Christmas Holiday

Ed and I spent Christmas Eve with my family at my brother Tom's house. Christmas Day we went to Cocoa Beach and spent the early evening with my sisters and Mom and friends. We had an enjoyable day and returned to The Villages to house sit.

Tarpon Springs, FL

A beautiful end to our crossing. Sunset near Anclote Island off of Tarpon Springs.

Happy Holidays!! We are off the boat visiting friends in The Villages for awhile. We will be back soon.

Tarpon Springs, FL

Tarpon Springs is known as the spong capital of the world. They import the wool sponges to Greece!

We took a walk with Jan and Tim through the back roads of the town

The Big Bend Crossing

We decided to cross on a little different schedule. We got up at 2 am and departed the anchorage around 2:30 am to arrive in Tarpon Springs during the day light. The problem going into Tarpon is that it is littered with crab pots which are difficult to see in the dark. We arrived in Tarpon Springs just as the sun was setting. It was a very calm crossing and we were lucky because we arrived in Carrabelle on Tues late morning, fueled up got some miscellaneous things done and were out at the anchorage on Dog Island by late afternoon.

Sunrise

Sunrising on the crossing

Full Circle at dusk

Dog Island Anchorage just out side of Carrabelle, FL

Apalachcola, FL

Leaving Apalachacola at sunrise

Shrimp Boats
7am leaving Apalachcola


Apalachacola River with Morning Star leading the way

Military buzzing our boat

Smack Bayou, Panama City

Three boats spent the night in Smack Bayou. This is Morning Star getting ready to pull anchor

Fort Walton Beach, FL

You think it was cold? We awoke to ice on the boat and it got as high as 54. Good thing I brought my winter stuff back to the boat.

Looking across the intracoastal in Ft. Walton Beach, FL

We were treated to a free holiday concert at the free dock in Ft. Walton Beach. It is a great stop with good resturants and Publix within two blocks of the dock.

Sugar sand beaches

Scenes along the way, radar tower

Roberts Bayou, AL

You can see the ice on the top of the fenders. The boat had a thin layer of ice all over the decks. It was difficult to walk around and pull of anchor.

Pirates Cove, looks like it could be a real hopping place but not this time of year.

We finally left Dog River and headed east to our final destination on the panhandle, Carabelle, FL.

This beautiful sunset is in Roberts Bayou

Touring eastern shore of Mobile

The famous LuLu's. Jimmy Buffet's sisters resturant, Gulf Shores, AL

Watching fisherman throw net on Fairhope fishing peer.

Touring Dauphin Island and Bellingrath Gardens

It looked like you were walking under the sea

The grounds were filled with lighted scenes

Home of Walter Bellingrath

Bellingrath Gardens was the home of Walter Bellingrath, president of the Mobile's first Coca-Cola bottling plant. He bought the land on the Fowl River and planted gardens which he opened to the public in 1932.

Visited Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island at the entrance to Mobile Bay.

Dog River Marina, Mobile, AL

We got back to the boat on Dec. 4, Ed had some work to do before the boat was launched. The yard had been working on the shaft while we were gone and a sea trial was next on the list. Fri we did the sea trail and everything was good. Our friends were having some work done and their boat and had rented a car for a week. We decided to stay around and do some maintenance on the boat and see the area of Mobile with them.

A view from our boat across Dog River. Boats assembling for the parade

Shrimp boat with wings out looked like an angel coming down the river.

Hard to get a good picture with boats in motion.

The people were throwing beads and candy to us

Jan and Tim came over to enjoy the parade

Historic downtown Mobile, AL

Outside the Richards historic house
Jan, Tim and Linda outside the Richards house.

Period dresses in the livingroom

We were invited to have spiced tea and home made cookies which were very good! The house was decorated for Christmas.

Trip east to Laura's in RI

Laura and the view from her front window
View from Laura's front window

Our family, Ed and Neil back row, Linda, Laura, Brennan, Barbara. This was our Christmas celebration at Thanksgiving. Laura is off to Australia for a couple of weeks vacation.

Brennan and Neil playing with Bren's new Wii game.

Neil and Rio, have to be careful where you go with Rio, he looks so much like a deer.

Brennan