scooted a little further out.

Tomorrow we will be going to Fort Pierce for a few days as we continue on our Northern trajectory.

So going back to last Wednesday. We started the morning off meeting Jack and Vickie at The Kolache Kitchen. Having grown up on my Grandmother’s Kolache I was intrigued and excited!

It was just a little to go counter service spot and Jack and Vickie were looking for something more sit down. So I got myself a savory Kolache with bacon and cheese to go. It was definitely a different style than my Grandmother’s, but very good. We then went to Bagatelle Cafe down the street.

After breakfast we all went to the Key West Ship Wreck Museum. As it turns out, that’s how the town got started. A booming salvage industry developed the town into what it is today. They had a lot of interesting artifacts from recovered wrecks, and the original look out tower which we were able to climb to the top of.

From there we went to The Little White House. Popularized by President Harry Truman, it was the unofficial Key West residence of sitting Presidents for a time. Truman even had a special poker table built with a full cover that disguised it. Several treaties and political agreements were signed at that table with the other party being none the wiser 😆.

After a busy morning of touring, we stopped at Pan Am First Flight Brewery. The building was the original site of Pan Am’s first office and international travel depot.

We walked the town a bit more, down the main drag checking out the shops, then back to the boat. Eric’s Inheritance and a few others we knew were ahead of us up in Marathon. It was Peg’s Birthday tomorrow and they invited us to meet them for dinner as we had planned on leaving Thursday to go there. But due to high winds, we had made the decision to stay where we were a few more days and wouldn’t catch them. However, we were able to find a bus route to get us there and back.

So Thursday we were up early to catch the bus to Marathon. We decided to make a day of it and went early to do the other things in Marathon we were interested in and then skip it by boat. We checked out the Crane Point Hammock Nature Preserve. It had nice trails through lush woods where it comes out to the Gulf.

The coolest thing they had was a natural pool with those pedicure fish. You could sit, stick your feet in the water and the fish would nibble at your dead skin. I’ve always wanted to try it, and it was a very interesting feeling.

Eric’s Inheritance and Tug Bussle said they would join us at the Turtle Hospital at 2:00, so we got some locally made popsicles in the park office, I had sangria flavored which was particularly good, and walked to this little Cuban restaurant across from the hospital for lunch. Don and I both said we thought it was our first time at a specifically Cuban place and it was delicious!

Don got a classic Cuban sandwich and I got Cuban pulled pork with tomato, roasted peppers and onions. Whatever seasoning they used on the pork was soooo good 😋.

Then we met the gang at the Turtle Hospital. A guide led us around and told us all about the many turtles they rescue, rehabilitate and release. We got to see the surgery room and even feed the permanent residents who are unable to be released back into the Gulf.

We all then went to the Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House to celebrate Peg’s Birthday. La Vida and Arion joined us as well.

Friday we spent the morning doing some trip research and planning. After spending several days in a row away from the boat, someone was particularly needy.

We made the bummer of a decision to not go to the Bahamas. The dog really made it challenging, but the timing, and the overall cost of it was not ideal either. So we’ll save that for another time. That evening we went to the Southern Pier to meet Call Me Curly for drinks and watched the sunset.

I had stopped by the Post Office and got a box and bubble wrap. My sea shell collection has taken over the boat, so Saturday morning I carefully wrapped and boxed them up. Then went back to the Post Office to mail them back to NY. On the way back I noticed a craft fair happening and made a little detour through that. When I got back Don and I made a grocery run and got things ready to leave in the morning.

Sunday we headed out of Key West. We had to stop at another marina around the other side of the island first to get fuel, the one we were at didn’t have diesel. As luck would have it, this marina was also only 1 block away from The Kolache Kitchen. So while Don filled up I made a quick dash down the street. I was even back before he was done fueling 😄. This time I got a blueberry filled Kolache, and it was delicious!

