|
|
 Every day, staying with Patrick and Ann, is an adventure and outing. Today, the fog had rolled in thick like pea soup. A perfect day to explore the length of Lido Key beach. Hardly a soul in sight as we combed this fine white sandy beach. The wind caressed our faces, the waves and our hair as we delighted in the company of friends. But as with fresh and exercise, our appetites were frenzied by the end of our stroll. A perfect time to explore the delights of the Star Fish Company in Cortez (about 30 minutes north of Sarasota)!
What an experience that was … not only was the seafood divine of this fisherman’s dockside restaurant, but the view was spectacular, the quality of food superb and the prices extraordinarily reasonable. Birds of every colour and kind stayed within feet of any potential fishy leftovers or garbage that strayed their way. Customers were strongly warned that feeding of any wildlife would result in possible criminal prosecution. However, if that didn’t prevent a brazen seagull from flying up to slaDE and literally grabbing the food from slaDE~s fingers as he was about to put a french fry in his mouth. I’d say that they’re a bit too fearless and domesticated for their own good. Poor slaDE~. The look of horror on his face was enough to have us rolling on the pier with laughter.
I photographed and explored the fresh seafood market, marvelling at the magnificent quality and inexpensive price of all that fresh Gulf seafood. YummY! Of course, we couldn’t resist taking home some giant prawns for a meal for tomorrow. Whoa, I need a nap after all that good food and fresh air!
 The morning waters reflected like mirrors in the stillness of the warm Florida sunshine. Birds of every colour and calling grazed for jumping fish and insects, whilst my husband attempted to photograph the essence of stillness. It made for an incredible canvas, and at times like these I wish we had 2 SLRs. But with 1 SLR and another point and shoot, I was satisfied to capture what I could from a different angle and in my own style. After a lovely breakfast, we started the days journey slowly meandering around the Island.  At this point, Patrick noticed a sudden increase in the engine temperature. When he went to check it out, the radiator neck snapped off the engine cowling. Uh oh. That can’t be good, were my thoughts. After tossing around ideas about what we could do, Patrick called his friend Roger for some suggestions. No concrete suggestions came his way (apart from JB Weld, which he didn’t have onboard), so with a still strong cellphone signal and battery charge, he ended up calling Towboat US (similar to AAA, but for boats) and asking for their tow assistance. Within 45 minutes, a little tugboat had reached us and we were hooked up to Captain Orley’s ride, ready to make the 6-9 hour adventure north.
The day had us passing through 9 suspension bridges, admiring the scenery along the whole waterway. If the spans were to be navigated on one’s own accord, it would mean passing through either at designated times or with an advance call to the bridge & tower master. With having a towboat Captain at the helm, we were ushered through each ‘checkpoint’ readily, quick like stealth bunnies. Giant houses / properties, expensive boats and marina toys lined the shoals, whilst a vast variety of exotic birds spent their time sunning their outstretched wings wherever they could find a perch, today being another mild and sunny blue skied day. Because we were pretty much on auto-pilot for the duration, the boys were able to enjoy morning, afternoon and evening beverages, entertaining themselves throughout the trip. I pretty much spent my whole day either writing postcards or photographing the journey. I had such fuN!.
Our arrival that night wasn’t until well past dark, and the marina that we docked at was locked up, meaning we could drop off the boat. But this also meant that we would need external transport to get us back to the Sarasota Marina. Lucky for us, Captain Orley didn’t mind being of service in taxiing us to our port of call. What a long wonderful day (not so great for Patrick’s pocketbook – - engine repairs could be in the $1000′s). Luckily Patrick’s entire tow journey was covered with his premium insurance. Phew!
 The time was right. One day sooner or later might mean that the possibility of moving Patrick’s sailboat from Fort Myers to Sarasota would be nullified. There is no waiting for the weather. I’ve learned that lesson all too well with both flying and skydiving. Spontaneity and flexibility is key when time critical objectives revolve around Mother Nature’s schedule. And as most know, she has a tendency to surprise even the most seasoned of weather champions without a moments notice.
Our trek up the Intercoastal Waterway would be a 2 days journey, leading us along a canal-like structure that in its entirety travels a full 3,000 miles (that’s 4,800 km for us Canadian folk) along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the US (as noted in Wikipedia), whereby ”some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals. The Waterway provides a navigable route along its length without many of the hazards of travel on the open sea.” Patrick toyed with the idea of sailing out to the Gulf, heading north and thereby bypassing the 9 bridges which our 48 foot tall span would need to navigate through (i.e. under). But with little to no wind and a deadline to meet, we didn’t want to rely solely on engine power, and if the weather changed in a heartbeat, the Gulf of Mexico would be too rough to travel on.
