Saving the Worst for Last - Isle of Hope to Charleston

We headed out of Isle of Hope on that gorgeous Georgia morning, rounding the bend on the ICW just after 7AM.  It was a sunny and  calm at 60 degrees, and we had a plan:  We would head north to about mile 440 of the ICW, drop anchor and watch the stars on our last night of Loopin'. With a little luck we would be able to lower the dinghy and find a great beach to take Ham ashore. And, maybe, we would pop open that bottle of Prosecco I had chilling in the fridge.

I researched a few possible anchorages while the Cap'n steered us through the low country marshes. Some clouds came in late morning, but they soon cleared way for a sparkling, calm afternoon.

Suddenly, and I mean suddenly, a 30 knot gust of wind shook the boat.  "What was that?" we both wondered aloud. Even Ham looked up from his perch on the pilot birth. The Cap'n and I looked to port, to starboard and out back and saw nothing that would indicate an approaching storm such as a line of clouds. The Cap'n did notice that some unusual looking waves had developed -- oddly asymetrical with sharp points. As the waves whipped up, the marsh grasses took on a deceptive look, playing with our depth perception.

The wind continued to gust, the sun continued to shine and we debated what to do. We were just 5-10 miles from our desired anchorage, but we had to negotiate the narrow entry into the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff.  Moving on wouldn't be prudent but retracing our steps offered few options and the winds continued to build and buffet the boat about,

We turned back anyway and decided to head about 5 miles to Dataw Island. where there were a few promising anchorages and a marina.  From a good distance we could tell the first anchorage, set on a small creek in the marshes, would offer little if any protection from the easterly winds. Our next option was the marina. Unfortunately, they close at 4PM and it was 2 minutes past.  The winds would make it nearly impossible for us to safely dock the boat without assistance from shore -- another option lost. So, we motored on and  dropped the anchor is a somewhat protected spot just south of the marina. It wasn't ideal, and getting the anchor set and snubber on took some effort,  but it was all we could do.

Suffice it to say, it wasn't the night we had planned. Yes, there were stars, but there was no Prosecco. Nor dinghy rides. There were  waves and winds and strange noises as FREEDOM swung about. What sleep we had was fitful. Fortunately, the anchor (and Ham's bladder) held.

 We started the engine just after sunrise and after a quick but not so easy stop at the dock to offer Ham some relief, we were off to finish the Loop.

On to Gorgeous Georgia: Daytona to Isle of Hope

Hamilton and the weather were a lot better the morning of Saturday March 28 when we headed out of Daytona.  For the first time in over 10 days we were on our own and I sure missed my deck crew as I pulled in the fenders and coiled the lines.  It was what I call "Florida cold": 53 when we pulled away from the dock at 7:23 AM.  Ham laid low while we made our way to St. Augustine and our slip at the municipal marina. The heavy current there can make the dock approach anything but easy, but the Cap'n handled it well. The dock was lively with slip holders and tourists stopping to chat about FREEDOM and our travels.  On our way to dinner we were excited to find our friends Mark and Vicki from Blue Willow walking down St. George St. We hadn't seen them since November so it was a treat to catch up and hear about their winter.

It was another cold ( 49) early departure the next day -- causing us to wonder if we were heading north too fast or too soon. Chilly, and a bit shallow and slow, we still had a beautiful ride to Fernandina Beach. The landscape changed from mangroves to marshes, hinting of what was ahead in Georgia.

The ICW through Georgia is simply beautiful -- marshes line the waterway and houses. It is remote and pristine.  We are not putting in the long days we used to on this trip up the ICW and having Hamilton on board has caused us to dock at marinas, or find anchorages within reach of dog friendly beaches. Consequently, we have been finding new places to stay along the way..and that is a good thing. About 4 1/2 hours after leaving Fernandina the weather started piping up and we decided it was time to stop for the day.  The nearest marina was a place called Hidden Harbor Yacht Club.  It was indeed hidden: up a long marsh lined creek well off the ICW. The marina managers were on the dock awaiting our arrival and before long we were settled in. No other boats came in that day, and none passed by on the creek. It was just us, the marshes, a handful of unoccupied condos and the no see-ums. Buggy but beautiful!

