CHAPTER 29 NOV 2010 to AUGUST 2011
MOBILE AL
to LOOP COMPLETION and on to CT
RAY AND LINDA become PLATINUM LOOPERS
GULF INTERCOASTAL WATERWAYS (GIWW)(TO CT&NY )
Nov 2010 After leaving Mobile AL, we entered the Gulf of Mexico, and
started across the FL Panhandle. Stopped in several interesting
towns: Panama City, Port St Joe, Apalachicola (famous for its excellent
oysters), Carabelle and Steinhatchee. These small towns are
“old Florida” - very friendly and very southern. The Panhandle
calls itself the “Forgotten Coast” because early FL tourist brochures
neglected to include the Panhandle.
On Thanksgiving day, we crossed the Gulf of Mexico and arrived in
Tarpon Springs on the west coast of FL only to find no one around,
nothing open, and we couldn’t fit into the slip that was reserved for
us - the only slip left! We had no choice but to leave with no
Thanksgiving dinner ☹. We arrived in Caladesi State Park just
before dark, delighted to find several looper friends! Later that
night, we had a memorable Thanksgiving dinner of hot dogs and beans!
We spent December 2010 and January 2011 in St Petersburg FL. It
was wonderful spending the holidays with family and friends.
Although we love the traveling, it was nice to stay put for a while
after months and months filled with daily changes. At every new
marina, there’s a new security gate and/or restroom code to remember,
and lots of different courtesy cars to remember where you park in lots
of different Walmart parking lots throughout the heartland and the
south! All rested up, we set out to rendezvous with friends
Darwin & Jean, in Cayo Costa Florida where we “crossed our wake”
for the second time, concluding Loop #2 and earning the AGLCA platinum
burgee! Of course, we celebrated with champagne!
(Note: In AGLCA (Americas Great Loop Cruisers Association) you start
off with a white burgee. Upon completing the loop you earn a gold
burgee, then advance to a platinum burgee after finishing two or more
loops. The Loop (aka the Great Circle) is five to six thousand miles of
navigable waterways throughout the eastern half of the United States
and Canada.)
It took about a week to cruise to Marathon in the Florida Keys where we
spent February and March 2011. It’s our 4th year here, and it’s
like coming home. Lots of friends already here, and more friends
and relatives came to visit. Lots of casual happy hours,
sunshine, gentle breezes, good food, and easy to fall into the lazy
routine of “Keys disease” ☺. We biked everywhere, but also rented
a car every week or two to drive around the other Keys, and of course,
visit Key West.
During April & May 2011, we cruised up the Atlantic ICW. Then
spent June & July at our home port marina in Old Saybrook CT taking
care of boat projects, catching up with friends and family, and taking
an occasional cruise up the CT River to Hamburg Cove. I also had knee
surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
By August, I was able to travel again, so we headed across Long Island
Sound, up the Hudson River (it’s easy to see why the Hudson Highlands
inspired the Hudson River School of landscape painting), to the Erie
Canal in upstate NY, traveling from Waterford to Buffalo/Tonawanda, 341
miles and 35 locks. We had an enjoyable month cruising through
the charming small towns, visiting museums, shops and many delightful
restaurants, then turned around and cruised back to Waterford
again. Just before arriving in Waterford, we were at the bottom
of 35 foot Lock #5 when a horrendous thunderstorm hit. The lock
gates opened but we told the lockmaster we weren’t coming out until the
storm ended! Rainwater was coming down the cement lock walls like
a raging river, and lightening struck just above us with the loudest
boom I ever heard! In a half hour, it was all over and we came
out of the lock☺. The following week as we were cruising down the
Hudson River, an earthquake in Maryland was felt all the way up
here. Then a few days later Hurricane Irene struck while we were
in Kingston NY just off the Hudson River. The wind and rain
weren’t too bad, but the current was rushing through at over 5 knots,
with everything from trees, trash, unmanned boats, even a refrigerator
and scores of pumpkins from a farmers field went sailing by! The
docks were taking such a beating we feared they wouldn’t hold, so we
waded through water almost waist deep in the parking lot to seek safety
in the fire station across the street. By 5pm it was all over and
we came back to find the docks in even worse shape. The water was
above the desk in the marina office, and the pool was filled with muddy
flood water. A local boater invited us to spend the night at his
house, the kindness of strangers was most welcome! All of this
happened in one week!
We’ve now traveled 20,000 miles aboard SUMMERTIME at 7 mph!