Finally off cruising again!!! (Posted 6/14/2013)

We finally got enough dynamite to blast me out of the harbor and go cruising!  Life on the hook in a perfectly protected harbor with the condo as our own private marina was just too comfortable and too easy. It is not hard to become a "harbor rat" and just stay. But we were itching to go cruising again so we decided to head north up the coast to our old cruising grounds up in the Anna Maria Island to Saint Petersburg area. We took a month cruise and it was great to be underway again! BIG GRINS on our faces.

There was an older couple (80 years old) on their trawler in our harbor who were headed north also. They are an inspiration to us as they have been sailing since they were young and are now on a trawler and still getting out for a cruise now and then!  They left the harbor as we did. On our third day we anchored in a harbor and they met up with us there.  During our cruise we were anchored in the same harbors four more times. They are really nice people and we visited them on their boat a couple of times.

We kept heading north until we got to Redington Shores, a favorite anchorage of ours. We were there about a week during which we were able to have lunch and visit with friends and relatives. We first had lunch with Linda's step-sister, Diane, and a friend of Linda's, Cindy, who she had known since they were little girls!  We also had lunch with two of Linda's nephews, Tim and Phillip, who she had not seen in a long time. They had a good time catching up on each others lives and I had a chance to meet more of her family. We had lunch with my old (not age, just how long I have known him) friend, Jack Grose, and had a chance to catch up with what he had been up to. He retired since we had last seen him which is great as I haven't known too many people who think working is better than being retired!!!

Here is a photo of Linda with her nephews, Tim and Phillip, and Tim's wife Beth:

During our cruise we were treated to lots of wildlife sightings (more than usual). We had a large pod of manatees pass us going the other way in the channel and it is unusual to see so many at a time. Lot's of dolphins, of course, and you would think that we would not get excited anymore after more than 7 years but we still do and there seem to be lots of babies this year, playing, leaping, etc. We saw some flamingos which we almost never see.  An huge eagle ray (a stingray) at least 5 feet across jumped 4 feet out out of the water right next to the boat while we were underway. I had to change my underwear after that! GRIN

One day the most unusual thing we have seen passed us in the channel. It was a guy with a water-jetback on his back with a long intake hose trailing in the water. The jetpack levitated him from 5 to 20 feet in the air and shot him along at about 10 knots!! We thought that the extraterrestrials had landed!  I thought that maybe the homeless guy in the park who had bent my ear one day as I was filling some water jugs might be right. He had told me that he talked to many of the space aliens who were walking among us and they were here to steal our water. (snicker)  I was sorely tempted to tell him that I was from a galaxy far, far away but resisted as I was not sure he would remain harmless if provoked!

On our way back south we met up with some old friends from Hudson that we had known since before we left to go cruising. Tim and Debbie were on their powerboat in a marina on a vacation cruise in Placida/Cape Haze. We anchored nearby and took the dinghy to the state park dock. They picked us up and we had a nice lunch and visit.  As you can see we "do lunch".

While we were in Placida we went ashore and walked about a mile to a supermarket. When we were there 7 years ago a woman (about 80+ years old) named Ellie had talked to us in the checkout line and offered us a ride back to our dinghy with our groceries. We called her "our angel" and stopped to see her once on our way up the coast. Well, this time while we were in the same supermarket I, of course, saw an elderly woman and joked to Linda ("That's not Ellie.)  Well, we were doing our shopping and that woman walks up to us and says "I saw you walking to the store, do you need a ride back with your groceries?" I was not Ellie but it is clear to us that all angels live in Placida, Florida and not in heaven.  Seriously! She gave us a ride back to the park and our dinghy, we each gave her a big hug, she felt good and so did we. We believe in the "pay it forward" philosophy so will be sure to help other people whenever the possibility arises.

We stopped in Captiva Island to anchor on our way back to Cape Coral as we had never anchored there before.  The first time I saw Captiva (by car) years ago I thought that it was the place in Florida that is closest to being like Hawaii. Very tropical and beautiful. We went ashore and walked around, to the beach, shops, etc. There is an unusual restaurant called the Bubble Room. It is filled with Hollywood memorabilia and antique toys and decorations. You have to see it to believe it.  There is a Christmas room where it is Christmas all year long. They are famous for their desserts. We didn't have lunch there but, of course, had to buy some of the Red Velvet cake to take back to the boat.

Captiva Island:

We got back "home" to our harbor safe and sound after having a great cruise. The only problem was that while we were away we had left our old dinghy, "Little One", on our mooring chains and anchors so that we could save our spot and not have to haul up the heavy dirty anchors. While we were gone some guys in a fishing boat came and stole the dinghy and the chain and anchors. (over $1000 of chain and anchors!!)  Our innocence is lost! We used to not even lock the boat up when leaving her during the day. Some of the people in our condo building watched from their balcony as the thieves took the dinghy and anchor gear. They didn't know if we knew the people so didn't call the police.  Needless to say we were very upset and angry. But, as I always say, it is just things and money lost, no one was hurt so you have to just let it go. We bought a new anchor and more chain. We, of course, had our newer dinghy with us on the cruise so still have the "family car" to go back and forth to the boat.

Here is a final photo of Little One taken as we left her to bravely guard the mooring;

As we were settling back in one day we went to leave the condo and the deadbolt lock broke and we were locked inside!!  Now there is no back door to a condo on the 7th floor. Climbing out a window is not an option! The only way down other than out the door and down the elevator or stairways is to repel 7 stories down from the balcony on a rope! Yikes!!  Frantic is probably the correct term for my reaction. OK, maybe panic is more appropriate!  I got out a screwdriver and removed the lock but the deadbolt would not come out as there was not enough room. More panic! Bad language may have been involved as well as thinking about a sledge hammer. Somehow I did something with the screwdriver that operated the deadbolt and unlocked the door. I then examined the mechanism, figured out how it worked and why it had failed, fixed it and reinstalled it.  Regular old handyman and "happy homeowner" I am. FROWNY FACE

That's all the news for now. I have been very lax about the blog for several months but this entry and the couple of entries before it should bring you up to date on things.