Key West is a small town kind of island, and the tallest thing around is actually the cruise ships! 😲

We came to Bahia Honda State Park. It was a super pretty area with some of the best off shore snorkeling. We grabbed our gear and headed down to the beach. Saw a ton of urchin, a lot of fish, a lobster just poking out from a hole in the rock, a bunch of jumbo conch shells (they were inhabited so I left them alone), even a sting ray. There also happened to be a crab pot in the area and it was cool to see what lies beneath the buoy.

That evening we had docktails with Sojourn who traveled here with us, and new Loopers from Washington State, Better Together.

Monday morning we took Skia for a walk before it got too hot, up the old train bridge that used to connect the islands. From up top there were beautiful views of the ocean and harbor where we could see our boat. At first it was semi blocked by a parked car, when we came down and got back to the boat the car was leaving…so you know my stubborn ass had to walk back up the bridge to get an unhindered picture.

When it started getting hot we went back to the beach for some more snorkeling. Today the current was ripping! I actually couldn’t swim back to where we went in, I had to drift to shore and then walk down the beach back to our spot.

When we came back to the boat there was a manatee swimming right by and under our boat. It made its way to our neighbor who had just rinsed his boat off and was hanging out drinking the run off water.

They really don’t want people to outright give the manatee water because that encourages them to come near boats and they can get hurt.

Tuesday we got up at sunrise and made the longer trek to Islamorada. The water was so clear and the prettiest blue color that I could only describe as Gatorade blue haha.

Along the way we passed by the Everglades State Park boundary. We anchored in a little cove near The Oceanview Inn & Sports Pub that has its own dinghy dock. We went with Sojourn to dinner there so we didn’t feel guilty taking Skia to shore there several times. The food was very good and afterwards we went over to Sojourn and played a new game, Mille Bornes.

Wednesday when we woke up with the water perfectly still it was also perfectly clear. Our depth sounder said we were in 6 feet of water but it looked like you could just stick your hand in the water and touch bottom.

We came to Elliot Key Harbor & Campground. It is the northern most island in the main chain and completely natural. Very basic ranger station and facilities without shore power and cold showers. Cell service was also very spotty, hence the update delay. And while it’s nice to unplug from time to time, it’s difficult when you need to watch out for weather. We were the only ones staying there and the completely natural surroundings would have been nice except that Florida is stupid and the bugs don’t die here. We were bombarded by mosquitoes and no see ums.

With the temps being in the mid 80’s and without power we were not able to run our ac, so the cold showers actually felt nice. The sunset was pretty spectacular too.

Thursday and Friday we spent the days just hanging out reading, playing games and watching movies on good old DVD’s at night. Friday the park hosts came and we were chatting with them about the area a bit. Turned out one of them was also an aviation mechanic and used to work for the same company as Don while we were in Colorado but he was in North Dakota.

The no see ums were particularly bad Friday and our ThermaCELL ran out so they were just flooding in through the screens. We had to close the windows and it got very hot in the boat. It ended up being an extremely rough night.

This morning we made the decision we could not spend another night like that so we called the marina in Miami we were headed to on Monday to see if they could fit us in early. They said yes so we went straight there. As we got close we passed some mega yachts, one had a helicopter on the top deck!

And while we didn’t really want to come into the Miami area over the weekend, here we are!

All in the evening we kept hearing this crackling sound. It was like a continuous electrical pop or bacon sizzling, but coming from outside the boat 🤔. It was quite curious.

Let me introduce you to the Pistol Shrimp.

This shrimp is distinctive for its disproportionately large claw. A joint allows the “hammer” to snap into the other part of the claw, this creates a cavitation bubble that reaches speeds of 56 mph in less than 1 millisecond, a bubble bullet.

When in colonies, the snapping shrimp can interfere with sonar and are considered one of the loudest animals under water.

So for two days we got to listen to a wild west shrimp shoot out below our boat.

From there we took a Lyft to the Ringling museum and estate. Spread out over 66 acres were several buildings full of circus history and memorabilia from The Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey circus. So fun!

In 1925, John Ringling built a pink, Renaissance-style palace with 21 galleries enclosing a courtyard, that upon his death in 1936, he bequeathed the museum to the people of Florida.

It was incredibly detailed and right on the waters edge.