Even though we have loved going to new places, there are some stops along the ICW that just can't be missed. In Georgia, that means a stop in Isle of Hope, near Savannah,  As I said in my original Freedomonthebay blog post about Bluff Drive in  Isle of Hope: it is like a living and breathing page from Southern Living magazine. Porches, spanish moss, long docks through the marshes. Oh my, I love it.

This home is for sale.....hhhmmm

My favorite home on Bluff Drive

The official name of Spanish Moss, usneoides, means "resembling Usnea", and it indeed closely resembles its namesake Usnea, also known as beard lichen, but in fact Spanish moss is neither a moss nor a lichen. Instead, it is a flowering plant (angiosperm) in the family Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade. 

In the desert regions of the southwestern United States, dried Spanish moss plants are used in the manufacture of evaporative coolers, colloquially known as swamp coolers. These are used to cool homes and offices much less expensively than using air conditioners. A pump squirts water onto a pad made of Spanish moss plants. A fan then pulls air through the pad and into the building. Evaporation of the water on the pads serves to reduce the air temperature, thus cooling the building.^{[16] (Wikipedia)}

Native Americans called Spanish moss “tree hair.” In the 17th century, French explorers dubbed it “Spanish beard” as a derogatory slur against the Spanish, who returned the insult by calling it “French beard.”  Early settlers used the name “gray beard.” Yet it was the term “Spanish moss” that survived. 
(charlestonmag.com)

 

I love the moss in this Dogwood Tree

Docks along the drive

Another Southern beauty

  It was a gorgeous Georgia morning when we threw off the bowlines the next morning and headed north along the marshes. We knew this would be our last full day on the Loop -- a bittersweet feeling that tugged on us to stay in Isle of Hope for one more night. Yet, Charleston awaited us, and it was time to go.

Cheers to Docktails!

Really bad picture of really good cocktails
(see the jigger? -- a wedding shower gift 30 years ago! the top for the Admiral, the bottom for the Cap'n)

A staple of the Loop experience is Docktails: A BYO shoreside gathering of Loopers.  Whenever a group of Loopers find themselves at the same dock word spreads as to when and where the group will meet. At the appointed time, Loopers will gather toting folding chairs, plates of appetizers and drinks in hand. It's a fun way to meet fellow cruisers, catch up with others you have met along the way, share experiences and gather advice for the road ahead. We have been to docktails for 30 and docktails for 6.

Somewhere along the way we decided to create a FREEDOM signature cocktail. The Cap'n has a preference for rum, so that was where we started.  After a certain amount of research ( a tough job, but someone had to do it) here is what we came up with:

The Looper

1 1/2 ounces Black Malibu Coconut Rum

1 1/2 ounces Pineapple Vodka (any brand you can find)

4 ounces V8 Splash Orange Pineapple Juice

Lime Wedge

Pour Rum, Vodka and Juice over ice in rocks glass. Stir

Give the Lime a squeeze over liquor/juice mix, drop the rind in the glass and enjoy!

Even though the Cap'n loves the Looper, I was looking for a different flavor profile. Again, after much thought and research, I came up with.......

The Ladies Who Loop

1 1/2 ounces Pineapple Vodka

1 ounce Elderflower Liquer 

(often referred to under the brand name St. Germain)

3 ounces Sparkling ICE Lemonade 

or lemonade of your choice

Chill a Martini Glass (either in fridge or fill it with ice for a few minutes)

Pour vodka, elderflower liquer and lemonade into an ice filled cocktail shaker

Shake it up

Remove ice from martini glass (if using that method)

Strain cocktail into chilled glass, garnish with a slice of pineapple

and enjoy!

Pointing the Bow North, from Stuart to Daytona

On Sunday March 22nd, the Cap'n sister Robin and brother in law Alan arrived in Stuart, FL for the next leg of our journey. Once they emptied the trunk of their rental car, Peter, Mary and Caroline filled it and off they went to the airport -- a perfect crew changeover.

