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Florida and Bahamas Trip Winter 2016-2017 - 1-31 December 2016

1 December 2016

The start of December. As you know we are in Ft Pierce, FL. We'll relax and work on the boat. We're ready for this and a bit of taking it easy. During the month we'll update every few days, but not daily. We'll be hanging around until after Christmas, then with Gary and Nancy on our boat and Bob, Gail and Pat on Gailwinds head for the Bahamas.

Restaurant at Ft Pierce Marina

The Tiki Bar -- a second restaurant
at the marina

One more shot of restaurant
with best Goobay Smash

2-3 December 2016

Friday was a relaxing day, with a bit of heavy cleaning. Saturday we woke to sunset and warm tempertures. We both went to the Ft Pierce Market at the park next to the marina. Later, I worked and Carey went shopping for needed supplies. Later in the evening we drove in our car to Bonnie Scanlin's home for a tree trimming party and dinner. Great time with new friends.

Ft Pierce market views

Wood worker art done with
a chain saw

Just one of the vegetable
market spots

More market spot views

Marina views

Few of the people at
Scanlin's for Tree trimming

Our gracious host Bonnie

Bonnie's best friend Linda helping out

4-5 December 2016

Up Sunday to sunshine and warm temperatures. We watched a bit of the Sunday morning talk shows then headed out for brunch with Gary and Pat Ralston at their home in Ft Pierce. They just recently purchased the place and it is absolutely amazing ... lots of space, large balconies, and amazing views. Also, Gary makes fantastic French Toast. The mimosas surely helped. After brunch they took us to a winery that was close by that had a music and drink event well worth visiting -- great jazz and soul music. We left a bit early for the marina as the street next to our parking lot was being closed at 4 pm for the City's Christmas parade. Well, we were a bit late -- the roads to the marina were closed. I walked a few blocks to the boat to get Maddy and returned to the car where Carey was waiting. We needed a place for dinner that allowed dogs. No problem. Archie's was the place. It was close by and served a great burger at their outside venue on South Hutcheson Island. Halfway thru the burger Ronny and Diane McKee walked by. Ronnie had to go to the house but Diane stayed and we three enjoyed catching up. This is a nice place! After burgers we headed back to the boat. Sorry, no pictures today. On Monday the 5th Carey did a bit of shopping and simply rode around the area. She likes driving and learning about the place she is visiting. It's nice we have our car down here for her to get out and ride. I did some chores on the boat and with Maddy simply relaxed. We're settled in now and Carey is cooking up a meat loaf. I'm ready to eat.

6-8 December 2016

Tuesday and Wednesday were quiet days working small projects on the boat with Carey getting more opportunities to drive around the town of Ft Pierce. I finished a good book. Carey could give driving directions to local residents now. Thursday was a bit windy but nice and warm. We finished a few more work items, relaxed and read until late afternoon. We then drove to Vero Beach where we had dinner with my counsin Jan and her husband Tom. Mississippi Pot Roast was the entree and was it fantastic. We caught up from the last time we saw them in August of last year. A nice few days.

9-10 December 2016

Friday was a relaxing day and in the evening we went to Ninos with Pat and Gary Ralston for dinner. Good food but it was a family restaurant that was a bit noisy. We'll go back but during the week, not the weekend. Saturday was windy and cloudy. We walked to the market at the marina and found a good lunch and good shopping. Late in the afternoon we went to a Christmas Party at Joe and Sandy Laverne's. They are a couple we know from Aquia Harbour, Virginia many years back. They have been down here for 15 years and are friends of Bonnie Scanlin. We also caught up with Terry and Brenda Tishan who were at the party and are also from Aquia Harbour. We really had a good time. After the party we came home to the boat and got a call from Ronnie and Diane McKee who were at the Marina watching some of the decorated boats -- the winning entrees from the town's boat parade -- come into Ft Pierce City Marina to collect their prize. We invited Ronnie and Diane over with their friends Bill and Sue for cocktails. A fitting and fun event to end the evening.

Decorated boats

Another view of decorated boats

11 December 2016

Big paper day for Carey. After last night's trip to Joe and Sandy Laverine's we came back and due to the large crowds parking in the area we had to park a ways from the marina. This morning I got up worrying that the car might had been towed or vandilized because of where we had to park. I took Maddy with me and we went to retrieve the car first thing. All was ok. We drove to the local Publix (grocery store) and I picked up a New York Times for Carey ... so she could do the cross word puzzle. Back on board we tuned in the local political Sunday morning talking head shows. After noon we headed out to Summer Crush, the local winery to meet Pat and Gary Ralston, listen to some music and eat lunch. All is good. We're now home watching the Sunday NFL football games. Good on the Skins for beating the Eagles. We'll go to the local pizza joint for some "New York" style pizza latter and relax. While at the winery we met Santa and told him we had been very good this year. At the marina we have been impressed with the beautiful boats coming thru on their way south.

Gary and Phil with Santa ... we've been good boys

Nice boats pass thru the Marina on a daily basis

12-13 December 2016

Monday was a quiet day. Carey did some driving around and I did a few chores. In the evening we traveled to Hutcheson Island to visit Ronnie and Diane McKee. After meeting some of their neighbors and enjoying contails we went to dinner on the Island with Diane and Ronnie and their neighbors Burt and JoAnn. Great time! Tuesday we woke to plenty of sun and warm temperatures, after a weekend of cooler weather (high 60s, low 70s vs. todays 80 degrees). At the end of the day Carey and I went to the Tiki Bar for dinner and then dropped by the nearby park where the City had the trees trimmed in lights blinking to a Mannheim Steam Roller Christmas music.

View from restaurant at
full moon and marina

Local park with lights keyed to Mannheim
Steamroller Christmas music

14-16 December 2016

Wednesday through Friday were beautiful warm days and Carey and I enjoyed them as retired folks are want to enjoy. Quiet and relaxing. On Friday we decided Maddy really needed more exercise so off to a dog friendly beach. Maddy had a great time running and running. Afterwards we stopped at Archies, a dog friendly restaurant where Carey had Nachos, I had a 1/2 rack of ribs and Maddy had a hamburger. Not a bad day.

Maddy on the beach

The beach

Archies Restaurant

Night time view of Archies

17-18 December 2016

Saturday warm and a very nice day. We went to the local farmers market and Carey picked up some hydroponic lettuce (grows in water) to take on the trip. In the evening we took Bonnie Scanlin to the Summer Crush winery for a music and food festival. The Caribbean Chiller band was playing and they were as close to Jimmy Buffet as I've heard. A great evening. This morning, Sunday, we watched a bit of the morning talking heads but the stories are really getting old now that they are trying to explain what happened vice moving on to today's news. We had sandwiches for lunch and watched some football. Carey is fixing dinner now -- a great pork roast with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, just like we were back in the cold weather.

Caribbean Chillers Band

Our friend Bonnie Scanlin at Summer Crush Winery

19-21 December 2016

Monday was a quiet relaxing day that we ended by going to a local sports bar, the 2nd Street Bistro for dinner. Tuesday we packed up and drove to Sebring, FL, located in the center of the state halfway to Fort Myers to visit George and Polly. George fixed a great dinner and we talked and talked at their beautiful Condo. They are leasing for a year while they search for a new home in Florida. We even made plans to boat to Cuba next winter. Wednesday we drove home and are now settled back on the boat waiting for Bob and Gail on Gailwinds to arrive this Friday. Forgot to take pictures.

22-25 December 2016

Thursday and Friday were getting ready for Christmas, fairly relaxing for me but Carey was hard at it. She likes to make it special. Friday, Bob and Gail on Gailwinds arrived from their December stay at Merit Island near Cape Canaveral. We traveled down the ICW with them and have rejoined each other to travel to the Bahamas together. Hopefully we'll be able to cross to the Bahamas next Wednesday or Thursday. Saturday evening we were invited to a Christmas Eve dinner at my cousin's in Vero Beach. Several of Jan and her husband Tom's friends were also invited and we really enjoyed the family and friends and great food prepared by Chef Tom. Sunday Carey, along with Gail from the boat we are traveling with, prepared a super feast that we all enjoyed (Phil, Carey, Bob and Gail).

26-27 December 2016

Monday we drove to Riverview, near Tampa Fl, to be with our daughter Lauren and her family. A great time with family. After our celebration we traveled to Cape Coral and stayed the night with Gary and Nancy, who would travel with us on our trip to the Bahamas for the next three months. Up early Tuesday we packed up Gary and Nancy and headed for Ft Pierce and the boat. Finally there we loaded aboard the boat by 5 PM we went to dinner with the seven people (two boats) that would make the Bahamas trip. Our plan is to move tomorrow to North Palm Beach Marina and on Thursday travel the Atlantic to West End Bahamas.

28 December 2016

Gary, Nancy, Phil and Carey are onboard Apolonia, the boat is loaded and we're leaving for the Bahamas. First we'll go to North Palm Beach Marina near Lake Worth for the evening, fuel up and then off across the Atlantic to West End Bahamas on Thursday morning. We had a pleasant slow trip 48 miles down the waterway today, leaving FT Pierce at 1030 and moving to North Palm Beach Marina. We are in company with Bob and Gail Meyer on their boat Gailwinds. Onboard their boat is their friend Pat. All seven really ready to move east.

29 December 2016

Up early and underway for Old Bahama Bay marina in the West End of the Bahamas. It was a pleasant crossing with less than 2 foot seas. Gailwinds traveled faster than Apolonia, arriving an hour ahead of us. We pulled in at 12:30 PM and settled in. We spent the afternoon relaxing at the West End Tiki Bar with conk fritters and Goombay Smash drinks. Later in the evening we went to the resort restaurant for a spectacular meal.

30 December 2016

A good Friday to relax. Up late to a windy but warm day. Winds are strong and we'll wait until it subsides to move to the next stop ... Green Turtle Cay. We'll probably be here until next Tuesday. Old Bahama Bay is a great place to be "caught." We've signed up for their New Year's Eve Special that includes music, food, drink and the traditional Bahamian Junkanoo parade ... named for the 17th Century Slave Owner John Canoe, it is now a yearly festival and parade in the Bahamas. Huge head dresses and brightly colored costumes with lots of noise and music. A great event. The seven of us met at the beach front Tiki bar at noon for a lunch of Spiny Rock Lobster fresh from the Ocean. We found that Pat Frappier, guest of Bob and Gail has decided to go home as she is experiencing severe sea sickness. The rest of us got together for drinks later in the day, then had dinner on our separate boats. Carey and Nancy fixed a fantastic meal ... ribs, baked potatoes and salad!

31 December 2016

New Year's Eve. Great day! After coffee we did a few retired folks things then all met at the Tiki bar for hamburgers and french fries, that turned into cocktails for a while before we wondered back to the boats to relax and get ready for the evening party. At the Tiki bar we had music, a buffet, fire works (or so they called it) and a junkanoo parade to enjoy. We managed to stay up past midnight, a first in a number of years.

Apolonia

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