Later that evening we went to dinner with Sojourn and Rival to this funky Mexican restaurant, El Melvin Cocina Mexicana.

After dinner we hung out on the dock by our boat for docktails.

Thursday morning we went back to ofKors bakery before leaving Sarasota. Coming down the ICW we actually came across the first bridge we didn’t fit under and had to request be opened. We came to Don Pedro Island to anchor for the night.

Friday we went to Cayo Costa and tucked in between the bundle of islands. There were dolphins swimming all around right by the boat. Sojourn arrived and anchored here as well. We made travel plans and reservations for Key West.

The wind kicked up in the evening and it was a pretty rocky night. Saturday we put a stern anchor out to lessen the amount of swing and keep the bow facing into the waves to reduce the rocking. It definitely helped. We took the dinghy exploring into this little cove where dozens of manatee were swimming around. We watched them for a while then went over to Sojourn and taught them the game Wizard.

Sunday we woke up early to head to Marco Island. Along the way we saw a group of dolphins riding under our bow which was really cool! Once we got to the entrance of the of the island channel there was crazy traffic with some pretty big boats creating even bigger wakes coming from both sides. At one point we were stuck between two opposing wakes forming a bowl around us. It was a less than ideal situation, but made it to the Rose Marina. We were going to fuel up before going to our slip but they were incredibly busy. It turns out they are the only marina in the area currently with fuel. The others have not fully recovered from hurricane Ivan.

After cleaning up the boat we went with Jack and Vickie to the Dolphin Tiki Bar. It was apparently “the” place to go on the island. We were told it was 1/1.5 hr wait. We grabbed a drink while we waited….closer to 2.5 hrs. Luckily the food was really good, or we were all just starving, either way, we enjoyed it.

Monday started off even earlier than planned. We were woken up by the fancy neighboring fishing boats alarm which announced “door alarm, door alarm”. In that almost snooty, robot voice. We went over to the fuel dock and filled up to make the 90+ mile journey to Key West. It was a nice clear day and the water was pretty calm.

We made good time and got to the city marina mid afternoon. While Don washed the boat, I took Skia for a walk to the park. There was an entire flock of chickens just milling about.

Skia was mildly interested but they were no squirrels so it was a passing curiosity.

Yesterday we ventured to check out the town. Our first stop was the Southern most point buoy, which was interesting to see just how close to Cuba we are.

Next up was Ernest Hemingway’s House. It is a gorgeous property, with a full walk around upper porch overlooking the lush gardens and pool.

The rooms were filled with memorabilia from his life, the typewriters he used to write his most famous stories, movie posters, photos of him with the actors cast to play his characters, and photos from his fishing and safari expeditions.

Today the house is occupied by many, many cats, who have quite the life of luxury. Even their own cat house that is a mini version of the main house, which they also have full run of.

As it turns out, there are chicken just wandering about all over town, and gives literal meaning to the chicken crossing the road 😄.

We also went to check out Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. It was integral in defending the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s most popular resident today are the iguanas.

Just around the corner from there was the USCG Ingham Maritime Museum.

It was perfectly preserved from it’s date of origin and has a long and interesting history from it’s time in action. Including some recovered items from a destroyed/captured WWII German ship.

The Gold Mother’s Cross was given to Germany women who gave birth to 8 or more German children and came with a letter signed by Adolph Hitler.

They also had a copy of the Christmas dinner menu from 1942, complete with cigars 😆.

After a long day of exploring we were ready for our own dinner! Luckily, there was a BBQ joint right in our marina.

The food was excellent and the view was even better, complete with manatee swimming right below the floating restaurant.

Today brings even more interesting sites to see!

In the mid morning of Don’s birthday last Tuesday, we took a walk around the island and out to the old homestead ruins from the original settlers of the island. The walk was through very pretty, lush, palm forest.

Afterwards we went down to the beach to hang out and relax. There were dolphins swimming around just off shore that were fun to watch.

