Sarasota Bay to Venice - December 11th - 13th

Wednesday, December 11th

It was a beautiful day making it very pleasant to cross Sarasota Bay!  75* was a nice change from the temps we've been experiencing.  I put on a sun suit and headed for the bow to soak up some sun and warm my bones.  Radar liked it too.

Everybody was out on the water today.  Fast boats, sail boats, fishing boats, and pleasure boats.

As we were walking Radar, we came across this shell on the beach but soon found that it was inhabited so back to the water it went.

The Captain and Radar enjoying a moment while waiting on dinner after a long day on the water.

At our anchorage right beside the Ringling Causeway,  there was a city park right at the bridge that was definitely used by young and old alike.  There were 3 young ladies working out with their personal trainer in the morning and then later 2 men arrived and began sparring. That was a little different from the most of the places we've anchored.

We spent the evening putting up the Christmas lights.  I couldn't get a really good picture as the anchorage was pretty choppy.  This is the best shot.  Merry Christmas!!!

Thursday, December 12th

Continuing on down the ICW I see several sites like this one.  A cute little shopping canal!  Maybe next time we can , we'll have enough time to stop and shop!

We anchored this night by Blackburn Bridge.

Friday, December 13th

The next morning we set out in search of a place for Radar's morning shore leave and fuel for the whaler.  We found this interesting place!  Too bad we didn't find it the night before.  This is a restaurant "tiki bar" called the Skeeter Inn, with a boat rental place attached. 

Carter got to hang with Captain Morgan for a while!

This place was so close to us .... there must not have been anything happening the night before or we would have heard it and gone to investigate.  

As you would imagine, the ICW waterfront is lined with very expensive homes.  I chose this one to showcase because of the Marine flag flying.  My son is a Marine ... hmm ... maybe someday he will own a home like this one.

Some artwork on the ICW along the canal heading to Venice.

Clearwater on South to Madeira Beach, Dec 6th - 9th

Friday - Monday, December 6th - 9th

We left our anchorage at Palm Harbor heading south to Madeira Beach arriving at 3 PM.  There we met up with an acquaintance from previous travels.  Last season, while on our way to the Alabama/Florida state line to begin our solar passage, we encountered troubles with the diesel engine so, in the middle of the night, with the howling winds, we blew into Steinhatchie for repairs.  Fortunately for us, we were led to a guy named Smoky who we were told was a top notch diesel mechanic and that he was.  With a little logistical support from a lady named "Just June", Smoky was able to get Big Ben (as we affectionately call the diesel) running again better than it had run in a while and we were back on our way.  Now our paths have crossed again in Madeira Beach for a couple days and since Smokey and his brother Mike are heading South as well, we will likely see each other again.

 

Smoky and Clyde, Smoky's brother Mike and Sissy = good people!

 

We are always looking for local knowledge of whatever area we are in and Smoky told us of a place that we could beach the stern of the boat that just happened to be just around the corner and since we were "itching" to put the sticker on the stern of the boat ... it was a no brainer...off to the Micky Dees dock we went. 

 

 

Once the water receded Carter was able to inspect the rudder and prop and saw that the zincs were in dire need of attention.  Then on to the business of putting the sticker on the stern! 

 

We are now officially the "Archimedes". 

 

 

With these two projects complete it was time to continue heading south.
 

Just as soon as the tide comes back in!

 

Sunrise over the Golden Arches at the McDonald's

A short walk to our Egg McMuffins this morning. 

 

The Gulf Passage

Friday & Saturday, November 29th - 30th

After waiting what has seemed like weeks, the weather finally calmed down enough for us to leave Tallahassee and get headed South.  We left on black Friday and headed back to where we left off at the GCICW at Carrabelle.  We anchored a few miles east of Carrabelle ready to head out first thing the next day but once again the weather wasn't cooperating so we stayed in the sound most of the day and then cruised over to Alligator Point to take off from there the next day.

As always, we worked on the project list while waiting for the weather to get right.  Since the antennae broke off of the hand held radio, Carter installed the VHF radio that has been in the box for longer than it should have been but since we had the hand held it wasn't a priority. Now it was imperative to get the comms back so it moved to the top of the list and got done.

Anchored by the GCICW waiting for the batteries to charge.

 This was a beautiful beach!

Tallahassee has a commercial promoting everyone to pick up after their pets and we laugh every time we see it.  The commercial shows many different pet owners with their poop bags!  LOL  We just want everyone to know that the only thing we leave behind on the beaches we visit are our footprints!

It gets pretty cold out in the Gulf so I sewed this Tee Pee to help keep Radar out of the wind.  It also gives him "his space" in the cock pit.  He likes that, and we like him out from under our feet.  He likes to poke his head out and keep a sharp eye on things.  Yes, it's cold in this picture.

The end of beautiful day. 

Sunday - Tuesday, December 1st - 3rd

After bouncing around all night at Alligator Point the seas finally laid down. It was sunny and the Gulf was almost like a lake.   The solar electric drive was running great and we steamed along all day.  As the sun began to set we had made about 20 miles into the Gulf on Solar. Because the days are so much shorter right now as we approach the Winter Solstice we just aren't getting a good angle on the Sun so we can't go as fast. Even though the batteries are charged up by 11 am, that only gives us about 6 hours of cruise time, even under ideal sun conditions we just aren't getting as far this time of year.  After a full day on the Gulf, Carter did the math, it was going to take over a week to make the crossing, and that was only if the perfect weather held, which it would definitely not. It was just plain going take too long to cross the Big Bend with the solar electric drive.  Although the electric drive does great in sheltered waters, even with high winds,  it simply doesn't have enough power to make the necessary headway in 3' seas that were predicted to come up the next day.  So the Captain made the decision to switch to diesel and sprint across the Gulf to Anclote Key where the GCICW picks up again. Good thing too because a couple hours after Sunset the seas picked up and we got banged around pretty good for a while and it wouldn't have been any fun hanging off the hook waiting for the sun to come up the next day. The seas varied from dead calm to raging for the next three days and even with the hammer down in diesel mode it took us 35 hours of cruise time to reach Anclote Key and the sheltered waters of the GCICW.