The following morning we pointed FREEDOM's bow north -- towards the end of our Loop and, later, home.  Our first stop was Vero Beach aka Velcro Beach to many cruisers.  It was a rainy afternoon but we managed to take a walk later in the day and we were charmed. Live oak trees, dripping with spanish moss, arched gracefully over streets lined with beautifully landscaped homes. We didn't even get as far as the beach, but we could see why snowbirds return year after year.

The next stretch of the waterway was filled with wildlife -- birds, dolphins and even a skate jumped across our bow. It was fun to ride along and listen to Alan and Robin, avid birders, exclaim over what they could see through their binoculars.  We are always so busy running the boat we never get the chance to really look at the birds. Yes, we see the pelicans, the anhingas, the gulls, but the Roseate Spoonbills that Robin saw on a spoil island? Never! We would have just motored on by and said "Look at all those birds over there. Now where is the next mark?"

Roseate Spoonbill -- what you might see along the ICW

Upon entering the fairway at the Cocoa Village Marina in Cocoa, FL we saw our friend Les from Rock Hall waving to us from the dock. We hadn't seen him in nearly two years, and he was a happy welcoming sight. Later in the afternoon, on our way to dinner, we stopped by his boat to say hi, and although he was not home we found our Looper friends Dave and Michele just a few slips away. There were big hugs and excited conversation all around as we hadn't seen them since we couldn't remember when. Maybe October. Although almost everyone who Loops keeps a blog, reading about where someone is and actually seeing them are two different things. Especially those people you really enjoy.

Just before we left for dinner our back up  water pump died -- unfortunately for Robin it was in the middle of her shower! (The main water pump went on strike a while ago, and we really thought/hoped the back up would make it to Charleston) We knew then that our one night stop in Cocoa would be two. The following morning Les drove the menfolk to West Marine, while Robin and I went to the Farmer's Market and visited with Dave and Michele. They were on their way to spend the afternoon with other Loopers docked at another marina and watch the planned lift off of the Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral.  Knowing we were not going to get away from the dock that day, the marina staff assured us we would have a great view from our flying bridge. At exactly 2:36, the start of the 18 minute launch window, a ball of fire was seen on the horizon and from it rose the satellite-carrying rocket.  It was nearly 2 minutes before we felt and heard the liftoff, and by then the rocket was nearly invisible. This is the ninth in a series of 12 next generation GPS satellites, and it was so cool to watch....

Up up and away

With the water pump repaired, a nice cocktail hour with Les and Donna, and a good nights rest we continued on to Halifax Harbor Marina in Daytona.

On Thursday evening and again Friday morning we debated whether or not to venture north from Daytona and hopefully get to St. Augustine before the predicted heavy storms hit, or stay in port one more night. That decision was made for us when Ham missed the jump from boat to dock, landing on his belly half in the water, half on the dock. When we reached shore I noticed blood in his urine. The marina referred me to a local vet, and once I secured a cab company that would allow a pet, off we went. It was hard for Ham to understand why he couldn't sit on the seat, and even harder for the Cap'n and I to keep him on the floor for the 10 minute ride. After a thorough examination and an Xray it was determined that there was no internal bleeding -- just a bruised bladder. Armed with a bottle of antibiotics we thanked the vet and staff at the Driftwood Animal Clinic and headed back to the marina. This time the cabbie allowed Ham to sit on the seat, and all was well.

Back at the marina we climbed out of the cab and Alan climbed in for a ride to the car rental agency. It was time for him and Robin to enjoy a night on Amelia Island and a morning of birding before flying back home. After lunch at a local pub, we said goodbye and headed back to FREEDOM to ride out a rain storm and keep an eye on Ham.

Snow Birds and Spring Break

Crowded but quiet Fort Myers Beach

Boats gathered off the Lani Kai Island Resort, Fort Myers Beach

There were waaaayyyy to many people on that boat -- but it sure looked like they were having fun

As I said in my last post, say "Beach" and they will come.  So it was for us in Fort Myers Beach, and continued that way through the remainder of our stay in Florida.  We hadn't had many guests along the Loop -- once we hit the inland rivers there were not many easy places for guest to get on and off in close proximity to airport, or even a rental car to take them to the airport. So, it was fun to once again share our adventure with family and friends.