With how shallow it was coming in, Wednesday we wanted to wait until high tide to leave, so in the morning we went and took a walk on the beach at low tide. Found a whole bunch of cool shells and saw a live sea urchin and a star fish.

Around 1:00 it was high tide and we set off for Clearwater. We came to the Marriott Hotel Marina and after getting set up, went to dinner with Jack and Vickie to The Clear Sky Cafe.

Being guests at the hotels marina also gave us access to the regular hotel amenities, including the rooftop pool and bar which had beautiful views.

Thursday we got some danish from a local bakery, came back and did laundry in the hotel. Then it was down to the beach. In Buffalo there are bison statues all about decorated differently. Here in Florida there are the equivalent dolphin statue.

There are 5 different Frenchy’s restaurants within a 1 mile stretch on the barrier island. We ended up at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill right on the beach for lunch. Had amazing sesame tuna! 🐟

Friday we found another Another Broken Egg Cafe. The first one we came across was in Chicago. This one though had crab cakes eggs Benedict which were just delicious! Don got croissant french toast that was also quite fantastic.

From there we hopped on the Jolley Trolley to Tarpon Springs. They are famous for deep sea sponge diving. The town was formed around the sponge harvesting industry by Greek Immigrants. Until the world expanded the only place sponges came from was the Mediterranean. When they were discovered in the Gulf of Mexico a group of sponge divers came over from Greece and set up shop. There is still a large Greek population today with many traditions carrying on. We went and checked out St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, very ornate stained glass work.

We stopped in Dunedin on the way back and walked through the outdoor market happening and found Strachan’s Ice Cream. I got Oreo Heath Caramel Crunch, which was as scrumptious as it sounds!

We came back to the boat to grab the backpacks and then walked to Publix to reprovision. We needed to make our way to a boat yard in Bradenton to have the stern thruster looked at again. Where it wouldn’t work before, now it goes on its own even with the power off 🤔.

So Saturday we got up early and headed to St. Petersburg. The winds started to pick up and it made the water coming in a little rough. We got set up and took a little walk around town.

Sunday the wind really kicked it into high gear ALL day. A quick run to the Publix there for a few forgotten items and then that evening we met up with Bob and Margo from Rambler to watch the Super Bowl. We went to The Avenue, a local sports bar that had an entire wall covered in large tv’s linked to form one giant tv. They also had very delicious burgers 🍔!

It was only a short distance from here to Bradenton and though the wind had died down by the evening, we took our time leaving Monday morning to hopefully give the Bay extra time to lie down and be calm. We got to Snead Island Boat Works and they had us pull up next to the haul out ramp. We tied up and took Skia for a walk. When we got back the technician was at the boat already checking things out. He pulled a bunch of stuff out, found some poorly designed elements that left wiring exposed to water and therefore corrosion. He replaced a few things and sealed them up better. The whole process took maybe an hour. We were quite relieved it did not end up being a more involved and we didn’t need to be hauled out of the water again. They let us spend the night right there instead of moving spots and we were still able to hook up to shore power.

While there we watched a very large boat arrive and get lifted out of the water.

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💘

With the thruster once again in working order, today we came to Sarasota. Very nice coastal town. After getting set up in our slip we took the scooters to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. It is a research based facility with a lot of neat exhibits.

Came back to the marina to drop off the scooters and then walked with Jack and Vickie to Patellini’s Pizza for an early dinner. I had a craving for white pizza that did not disappoint….which is good because I have at least two more meals of it 😄.

We came back to the boat to put away our leftover pizza and pick up the fluff for a walk to the park. It is a pretty park with a cool dolphin fountain on the point of the peninsula. There were also very unique palm trees.

On the way back along the road side of the marina was a giant statue of the famous WWII Time Square Square kiss photo.

It doesn’t just look taller than the trees, it was just that huge!

Tomorrow brings more adventures!

Last Tuesday we made the big jump! We woke up to heavy fog, which was not ideal, but made our way out from behind Dog Island and met up with the other boats doing the crossing, there were at least 20.

