6/1/2008

LIGHTHOUSE AT NONAME HARBOR FL
HOARDS OF BOATS @ PEANUT IS. FL, N. PALM BEACH WHERE WE COMPLETED OUR GREAT LOOP. THERE WERE SO MANY BOATS WE HAD A HARD TIME SEEING THE WATER THROUGH THEM. DID THEY ALL COME OUT TO CONGRATULATE US?
THERE WAS A GREAT FIRE BURNING AS WE WENT THROUGH THE SMOKE ON OUR WAY TO NEW SMYNA BEACH FL.


LAMB CHOP, SUE SEA Q 4, TIME OUT, & SUNCAT MOORED UP TOGETHER AT CUMBERLAND IS. GA

US ALONG WITH LARRY & SUE (SUE SEA Q 4), STEVE & GENE (SUNCAT), & TIM & JAN (LAMB CHOP) AT THE BEACH AT CUMBERLAND IS. GA.

WHEN WE LAST UPDATED OUR BLOG WE WERE AT MARATHON FL ENJOYING THE POOL.

FROM THERE WE ANCHORED OUT FOR THE NIGHT AT RODRIQUEZ KEY BY JOHN PENNECAMP UNDERWATER PARK BEFORE MOTORING ON TO NONAME HARBOR IN BISCAYNE BAY, WHERE WE STAYED TWO NIGHTS AT THERE PARK.

THE FOLLOWING DAY WE CRUISED UP THE NEW RIVER TO FT. LAUDERDALE TO SEE THE SIGHTS AND WE VISITED & HAD DINNER A FEW TIMES WITH MY FRIEND RED & HIS WIFE ANN.

AFTER LEAVING FT. LAUDERDALE WE HEADED NORTH TO LAKE WORTH , N. PALM BEACH WHERE WE OFFICIALLY COMPLETED THE GREAT LOOP, (HAVING ALREADY CRUISED THE WATERS FROM HERE TO HOME ALREADY LAST YEAR).

WE HAVE TRAVELED OVER 8000 MILES, THROUGH 17 STATES , 2 FOREIGN COUNTRIES, 3 GREAT LAKES, THE GULF OF MEXICO, AND SO MANY RIVERS, LOCKS, & BENEATH A ZILLION BRIDGES. ALL IN ABOUT 21 MONTHS.

AFTER A NIGHT IN LAKE WORTH WE MOTORED ON TO THE MANATEE POCKET TO ANCHOR OUT PROTECTED THERE FROM THE HIGH WINDS OF THE NIGHT. AFTER A PEACEFUL NIGHT WE WENT ON TO FT PIERCE & ANCHORED AGAIN. WE TOOK OUR INFLATABLE DINK TO SHORE WHERE WE HAD LUNCH WITH OUR FRIEND BOB (CATCH ME IF YOU CAN). IT WAS NICE TO SEE BOB AGAIN. WE HADN'T BEEN TOGETHER SINCE CLEARWATER FL LAST DECEMBER.

NEXT WE WENT TO VERO BEACH FL TO MOOR FOR 4 NIGHTS AND AWAIT SOME MINOR PARTS WE ORDERED FOR TIME OUT. WHILE THERE WE HAD A NICE LUNCH WITH OUR NIECE CINDY, SHE LIVES IN ORLANDO & DROVE OVER TO SEE US. AFTER RECEIVING AND INSTALL A NEW FUEL INJECTOR LINE & A PART FOR OUR ICE CUBE MAKER WE CONTINUED ON TO COCOA BEACH ANCHORAGE & THEN TO ROCKHOUSE CK ANCHORAGE (NEW SMYNA).

PALM COAST WAS OUR NEXT STOP, WHERE WE DOCKED OUTSIDE KEN & ROSES HOME. THEY HAD SENT OUT AN EMAIL INVITING ANY LOOPERS COMING BY TO STAY AT THERE DOCK WHILE PASSING THROUGH. AFTER GETTING TO KNOW THEM WE ALL WENT OUT TO DINNER TOGETHER FOR SOME ALL YOU CAN EAT RIBS. THEY ARE GREAT FOLKS.

IN THE MORNING WE WENT NORTH TO ST AUGUSTINE & ANCHORED OUT. WE HAD HEARD SALTY DAWG ON THE RADIO THE DAY BEFORE & AGREED TO MEET THEM THERE. WE ALL WENT TO A BAR/RESTAURANT FOR HAPPY HOUR & HAD STEAMED OYSTERS ( I HAD TO SHUCK THEM MY SELF & SLIPPED THE KNIFE INTO THE PALM OF MY HAND. GOOD THING OYSTER KNIVES ARE NOT SHARP, ONLY A LITTLE BLOOD), PEEL & EAT SHRIMP,& WINGS.

