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North America » United States » Florida » Panama City Beach
February 28th 2012
Published: March 1st 2012
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Total Distance: 0 miles / 0 kmMouse: 0,0


It was up early this morning as the wind has changed and it really is going to clear. Shower and coffee, grab breakfast and head for the dock. We have been wanting to go to Shell Island since we got here but the excursion boats only run on Tues and Thurs in the afternoon and since Dedie flies out today we have to do it in the morning. There is a rental right at the dock in the campground and we decided to brave it and rent a pontoon boat and drive ourselves to shell island, how hard can it be? We got to the dock at 9 and received our instructions on how to start the boat, how to pull the motor up in shallow water, how to navigate, and where to dock at the island. Keep the red roofed house in view at all times. Yeh right… The guy, Mike, backed the boat out for us and hopped off and we were all alone with the big sea before us. Oh, Oscar got to come too.



Mike had given us a hand made chart with all the important land marks clearly marked. The most important thing they didn’t even put on the map, the marker buoys. There were only 2 of them but with all the other information we couldn’t remember which side of the buoys we were supposed to go on. I swore we had to go on the right of the green one but we almost ran amuck doing that so we decided to just hug the red one on the right side, somewhere I remember Marg and Ed and their boating course saying Red-Right-Return,,Oh but wait, that’s on the return trip! Well anyway, we made it and then we were in the shipping channel. We had to hurry past that so we didn’t get hit by the big ships. Then it was decide which body of land was an island and which one was Shell Island. All we had to do was look on the home made map and decipher the drawing, yeh right! Along the way we saw several dolphins and there was a sea gull gliding off our port side just going along for the glide.

The only thing Mike warned us about was the tree lined island to our left. That was the navy base and don’t go there. We could take the shipping channel if we wanted to go into the Gulf of Mexico but don’t go far and watch for the big boats, they can’t stop.



Dee and I were very content to just get to Shell Island and find a treasure. The only problem was we couldn’t find the place we were supposed to run the boat up on shore. Don’t forget to pull the motor up….

Finally we spotted the dock that was used for the tour boats and DON”T park there. Guess where we parked, right at the dock. There aren’t any stinking tour boats this time of year. We got tied up, Dee jumped off and so did Oscar, he wasn’t spending another minute on that darn boat, he shook all the way out. There was a beautiful board walk to the other side of the island where there were mountains of shells, NOT. There were lots of shells but they were pieces or little tiny ones but we did manage to find a few treasures.

The island was beautiful. The whitest sand beach powdery soft and dunes with grasses and the most gorgeous turquoise water. The waves were transparent the water was so clear and we were the only people there. Oscar had a ball digging and digging in the sand for some wonderful smelly thing. I picked shells for a while and then decided to just sit and take in the whole experience. Dee was diligent picking shells and got a couple of beauties. But before too long it was time to head back and try our luck on the return trip.

We got all loaded up and untied but the motor wouldn’t start. Mike assured us it would start right up after running all the way out there but it didn’t. So after a few tries we called and got another guy and he told us how to choke it and the engine kicked right over. You always have to choke things to make them run, right? Dee pushed off, I put it in reverse and we missed the dock in the front and the sand bar in the back and were off with the wind to our back. The ride home was fast, we got through the shipping channel in no time, went on the correct side of the 2 markers and didn’t hit anything or run aground. Amazing.

Oscar was so glad to see terra firma he did the low crawl off the dock and ran for the grass. We walked back to the camper and Dee showered while I got Pennelope ready for the ride to the airport. Lunch was at Taco Bell and the airport was only 20 min away.

It was so sad saying good-bye to Dee, we had a wonderful week even though the weather was gloomy. After she left Oscar hopped up into his seat and proceeded to fall asleep, poor guy is exhausted.

I went directly to the beach at St Andrew’s state park, wanted to see it in the sun. Wow what a difference it makes. Pictures

There were people enjoying all kinds of activities, just sitting was my favorite. Pictures

Then it was time to head back to the camp site and settle in for the night. I got Pennelope all straightened up, wrote the blog and hit the sack.

Heading out for the first leg of the return trip home tomorrow.


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sandpiper

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This man had a fan motor behind him


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