Three Days in Pensacola

We arrived at the Pensacola Shipyard Marine Complex on Thursday afternoon, got all settled and prepared for the anticipated storm. Before the storm we ventured down to see Mike and Linda from Steele’n Time. Mike has done many custom storage and improvements to their boat. He is really clever and extremely handy – he has found and retrieved extra storage in the most creative ways. He and Linda together have made their boat very attractive and welcoming. It is always fun to see how we each tackle the live aboard issues.


The storm came and the winds howled and it was wonderful. I just love storms – as long as I am secured in a harbor. The sun was shinning on Friday morning and the day was cool but gorgeous. Mike rented a car for the weekend and Friday’s adventure was to the Naval Air Museum located on the Pensacola Naval Air Base.
We had a wonderful time exploring the museum, watching an IMAX movie about naval fighter pilots and I even took a simulated ride with the Blue Angels.

Next stop on the base was to the Pensacola Lighthouse that we passed on the ICW.

This time we were able to get up close and personal.

First lit in 1859, the lighthouse is still functional today.

Before leaving the base, we toured Fort Barrancas. This was one of the three original forts built in this area. The fort was designed in such a way that it was able to protect the port of Pensacola from both land and sea. From the high vantage points, ships could be spotted as far away as twenty miles. This information would then be relayed to the other two forts in the lower laying areas.






Friday night more storms and more winds came and it was an even better storm than the night before. All day it was windy and rather chilly, so we all opted to catch up on our boating chores on Saturday.

Sunday morning we joined Mike and Linda and headed to the Pensacola Historical Village and the downtown marinas. Linda guided us all over and through the sights and landmarks of Pensacola.






McGuire’s Pub was recommended to us by our live aboard dock mate. What a delightful place to spend time and have a wonderfully gigantic meal. No matter what you order, it is huge! But the neatest thing is that there are literally thousands of dollar bills that have been signed and are hanging from every open spot on the walls and ceilings. If you come to Pensacola, you really must drop in McGuire’s – it is well worth the wait!

Not for the queasy

Well, the yeas (and David) have it, so here are the pictures of my finger. When we took these pictures yesterday, it was six weeks following the accident and five weeks since the reconstructive surgery that was performed at the Indiana Hand Center. I think the healing is coming along very nicely. As soon as we are in a larger city with a hand surgeon, I will make an appointment to see if the pin is ready to be removed. I seem to have full sensation in my finger and have been doing my physical therapy exercises faithfully so I also have very good finger movement without too much pain.

Email Issues

I want to let everyone know that something strange is happening with my lolligag email addresses – I can receive emails, but I am unable to send any. I know that I owe many of you emails and as soon as “they” fix the issue I will catch up on my correspondence.

To Mark and Mary: We may see you or at the very least call Delbert when we reach Apalachicola.

To Nancy/Jim & Eleanor/Harold: We should be in Clearwater just about the same time as Jim & Nancy – see ya soon!

To Kim and Kathy: We will be there soon – please keep the light on for us!

Into Florida on the ICW

It was wonderful to fall asleep and wake up to the gentle swaying of the boat “on the hook” (anchor). I know I say this all the time, but I can't express how much we love anchoring out. We do enjoy the camaraderie of meeting new and old friends at the marinas, but I simply love the peaceful calm feeling of solitude while being at anchor. So it was on our first night after leaving Mobile. We fell asleep early as the sun set.

Thursday morning we woke up to bright sunshine and the bluest of skies. We did not see them, but Mike and Linda of Steele’n Time told us that a group of dolphins had been playing all around our boat just before we lifted anchor – I am going to have to be more diligent in watching for the dolphins. We have been told that the motto for Loopers once south of Mobile is that “a dolphin sighting a day keeps the blues away”.

Traveling with Steele’n Time, we left our cove around 8a and headed toward Pensacola along the ICW. Again the homes were lovely and many are brand new as a result of hurricane Ivan. For the first time, we saw a sign on the waterways welcoming us to a state and how fitting that it should be Florida.

We knew we were getting closer to Pensacola when we started to actually see the Navy jets – before we could only hear them. We passed Fort Pickens on our starboard and Fort Barrancas on our port side, the only two remaining forts of the original three forts that protected Pensacola since prior to the Civil War. Fort Barrancas is located within the current naval airbase. It has been restored to historical accuracy and is open for tours.