In late February our friend Andrew came to visit for a cold and foggy few days. We made the best of it though, eating lots of good seafood, touring the Edison/Ford Estate in Fort Myers and visiting the the ancient Calusa Indian Mound House, Estoro Island's oldest standing structure. The Calusa built large mounds made of oyster and other shells as a focal point of their communities. The tribal leader would live atop the mound. Over the years more and more shells would be added. It was interesting to see this mound after viewing the ones at the Shiloh battleground.  Here is some information about the Calusa from the Mound House website:

The Calusa resisted Spanish political, cultural, and religious insurgence for 200 years. The first documented contact with Europeans occurred on June 4th, 1513 when Ponce de Leon’s flotilla of three ships anchored for re-supply near what is today San Carlos Bay. The flotilla was attacked by twenty Calusa canoes some of which were tied side by side and all were equipped with barricades protecting the warriors inside. In the ensuing battle five canoes and four Indians were captured, and many others were killed. Two Indian captives and a Spaniard were sent to meet the Calusa chief and arrange a meeting. This was done, but the following morning the flotilla was confronted by a force of eighty canoes prepared for battle that likely represented a force of over 800 Calusa warriors. The show of force was enough to convince the Spaniards to leave. When Ponce de Leon returned in 1521, he was again attacked and this time mortally wounded.

A brief mission effort by the Spanish amongst Calusa at their capital on Mound Key between 1567 and 1569 ended in failure amidst continued tension. A second mission attempt in 1697 lasted only three months before the missionaries were stripped of their clothing and marooned in the Florida Keys. The Calusa made it clear that their interest was in Spanish goods not beliefs.

Eventually, many of the Colusa died after coming into contact with European illnesses. It is believed that the majority of those who remained relocated in Cuba.

Our next guest was favorite son Chet who shared his final college Spring Break with us. No one was happier with his visit than Hamilton!The weather was a bit better by then and we got some good beach time and dinghy rides in:

Reunited: Brothers from Different Mothers

A new Cap'n at the helm

The Spring Break scene really revved up in time for Deb and Don's arrival.  Fort Myers Beach is a big draw for college students from all over the south and mid-West. Party central is the Lani Kai Resort, where college student and banners lined the open air walkways and balconies. Adding to the frenzy were the daily beach side dance performances of the Cincinnati Fire Department. After I saw an ad on TV for the daily shows, with a curious Cap'n and Don Deb and I decided it would be a good idea to wander over and show our support for these men in uniform who had made such a sacrifice  to travel so far from their cold hometowns to a warm and sunny locale full of women in bikinis. Let's just say, they really heated things up.....

Awaiting the arrival of the Cincinnati Fire Department at the The Lani Kai Resort, FMB Spring Break Central

I'm all yours, ladies...

The shark worked for Katie Perry, so why not for the firemen?

The firemen strutting their stuff for the young and young at heart spring breaker's

The guy in the hat had a lot of self confidence  -- 

This was the 28th the CFD has performed at FMB, this year raising money for the local Araba Shriners.

During Deb and Don's visit it became apparent that Ham had had enough of us -- he spent as much time as he could snuggling with Deb (and she graciously obliged him)

Next up on the list of Spring Breakers/Northern Winter Escapees were my brother Peter, sister in law Mary, and niece Caroline, also on her last college spring break. They came aboard FREEDOM in Fort Myers in anticipation of our trip across Lake Okeechobee.  In the past we have done that trip in 2 days, but this year we stretched it into 3 -- I liked it better that way. The weather was warm and our guests spent a lot of time on"FREEDOM Beach", soaking up the rays after a long cold winter.

When we weren't making them hold the lines in the locks,,, (our last locks on the Loop!)

And scrub the boat....

We hope they'll come back,,,,,

Fun in Fort Myers Beach & Fort Myers

We purchased FREEDOM 4 years ago in Fort Lauderdale, FL. We have spent 3 of the 4 winters since then in the Sunshine State and I must say it has never been more vibrant. From the Panhandle to St. Pete to Stuart the restaurants were bustling, shuttered storefronts have re-opened their doors and the traffic: Yikes!  Even before snowbird season began things were hopping.