The dolphins were amazing as always!

 

Wednesday & Thursday; December 4th - 5th

 

There are many spoils islands in the GCICW to anchor behind at night and Radar gets to explore them to his hearts content.  He has been a happy puppy on this trip.

It's true ... everyone is curious about the big solar powered concrete boat and this guy stopped to ask questions.   Turns out he's a "specimen" collector,  collecting starfish, seahorses, sea urchins, etc.

The Captain is always happy to talk about the lost potential for solar energy in the "Sunshine" state  with interested folks and he had nice talk with this fellow.
 

As we picked back up on solar power at Anclote Key, it was nice to turn off the smelly diesel. Big Ben is an amazing machine and nice to have as a backup but he's a clunky old fellow and we're happy to let him rest while we run with the sun. We were a little surprised to be stopped by so many boaters on our first day out in Clearwater. It's not uncommon for people to pull up alongside and ask questions but it happened more times here than ever before. It was actually impeding our progress a little today.

  

As another beautiful Sunset unfolded we found a nice anchorage in Belair Bluffs just south of Clearwater, Florida to drop anchor for the night. Radar got to explore another spoils island.

We're Working While Waiting for Weather

The weather has taken a turn for the worse ... it's not that bad but it's just not perfect for our departure.  So, while we wait, we continue to cross tasks off our never ending list.  The first one was to install a tv in the stateroom. 

  

Next we went topside and I freshened up the stain on all the wood while Carter began the process of completing the rub rail/lifeline project which takes 2 days per side.  He must sand, prime, and paint.  The starboard side is complete but unfortunately, we failed to take a picture of the final product before turning the boat around to begin work on the port side.  Pictures to come soon but here is when we first began the project.

 

 

In the final product we have the large blue stripe on top, the rub rail is brown, the next section stayed white and the small brown stripe on the bottom is now blue.  We think it looks great!

 

 

You think it looks cold and dreary?

It is!

 

 

We may live on Playin' Hooky Lane right now, but I promise you,

we are NOT playin' hooky!

 

 



November Update

We have been very busy at the Arc for the past couple weeks.  One of the last large projects we wanted to accomplish before setting out on our passage around Florida was to install rub rails and the stanchions for the life lines.  This was difficult but Carter stuck to it and got it done!  We are both very pleased with the results.

Port side rub rail up and Carter is beginning work on the stanchions.

The stanchions sit slightly recessed into the top of the rub rail so this picture shows Carter chiseling the spot.  There are 8 stanchions on each side.

This picture shows the necessity for the rub rail.  They will significantly reduce the paint scraping on the freeboard of the boat and protect the scuppers on the gunwale. We have lost a lot of them from brushing against docks but it was sort of pointless to replace them since they where so vulnerable without the rub rail to protect them.

  

 

These look so nice.

















Getting these installed were not so easy at all.  Since the rub rail is fastened every two feet with a 3/8" bolt thru the hull, we pretty much had to clean out every cabinet, locker, and cubby along the entire boat.  I've seen other boaters talk about the aerobics necessary to work on the small spaces on a boat and here's a picture showing one of the difficult positions necessary to accomplish the task.

This is in the galley directly behind the refrigerator.  It's a fairly large storage space that normally houses a variety of coffee carafes, my electric mixer, toaster oven, toaster and the storage drawers where we keep our bread, trail mix, etc.  Since the holes where the rub rail is secured to the boat had to be exposed inside the entire boat, this was a good opportunity to do some reprioritizing of our storage on the boat or not and then to clean and better organize what we decided to keep on board.  It was a good exercise for both of us.  But what a MESS!

I kept busy working on sewing new covers for the salon cushions for the past month and have finally completed them! Just like Carter did with the rub rail,  I had put this task off for quite a long time. I ordered the material about a year ago!  I'm a fairly good seamstress but this project scared me for some reason.  Once I got into it, it turned out to be a pretty easy project. 

I used the original cushions from the dinette set and added the extra foam I salvaged from the bed we removed and then added some additional cushion to one settee.  So the backs stayed the original 4".  One bottom measures 6" and the second bottom cushion measures a whopping 10".  This evens the two seating areas to the same height so they will also make a good bed.  It was a bit** getting all 10" into the cover and all I can say is...it's not coming back out again!  LOL

Carter and I both are very pleased with how the salon is shaping up.  There is still a little more detailing to be done on the settees and then we will paint the final product.

I even had enough material to make a seat cover for Carter's chair.  The 2nd chair you see will be removed at some point in the future to make room for an additional hanging locker we so desperately need.  Several friends and family have asked to see more pictures of the inside so very soon I intend to film a virtual tour. 

We had to go back to Tennessee to take care of some unexpected business before departing for the Keys.  It was nice to leave the inch of snow behind when we headed South. 

                                                              It was nice to see and feel the warm sunset when we returned.