We fell in line behind Sojourn like a train of ducks. It was so thick at times you couldn’t see the boat in front of you. We needed to use radar to see where everyone was and we all set the same speed and compass heading. It was certainly not the perfect day to cross but 80+ miles later we made it to Steinhatchee Florida along the West coast.

We got a slip at the Sea Hag Marina. It was a big spot for sport fishing and tournaments. They had live bait in tubs along the docks and several resident cats that hung around waiting for scraps. A large group of us met for dinner at one of the Restaurant’s along the water to celebrate making the crossing.

The food was good, but the blueberry creme brulee cheesecake was amazeballs! Don got a chocolate cake with chocolate chip cookie dough filling that was pretty good too!

Wednesday we woke up early to more fog. We wanted to make it down to Crystal River where the Manatee spend the winter. Sojourn led the way again. The fog finally cleared up a few miles from shore, which was good because that is when the crab pots (traps) started appearing. They are cages that sit on the sea floor and have a rope going to the surface held up by a buoy. Some are easier to see than others, and if you were to run one over, the line could get wrapped around your propeller and that’s a bad day.

We went through a whole mine field of them at one point. We went all the way up Crystal River into Kings Bay to anchor, where Three Sisters Spring keeps the water warm. There is also a dinghy only dock which makes it easier to get to shore.

Thursday I could hear the sound of something coming up to breath right outside our boat. When we got in the dinghy to go grocery shopping a Manatee was right in front of us. We watched him swim a bit and then went to shore.

There were also several restaurants along the water that had their own docks. That evening we went with Jack and Vickie to Cracker’s for dinner, which had excellent crab cakes!

Friday was super windy. We hung out most of the day on the boat and saw a momma manatee and baby swim right under the boat! We took Skia to shore for a walk mid day to get a break and stretch all our legs.

Saturday Don dropped me off on shore so I could do laundry. There were some shops in the same plaza so I walked around a bit while I waited. Don picked me back up and we took Skia to the park before going to Kane’s Steakhouse for dinner.

Us and Sojourn anchored in the Bay

Sunday I had booked us a tour to go snorkeling with the manatee! They take you to the spring where the manatees like to hang out in the warm water. You are not allowed to initiate contact with them or touch them with your hands if they get close, but that does not stop them from making contact with you. The first one we encountered was a very curious juvenile who nuzzled my face and hair. Many of the others liked rubbing against you as they swam by, kind of using you as a scratching post. It was amazing!

When we got back we pulled up anchor and went over to the marina to get fuel. We planned on leave the next day and the channel in and out of the Bay is about 10 miles long, mostly no wake the whole way to protect the manatee. So we decided to head back out the river and anchor behind this island right at the end so we could get out quicker in the morning.

Monday we made our way back into the channel and out into the Gulf. Sojourn is an outboard boat and in open water they can go faster. So it wasn’t long until they caught up with us. It was a beautiful sunny day, we made our way south to Caladesi State Park. The entrance is super shallow so we made sure to time our arrival for high tide. The whole park is an island with no roads but a nice large marina. The only access is by boat. We took a walk down to the beach and I of course picked up more shells. That evening we gathered for docktails and met a boater who did the Loop in 2010. It was interesting to compare what things have stayed the same and what has changed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DON!!! 🥳

It was so calm and quiet, this morning we were able sleep in. I made a birthday breakfast and we plan on a hiking around the island trails today. Tomorrow we aim to make the short journey to Clearwater.

No…

We arrived back at the boat in Shalimar, FL last Friday and it was waiting in the slip for us. We unloaded everything out of the truck and back onto the boat. Pretty soon the bilge (engine compartment) pump kicked on. Then a few hours later it kicked on again, and continued going on all night, continually filling with water. Don looked in the compartment and could see where water was coming in through a seal.

We called the work yard office and took the boat back over Saturday morning to be pulled back out so they could look fix the obvious leak. They tried giving us some BS about it must have been leaking all along because they didn’t touch that part. Um no. It wasn’t leaking like that when we left and now it was. We were already annoyed that they had waited so long before starting work on the boat in the first place and it seemed like they rushed and didn’t have time to check everything. So instead of traveling today we had to kill some time while they fixed the leak.