Another cold front is expected to pass through the Panhandle bringing violent storms and high winds, so it is our plan to stay at the Pensacola Shipyard Marine Complex for the next three nights. I guess I could whine and complain about the anticipated rains and high winds, but since our family and friends in the Midwest are digging themselves out from under 8-12 inches of snow; I probably would not have much credibility or gather much sympathy.

Pensacola, Florida



Indiana



Hours on the water: 3
Nautical miles traveled: 21.5
Number of locks: 0
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Next Destination: Destin, Florida anchorage
What we're listening to: Nothing
What we watched: Mark’s new TV=Big Ten Network
Lesson for the day: I need to keep a better lookout for dolphins
Obligatory knitting report: Scarf for charity

There is life after Mobile

The storms ended, the sun was shining, the wind subsided and it was time for us to finally leave Mobile. We truly have enjoyed our stays in Alabama and Mobile, but we were very anxious to get moving. The morning was a little chilly (mid 60’s) as we filled the fuel tank and pumped out in preparation for our departure. With a huge fisherman’s rubber glove on my left hand, I secured all the lines and fenders without difficulty. This was the first time that I had actively used my left hand to perform boat chores and it was okay – a little bit of awkwardness but I managed.



Our new friends from Steele’n Time took the lead as we both headed south and east across Mobile Bay toward the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway toward Pensacola. The Bay was calm with 1-2 foot waves and it felt wonderful to be back moving on the water again.

About half way through the Bay, the Coast Guard was on maneuvers. It is always fun to watch them take pictures of me taking pictures of them…





Captain Mark and I settled into our traveling routines and all was delightful until Mark says “We don’t have any steering.” Neither of us panicked because the steering is the one issue that we have had trouble with before so we thought Mark could fix it quickly. In the past, the tiller arm has come unattached from the rudder and Mark just reattaches it – an inconvenience and irritating but not difficult to fix. However, this time that was not the problem. Mark is testing all the normal things to test and all seems to be in order. I am at the helm doing whatever I am being told to do by Mark but nothing seems to come to light. The steering would come and go in an odd way making it all the more difficult for Mark to determine what was happening. LUCKILY for us, Captain Mike of Steele’n Time radioed us to offer his help and expertise. We pulled the Lolligag along side Steele’n Time and rafted together so that Mike could board the Lolligag. Linda and I chatted and became acquainted while the two captains put their talents to work. The issue was that we had run low on steering fluid and this why the steering was sporadic. We thought that we had asked Dog River Marina to check this fluid but in checking our work order, we had requested that “engine fluids and filters” be checked and changed and steering fluid did not fall into that category. This is not a mistake that we will make twice. It is not only fun but very prudent to travel with a buddy boat. Thank you Steele’n Time for being there for us.



Very soon after we got underway, we reached the entrance to the Intracoastal Way (ICW) and guess who we meet at the entrance? I have missed my tow pilots and it was comfortable and reassuring to see them again.

We had planned to stop at LuLu’s (Jimmy Buffett’s sister’s restaurant) for lunch but since our unscheduled pit stop of earlier, we did not have time to stop and still make our anchorage before dark. We continued along the ICW admiring the homes and new developments that have been completed since hurricane Ivan. We also saw our first pair of dolphins but I was not quick enough with my camera…Our anchorage for the evening was in a back bay off the main ICW channel and was peaceful and calm. All in all, I would say that we had a good first day back on the water. We made new friends, learned a valuable lesson and saw our first dolphins – life is good upon the water.

Hours on the water: 6.5
Nautical miles traveled: 42
Number of locks: 0
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Pensacola, Florida
What we're listening to: Nothing
What we watched: Nothing
Lesson for the day: Check hydraulic steering fluid more often
Obligatory knitting report: Scarf for charity

Is it really possible?

That the Lolligag may actually leave Mobile tomorrow…Baring any further attempts of mine to remove appendages, with the passage of the tornadoes and severe thunderstorms of last evening, God willing and if the creek don’t rise, we are going to head south tomorrow morning in search of sun and fun. The Lolligag has been at Dog River Marina since November 9th and she is ready for her first taste of salt water. She is all programmed to take us to Marco Island, the Keys and then to the Bahamas.

