The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...

JamesTXSD":35mhdmo8 said:
A warm, humid day today - mid-80s, mostly sunny.
Jim B.
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Sunny Jim and Joan the Blonde

Good Morning,

Since Joan already has an alias (Joan the Blonde), Joe and I fondly refer to you as Sunny Jim. That moniker suits your personality with that great smile and wonderful attitude.

We've enjoyed your posts. Almost like being on the trip with you which we would have loved to have been able to do, especially every time it has snowed, blowed or been downright ugly weather here. Hope that you'll still be able to make it to the Bellingham CBGT in July, we're looking forward to seeing you again.

Ruth and Joe
R-Matey
 
Hi again,

Wish we were with you Indiantown is indeed a funky place that you do not want to miss. Did you se the begging turtles?

You are heading toward one of our favorite places on the ICW, LaBelle. They have a free town dock just west of the bridge with free elect. and water. They request stern to mooring, but we have put the bow of our boat into the grass and tied up on either end.

ENJOY
 
Hey Jim.... I too appreciate your bright outlook on some things.... That fuel only cost you about $3.10 a minute.... Now, just how many marinas can you fuel up at and get that good of a deal??? Time well spent. :thup :clock

On the other side...sure sorry to see you having to pull out and head west. The gang of you who have made post to this link sure have helped me enjoy the trip.

Byrdman
 
FLAGOLD: Take a look at this....scroll back up and look at your post of your trip.... 499 miles....and your 499th post. Cool
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What I'm still trying to figure out is how I went 255 miles one way and 244 back -- I wasn't lost that much!
 
We were up and out before 9:00 this morning. It was a bit foggy, but the wind was 10-12, so we hoped for a comfortable crossing of Lake Okeechobee. Along the St. Lucie Canal, we passed under this railroad lift bridge...

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... and then on through the open lock...

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... and into the lake.

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The fog had pretty well lifted by this point, but the two C-Dorys led a couple bigger boats across the channel (with plenty of miles of nuttin' between daymarks). Radar and the chartplotter made this navigation a snap.

Once across the lake, we motored into the channel, which at times looked like we were boating down someone's irrigation ditch. The terrain went from swamp-like to eerie. Here's a look at some buzzards (vultures?); I won't show you the ones where they were feasting on a dead alligator (Just glad they weren't circling us).

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Not much in the way of towns, and the boat traffic was very light. By the time we were into the narrowest of the waterway, the sky was clear, the humidity dropped almost 40%, and the wind came up a bit. It was actually a very pretty cruise. We went by a small open boat with the folks aboard pointing at our boats... we found out after the fact (from Brent) that those folks were C-Brats from Last Dance. Had I known, we would have slowed and chatted some.

The town of Moore Haven was a very pretty looking area. We passed through another lock, down 8-10 feet...

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The cruising was easy: stay in the middle of the channel. We kept an eye out for (and a count of) alligators. By mid-afternoon we came by LaBelle. After checking out the free town docks, we saw a small motel dock (with power) across the canal... for only 50¢ per foot. And space available. When we tied off and checked in, the guy running the place rounded down on the price. We got out our chairs, time for sundowners, and watched traffic go by on the channel. We hoped to see the lunar eclipse, but a bit of cloud cover prevented that.

Another great day!

And just for the fun of it...

GatorSignE.jpg

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim,

I think that must be the motel that I mentioned earlier on a post. Is that the one with the pool that boaters can use. I think it was .25/foot back then.

We really look forward to your posts and pictures.

Nick and Marcia
"Valkyrie"
 
Yes, Nick, a pool, 20 amp electricity, and water... a convenience store only a block or so away (ice cream and ice :lol: )... we are living' large! Our timing was a bit off though - we just missed the "Swamp Cabbage Festival" held here last weekend. This was a nice stop.

We're starting to see more boat traffic; likely it will be very heavy as we head west on a Sunday. We have to time our departure out of here this morning - the Franklin Lock only allows westward passage on the odd hours.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Another day, another 48.6 nautical miles. 8)

The weather turned a bit cooler this morning... as in I needed a shirt. Joan took Molly for a walk...

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We're planning to spend the night on the hook, so Molly won't get to stroll in the grass for another day or two. While they were out, I topped off the water tank and hosed down the boat - back to the salt water sometime today.

