G.T.B. DERBY DAY ( H1N1 FRANK )

We are back at the marina and on time for Derby Day!!!

As we arrived so did the swine flu and everyone was concerned. We had a good time at the c.y.c derby day betting, visiting with everyone and the food was great. Back with our friends on pier 6 some of them new and some the same we are glad to be back. What did change was some of the surroundings in grand rivers as the ice storm took out trees. Like everyone said "looks like a war zone" and it does. The community has done a great job on clean up.

Just some of the debris that was along the banks and as you can see the water is flowing fast. The current was running about a 5mi. Sure glad to get up to the Tenn. so we are cruising with the current.

GREAT TIMES & GREAT FRIENDS

here we are on a boat trip to pick up some boat parts ( oil filters ) with us are friends Judy, Jo,and their friends, oh and theres Wilbur in the back. A very nice day in the caloosahatchee river, Pine Island sound, and Fort Myers. This is just one of the things we do for past time in the winter. We were fortunate enough to have friends like Judy & Jo that let us hang out with them at their dock in cape coral. They have been alot of fun to be with since we met them in G.T.B.
On the other half of our winter we spent time in Anna Marie Island, and cruising the gulf from gulf shores to Ft. Myers. Our friends Pam & Wilbur joined us in cape coral to cruise back to gulf shores with us. Its always nice to have friends aboard that like the cruising. We enjoy them very much.
We stopped in Tarpon Springs, for a 3 day wait on weather so we could cross the gulf. This always a fun stop. All the greek rest. and the docks are full of sponges, for all the tourist. If anyof you ever get the chance I would try and go there.

We crossed the Mobile Bay finnally after waiting out flood waters for 2 wks. Felt really good to get cruising again. The waters are still high,but the debris is minimal and tolerable. We left LuLus with 317gals of fuel, a washing machine that had died on us and who knows what next. We were just glad to get under way. The next step of the leg, was to get through the locks. With Easter in just a few days we decided to cook a thanksgiving dinner (thanks for getting underway again). We took a new anchor on the okatuppa creek, just past Bobbys Fish camp. What a storm we had I was afraid the boat was going to get struck by lighting. Under way again the next day as we nearer the Tenn. river, we like to anchor in a bay across from Grand Harbor marina so thats where we stayed. Just around the corner we are in the Tenn, never know what your gonna see on the rivers.

Here comes down the river a floating marina. I thought it was a flooded Island, but the closer we got to it behold our eyes was a marina being pushed by a small barage. Not sure where it came from.