2021 Wrap-Up...A bit late....

 So again, I'm a bad blogger. Shoot me. Truth is that everywhere we went once we left Cincinnati last year has been blogged about before. I didn't want to bore people. Since then I've run into friends who are waiting for an update...people really do read our blog!! Sooooooo, here goes an update on where we've been and where we are going.

 After Cincinnati we moved pretty quickly back down the Ohio and up the Cumberland to the Tennessee at Land Between the Lakes. From there it was on to Aqua Yacht where we had scheduled a bottom job. We retrieved our truck and drove home for the week the work was being done...which turned into 2 weeks+ thanks to Hurricane Ida which was still tropical as it passed over the area. Once the work was completed we headed back down the Ten-Tom waterway headed to Mobile and salt water again.

Mobile

 Mobile is a very busy shipping port and a bit hairy until you exit the river into the bay and things open up a bit. It's worth the effort just to get to Dog River and the Mobile Bay Yacht Club. The MBYC is home to one of the best Bushwackers on the planet made with homemade ice cream!!

 After Mobile it's on to Orange Beach, AL. and a dinghy ride to the Flora-Bama to sample another Bushwacker.

 Continuing across the panhandle we tried to hit some different stops. One was in Navarre Beach at Juana's Pagoda. It's a bit tight for a bigger boat but well worth the stop.

Next was an anchorage off of West Bay near Panama City.

 And then on to Carrabelle, FL for for fuel before our long Gulf crossing. I'm still trying to figure out if they were sending a message with our slip assignment? 

 We had hoped to do the longer, all daylight, route around the Big Bend of Florida this trip but it takes 3 good weather days...Mother Nature said we had 2. So mid afternoon the next day we left Carrabelle for the overnight run to Clearwater. The winds were light and the seas fairly calm so it was a good crossing.

Sunset in the Gulf

 Somewhere approaching daybreak I noticed a bright light moving in the sky toward the east. 0430 is always the time you start seeing things! It was too dark to get a good picture but as the sky began to brighten I saw this....

 After getting in to Clearwater we found that there had been a rocket launch at the Cape that morning. I guess they blow smoke rings?!?

 After resting up a couple of days we started south for home. It's a pretty short trip but we stopped at a few different places along the way since we don't plan on being back any time soon. We are always amazed by the different types of boats we see in our travels and this trip was no exception.

  A few days later we were back in Ft. Myers at Legacy Harbour, our old marina from our last time here with the boat. It was good to see old friends and also see that the Dockmaster still has a sense of humor based on our slip assignment....

 So we've been back since late October on and off but I'll save that update for another installment. Turns out we have company coming and I should prepare...say hello to Alex...