Here's a look at the dock in front of the motel. You can see the town dock across the waterway, a cute little tug-type boat at the end of the dock (looks like it's on a sharpie hull), and the fine-looking C-Dory.

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"Quaint" is the only description I can come up with for this stopover. We shoved off shortly after 9:00. The waterway is much wider here; homes spread out further, orange groves, and lots of lush vegetation. Very pleasant cruising.
We made our way through the last lock on this waterway, stopped for some more expensive fuel (is that redundant?, and headed down the Caloosahatchee River (I like that name - I will try to work it into conversations when I can :wink: ) towards Ft Myers. The channel got narrower and more crowded, and the wind came up against the tide, making for some chop. The front has come in, and it is cooler today (only made it to 72º), but the C-Dory keeps us very comfortable.

Joan made us lunch while underway. Glad we ate before the boat traffic picked up... the big sport fishers kick monster wake - even in the "Slow - Manatee Zone" areas. Unlike the Ft Lauderdale area (where the manatee zones are only effective on weekends), the manatees around here must work all week. Five and a half knots feels mighty slow (remember those speeds, sailors?) after cruising at 15-20.

Lots of construction and hustle and bustle as we went through Ft Myers. Brent had another "secret spot" near Sanibel Island. We made our way into some skinny water with protection from the predicted NE wind, set our anchors, and have settled in. Brent had his fishing line in the water within minutes of turning off the motors.

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Joan is trying to get photos of a dolphin swimming around the boat as I write this. Molly has had a late lunch and is sound asleep after making a lap of the boat (yes, on the coaming). We have broadband coverage, some tv reception, plenty of gas, full water tank, and room left in the poop tank - what more could one ask for? :lol: It's supposed to be much cooler tonight (as in the upper 40s) - good for a hot toddy, some snuggling, and an extra blanket.

Breaking news: Brent just caught supper - a catfish! I don't suppose there's any chance he can catch me a big slice of prime rib? :wink

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
JamesTXSD":nm0yll8r said:
some more expensive fuel (is that redundant?, and headed down the Caloosahatchee River (I like that name - I will try to work it into conversations when I can
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regarding fuel and Caloosahatchee.....In the late 50's the USS Caloosahatchee AO-98 (I think) would refuel us at sea. What an exciting time it always was This huge ship, with a huge capacity fuel would pull up on our starboard, and hoist a green "We give S&H green stamps" flag. As I recall, the bos'n would throw a lead line and these huge hoses would be rigged to a high line, I think, and the excitement would commence. Another tanker I remember was the Allagash, also named for a river. It always struck me as so very appropriate to name these 'alma mater' ships after flowing rivers. Somebody in the bowels of the navy bureaucracy was a poet. Hope you get a chance to pickup some shells on Sanibel. Thanks.
 
I had a message this morning from one of our daysailing friends, asking about life on the boat and if we missed home. Thought I'd share some of the reply here...

Living in a house is just easier - room for everything, not having to move something to get at something else. Oh, sure, there are some big boats that might allow that luxury, but not on my budget. Hot water without depending on firing up a generator or using a solar bag. Not getting up in the middle of the night to check the anchor set. Unlimited water.

However...

The house won't "rock you to sleep"; last night the wind was blowing around 15. We are tucked in a protected area between islands, shallow enough that no one was going to go blasting anywhere near in the dark. I really enjoy our view at our house, but the view in the boat changes... rotates. While I was writing yesterday afternoon, Joan was watching a dolphin swim around the boat and a group of pelicans grooming themselves in the nearby mangroves. Unlike the house, if we don't like the view or the neighbors, we can just pull up the anchor and move. In the past 8 months, our boat has taken us from the Pacific Northwest to Lake Tahoe to Lake Powell to south Texas, the Gulf, the Florida Keys, and now across the Okeechobee Waterway.

The house represents security to us; the boat is more about adventure. It is nice to have a balance between the two. The house is all about comfort, our boat is geared more towards function. Our house is small (by most standards); the boat is really small.

I just had to take a break while writing this to fire up the generator... the battery on the tv was giving out and it's time for the water heater to earn its keep. Joan has coffee (for her) and hot chocolate (for me) heading for the table. All that would be easier in the house, but you find what works on the boat.

