Saturday, March 21, 2009, Tampa Yacht and Country Club
I just couldn’t pass up writing about this. The TYCC is a hundred years old. This seems to be a pretty common theme, Pensacola YC, St Pete YC have also just celebrated their hundredth birthday. The original club was formed as a riding club and still has riding stables. One of the big attractions, you know a hundred years ago everyone had a horse, was they also had a swimming pool. So the club became locally known as the “Mule and Pool Club”. Apparently, some of the old time locals still refer to it by that name.
Our bags are packed, the boat is buttoned up and we ready to head out tomorrow. Now it is just a mater of which path to take north. Google recommends I75 thru Atlanta but I am thinking of cutting off on 280 and going thru Columbus and Opelika.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Buck and the Phi Beta Kappa Chapter
Friday, March 20, 2009, Tampa Bay Yacht and Country Club
We have been hanging out at the Tampa Bay Yacht and Country Club. To say it was nice wouldn’t do it justice, it a great place to visit. Dale and Jeannie, our new best friends from Clearwater came over for dinner on Wednesday night. It was the best meals we have had on the trip. If you ever get a chance to eat here, it is highly recommended.
We are going to be able to leave the boat here while we head back to the wedding. They had a cancelation and the dockmaster told me we could leave the boat here while we are gone. That was a relief on two fronts; the first is it is a lot cheaper to stay in the clubs than the public facilities. The marina here is also very secure. There are people in the marina office all the time. We stayed in the Harborage Marina on our last trip down here. There is a lot of security there but you get the feeling they really need it there. There are a lot of liveaboards in the marina that are (let me see how to say this and remain politically correct) less than desirable neighbors. Or, maybe as Carole’s mother would say “they are just not our kind of people”.
I have really enjoyed hanging out at the round table on the porch of the marina office with Buck and the Phi Beta Kappa chapter. That is Buck’s name for them because he says they are the smartest son-of-a-bitches in the world on every subject in the world. Buck is 88, (he looks more like 70) he comes down every morning to enjoy a cigar and comes back again about 4:30 to enjoy another one. He is a retired dentist and quite a character. Everyone here has been very friendly and welcoming. I am going to take my charts up to table this afternoon when they gather and get local knowledge on anchorages and yacht clubs we can get into with our 65 ft mast and 6’-2” depth.
The boat is beginning to look good. We have spent a bunch of time cleaning, scrubbing and polishing stainless. I even disassembled some of the parts for a deep cleaning. A boat needs some TLC, which we haven’t been able to do for the past few years with the rebuild of the house. Before that, we had Alex to take care of things. He did a great job but apparently, drugs are better than working. What a shame, we had beautiful stainless when he maintained the boat.
We will pick up our rental car on Sunday for our trip back. The blog next week may be about gardening. I figure I need to plant some squash and cucumbers at the 100 Acre Woods. None of us want Paul to not have an excuse to make his pickles. So everyone start saving jars for him so you can get your share of pickles.
We have been hanging out at the Tampa Bay Yacht and Country Club. To say it was nice wouldn’t do it justice, it a great place to visit. Dale and Jeannie, our new best friends from Clearwater came over for dinner on Wednesday night. It was the best meals we have had on the trip. If you ever get a chance to eat here, it is highly recommended.
We are going to be able to leave the boat here while we head back to the wedding. They had a cancelation and the dockmaster told me we could leave the boat here while we are gone. That was a relief on two fronts; the first is it is a lot cheaper to stay in the clubs than the public facilities. The marina here is also very secure. There are people in the marina office all the time. We stayed in the Harborage Marina on our last trip down here. There is a lot of security there but you get the feeling they really need it there. There are a lot of liveaboards in the marina that are (let me see how to say this and remain politically correct) less than desirable neighbors. Or, maybe as Carole’s mother would say “they are just not our kind of people”.
I have really enjoyed hanging out at the round table on the porch of the marina office with Buck and the Phi Beta Kappa chapter. That is Buck’s name for them because he says they are the smartest son-of-a-bitches in the world on every subject in the world. Buck is 88, (he looks more like 70) he comes down every morning to enjoy a cigar and comes back again about 4:30 to enjoy another one. He is a retired dentist and quite a character. Everyone here has been very friendly and welcoming. I am going to take my charts up to table this afternoon when they gather and get local knowledge on anchorages and yacht clubs we can get into with our 65 ft mast and 6’-2” depth.
The boat is beginning to look good. We have spent a bunch of time cleaning, scrubbing and polishing stainless. I even disassembled some of the parts for a deep cleaning. A boat needs some TLC, which we haven’t been able to do for the past few years with the rebuild of the house. Before that, we had Alex to take care of things. He did a great job but apparently, drugs are better than working. What a shame, we had beautiful stainless when he maintained the boat.