We went to the Air Force Armament Museum. There were a lot of cool air craft from different eras outside and in.

Inside they had a lot of other cool artifacts and old military equipment. They even had an original copy of the newspaper from Hawaii the day of Pearl Harbor.

From there we took Pete for his first time to Whataburger for lunch. We drove around checking out the area a bit still waiting to hear about the boat. We finally got the call it would be ready that afternoon. We got it back in to the slip and went grocery shopping. When we got back there didn’t seem to be any more leaking issues.

After a night of thunderstorms Sunday morning was clear and we got ready to move. Pete went on the boat with Don and I took Skia in Pete’s truck to meet them in Panama City Beach. I stopped at my first Piggly Wiggly along the way and a dog park to let her run around.

I also found this donut shop, Parlor Doughnuts, known for their layered donuts with delicious flavors. They were huge so I got 6 for us to split and try. Maple bacon, sandy beach (cinnamon roll), peanut butter cup, cookies and cream, blueberry hill and strawberry shortcake.

When the guys got to Bay Point Marina it was pouring rain. We hurried to get set up while getting soaked and then went to Cristo’s Sports Bar to watch the Bills vs Bengals. It was very crowded with mostly Bengals fans which made it even less fun 😒. We came back to the boat for consolation donuts.

Monday morning we had the rest of the donuts for breakfast before going to St. Andrew’s State Park along the Gulf. In one of the little bays there was a sea weed that dyed the sand slightly purple.

We found Shane’s Rib Shack a good place for lunch then went to a conversation park to walk the fluff. There were several trails through very different forest than we’re use to.

Pine & palm is an interesting combination

From there we headed to Panama City Beach Pier. It has one of the longest boardwalks out over the water with very pretty views, especially at sunset.

There was also a Kilwins Ice cream on the boardwalk we of course had to take Pete to.

Tuesday morning Pete left early to head back to Buffalo. Don checked on the weather and our next places to stop. It didn’t look like we’d be able to travel until the end of the week. There was another 27′ Ranger Tug docked next to us, Sojourn. At their recommendation we went with them for lunch to the onsite restaurant Bar 72. On the way back we ran into another Looper couple and decided to all meet up for docktails.

Wednesday we woke up to strong wind and thunderstorms which continued all day. We just hung out on the boat and caught up on shows.

Kim Russo, the director of the AGLCA, on The Perch was also docked here. She and Michael (our boat broker actually) were both away for work and had lent Sojourn their car while they were gone. So Thursday Don went with Jack to the store and I took Skia for a walk.

Friday Kim had returned, we went with her, Jack and Vickie back to Bar 72 for lunch. Kim let us know the Yacht Club invited the Loopers for open bar happy hour tonight. They put out a nice appetizer spread as well. The club members were very friendly and interested in hearing about our journey. Though us Loopers felt a little under dressed. No room for a cocktail outfit on the boat.

Saturday we were finally able to travel on. We coordinated with Sojourn who was headed to the same place we were and made the almost 70 mile trek to Apalachicola.

The marina was originally built for oyster boats that the town is famous for and the dock was very high. Particularly at low tide getting off and on the boat was a little challenging, especially for the dog.

Don wanted to wash the salt water off the boat so we managed to get Skia off the boat and she and I went for a walk. The town was very old Florida. We walked through an old cemetery that dated back to the towns founding in the 1800’s.

Sunday we got breakfast from the Little Biscuit Factory just across the street from the marina, then walked around town with Jack and Vickie. We checked out the shops and stopped at the Oyster City Brewery. That evening we all met up on GoGo, another Looper boat docked with us to watch the football games. It was a toss up who to route for between Kansas City and Cincinnati, but as I am currently more mad at the Bengals I begrudgingly cheered for Kansas City. GoGo has two Bengal cats aboard, who despite their name, didn’t seem to mind 😄.

This morning we headed for Carrabelle. Dog Island is the jumping off point to cross the Gulf, which fingers crossed, we are hoping to do tomorrow 🤞!