We had a very good winter in Florida. I already posted about our time on the Panhandle and in St. Pete, and I am way overdue on a Fort Myers beach post.  So here it is, in words and pictures......

We had never even heard of Fort Myers Beach until someone along the way suggested we stop there this winter. So happy we listened.  It has just enough beach shops, bars and restaurants to keep it lively and the colorful homes and storefronts give it a Key West feel with out the Key West craziness and pricing.

The Cottages of Paradise Point look about perfect to me

Another colorful house

24/7 you could hear Jimmy Buffett music playing from the deck of this whimsical inn

A false front hides the parking area for a row of townhouses

Palm trees line the beach

Outdoor cafes, live music and a sunset ceremony keep the "Times Square" area of Fort Myers Beach lively day and night.

And the beach -- it was lovely. I am not usually a big fan of beach sitting or even sand, but the Fort Myers Beach sand was soft and white and it was always hard to pack up my things and leave after a few hours of sunbathing.

Moss Marina, our home from mid-February to mid-March was perfect. We docked on a T-head giving us a front and center view of the bayside activity. A steady stream of boats passed by from morning to night, even mid week: pleasure craft, shrimpers, tour boats, the local Pirate Ship, and the Big M Casino boat.

After dark departure for a shrimp boat

We saw a few commercial tugs and barges, but they looked small after what we had seen on the Mississippi!

The Coast Guard Station across the bay sent out training and rescue ships almost every day.  The rescue boats always left in a hurry -- leaving us to bounce in their wake.

Pieces of Eight, the local Pirate Ship, passed by at least once a day.  We knew when to Hurrah! and when to Aaarrrrggghhhh! and when the Limbo contest would start. It always sounded like fun....

The was the  view of the Big M Casino boat form our side deck as she returned to the dock.  Yikes - one day she came so close we almost abandoned ship!

The activity was not only in the water....the marina has a few large boat storage sheds.  All daylong the dockhands removed boats from their stacked slips, drove them to the water and launched them.

Where Boats Fly:  Moss Marina, FMB

The marina is family owned and even the great grandchildren of the owner, GT, work in the office and on the docks.  A handful of the dockhands live on site -- one on a boat, with Ham's arch enemy Moola the dock dog, and others in a camper in one of the large storage sheds. It was a lively place. There was so much to look at on shore and in the water that many days I never made it to the beach.

The Annual Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Fest took place just before our month was up.  A morning parade was followed by a two day craft fair, a Shrimp Queen contest, and a shrimp eating contest.  We might not have eaten any shrimp at the shrimp fest, but we certainly had our fill from the local fish market Trico's. With a fleet of shrimp boats right out their back door, we figured it couldn't get any fresher (other than the shrimp I bought directly from the shrimper in Mobile).

King Neptune led the Parade (kinda scary at 10AM)

Neptune's Shrimp Court

The Red Cross is always at the ready

A big ovation for these local beauties

Everyone stood up and cheered for our armed services

I loved this boat

We took a break from the parade and wandered over to the food tents. Lots of shrimp, crayfish and grouper on the grill

Meanwhile, back at the parade the topless women showed up -- advertising the local tattoo and henna parlour. We had never seen a topless float -- yes they were tastefully hennaed, but it was a bit shocking....( there were children in the crowd!) 

Finally, the clothed members of the yacht club appeared.

With our bellies stuffed with shrimp and grouper and a little more sand on the decks, FREEDOM departed Fort Myers Beach on Monday March 16th, destination Fort Myers. We were thrilled to learn that a block party was on tap for St. Patrick's Day.  I've never seen so many green shirts and wigs in my life.

Who says Snow Birds can't have fun?

When I saw this group I told the Cap'n "We need to up our game next year!"

Beer Mug hats were popular....

I'll admit, I stalked this hand in hand father/daughter pair. Loved his kilt, loved her confidence..and there are no words for the hair

The Hip Natuticals...loved them...my new (second) favorite band

Even the beard....

We had a lot of guests while we were in Florida( say "Beach" and they will come), but that is another post for another day.....