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.