One of the first things that all experienced Loopers share with us newbies is that we should not even think or verbalize the “S” word (schedule). As our dear friend DTLB will attest, the best laid travel plans just do not always work out the way we want them to…Linda was supposed to meet us in the Bahamas this Friday, however that just is not going to happen. So she has graciously given us a rain check and will join us at another point in our adventures.


I would like to say how comfortable and safe we felt leaving our boat at Dog River Marina during our two trips back to Indiana. We have been very pleased with the servicing of our vessel and the terrific staff here. We recommend them highly and certainly will return on our next trip through Mobile.

Do you really want to see my finger?

I have had numerous requests to post a picture of my injured finger. At the same time, our daughter Beth begs me not to do so = so let's put it to a vote. I have created a poll on the blog so that you may cast your vote yea or nay.

A Marriage Vow Broken

Captain Mark and I have been married for over forty years and during most of that time we have had very LITTLE discretionary income. We started our marriage early in our college years, then the girls arrived, we purchased a home, then braces for the girls, then their college tuition – middle class suburban life in its truest form. Very early (like the first week) in our marriage Mark and I agreed that neither one of us would spend any amount of money over $20 without discussing the purchase with the other party. As the years passed and Mark’s salary rose above minimum wage, the spending discussion threshold was raised to $250. The process allowed us to discuss any “major” purchase in advance so as to determine if the purchase is indeed one we wanted to make. This respect for each other and common sense money rule worked very well for us until recently when I TOTALLY violated the established policy.

I can excuse myself by saying that I did the deed while until the influence of mind altering pain medication, which would be true, however I must confess that I violated the money rule knowing full well what I was doing with savings book in hand. When we arrived back home in Indiana, I realized how much Mark really wanted/desired/wished to/enjoyed watching television. SO, while he was out of the house, I called Dog River Marina and re-ordered the Trac Vision Satellite system that WE had previously decided not to purchase due to the expensive price tag. Never have I done anything like this before and I really wanted the satellite system to be a surprise for Mark when we returned to Alabama. I know Mark well enough to know that he would not be majorly angry with me but he might be a little miffed that I broke our decision to not purchase the system. I was correct, he was too shocked to be angry with me - I think he was and still is in a state of total disbelief.

I am horrible in my ability to keep a secret so I ended up telling Mark what I had done before we returned to Mobile. I did not want him to arrive at the marina and think that the marina personnel had disregarded his cancellation of the work order. I would rather he know up front what I did. Now I could also rationalize and say that I would use “my money” to pay for the system but in reality, it is really “our money” so while I verbalized those words, we both knew the joke behind the words.





It took Mark a full day to program the system and the television picture is perfect. I can tell that while he says that it was unnecessary and way too expensive that he has enjoyed watching the Big Ten Basketball network and Meerkat Manor. However, as we have discovered much to my horror, we can not receive any programming from the four regular networks,but only the cable/satellite stations. What this means is that in order to watch Dancing with the Stars or Lost or The Office we have to either watch it on the computer or get those silly rabbit ears out of the trash. Don’t even ask me to explain the FCC rule that allows “recreational vehicles” and trucks to receive the network feeds via Direct TV but not boats. It just does not make sense at all. After my fifth telephone call to KVH and Direct TV to make sure that we understood the situation correctly, I was told that if I had an issue with the ruling that I should write my congressman – and I think I might just do that!

As Yogi Berra would say

" It's deja vu all over again".

We packed the pick-em-up truck the night before, got up early and headed to our favorite restaurant, The Corner Café, met our neighbor, Mr Moore, for breakfast (his treat this time) and then headed south to Mobile.




Not surprisingly, once again I am fast asleep by the time we reach the Ohio River and cross into Kentucky. Since I really can not knit very well, I tend to fall asleep even faster now. When we left Indiana the temperature was 17 degrees, as we entered Alabama it is 70 degrees. I woke up just as we entered Alabama warmed by the sunshine.

