Dunedin

Bob and I moved across the state this week to a small Scottish town on the Gulf Coast, west of Tampa, called Dunedin. It has a charming downtown, expansive views of the gulf and we were lucky to get the only site available for a week in a very nice RV park. The gulf coast is extremely popular in the winter months and we found it hard to get a spot in any RV park that was close to the water. We also picked this park because it had a really great pool area and was a block from the Pinellas Trail, a paved walking and biking trail that is over 40 miles long.

Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to use the pool at all, and only biked once, due to the cold weather. We also got 1.5 inches of rain the first two days we were here, so we are back to winter weather in Florida. We are SO thankful that we got that great warm week when we were sailing.

One rainy blustery day, we drove down to Sarasota, about 90 minutes south, to explore that area and have lunch with an old friend of mine. Larry and I worked together in Minneapolis in the early 1970s and he married a close friend. We hadn’t seen each other in almost 30 years and it was great to reconnect.

Bob and I are really impressed with the white sand beaches of this coast. Clearwater beach is sparkly and clean, the Siesta Key beaches near Sarasota were soft and like powdered sugar and the islands off Dunedin have spectacular natural beaches. They are flat and perfect for long walks.

While in this area, we have been driving around looking at houses that are currently on the market. We haven’t settled yet on a place we would like to live, but it’s always interesting to see what our dollar will buy in each area. Prices are a little higher over here than on the north and central east coast, but there are still many foreclosures and some good bargains.

Wherever we might move, it’s important that I have a wildlife group I can plug into. Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota has volunteer opportunities in their marine mammal rehab department, and so does the Clearwater Aquarium near Tampa. Both coasts have manatees, dolphins, and turtle nesting seasons.

Bob and I visited the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary just a few miles from our RV park. They care for more than 70 animals, and over half of them are 65+ years of age, including Cheetah the chimp from the original Tarzan movies. This little facility struggles to make ends meet and could use a total makeover. While it was nice to visit with chimps, orangutans, baboons and over 10 species of monkeys, I found this place depressing. It was clear the animals were cared for, and the organization is dedicated and doing their best, but I couldn’t watch these lovely animals in their small chain link prisons. If I win the lottery…..

Catamaran Sailing

For quite some time now, I have been very interested in large sailing catamarans. I love the thought of exploring shallow areas, sleeping and eating onboard in comfortable accommodations, and I like the idea of being powered quietly by the wind.

I think that for a lot of us, the notion of self-sufficiency is very comforting and attractive. Sometimes it’s the concept of a few acres, off the grid, growing and raising your own food (Mary’s concept). Lately, for me, it’s the idea of being in a wind powered craft with the ability to travel the world and presumably catch your own food, moving from one idyllic spot to another as suits your fancy.

I did some “crewing” on sailboats in college, but have never captained a sailboat. I am pretty experienced with small power boats including water skiing and cruising Puget Sound with overnights at mooring buoys and marinas on our 22ft cabin cruiser.

I have been looking forward to chartering a catamaran in the tropics. To do that you must know how to sail, and it helps to have a certificate. So, I found a week-long live-aboard catamaran sailing course out of Ft Lauderdale. After some cajoling, Mary graciously agreed to not only accompany me, but also to get certified as well. This was a big step for Mary. She hasn’t had much hands-on boating or sailing experience, and wasn’t too keen on having to be tested on things she wasn’t all that excited about.

The week before our trip, south Florida was cold and rainy with strong winds. We were a little concerned, but the weather turned out great - sunny and warm with mostly light winds, and one day of moderate wind. Our instructor was perfect, a very experienced and knowledgeable guy in his mid-forties with a professional but laid-back approach.

The three of us had a 41ft Lagoon Catamaran all to ourselves for six days. We sailed from Ft Lauderdale to Key Largo stopping at Boca Chica, and Little Card Sound on the way down. Then we overnighted at Gilbert’s in Key Largo where we even got to dance and sing Karaoke. On the way back we anchored just off Key Biscayne and then sailed out into the ocean to catch the northbound current of the Gulf Stream back up to Ft Lauderdale.