The only way that I can describe the whole day trip was one of luxury. The wind seduced us as we weaved our way north towards Punta Blanca Island (off of Pine Island South), the sun soft and soothing (unless of course you didn’t wear sunscreen!), birds delighting us moment after moment and the sporadic dolphins entertaining us between stories and tropical drinks. Of course, I was loving the photographer’s canvas … nature is the quintessential model for beauty and stillness in the motion of life. I opted to keep on the telephoto lens for the distant shots. But at times, I wish I had a broader more versatile lens for those spontaneous closeups.
Anchoring in Pelican Bay for the night was a treat in itself, especially as we were the sole occupants of the Bay — a rare treat in itself, says Patrick. We were a 100 feet row away from the Island to give us a chance to gather our sea legs and stretch them out a bit. When Patrick cast anchor, he never noticed our dinghy release from the side mooring cleat, and like a slow-moving comedy, we watched the dinghy breeze on by with a mind of its own. Realizing what was happening, slaDE launched for the boat hook and managed to snag the dinghy. No need to swim for it, yeah! After a good chuckle, we rowed over the island for a bit of fun and exploration. The birds and their nests seemingly were the only occupants. I was a bit paranoid about the potential for crocodiles emerging. But luckily, nothing to hamper our adventures from progressing.
A full moon and still waters rocked us lovingly through the evening, filled with laughter and stories. Patrick and Ann prepared wonderful meals ahead of time for us, so all we had to do was sit back, sip our cocktail of choice and chill.
 The day we were supposed to leave Zephyrhills, we were surrounded by a moat.The rain had pored solid for several hours through the night. It sounded like golf balls on the aluminum skin of our trailer. And when we woke up, a giant puddle emerged where the drop zone once stood. It just wasn’t our time to depart … all things for a reason. Kismet. fate, whatever you want to call it. And on this day, we learned that our dear friend Minna had to leave her comfy warm trailer, enduring the rest of her stay in a tent. Tomorrow. I was shocked by the suddenness and the reasoning why hardly no notice was given? Breathe, move beyond what the possibility for change and look at what I can do.
The answer lay in the weather. We postponed our trip to Sarasota by a day, unable to really move our trailer through the sandy muck, for fear of getting stuck. Another reason for extending our stay by a day? It was imperative to be here for Minna … to help our friend in need to move her belongings or do anything that we were capable of in making her life simpler and less stressful. We needed to set up her new home, and in the interim, do a rain dance so as to keep the rain away for the duration of her 3 week stay).
The day we left our Zhills winter home, the sun shone brightly, the puddles had evaporated, making it easier for Minna to maneuver her wheelchair without getting stuck in the quagmire. She had an abundance of belongings and I truly couldn’t imagine her moving all of this on her own. Minna has achieved such feats on her own, many a time before, but I am thankful we could be here for her. The burden of stuff is powerful, especially when life may slow you down when you least expect it. I was certainly going to miss Minna. She was a huge part of my adventure and journey whilst camping at Zhills.
 Our next destination, Sarasota, is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers by about 2 hours either way. Its current official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico. These islands separating Sarasota Bay from the gulf near the city, known as keys, include Lido Key and Siesta Key, which are famous worldwide for the quality of their sandy beaches. We were lucky enough to receive a personal invitation from our old Frontier skydiving friend, Patrick and his wife Ann, to come and visit, exploring the Intercoastal Waterway on their sailboat ‘Peace’ and the local areas and beaches. Such an offer sounded divine … how could we say no? What initially was planned for a few days of beachside fun would turn in to a week of memories that we’ll never forget. And with a place to park our Airstream trailer in their front yard, our Florida adventures achieved perfection.
 slaDE skillfully maneuvered our 34 foot home neatly in the pocket of their sandy front yard. After a quick welcoming hug plus an introduction to their dogs Zanzi and Rose, Patrick and Ann whisked us off to their favourite Tiki Bar for oceanside sunset drinks at O’Leary’s restaurant. Like a breath of fresh air, we were hooked on Southern Floridian living. Life is indeed good!
 Interesting how years can pass since seeing an old friend, and when meeting up by chance, it seems as if time has stood still somewhat.