THE FOLLOWING DAY WE WENT ON TO JACKSONVILLE LANDING IN DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE. WE MET DOUG ( HAPPY CLAMS) THERE FOR DINNER ON FRIDAY. HE LIVES WITH LESLIE IN GAINSVILLE BUT KEEPS HAPPY CLAMS IN JACKSONVILLE. LESLIE WAS AWAY FROM TOWN TO BE WITH HER SICK MOTHER.

WE DEPARTED JACKSONVILLE A DAY EARLY DUE TO A HIGH WINDS FORECAST. WE ARRIVED AT FERDANDINA BEACH & DOCKED THERE 3 DAYS TO WAIT OUT THE WINDS.

AFTER THE WIND CALMED WE WENT UP THE ST. MARY'S RV TO ST . MARY GA , A QUAINT OLD TOWN I HAD WANTED TO SEE. WE DOCKED THERE 1 NIGHT & THEN WENT ON TO CUMBERLAND IS. TO RENDEZVOUS WITH SUNCAT, SUE SEA Q 4 , LAMB CHOP, SALTY DAWG & AMARSE( HAPPY HOUR WAS ON TIME OUT ). WE HADN'T SEEN AMARSE SINCE MARSH HARBOR IN THE ABACOS LAST YEAR. WE STAYED IN CUMBERLAND FOR 2 NIGHTS & THEN WENT TO BRUNSWICK GA TO SPEND A FEW DAYS WITH JUDY & FRED FROM AMARSE & TO TAKE ON SOME FUEL BEFORE IT GOES UP IN PRICE AGAIN.

THEN IT WAS ON TO KILKENNY CK TO ANCHOR OUT & SKULL CK MARINA THE FOLLOWING DAY TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE FORECASTED SEVERE STORMS. SALTY DAWG WAS THERE & WE ORDERED PIZZA TO BE DELIVERED. SALTY DAWG IS LEAVING THEIR BOAT THEIR FOR A FEW MONTHS WHILE THEY GO HOME TO MO FOR A VISIT.

BEAUFORT SC WAS OUR NEXT STOP AT THE HOME OF CHUCK & CLAIRA. THEY HAVE DOCKS ON THE DISTANT IS. CK. WE STAYED THERE 2 DAYS AND ENJOYED THEIR COMPANY OVER DINNERS. WE HADN'T SEEN CHUCK & CLAIRA SINCE CARRABELL FL IN DEC.

ANCHORED OUT FOR 2 NIGHTS AFTER THAT IN THE STONO RV & THE THOROUGH FARE CK. BEFORE STOPPING IN MYRTLE BEACH SC @ THE DOCK OF FRANK ERWIN. FRANK IS AWAY AND A MEMBER OF THE MTOA ( MARINE TRAWLERS OWNERS ASSOC.) WHO EMAILED MEMBERS THAT HIS DOCK WAS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE PASSING THRU. WHILE WE WERE THERE WE HAD DINNER WITH LINDA & FRED (LINDA G ) WHO WE HADN'T SEEN SINCE THE ABACOS ALONG WITH DON & JOE WHOM WE MET IN THE ABACOS & ALSO FLO- ANN & HER HUSBAND MARK WHO ARE PORT CAPTAINS FOR THE MTOA. A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.

WE MOVED ON TO SOUTHPORT NC THE FOLLOWING DAY AND STAY AT A FREE DOCK OWNED BY THE PROVISION RESTAURANT. WE HAD A FINE MEAL & MEET SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE DECK AT THE SAME TIME.

WITH STORMS IN THE AREA WE ANCHORED OUT AT MILE HAMMOCK BAY , WHICH IS PART OF CAMP LEJEUNE. IT WASN'T THAT BAD AFTER ALL.

MOREHEAD CITY NC HAS A RESTAURANT CALLED THE SANITARY RESTAURANT WITH A FREE DOCK FOR ITS CUSTOMERS. WE HAD A GREAT MEAL THERE & ENJOYED THE DOCK. THE RESTAURANT GOT ITS NAME IN THE THIRTIES WHEN PEOPLE WE SKEPTICAL ABOUT EATING OUT FOR SANITARY REASONS.

THE FOLLOWING DAY WE ANCHORED AT CAMPBELL CK & THEN WENT UP THE PAMLICO RV. TO WASHINGTON NC (THE FIRST TOWN IN THE US TO BE NAMED AFTER GEORGE WASHINGTON) , A VERY OLD TOWN THAT IS BOATER FRIENDLY WITH COURTESY DOCKS FOR YOUR USE. WE ARE STAYING HERE FOR 2 NIGHTS & THEN WE WILL GO TO BATH NC ALSO ON THE PAMLICO RV. ( THE OLDEST TOWN IN NC).

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW FOLKS TILL OUR NEXT UPDATE.