We saw several large schools of man-o-war jellyfish, pods of bottlenose dolphins almost every day, some wonderfully clear blue water and a couple of great sunsets.

We did very well on our four written tests and we both got 99’s on the last one. Mary and I sailed the boat on the two-day return trip from Key Largo (that’s the practical test). The instructor spent most of the return trip below deck reading Mary’s book. He would come up every once in a while to make sure we were doing ok, and to ask Mary questions about Granny, orcas and telepathic communication.

We are now certified to bareboat charter a sailing catamaran. It was great to spend some time on the boat to explore all the nooks and crannies, and to determine the important things to look for in a boat that we might charter, like large “heads” (toilets) and ample storage and passageways. British Virgin Islands - here we come.

Mary and I also met up with one of my nephews that I hadn’t seen in probably 30+ years. We had lunch with Tim in Ft Lauderdale on our way to our sailing class. It was great to see him and find him doing so well. After the sailing course he made us some absolutely wonderful oatmeal cookies with white chocolate, dark chocolate and some great spices. He should market the things. They are better than any cookie we have ever had. Mary is still wishing we had more.

Key West/Everglades

We left Harriett, our 5^th wheel, in Sebastian and headed to Key West where Mary taught a workshop as a fundraiser with the local ASPCA. The class was very successful with twenty terrific students, two dogs, a rabbit, an anole lizard and a sugar glider in class on the second day.

We stayed with a very nice and hospitable friend and client of Mary’s who has a sweet little guest cottage right in the heart of Key West which is great town. It is touristy, but the unique mix of scenery, architecture, tropical plants, and the historical (fishing/shrimping) and modern culture (margaritaville/gay scene) are fascinating.

It was definitely warmer in south Florida and especially Key West than in northern or central Florida. The water on both sides of the Keys are protected from ocean swells and heavy surf by reefs on the Atlantic side and an extensive shallow shelf on the Gulf side. The weather was a bit rainy while we were there so it limited our ability to enjoy the water, but we had fun exploring the town and eating some great shrimp.

On the way back up we went to the Everglades National Park. We stopped at a small lake where Roseate Spoonbills were nesting. At the Flamingo Visitor Center we spotted three manatees and two very large crocodiles (yes crocodiles). On our first hike, we trekked out to a bay hoping to see a huge flock of shorebirds, but the tide was out and the birds were way off in the distance. It was great to hike 3.2 miles in the Everglades and not see any snakes. We also crossed their highest pass.

On our last hike on the Anhinga Trail we saw nesting Anhinga birds, vultures, wood storks and many other wonderful and exotic birds, but the highlight was several alligators of all shapes and sizes. Some were in the water, others along the pond shoreline and a few even up on the dry grass. The ¾ mile path and boardwalk through the area offered some fantastic views of these wild creatures.

We also stopped to visit one of Mary’s favorite roadside attractions. Coral Castle is a garden of sculptures and structures made entirely out of very large chunks of coral rock. What is truly amazing is that all of the pieces were quarried, carved and placed by a single person using only hand tools and pulleys (no motorized equipment). Edward Leedskalnin was Latvian and only 5’0” and 100lbs. He built the structures during the 1930’s and 40’s as a monument to the love of his life. The irony is that the woman actually rejected him and never lived with him. How did he do it? If you are near Homestead, Florida it is definitely worth a visit.

Sebastian, FL

January in Florida has been very interesting. The weather has been mostly cooler than normal, but nothing like the severe weather the rest of the country has been experiencing. It warmed up into the low 70s the last few days. We were even sunning at the beach today.

We are staying in the Sebastian/Vero Beach area, which is about halfway between St Augustine and Miami on the east coast of Florida, in Indian River County. This is where those wonderful ruby red grapefruits come from, and there are groves and fruit stands that have a wide variety of fruits and vegetables at great prices. The area is pretty nice and about ten degrees warmer than St Augustine, but St Augustine has more things to do and is a bit more fun and interesting. The campground in St Augustine was fantastic and the one we are in now is just ok. Even though Sebastian is not ideal, staying a long-time in one place has its advantages. Mary has been able to find a great local fitness club where she is able to participate in strength and fitness classes. She is even doing Zumba!