I had this experience today. I ran in to an old time skydiving friend from my packing days at Lake Wales. We’re going back 15 years +. We’ve had no contact since then, be it via email or facebook or life in general. But one look at Jeff Dudley upon glancing at his face, I knew instantly who he was and the connection we once had (I was a packer dating an amazing man and Jeff was the drop zone airplane fueler / handyman / load organizer dating a sweet girlfriend of mine, back in the day of carefree and frivolous fun). It was if time had stood still and a flood of flashback memories tickled my brain, and I was transported back in time to a period of so much happiness and adventure. If I remember correctly, Jeff was the one who had indoctrinated me in to the Muff Brothers skydiving club, member #1245.
Jeff himself hadn’t changed a bit. And reliving memories of a time when life was dramatically different (yet strikingly similar) is fun and fulfilling for me, seeing how far I have come. Times like these have me feeling blessed for what I have, for the good dear friends I have made and kept over the years, whilst appreciating my life and husband even more. A walk down memory lane is awesome, especially when it brings kindred spirits together after such a long time. A lifetime away really.
BTW: What is a Muff Brother, you may ask? The initiated skydiver:
Must dock on a dive which includes at least one “Muff Brother” while wearing a pair of muffs.
As a “Muff Brother”, you are entitled to ”MUFF DIVE”, cut in on beer lines, and are required to out skydive everyone else on the load.
The card one receives is good for ONE FUNNEL.
 An old cigar factory and store in Ybor City I was really looking forward to the Florida Super Show in Tampa. The dates of the show were scheduled between this past Wednesday through to tomorrow. Having spent a few extra unplanned days in Orlando with our friends, I was happy to at least get 1 full day in before the event’s closing. We were happy to have Minna tag along with us, so that she could experience the RV lifestyle through viewing the latest RVs and the newest technology. The beauty of the vast fairground acreage meant that it was highly accessible for wheelchairs, except for the actual entrance and exit in to each RV on display. One day was certainly not enough to view the entire Super Show … our ticket was a two day pass, but we only had allotted one day for the venue. With all the informative seminars going on, the acres of RVs to view and the vendors booths circulated throughout the grounds, we were on the go from our arrival until the park closed. My favourite area, of course, was the Airstream contingency. Gleaming rows of spanking new aluminum bullets made my heart glow with pride of ownership.  I even daydreamed about our potential next new Airstream, if that were ever to arise.
So much to see and do! Of course, an area for kids was apportioned for the kids, and a free climbing wall climb provided a nice distraction for us midday.
I took many photos throughout the day of cool RV innovations that I thought were worthwhile to include. I’ve made captions to describe what I found interesting about the picture. Unfortunately, I didn’t take notes on the manufacturer’s name or RV that the innovative item was housed. Sorry about that. Perhaps you’ll garner some ideas for useful potential inventions in your own home / RV!
Near the end of the show, we made our way to Camping World to look for any deals on the Fantastic Fans. We’re hoping to install two in our Airstream this Spring, as our current fan holes are temporarily sealed with the old blowers no longer functioning. We are definitely in need of alternate ventilation beyond the air conditioner, with the heat and humidity Summer brings! So after checking out what they had in stock, I noted that the two different models they had on display were labelled at one price for the two. Mentioning this to the girl upon checkout (with purchase of the 2 more expensive fans in hand), she noted that they she had to give me the ticketed prive, even though the actual Camping World price was double in value. Whoa! This meant a total of $180 in savings. WOW! Made for pretty happy campers .
 Ybor City with Minna and slaDE~  The Dirty Shame After the RV Show, we made a beeline to Ybor City, a National Historic Landmark District just northeast of downtown Tampa. Ybor City was founded in the 1880s by cigar manufacturers and was populated by thousands of immigrants who would roll millions of cigars annually in the multitude of cigar factories. Truly a vibrantly colourful part of town with much history, cool signs and tiling. But very quiet for a Saturday night.
   slaDE~ and I met Said Ismail about 6 years ago at the Wind Tunnel in Eloy Arizona. I was recovering from my injured wing, and had yet to get back in to skydiving, for fear of not being fully healed. The prospect of testing the strength of my shoulder was tempting with the wind tunnel at our doorstep. And then Said came along, heard my story, and offered me 5 minutes of time for free in the tunnel, sharing in his block. What a heart-warming and most generous offer! Complete strangers became instant friends that day, and ever since, both slaDE and myself have kept a nice connection with our roving French friend. Upon hearing that we were in Orlando, Said insisted that we be his guests. Several days were spent exploring Orlando and the Real Estate jungle as we accompanied Said and Sara on their adventures as they whirled and twirled their magic. For once, I am at a loss for words to describe the richness of our time as slaDE and I were whisked through parts of Florida in the yellow Chevy ‘Transformer’ Camaro.
