Steve and Di hitching a ride to Cabbage Key with Dave and Penny. We all have named our tenders except Stormy. Penny decided to call it "Breaking Wind" OOOOO, Don't want to follow them!

Entering Cabbage Key from the ICW

Cute little rental cottages on the island as we make our way through the channel

We're here!

Views from the patio where we had lunch on Cabbage Key

The group waiting for our "cheeseburgers in Paradise"

The walls and ceilings are covered with tens of thousands of dollar bills with things written on them by people who came to this little piece of "Paradise" for that famous "cheeseburger".

White heron in the tree above our table. Don't POO on my cheeseburger!

The group stuffing their faces with Cheeseburgers

They could be bad and taste good here

looking for a hand out. It prefers cheeseburgers over fish

Sunrise Wednesday when we left the Pelican Bay anchorage. Hundreds of seagulls, cormorants, and brown and white pelicans were swimming through our anchorage. It was amazing!

Dolphin playing off our port side as we travel the ICW

We picked up Steve and Di in the family car (Half Note) and went exploring. We found our way through the mangroves to the dock at Don Pedro Island State Park. We walked across the island to the Gulf side and took a walk on the beach and did a little shell hunting.

Di filling her pockets with treasures. We also found some prehistoric sharks teeth. Way cool!

A look down the beach

Some of the shells scattered on the beach from the heavy surf. No, I didn't stage this shot.

White ibis walking along the canal as we pass by in Half Note.

Steve cleaning off the anchor while they motor out of our anchorage today. We will stay here one more day and then head to Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda where we will meet up with some old friends we haven't seen for eleven years.

If this is Thursday, we must be in Belgium

What a great time the three of us had visiting my homeland of Belgium last night. (it was like being in the "Twilight Zone) The Belgian beer and food were great. I hope I didn't bore everyone with all my Belgian stories about racing pigeons, raising Belgian rabbits, and the Belgian culture in my home town. Did you know my fathers family is Belgian Royalty? Well, OK, they were servants of the Royal family. As I always say, my family didn't sit on the throne, we cleaned it. (both types) After leaving Belgium we wandered down the street to a corner bar with great music and even better people watching. Met some fun people there. Some partied a little too hard as you will see in one of the pictures. I don't think she will remember a thing about last night when she finally wakes up.
Today another COLD front is moving through and it is cold and raining. We had planned to go to Tampa to meet up with Life's2Short, Tide Hiker and some other cruising friends, but because of weather we will stay put. Looking at the weather for the next week it is going to be 12 to 14 degrees warmer (the butter is way too hard here to spread) South from here, so we are going to miss seeing our friends in Tampa and St. Pete. Sunday we will cast off the lines and put the pointy end South and meet up with Aurora, Stormy, (the girls will be glad to see their boyfriend Calloway again) and Shenanigans, our good friends who we haven't seen since my 60th birthday party last August. I know, I know, not another party!

September Song (the weather here SUCKS today) out
Bob


This is the elevator to Belgium. We decided to take the stairway. do do do do, do do do do. You have now entered the "Twilight Zone". Some of you may be too young to remember that one.

Once in my homeland we sampled some of the Belgium beers.

The three of us enjoying rabbit stew, duck, and mussels Belgian style.

This is the sign on the elevator door back to the US. It was a short trip, but we enjoyed it.

After visiting Belgium the three of us went to a bar down the street for an after dinner drink and listen to the band. I couldn't resist this picture. She is passed out on a stool and her friend is holding her up

GYPSIES!!!!!

When I last left you I was still wiping lipstick off my face. Oh what a night that was! The next day was Super Bowl day and a Super Bowl party on Stormy. I have been to many Super Bowl parties, but this one was one of the best. We ate, cheered, (now who was playing) laughed and ate some more. The food was the big winner as far as I was concerned. Lisa and Penny put out a feast that was over the top. After Stephanie and Joe added their contributions we had enough food for a small army. Oh, we also had some great beverages to go along with all that good food, but then you already knew that.
Tuesday afternoon Doug and Tammy stopped by on their way back to Key West from Tampa and spent the night. Joe came over and we started the party about 3:00 in the pilot house. (our usual hang out with Gypsies) It was so great being together again reliving old stories and catching up. It was like old times again. Stephanie prepared a fabulous linguine and white clam sauce with fresh clams that Joe brought from Pine Island. Chef Stephanie outdid herself again. We had such a great time, but the time flew by way too quickly. We hated to see them go today, but they needed to get back to Key West. Thanks for stopping by guys, it was great to spend time with you again.

September Song (going to Belgium tomorrow) out
Bob


Cormorants don't have oil in their feathers so they need to dry their wings every so often or they can't fly

You know you are in Florida when

Now that is a class act. Who is that woman in the back seat anyway?

The Gypsies are here, the GYPSIES ARE HERE!!!!!!

Stephanie in the galley preparing a fabulous linguine with white clam sauce. Special feast for special friends Doug, Tammy, and Joe. It was soooo good!

Tomorrow Joe, Stephanie and I are going to visit Belgium.

Moved to a new neighborhood

When I last left you we were headed to Cabbage Key where Stormy was docked for a seafood feast provided by Danny and Lisa, guests on board Stormy for a week with Dave and Penny. Well, it was a feast and a great party. We had so much sea food that we didn't even get to the oysters we brought. Thanks Dave, Penny, Danny, and Lisa for a great night. The two mile trip in the dark back to September Song in the Pelican Bay anchorage was, let's just say, not a trip I would want to take too often. We did remember to take the spotlight!The next day we had planned to go over to Cabbage Key for our "Cheeseburger in Paradise", but the winds had picked up and it was too rough so we stayed on the boat. Not all was lost because the two of us had a great day just hanging out. (except for the storm with 40 mph winds that rolled through) That evening it calmed down and we enjoyed oysters on the grill on the fly bridge all alone in the anchorage. It's great just hanging out with your best friend.
Saturday we decided to leave the anchorage and head for Venice and the Crows Nest Marina. Stormy met us just outside the anchorage and Joe on Sea Pearl was about one hour behind us leaving from Pine Island. When we arrived at Venice the wind was blowing and the Marina is just inside the Venice inlet. (I still want to know if you are going out, is it still an inlet?) We made our way to the dock and after getting the lines secured the boats were rocking and rolling and the decision was made to cast off and head farther North to Marina Jacks in Sarasota. It made for a long day, even longer for Joe as he pulled in at dark thirty, but we were in a protected harbor and ready for drinks and dinner in the bar/restaurant at the head of our dock. I won't get into a long story about the night time fun, but just know we all had a BLAST! Drinks, dinner, music, wild women, and a great time was had by all.
Today we are going to Stormy's for a Super Bowl party which will include stuffed shrimp, scallops, clams, Mexican layer dip, wings, drinks, and who knows what else.

September Song (who's playing anyway?) out
Bob


Forgot to post these two pictures from boys night out with Joe

I don't know if this is the message they were going for "but" you get the point

Stephanie and I pigged out on grilled oysters on the fly bridge while at anchor in Pelican Bay. Life doesn't get any better than this.

Oysters on the barby

Stormy following September Song up the ICW

This dolphin jumped out of the water to get a better look at Cassie as they talk back and forth.

Dolphins love to play in our wake and put on a show for us