We have been able to ride our bikes a bit, and explore some of the parks, beaches and natural features of the area. The Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge was actually the first in the country (established in 1903). The pelicans, herons, egrets, sandhill cranes, ibis, vultures, wood stork and shorebirds have been very plentiful and fun to watch. Florida is also home to a huge population of osprey. We have seen them every day in each part of the state we’ve visited. We’ve also seen dolphins along the beach, but haven’t yet gotten to see any manatees in the wild.

We spent a day at Lake Okeechobee (the second largest lake in the US). It was very surreal. The surrounding area is totally flat, like all of Florida. When you get to the lake all you can see is a very large dike. The entire lake is surrounded by a 112-mile dike with a paved walking/bike path on the top. The elevation of the lake surface fluctuates with rainfall and the lake is connected to the in-flowing and out-flowing rivers by locks. In fact, you can boat from Ft Myers on the west coast to Stuart on the east coast via rivers, canals and Lake Okeechobee. Yes, the lake is over 100 miles in circumference, and you cannot see across it from one side to the other, yet it only averages 9 feet of depth.

We got a chance to see a friend of Mary’s from England who was visiting the Tampa area, and we met up with a couple in Winter Park, Fl that Mary knows from Australia.

Housing prices are very low here right now but property taxes and insurance are pretty high. We have been scanning the housing markets on both the east and west coasts, and it seems very possible to get a nice house with pool for around $200k. It’s something to consider.

Right now we are getting ready for a trip to Key West. Mary is teaching an animal communication workshop there in cooperation with the local SPCA, and then we will spend a few days relaxing and playing in Key West.

Happy New Year - 2011

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Sebastian, Florida

We have now been on the road for a whole year. We spent some time tonight (New Year’s Eve) to reflect on the year, and to review our list of intentions and goals for our 2010 odyssey. We thought a year would certainly be enough time to see and do all the thing we wanted, and for us to evolve into the enlightened beings that we aspire to be.

Well…as it turns out…a year isn’t quite long enough to make it all the way around this wonderful country, and we are still working on incorporating vigorous physical and deep spiritual activity into each day’s routine.

We have generally moved every 3-5 days with only a few one-nighters, and a few stops longer than a week. We’ve made over 100 stops in 41 states. When you are only in each place for a short time you really notice what an impact weather and the beauty and amenities of your immediate surroundings have. We have discovered that almost every state has very wonderful and beautiful places. We’ve also found it isn’t always easy to meaningfully connect with our fellow campers or travelers, especially if the weather is keeping everyone sealed up in their own RV. This has been the coldest December on record in Florida, and we were here for all of it.

We have fallen in love with the deserts and rocks of the Southwest, the mountains east and west, the Great Lakes, the villages and coastal towns of New England, the cities of Asheville, NC, and Charleston, SC, and the lush tropical foliage, beaches, waterways and balmy nights of Florida.

In just a little over 30,000 miles we have hunkered down in rain and windstorms last winter in Oregon and California. Hiked through desert wildflowers to a natural Palm Oasis in Borrego Springs, CA. Biked and hiked in Redwoods NP, Joshua Tree NP, Death Valley NP, Sedona, Zion NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Capital Reef NP, Devils Tower, the Black Hills, the Rockies, Great Smoky Mountain NP, Shenandoah NP, Yellowstone NP, Grand Teton NP, the Appalachian Trial, Guadalupe Mountains NP, Saguaro NP, Mesa Verde NP, and Acadia NP. Hiked down into Grand Canyon NP and Carlsbad Caverns NP. Marveled at Monument Valley. Rafted in the Colorado River. Swam in Lake Powell, Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Walden Pond and the Atlantic Ocean. We watched pilot whales in Nova Scotia, and Humpback Whales in Cape Cod. Swam with Wild Dolphins in Bimini. Visited many historical sites and architectural wonders. We had the good fortune to be able to visit many, many friends and family on the way. And, last but not least, participated in Matt and Tiffany’s wedding.