We made really good time in that it only took us ten hours this time. Since this was the evening of the lunar eclipse I asked Captain Mark if we could stop every 30 minutes after 8p so that we could watch the progress of the eclipse. We were very lucky because Alabama was one of the few spots in the US that was not cloud covered. The moon was absolutely breath-taking and it was a treat to watch the eclipse from start to almost finish. The moon was almost completely covered by the time we reached Dog River Marina so we found some liquid refreshments and sat outside on top of the boat in the warm winter air to watch the eclipse complete. It was very easy to be captivated by the lure of the moon.



It was good to see The Lolligag again and to see that she sustained no damage as a result of the recent tornadoes and violent storms that passed through the Gulf Coast while we were in Indiana. Home Sweet Boat…

Fortunately and Unfortunately

While recuperating in Indiana I discovered a myriad of things that I could and could not do as a result of my injured hand. Until I was forced to come face to face with these limitations, I had never really thought about what it is like to have the use of only one hand/arm. I have definitely acquired a new sense of deep respect for the physically handicapped and thank my lucky stars each day that my infirmity is not permanent. The healing process is coming along very nicely. At this time it appears that I should regain full use and sensation in my finger and hand. The worst case scenario, if no complications arise from this point forward, is that I may have a deformed fingernail or no nail at all on the ring finger of my left hand. All things considered, I do feel very lucky indeed.

Fortunately these are the things that I could do:
Journey to French Lick to see Tom Wright perform
Take good drugs and sleep
Read all day long if I wanted
Lay on the couch like a princess
Read emails from lots of friends
Enjoy the cards and flowers that were sent
Guide Captain Mark as he prepared our meals
Not make the bed
Take long hot baths
Enjoy listening to Captain Mark play piano
Wear a glamorous Ziploc baggie on my left hand while showering
Control the TV remote
Watch Dr Phil every day
Sleep on all road trips while Captain Mark had to drive
Perfected the “homecoming queen” wave as a result of keeping my hand always above my heart
Watch (on TV) Indiana University beat Purdue in basketball!!



Unfortunately these are the things that I could not do:
Knit
Work on the computer (email or blog)
Have a glass of wine
Just about any normal physical task
Dress myself
Whine or feel sorry for myself (not allowed in our house)

One of the funniest aspects of being infirmed and bandaged is how it effected my driving. Since my bandage is so large, when I drive the pick-em-up truck my left hand keeps hitting the turn signal making it come on all the time. Now we all know how irritating it is to drive behind some OLD person who has their turn signal on constantly – but the next time you see this happening, please check to make sure that the driver is not me…

40 Pictures to Celebrate 40 Years

If we are only 39 how can our daughter be 40? Today our Samantha turns forty - how can that be? It was only last week that we brought her home from the hospital – only four days ago that she graduated from high school and left for college – only yesterday that she became a wife and mother.

No matter the age, Samantha will always be our little girl, our first born. She is a loving sister, fantastic mother, devoted wife and a wonderful daughter. She is party and event planner extraordinaire. To this day she still holds the record for the most books read during the summer at the Crown Point library. A born teacher and talented musician and she can still sell more Girl Scout cookies than anyone around. We love her and could not be more proud of her. Happy Birthday, Sam!!

XOXOX
Mom and Dad

Don’t tell Captain Mark that I am on the computer

Thank you all for the cards, calls and flowers. I am typing this quickly because I am not supposed to be on the computer and my left hand is supposed to be elevated above my heart at all times for the next two weeks. As you can imagine, it is very hard to type with one hand in the air – it throws my balance off to say nothing of how stupid it looks.

The surgery on my finger went well. Now I have a huge cast-like bandage on my finger that will be in place for two weeks until I go back for a follow up visit. A pin is sticking out of the top of the bandage (and my finger) with a cute little blue ball on the end of it. I have good drugs so I am comfortable, but I can not do anything. This means no knitting, typing (I am sneaking as Mark is asleep) on the computer, and no hands in water. I have the new Stephen King and James Patterson books, so I have plenty to read and to keep me busy. Captain Mark also taped many of the original Twilight Zone episodes so that I can watch them as I loll about. I am being taken care of wonderfully by Captain Mark who is doing a great job with the laundry and the cooking. See old dogs can learn new tricks!