At this point in my life, I could probably do just fine without a house; not without a boat. I have no desire to be on a boat in one place, but I do sometimes miss the ease of daysailing off the dock behind the house.

Even simple things like grocery shopping are easier with a car and a house. Or, making the bed. Laundry. Still, if it weren't for some family stuff (we are moving Joan's Mom from south Texas to Dallas), we wouldn't be heading for home this soon. We have lots more cruising planned for the rest of the year.

When I asked Joan about it this morning, the thing she misses most about the house is the space. Molly misses her tower. I am looking forward to long soaks in the jacuzzi tub. Of course, if we had unlimited funds and were willing to deal with all it takes to handle a large boat, I suppose we could have all that with us. In the meantime, a small functional boat and a house on the water is a good mix for the way we live.

On this trip, we have run into a lot of snowbirds who use their boat in the winter down here, put it on the hard and go back north in the spring. Not so different from all the RVers. It's not just a cliche' - home is where the heart is.
 
Jim.... Thanks for you and Joan making the trip and your constant updates. What a great adventure that has been for sure. Good luck with the moving of family members.....having just moved myself, my garage still full of boxes of stuff and Sherryl still buying more....cause the old stuff don't match.... I am sure you will soon again long for a nice night on the hook....and a day or two at the helm. Maybe a bunch of us should go in together and get a provisions boat....about a 30' pontoon boats with big ol showers, a hot tub, washer/dryer.... and just make a float plan around the Great Loop.... or not.... some of the fun is the hunt for sure things when traveling.

Any who....I have truly enjoyed following this post.

Byrdman
 
Jim and Joan and Brent and Dixie...

I've really enjoyed reading about and viewing the photos of your latest cruise. 'Can't tell you how nice it has been to daydream about your locations while waiting for Spring to get here!

Good luck and keep up the contacts,

John
 
It wasn't a big cruising day today - we covered about 5 miles. A world apart, though. Last night was away from civilization, on the hook, surrounded by mangroves. Today, we moved to Sanibel Marina... a pretty swanky neighborhood. When I got back to the boat after checking in, Joan asked how the office/restaurant looked. "Well, most of the people coming out of the restaurant looked like Thurston Howell III." (Gilligan's Island reference)

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The woman at the marina office came out as we motored in... "What can I do for you?" We were an hour or so early for check in... standing on the bow, Joan said, "We have reservations, where do you want us to put these boats?" Heck, we tried to call them on the radio, but they didn't answer.

We had to slide in between a couple big expensive boats... as in: check out the price on this Grand Banks for sale behind us...

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Yep, that's $1.165 mil. Dixie was moderately appalled that it didn't even have a cabin door on it. :lol: There is something very different about this marina: not a single sailboat here. There is a bridge with a 26' clearance, but you can go around that. There is a boat dealer here, and many of the slips have dealer boats in them. Nice place, just feels kinda different. Squeezing between those big boats coming in, I was concerned that I may have to buy the slip here, 'cause I'm not sure how I'm going to get out. If I stay, I may have to schedule some surgery to get my nose turned up. :wink

Dixie picked this marina, because she wanted to do some shelling here - supposed to be one of the best shelling places around. The four of us walked from the marina to the beach by the lighthouse... yep, Shell Central. Joan said she felt guilty walking on the beach, because she was stepping on so many shells.

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The day had started out chilly, but it was a beautiful clear day, warming into the low 70s. The beach walk felt great and Joan and Dixie came away with a bag of shells each.

Back at the marina, we had supper at the restaurant, and then sundowners on the lawn. This will probably be our last day of traveling together, since we will be heading south and Discovery will be going north. These past 5 weeks of traveling with Brent and Dixie have been a real treat... I couldn't imagine spending this time traveling with anyone else. We treasure their friendship and the time we've spent together - none of which would have occurred without this C-Brat site.

This marina delivers a newspaper and muffins to the boat in the morning - nice touch. We're planning a farewell breakfast for the 4 of us before we part company.

Hope you've enjoyed the daily updates; we'll be wrapping up this chapter soon.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim, Joan, Brent and Dixie,
I've thoroughly enjoyed the daily postings. The words and pictures have certainly made this winter much more enjoyable as I've been able to mentally immerse myself in your cruise and felt as if I was cruising with you.

Thanks!
 
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