Said and Sara are ‘tea people’. We savoured so many different brands of delicate herbal teas. I was in heaven . Lots of yummy food, wines, chocolate covered popcorn, burritos and Thai soups.
  Ever since I was a wee little lass, I have enjoyed the magic of Walt Disney and the spirited fire and thrills of amusement parks, whether they be centred around Hannah Barbara, Walt Disney, Pixar,
Marvel, Universal Studios, etc. Childhood fantasies of flight and motion, superhuman powers, of movie magic, amusement and freedom has been a consistent theme in my dreams (probably from my first prepubescent visit to Walt Disney Florida at the tender impressionable age of 9). Perhaps that is where my desire for all things flight (i.e. my skydiving and private pilot licenses) emerged from?
  Part of coming to Florida this year stemmed from my desire to visit the new Harry Potter exhibit at Universal Studios. Zephyrhills was a new dropzone neither of us had jumped at before. And the potential combination of exploring the two really sparked my enthusiasm for Airstreaming in Florida. Today was the zenith of my excitement …. Universal magic lay at our fingertips, accompanied by our two Alumapalooza friends Lisa & Brett (local Floridians close to the Tampa area). The plan was to spend the daylight hours at Universal and then meet up with our friend Said for further adventures around Orlando.
Being just a big kid at heart, I was all over the idea of purchasing an all-day pass to both Universal Parks. Why not explore both whilst here??!
Magic unfolded …. Harry Potter came alive through ride upon ride butted with sinfully decadent butterbeer sensations.
Secretly, I could spend the whole day in this one portion of the park, but many worlds beckoned us with their enchanted lights / sights / sounds and thrilling rides. Marvel Comics, Dr Seuss, Hogsmeade, Shrek … so much to see and do, but with very little time (considering the long lines for this off-peak quirky busy Wednesday and early evening closing of 6pm).
A fan favourite for Brett, slaDE~ and myself: ‘The Rockin’ Rocket’ where one can choose their own music for the ride of magical proportions, dizzying speeds and monolithic heights. It was our last stop before the park closed with only a 15 minute queue (our first ride wait time was about 45 minutes). What a brilliant fantabulous day. And to top the evening off, Brett treated us all to a quick ’snack’ at the infamous Emeril’s restaurant. Divinity in a bowl . YummY!
  A rainy day … great for adventures in shopping and dining with our friend Minna! Our friends, the Calandras, headed home today, so we thought we’d honour Tommy with a sendoff photo at Wal-Mart. The ‘Cheese’, as it’s lovingly displayed by my silly husband . The true adventure began however at my favourite salad bar restaurant ‘Ruby Tuesdays’. Since discovering the diversity and plenitude of their salad bar extravaganza, I am all too happy to return here for a meal that fulfills my needs of salad bar perfection (or close to it). Unfortunately, the meal wasn’t as savoury for my husband … the only similarity between mine and his? Both were ‘raw’. Sadly, slaDE~ ordered a well-done chicken burger. What he received was a crude chunk of pinkness, that before looking, slaDE~ had chomped in to with hungry voraciousness. The look on his face paled in pink comparison, and the waiter was summoned rapidly. Addresses were swapped and photos taken. A phone call from headquarters was promised to ‘check-in’ on hubby’s well-being. And a free dinner was offered in exchange for slaDE~s unsavoury experience. Of course, steak and lobster were on the menu along with soup, desert and frothy drinks. Unfortunately, they never covered my nor Minna’s tab. What do you think. Should we have pushed for them to wallow in their mistake and cover our expenses as well?
I was extremely happy to see that slaDE~ didn’t get ill that evening or the next day. A phone call was NOT received however. Such is the customer care of Ruby Tuesdays. What a shame!
Another memorable day. Surrounded by new and old friends, I managed to pull off the 1000 jump pie.ing with a surprise whipped cream wallop to my husband (after a deliriously comical fun day of skydiving with our Frontier friends). Somehow, I was caught in the line of fire when slaDE felt it only fair to ‘share’ in his celebrations. Hmmmmmm, I’ll have to remember that. Share and share alike , especially as I approach my 24 hours of freefall award!
|
|