We will pick up our rental car on Sunday for our trip back. The blog next week may be about gardening. I figure I need to plant some squash and cucumbers at the 100 Acre Woods. None of us want Paul to not have an excuse to make his pickles. So everyone start saving jars for him so you can get your share of pickles.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Words from the Galley Wench
OK. Life goes on. Things like cooking, laundry, and housekeeping don’t go away and Capt. Bligh and I have an unspoken agreement. I don’t do topsides and he doesn’t do below decks. The stove was working until the crossing. You may remember his stirring account of wind and waves. I had gimbled the stove. That means it could swing and sway like the rest of us, maintaining a somewhat flat surface to cook on. Unfortunately they have not designed a microwave that can do this. Picture a cup of soup going airborne in the microwave. So I really attempted to cook on the stove and managed it for a while but the last night out gave up and was able to throw (how true) together some sandwiches. Then at landfall the stove began to smell way too much of gas so we abandoned it until the repair guy at Bradenton checked it out. It turned out to be a fitting which had worked loose due to the swinging and swaying.
Next, picture days at sea in heavy cold weather clothes, then shedding to shorts and t shirts and lots of damp towels. Nothing dries real well on a boat, it’s all that water around, I think. So when I found a coin operated laundry that I could get all of this back into the clean and dry mode, I was excited. I spent a lovely afternoon in Pass-A-Grillle in that laundry.
Of course, there is not a lot of housekeeping to do in a 14 ft wide; 47 ft long water home is there? But making a bed on your knees is an interesting experience.
And last but certainly not least is the issue of hair. After a month out I was in need of a touch up, you girls know what I mean. So in St. Pete I had another of my out of body hair experiences. I am always up for an experience. Well, I got one. I went to a salon, very loosely applied, I assure you with the name of Starr Booty. Evidently they specialize in alternative hair color/styles. Mimi was a very accommodating woman who was probably as shocked at me being there as I was. I noticed a picture of Cher on her mirror and she told me that she does the local drag queen who is evidently a dead ringer for Cher, you could have fooled me as it was his? pic. The name comes from the famous? Drag queen in Atlanta who made a movie as Starr Booty. Well, anyway, I really got a good do. You will just have to see it.
So you see, life goes on maybe a little different than in Pell City!
Next, picture days at sea in heavy cold weather clothes, then shedding to shorts and t shirts and lots of damp towels. Nothing dries real well on a boat, it’s all that water around, I think. So when I found a coin operated laundry that I could get all of this back into the clean and dry mode, I was excited. I spent a lovely afternoon in Pass-A-Grillle in that laundry.
Of course, there is not a lot of housekeeping to do in a 14 ft wide; 47 ft long water home is there? But making a bed on your knees is an interesting experience.
And last but certainly not least is the issue of hair. After a month out I was in need of a touch up, you girls know what I mean. So in St. Pete I had another of my out of body hair experiences. I am always up for an experience. Well, I got one. I went to a salon, very loosely applied, I assure you with the name of Starr Booty. Evidently they specialize in alternative hair color/styles. Mimi was a very accommodating woman who was probably as shocked at me being there as I was. I noticed a picture of Cher on her mirror and she told me that she does the local drag queen who is evidently a dead ringer for Cher, you could have fooled me as it was his? pic. The name comes from the famous? Drag queen in Atlanta who made a movie as Starr Booty. Well, anyway, I really got a good do. You will just have to see it.
So you see, life goes on maybe a little different than in Pell City!
It is a long way to the outhouse
Wednesday, March 18, 2009, Tampa Yacht and CC
Yesterday was a typical sailing day the wind was from the wrong direction. We motored up from St Pete to Tampa Yacht and Country Club. It is about a 20 mile trip. This is one big bay, it is also one shallow bay, so most of the trip we were watching the chart plotter and the depth gauge. We had semi close encounter with a freighter, he was several miles away and painted a huge profile on the radar. All of the electronics we have on board makes what we do totally amazing. I know for hundreds of years people went to sea in boats with just a compass but for us to be able to know where we are within 6 feet at any time is unbelievable. Our radar overlays on the chart plotter so we can not only see where we are but we can see if something is out there that isn’t supposed to be there. It is almost information overload but I am so glad we have it. Nevertheless, just in case, I have a set of paper charts, a compass and a good pair of binoculars on deck when we are out there.
The club here is nice, very established with lots of old live oak trees. As soon as I can figure out how to upload photos, I am going to start adding them to the blog, but every time I try, it times out the web browser. One of the things you are wanting when you are traveling by boat is good, clean toilet facilities with good showers. I can tell you that the Yacht Clubs facilities are much better than the City Marina facilities. With limited pump out facilities, large fines if you pump sewage overboard and just wanting to do the “right thing” for the environment we spend a fair amount of time walking to the facilities. Growing up in Sycamore I remember when we had an outhouse. When you wake up in the morning needing to go, it seemed to be a much further distance to the outhouse than the trip back. We are at the end of the dock so the trip is pretty long.
