TOUGH LIFE LOOKING AT SIGHTS LIKE THIS EVERY MORNING. I HATE TO ADMIT IT MY ATTENTION SPAN IS SHORT AND I STILL GET BORED FROM TIME TO TIME. THE POINT IS I WOULD RATHER GET BORED CRUISING FROM PLACE TO PLACE AS OPPOSED TO SITTING AT HOME GETTING BORED.

HERE WE ARE ENJOYING COCKTAILS AT ONE OF THE 28 POOL AREAS AVAILABLE. THIS IS HOW OLD PEOPLE SPEND THERE DAYS. "DRINKING"

WE ARE STAYING UNTIL AFTER THE NEW YEAR AT CLEAR WATER BEACH MARINA. IT AS ONLY A TWO HOUR DRIVE TO "THE VILLAGES" SO WE RENTED A CAR FOR THE WEEKEND AND STAYED WITH OUR FRIENDS ROGER AND SUSAN MORRIS. THE FIRST THING I NOTICED IS THAT THERE HOUSE IS ON "EAST SCHWARTZ" HOW BAD IS THAT! OBVIOUSLY A NICE JEWISH COMMUNITY. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE SPENT TWO DAYS GETTING BRAINED WASHED AND DRANK THE COOLAIDE TO THE POINT WE ARE SERIOUSLY THINKING OF BUYING A PLACE IN THE VILLAGES AFTER OUR CRUISING IS OVER. TRUST ME , I MADE FUN OF EVERYTHING FROM OLD PEOPLE , WHEEL CHAIRS , WALKERS , SHUFFLE BOARD ETC. ALL THE THINGS THAT IMPLY A PLACE FOR OLD RETIRED FOLKS TO END UP , BUT AFTER WE TOURED THE PLACE WE FOUND IT IS ACTUALLY A WELL ENGINEERED ADULT DISNEY WORLD. DONT BOTHER REPLYING WITH ANY SMART ASS COMMENTS BECAUSE I SAID OR THOUGHT THEM ALL MYSELF , BUT I STILL THINK WE MIGHT DO IT . CHECK OUT "THE VILLAGES WEB SITE""

WE RAN INTO "CAPTAIN BILL BERLIN" AT APALACHICOLA (PROBABLY SPELLED THAT WRONG ?) TIED UP OVERNIGHT AT MILLER MARINE GAS DOCK BUT THE GOOD NEWS IT WAS NEXT DOOR TO THE RESTAURANT THAT SERVES UP THE BEST OYSTER STEW IN THE WORLD. I HAD A DOZEN OYSTERS AND A BOWL OF OYSTER STEW AND SANDY HAD TO LOCK HER SELF IN THE CABIN (GOOD LUCK?)

THIS WAS THE ONE CLEAR SHOT OF THE SUNRISE AS WE CROSSED BEFORE THE FOG SET IN. WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING OUT THERE. WE SAW MAYBE THREE OTHER BOATS IN THE DISTANCE THE WHOLE TRIP.

WE MADE IT! WE MADE IT ACROSS 165 MILES OF OPEN WATER ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO. BIG DEAL YOU SAY! YEA IT WAS BECAUSE WE LEFT AT 4 AM IN PITCH DARK AND HAD FOG MOST OF THE WAY ACROSS. YOU REALLY MUST TRUST YOUR ELECTRONICS WHEN YOU CAN NOT SEE THE END OF THE BOAT. THE PICTURE NOTES OUR GPS / CHARTPLOTTER AS WE MADE OUR CROSSING FROM ONE WAY POINT TO ANOTHER. NOTE IT SAYS "78.6 NAUTICAL MILES TO GO AND ARRIVE IN 5:04 HOURS AT THE SPEED PF 15.6 N. THE CROSSING TOOK US ABOUT 10 HOURS TOTAL. THE SEAS WERE CALM (2 FEET OR LESS) BUT THE VISABILITY WAS HORRIBLE. YOU GOT TO LOVE BOATING OR BE A FOOL. IDONT KNOW WHICH ONE I AM.

BAY POINT MARINA IS DEFINITELY "BATTLE WAGON CENTRAL" FOR SERIOUS FISHING BOATS. LOTS OF BIG BOATS AND LOTS OF MONEY. THEY DELIVER NEWS PAPERS TO OUR BOAT EVERY MORNING AND ALL THE AMENITIES OF THE MARRIOTT WHICH AJOINS THE MARINA ARE AVAILABLE.

THIS IS BAY POINT MARINA. IRONICALLY THE SAME NAME OF THE MARINA WE WERE AT IN OHIO FOR 8 YEARS , BUT THIS ONE IS IN PANAMA CITY FLORIDA. ITS A GREAT PLACE BUT THE DUE TO A HEAVY NORTH WIND FOR THREE DAYS THE WATER DROPPED TO AN ALL TIME LOW. MANY BOATS WERE SITTING ON THE BOTTOM. WEATHER IS SUPPOSED TO IMPROVE AND WE HOPE TO TRY TO CROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO TO TAMPA THURSDAY

LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES. TO BE ABLE TO WATCH YOUR GRANDKIDS PLAY IN THE SURF AND GET SAND IN EVERY PLACE THE SUN DON'T SHINE. LATER ON WE PUT THE TENDER IN THE WATER IN SEARCH OF DOLPHIN. WE SAW NOTHING BUT FROZE OUR REAR ENDS OFF.

WE LEFT GULF SHORES WEDNESDAY AND WE WERE CONSTANTLY CHASED AND SURROUNDED BY DOLPHINS ALL THE WAY TO DESTIN FLORIDA

THIS FAMILY PORTRAIT IS TAKEN ON THE LIFE GUARD STAND AND ONE THING YOU CAN NOT SEE IN THE PICTURE IS THE BIG SIGN THAT SAYS "KEEP OFF". GREAT TO KNOW THAT IN TODAY'S WORLD OF INSTANT COMMUNICATION AND EASE OF TRANSPORTATION WE CAN ALL STAY IN TOUCH ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. STEPHANIE DROVE FROM NASHVILLE TO GULF SHORES IN SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS.

STEPHANIE, GRIFFIN, AND SYDNEY VISITED US FOR THE WEEKEND AND THE KIDS GOT THEIR FIRST EVER LOOK AT THE OCEAN. IT WAS ONLY 55 DEGREES BUT THAT DID NOT STOP THEM FROM GETTING WET. ALL KIDS LOVE "FIRE AND WATER" AND CAN NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE.