Tarpon Springs Florida, Christmas Day

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Merry Christmas to everyone and hope everyone has a great holiday season.

Wow, it has been a busy month and ½ since our last post. This is the first we have had any good internet service to load pictures. We arrived in Tarpon Springs Florida (Gulf Coast) yesterday and will pay for a month at this marina. They have high speed internet, YEA!

As most of you know we did not get to see the shuttle launch after staying a week in Titusville. We pulled up anchor and headed south to help Carol’s mother for a month. We arrived in Lantana Florida about Dec 9th and tied up at a marina. Carol’s mother picked us up and we stayed at her home.

She had a dialup connection that you had to wait 10 minutes just to look at e-mail so we were not able to update the blog. We cleaned ,replaced an outside wall, bedroom ceiling, painted 4 rooms and ceilings. Also tons of yard work, roof repairs, and just stayed busy. We enjoyed the physical work.


It got very cold with freeze warning in South Florida. COLD!!!!

About Dec 10th we left Lantana and headed North to St Lucie but got stuck in North Lake Worth to wait another cold front blow. Waited here about 4 days.

From Lake Worth we went up to St Lucie and started across the Okeechobee Waterway to the west coast. It was a great crossing taking 4 days staying in Indian Town. Indian town marina is a great place with many liveaboards with palm trees, sand tiki area showers and a great bunch of people. We also stayed in Moore Haven, Labelle and Cape coral.

We picked up something in the prop going under the third bridge in Ft Myers and had to have it checked out in Cape Coral. The water was too cold for me to jump in so we had a cold water diver com over and check things out. It must have cleared off the prop during the last two hours that we sailed form Ft Myers to Cape Coral.

Then off north on the Gulf coast to Tarpon springs which is the Sponge Capital of the World. We found many great areas with nice anchorages. Dolphins came alongside and escorted us several times.

After we visit my parents, we will wait for a weather window and hopefully head south to the keys.


So Cheers to all and keep in touch!

Ron & Carol

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Photos

Manatee in Titusville
There were about 7 swimming around the dock area. Only idle speeds allowed even on Dinghys.

Lobster at Lantana
Lobster from the Lobster boats. Wish they were all mine. $7 a pound not bad!

Locks on the Okeechobee Canel
total of five locks, two on the east side raising up to the lake and three on the west side lowering us back to sea level.

Ash on Boat
Around Moore Haven on the Okeechobee, we got into Ash from the burning of the Sugar Cane fields. Took a while to clean that off!

Dolphin Escort
Several times we had dolphins excort us. They always seemed to know to come up alonside the back of the boat where we were.

Comments

[krimson]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HELLO--- I hope that all is going well. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. You guys are awesome and I cant wait to see all that you did at grams. I love the updates and the pictures. The dolphin picture is Awesome. Carol get some meat on those bones for the winter. You will need it. Ron thanks for being so great. You guys be safe and take care. Love you guys.

[Mark]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Sounds like you're having a great time (except for the cold of course!). Looks like Linda and I won't get started until February. Her Mom died and we've been having to deal with all that. Once we get through with the stuff we'll begin getting ready to take off also. The week before Christmas, Paul, his brother Tom and I delivered a 42 Beneteau from Charleston to Ft. Lauderdale. We went inside to Fernandina Beach and then outside to Ft. Lauderdale. Great trip, no problems. Was at times cold, but otherwise enjoyed it and even got paid to do it! Hope you keep posting. I really enjoy the pics and hearing about the fun! Fair winds, Mark P.S. I'm now fully retired!! hoooorrrraaaayyyy!!