TOTAL MILES TRAVELED:
PANAMA CITY TO TARPON SPRINGS: 194 NM
TARPON SPRINGS TO CALADESI: 13 NM
Dan took the midnight to 6:00 AM shift with me joining him about 5:30. He had to jog around several little fishing boats during the dark of the night but otherwise it was smooth sailing.
Setting alone at the helm, I captured the sun awakening the world to a new day. During my watch we began to see smatterings of crab pots but it soon turned into a virtual mine field of the boogers. I was glad when Dan finished his short nap and was back at the helm.
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| AND THE SUN BECKONS US TO PARTAKE OF A NEW DAY |
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| CRAB TRAP MARKERS |
Just as we were starting to pull into the Tarpon Springs channel, Ed and Connie on Sea Estate hailed us on the radio. They were just leaving Tarpon and headed with Blue Angel to the Caladesi State Park, just south of Dunedin Bridge. We told them we might join them tomorrow and continued on into cute Tarpon Springs. We wanted to to dock so we could explore the “Sponge Capital of the World” and sample some of their Greek food. Well, this didn’t work out like planned and soon we were exiting the Tarpon Springs channel and on our way to the state park area.
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| BEAUTIFUL "FLORIDA STYLE" HOME AS WE ENTER TARPON SPRINGS |
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| WORKING BOATS ALONG BOTH SHORES IN TARPON SPRINGS |
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| SEE THE SPONGES HANGING ON THE CROSS ROPES? |
Now we got back into the GIWW, approached the Dunedin-Honeymoon Island Bridge and requested an opening then wended our way through the windy channel to the State Park. We know it would be shallow but the park ranger felt we could make it in and the timing was just right. Ed and Connie were right there to assist with our lines along with Neil, the resident volunteer. The setting was just what we needed; calm, secure and serene.
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OPEN PLEASE AND THANK YOU Image via WikipediaCALADESI ISLAND MARINA |
First things first, Quest got a thorough scrubbing down. Next on our list was to find our way to their beautiful, natural beach. Wow! Sorry folks, even though we took photos, I somehow managed to delete them. We watched the birds skittering along the shore, waded in the surf and collected beach reminders as we sauntered along. I predict a replay of this activity tomorrow.
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| THE CALADESIISLAND STATE PARK BEACH |
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| TODAY'S BEACH TREASURES |
The bird population is in evidence on the dock. There are Green Heron all over! We are also seeing egrets, gulls and the mandatory cormorants on the dock.
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| OUR RESIDENT GREEN HERON |
The “Loopers” in attendance here got together to exchange stories at cocktail hour. It appears that volunteer Neil is an old Vermonter who has been seeking refuge here with his wife for many winters. The folks from Ginny C had also lived in Stowe, VT for several years. Just too, too crazy how our paths cross.
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