We are not getting tired of being on the road. Our set up is maneuverable and roomy enough to feel at home while driving or parked. We have grown quite fond of our traveling abode. We affectionately refer to the pick-up and trailer as Ozzie and Harriet.

We are very appreciative of this opportunity for extended travel throughout the country and we are looking forward to a warmer rest of winter in Florida, before we start heading back to Washington.

Many blessings to you and yours for a fantastic 2011!!

St. Augustine final

We are moving south to Vero Beach tomorrow and ending our one-month stay in St Augustine. Mary and I really like the campground we are at (North Beach), and we really like the St. Augustine area, in spite of the record cold snap.

During the past week we spent a few days hunkered down because of the cold, but went into town for the Christmas Boat parade. The biting cold wind made it feel just like watching the Christmas Boat Parade back home on Puget Sound.

The weather finally turned and we rented a boat and motored 25 miles up and down the Intra-Coastal Waterway. We had a great time and were pleasantly surprised by the amount of wilderness we encountered. A lot of the marsh areas are either protected or still undeveloped and the bird watching is fantastic.

Just north of St Augustine we spotted a large pod of dolphins feeding and playing along the banks of the channel. We were able to spend quite a bit of time with them as we stopped our engines and floated along with the incoming tide. They were very active and appeared to be females and juveniles.

We also managed to get in a few more beach walks along the ocean. We were trying to spot Right whales in the calm water and ideal conditions, but didn’t see any. We did see a very large number of dolphins just beyond the surf line, and of course, numerous shore birds, pelicans and some very large Northern Gannets that were making very impressive deep dives into the ocean. At first we thought we were seeing whale blows when we would see the spray from a Gannet dive. The cold snap even cooled down the ocean temperatures in northern Florida. Some of the casualties included small purple and orange starfish that washed-up on the beach. We gathered several to give them an honored final resting place adorning our modest Christmas tree.

We’ll miss this place, and plan to come back. Merry Christmas, you old St Augustine!

St. Augustine

Our first blog from St. Augustine had glowing reports about the perfect weather, but I’m sorry to say all that changed soon after. It’s been pretty cold and windy for most of the last two weeks. Daytime highs have been in the 50-60 degree range and nights at 25-40. That is TOO cold for my sunny winter in Florida. This has curtailed the daily walks on the beach and cut back on biking and hiking. Bob and I got up at 6am one morning, bundled up and sat in the truck to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic. It was glorious.

On the few sunny and warm days we have had, we visited several state parks up on the Florida/Georgia border that are on or near Amelia Island. We rode our bikes on the beach and encountered a dead sea turtle. On our ride through the park, we enjoyed the armadillos that were rooting around in the leaves. They are such funny little critters, and don’t seem to know you are there until you get right next to them.

We also spent a day at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, which is only about 5 miles up the beach from us. They have a great visitor center focused on local wildlife and has good recreational areas. We rode our bikes on sand trails through the woods, where we observed armadillos, many species of birds, and 5 or 6 dolphins in the Intracoastal waterway.

Northern Florida is a birders paradise. I have seen many types here for the first time including wood storks. Since this is a migratory route, there are new birds coming through all the time. Several species of sea turtles nest here in the spring and summer, and in the winter the greatly endangered North Atlantic Right whales calve offshore. Bob and I went to a training this week for whale spotters, but we’ll be out of the calving area when the whales arrive in January. If we decide to make a home in this area, I know that I will get involved with many wildlife projects.

Bob and I both hoped that we could see a space shuttle take off from Cape Canaveral while we were in Florida. They had one scheduled for this week, but as if often the case, it was put off until February at the earliest. But, they had a rocket scheduled to launch on Dec 7^th, so we went down the day before and toured the Kennedy Space Center. At the last minute, that rocket got rescheduled too, so we didn’t get to see a launch, but we really enjoyed our time at the Space Center. We even got to ride in a shuttle launch simulator. What a rush!

We have one more week here in St. Augustine before we head south. I am certainly glad that we’re not in Minnesota with my family digging out from the great blizzard of 2010!