Two reflections before I blog about our journey:

As we begin this leg of our journey on the Intercoastal Waterway on the Gulf of Mexico, I think of our car trips to Florida as we would look down crossing over the ICW:  "Someday that will be us."  Now it is!  Amazing!

First time that I am blogging while we cruise on the ICW towards St. Joe's.  I remember crossing Lake Michigan and this would never be possible.  Fun!

My last blog ended while we were in Demopolis, Alabama.  The Marina became our home for 10 days while we waited for the river to recede.  We occupied our time with the boys doing never ending work on their boats ( which they secretly enjoy), taking walks, shopping at Walmart - our least favorite activity and me trying Facetime with Grandkids for Thanksgiving.  For some reason I talk very loud with Facetime.  Harley and Ann can hear me on their boat.

Spatchcocking

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey, mashed potatoes and a homemade apple pie courtesy of Ann.  Perhaps Ann's cooking expertise will rub off on me!??  The 10 lb.turkey needed to be modified to fit our boat grill so Harley "spatchcocked" her/him.  It's a process we learned through the great research of Harley and Ann's daughter, Amy.  Harley cut the spine out of the turkey and no problem fitting on the grill!  Very moist and tasty.  Happy Thanksgiving in Demopolis.

Thanksgivinng Meal

 

We pulled out of our 10 day stay on Black Friday with no problems at the Lock.  Our anchorage that evening at Bashi Creek was a new experience.  We were together stern to stern.  Hopping from each other's boats requires an amount of manuevering.  Harley, Ann, and Rod are not as klutsy as I am.

Leaving an anchorage

 

              
Anchoring Stern to Stern


Following Bobby's Fish camp and their famous catfish dinner we again anchored stern to stern at Alabama River Cutoff.  But first we completed our LAST lock and dam at Coffeeville.  Finally!  We get a break until we are on the East Coast in the Spring.  We also had one more anchorage on the Tensas River.  We are becoming very adept at our stern to stern anchoring.

As we travel to Dog River on Mobile Bay, our fresh water boats are now in Brackish water:  a combination of the fresh water and salt water.  The captains clean off the salt as often as they can.  The Dog River Marina included a pontoon ride to a restaurant across from us.  Great food and the new owners were very accomodating.  I hope they do well.


Another successful stern to stern anchor

Good dinghy ride day

 

Fairhope, Alabama Marina is the last marina before beginning the Intercoastal Waterway on the Gulf.  In spite of the fact that is a very quaint, busy, tourist area, the marina was pretty scary.  We were next to each other with a fixed finger pier the size of my finger.  We or mainly I experienced the frustration of getting on and off the boat with the tide changes.  We did have fun shopping in Fairhope and had our first shopping at NOT Walmart - Publix! "Where shopping is a pleasure..."  Feels like home.

Now this is where Ann ended her blog and I was planning to but because I am so behind, I will go a little beyond.  We left Fairhope to begin our Intercoastal leg of our journey and arrived at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama which is fondly known as Gulf Shores.  What a beautiful Marina with great shops, restaurants etc.  We did not have access to a courtesy car and Rod had to solve a minor/major boat issue so we did not get to the beach.  I had a wonderful pedicure, did some sight seeing shopping= no purchases. And we met a couple doing the loop - she is an acupuncturist!  Woo!Hoo!  Had a treatment!  Loved it!!



Ok, I wasn't going to take you to Pensicola and beyond but I just have to.  We were in Pensicola for one night but it was a great stay.  After using the DockMaster's nice car and shopping at West Marine, we walked to the downtown and ate a wonderful meal at a Topas Restaurant.  Yummy!  Rod has escargot!   Could have stayed in Pensicola longer but we need to keep moving toward our goal - Key West.

We left for Panama City with the understanding that it was 60 miles from Pensicola.  Went on plane a few times, thank goodness because it truly was about 100 miles.  Now from a car that isn't a big deal but in a boat when you have to go 7-8 mph sometimes and then our fast speed is around 20 mph, it was a big deal.   But the best part was  Roger and Kathy Behling meeting us as we pulled in.  Kathy and I grew up together.  They rent a condo in Panama City Beach.  They learned about the ICW for the first time.  We had a nice meal at a restaurant.  Kathy was kind enough to pick us up the next day, take us shopping at Winn Dixie!  She was amazed at how we store our supplies.  Rod and I spent the day at their condo and enjoyed a walk on the beach, swimming in their pool.  Thank you so much, Roger and Kathy for a great visit.  It was so much fun  and I love our video.  I know we are older but when we are together I feel like a kid again. 

I close for now as we continue on the ICW with dolphins popping up from time to time.  Please make sure you read Ann's blog as well as mine.  She is quite the photographer.  Her explanations and photos compliment my blog.  Gives you a great overall of our awesome adventure.  Till next time...




 

Holidays at Dog River

Night reflections at Christmas time

Brackish Water

A shrimp boat perhaps

Big Ship

One of our beautiful sunsets

River to Gulf and Beyond: Nov. 19- Dec. 6 and Beyond



Two reflections before I blog about our journey:

As we begin this leg of our journey on the Intercoastal Waterway on the Gulf of Mexico, I think of our car trips to Florida as we would look down crossing over the ICW:  "Someday that will be us."  Now it is!  Amazing!

First time that I am blogging while we cruise on the ICW towards St. Joe's.  I remember crossing Lake Michigan and this would never be possible.  Fun!

My last blog ended while we were in Demopolis, Alabama.  The Marina became our home for 10 days while we waited for the river to recede.  We occupied our time with the boys doing never ending work on their boats ( which they secretly enjoy), taking walks, shopping at Walmart - our least favorite activity and me trying Facetime with Grandkids for Thanksgiving.  For some reason I talk very loud with Facetime.  Harley and Ann can hear me on their boat.

Spatchcocking

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey, mashed potatoes and a homemade apple pie courtesy of Ann.  Perhaps Ann's cooking expertise will rub off on me!??  The 10 lb.turkey needed to be modified to fit our boat grill so Harley "spatchcocked" her/him.  It's a process we learned through the great research of Harley and Ann's daughter, Amy.  Harley cut the spine out of the turkey and no problem fitting on the grill!  Very moist and tasty.  Happy Thanksgiving in Demopolis.

Thanksgivinng Meal

 

We pulled out of our 10 day stay on Black Friday with no problems at the Lock.  Our anchorage that evening at Bashi Creek was a new experience.  We were together stern to stern.  Hopping from each other's boats requires an amount of manuevering.  Harley, Ann, and Rod are not as klutsy as I am.

Leaving an anchorage

 

              
Anchoring Stern to Stern


Following Bobby's Fish camp and their famous catfish dinner we again anchored stern to stern at Alabama River Cutoff.  But first we completed our LAST lock and dam at Coffeeville.  Finally!  We get a break until we are on the East Coast in the Spring.  We also had one more anchorage on the Tensas River.  We are becoming very adept at our stern to stern anchoring.

As we travel to Dog River on Mobile Bay, our fresh water boats are now in Brackish water:  a combination of the fresh water and salt water.  The captains clean off the salt as often as they can.  The Dog River Marina included a pontoon ride to a restaurant across from us.  Great food and the new owners were very accomodating.  I hope they do well.


Another successful stern to stern anchor

Good dinghy ride day

 

Fairhope, Alabama Marina is the last marina before beginning the Intercoastal Waterway on the Gulf.  In spite of the fact that is a very quaint, busy, tourist area, the marina was pretty scary.  We were next to each other with a fixed finger pier the size of my finger.  We or mainly I experienced the frustration of getting on and off the boat with the tide changes.  We did have fun shopping in Fairhope and had our first shopping at NOT Walmart - Publix! "Where shopping is a pleasure..."  Feels like home.

Now this is where Ann ended her blog and I was planning to but because I am so behind, I will go a little beyond.  We left Fairhope to begin our Intercoastal leg of our journey and arrived at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama which is fondly known as Gulf Shores.  What a beautiful Marina with great shops, restaurants etc.  We did not have access to a courtesy car and Rod had to solve a minor/major boat issue so we did not get to the beach.  I had a wonderful pedicure, did some sight seeing shopping= no purchases. And we met a couple doing the loop - she is an acupuncturist!  Woo!Hoo!  Had a treatment!  Loved it!!



Ok, I wasn't going to take you to Pensicola and beyond but I just have to.  We were in Pensicola for one night but it was a great stay.  After using the DockMaster's nice car and shopping at West Marine, we walked to the downtown and ate a wonderful meal at a Topas Restaurant.  Yummy!  Rod has escargot!   Could have stayed in Pensicola longer but we need to keep moving toward our goal - Key West.

We left for Panama City with the understanding that it was 60 miles from Pensicola.  Went on plane a few times, thank goodness because it truly was about 100 miles.  Now from a car that isn't a big deal but in a boat when you have to go 7-8 mph sometimes and then our fast speed is around 20 mph, it was a big deal.   But the best part was  Roger and Kathy Behling meeting us as we pulled in.  Kathy and I grew up together.  They rent a condo in Panama City Beach.  They learned about the ICW for the first time.  We had a nice meal at a restaurant.  Kathy was kind enough to pick us up the next day, take us shopping at Winn Dixie!  She was amazed at how we store our supplies.  Rod and I spent the day at their condo and enjoyed a walk on the beach, swimming in their pool.  Thank you so much, Roger and Kathy for a great visit.  It was so much fun  and I love our video.  I know we are older but when we are together I feel like a kid again. 

I close for now as we continue on the ICW with dolphins popping up from time to time.  Please make sure you read Ann's blog as well as mine.  She is quite the photographer.  Her explanations and photos compliment my blog.  Gives you a great overall of our awesome adventure.  Till next time...




 

Holidays at Dog River

Night reflections at Christmas time

Brackish Water

A shrimp boat perhaps

Big Ship

One of our beautiful sunsets

Rod's pictures: Incredible finds: Nov. 20, 2015

I just posted my latest blog and then came upon Rod's pictures on his phone.  I had to share them.  Some of them give a different perspective of what we have been experiencing.  Enjoy! 

Night vision sometimes

Incredible

Nashville at night from river

Bridge in evening in Nashville

Nashville in evening

Riverboat in Nashville

Ann and Harley

What can I say?  I get cold!

One of the many dams

One of the many tows for barges

An adorable old marina dog who loved his ears scratched.

Rod quips:  My next boat

The plant growth in one of the locks that drove the boys nuts.

Looks like snow

THE END:  Princess Mary!



                                   ANOTHER ADD ON TO MY BLOG 
The First Snow
We realize that our family and friends are enjoying or not enjoying their first snow of the season.  I love the first snow.  I can smell it, see it, feel it all the way down South.  Thank you for any pictures.  I am hoping that our grandkids are loving playing in the first snow.
 One picture I have is the first snow on the lake when the water isn't frozen yet.  It is beautiful. 
A great memory of the first snow is during my teaching days.  I was as bad as the kids.  I couldn't wait for recess.  The teachers would groan that the kids weren't teachable.  I secretly wasn't teachable.  I would get the kids all riled up waitiing for recess.  We would write stories about the first snow, sneak out for recess earlier than everyone else and form a circle, ready, set, fall to make snow angels.  It was so much fun.  I am hoping that any of my former 1st graders who are my facebook friends will read this and remember.  Recess with snow is a blast.
  On that note, this is the end of this blog for now.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!