We have been trying to find a place to leave the boat for about 10 days to come back for Jonathan’s wedding. It has been harder to find a place than I thought it would. St Pete YC had a 12 year wait list for a slip so that wasn’t much of a possibility. All of the yacht clubs are very accommodating for visiting boats but they give you the impression that you can wear your welcome out very quick. We have found a place but it $2.60 per foot per night. I don’t want to buy the dock I just want stay for a few days. Compared to the 1st night free and a $1.00 per foot there after, the wedding is taking a chuck out of our beer money.
Yesterday was a typical sailing day the wind was from the wrong direction. We motored up from St Pete to Tampa Yacht and Country Club. It is about a 20 mile trip. This is one big bay, it is also one shallow bay, so most of the trip we were watching the chart plotter and the depth gauge. We had semi close encounter with a freighter, he was several miles away and painted a huge profile on the radar. All of the electronics we have on board makes what we do totally amazing. I know for hundreds of years people went to sea in boats with just a compass but for us to be able to know where we are within 6 feet at any time is unbelievable. Our radar overlays on the chart plotter so we can not only see where we are but we can see if something is out there that isn’t supposed to be there. It is almost information overload but I am so glad we have it. Nevertheless, just in case, I have a set of paper charts, a compass and a good pair of binoculars on deck when we are out there.
The club here is nice, very established with lots of old live oak trees. As soon as I can figure out how to upload photos, I am going to start adding them to the blog, but every time I try, it times out the web browser. One of the things you are wanting when you are traveling by boat is good, clean toilet facilities with good showers. I can tell you that the Yacht Clubs facilities are much better than the City Marina facilities. With limited pump out facilities, large fines if you pump sewage overboard and just wanting to do the “right thing” for the environment we spend a fair amount of time walking to the facilities. Growing up in Sycamore I remember when we had an outhouse. When you wake up in the morning needing to go, it seemed to be a much further distance to the outhouse than the trip back. We are at the end of the dock so the trip is pretty long.
We have been trying to find a place to leave the boat for about 10 days to come back for Jonathan’s wedding. It has been harder to find a place than I thought it would. St Pete YC had a 12 year wait list for a slip so that wasn’t much of a possibility. All of the yacht clubs are very accommodating for visiting boats but they give you the impression that you can wear your welcome out very quick. We have found a place but it $2.60 per foot per night. I don’t want to buy the dock I just want stay for a few days. Compared to the 1st night free and a $1.00 per foot there after, the wedding is taking a chuck out of our beer money.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Special Update
Sunday Night, March 15, 2009, St Pete Yacht Club
This is a special update. Carole and I along with several thousand of our closest friends in St Pete, many who were not speaking English, gathered at the edge of the bay to watch the launch of the space shuttle. As the crow flies, it is about 130 miles to the Kennedy Space Center. There was a little haze and cloud cover on the horizon so it was about 20 seconds into the launch before we could see it. We were able to see the separation of the booster rockets and watched it for several more minutes as it turned in to a star on the horizon. It was quite a site to behold. One of these days, I want to be anchored in the ICW feel the roar of the engines.
This is a special update. Carole and I along with several thousand of our closest friends in St Pete, many who were not speaking English, gathered at the edge of the bay to watch the launch of the space shuttle. As the crow flies, it is about 130 miles to the Kennedy Space Center. There was a little haze and cloud cover on the horizon so it was about 20 seconds into the launch before we could see it. We were able to see the separation of the booster rockets and watched it for several more minutes as it turned in to a star on the horizon. It was quite a site to behold. One of these days, I want to be anchored in the ICW feel the roar of the engines.
We Won!
Sunday, March 15, 2009, St Pete Yacht Club
We won! We won the prize for the boat from the longest distance away at the FYC meeting. According to the Council official publication, we traveled 447 miles to get here. I don’t know how they come up with that number, I get more like 275 miles but I am not going to argue with the judges when I am winning. All of the FYC (Florida Yacht Council) activities have ended. We said goodbye to our Pensacola boating buddies and to some new best friends we met at the meeting.
Now we are off to re-provision the food lockers for the week, do a few boat repair project and then off to Tampa Bay Yacht and Country Club on Tuesday. We have finally learned our lesson about going to a club that is closed.
We won! We won the prize for the boat from the longest distance away at the FYC meeting. According to the Council official publication, we traveled 447 miles to get here. I don’t know how they come up with that number, I get more like 275 miles but I am not going to argue with the judges when I am winning. All of the FYC (Florida Yacht Council) activities have ended. We said goodbye to our Pensacola boating buddies and to some new best friends we met at the meeting.
Now we are off to re-provision the food lockers for the week, do a few boat repair project and then off to Tampa Bay Yacht and Country Club on Tuesday. We have finally learned our lesson about going to a club that is closed.
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