Lily, A Dog's Life Aboard Moondance: Part of the Pretty Panhandle

Pensacola, FL NAS Bayou Grande Sailing Marina 11/16-20/2016

It took us a good 45 minutes at NO WAKE speed to get back to the ICW. Once again mom enjoyed looking at all the homes and photographing the views while dad drove. (For whatever reason every time we are in a covered slip our AIS/GPS is cantankerous for awhile and takes about 3 reboots to activate it, which doesn’t amuse dad!) It didn’t take us too long to cross over into Florida waters and come up close and personal to Gulf Shores National Seashore Park…beautiful! Mom took at least one shot of Perdido Key which is part of that park. The closer we get to Pensacola the more naval planes we observed…We are seeing more of those orange and black butterflies that mimic the monarchs but mom can’t seem to get a photo of them. M & D are enjoying seeing the Naval Air Station from the water view once again. Across from the Pensacola Naval Air Station is Santa Rosa Island that we hadn’t really noticed before.

In 1970, the United States, by an Act of the Congress, created the Gulf Islands National Seashore as part of the Department of Interior. The State of Florida deeded approximately 8 miles of Santa Rosa Island known as the Ft. Pickens State Park to the Department of Interior for inclusion in the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

We had a pod of dolphins following us part way into the channel leading to the marina. I loved seeing them! There were former loopers who helped catch our lines and tie us up. They were getting ready to leave their boat here for awhile too. At sunset M & D heard taps being played on the naval base, we definitely don’t hear that every day.

As soon as we were tied up, dad called to get our rent a car for the trip back to OH. I didn’t really understand until the next morning when mom and dad were packing. Next thing I knew I was in a car I didn’t know…OH NO! It was a long drive with mom and dad fussing about construction delays, accidents and loads more traffic than anyone expected. We were all very tired by the time we arrived at the Buns house…Again, I was very confused and upset! Why aren’t we at Penny’s??? Where is she? Where is Quey? Where is the barn, creek, and houses??? Oh Well…I guess I’ll survive…

Thankfully, the drive back was faster with far less traffic and backups. Mom and dad listened to funny books to try to lighten their moods after a weekend of funerals. They chatted with Phil and Lynne upon our arrival to coordinate our next morning departure… My morning walk was extremely painful since the only grass we could find was loaded with burrs!!! OUCH!!! Mom kept picking them out of my paws before we gave up and I did my business on the blacktop. She left shortly after to return the rent a car only to have to stop on the road with the rest of the cars as Taps was played once again… Ah yes…base living!

Ah...once again these photos loaded backwards...

Our son giving his two girls belly rubs...out in San Diego

Phil took this photo in Pensacola...too cute!

On the drive home around Huntsville, AL

Driving again

Even the Bun's didn't notice how pretty their burning bushes were in Ohio

The Two Ninety Year Olds Sister and Sister in Law; Aunt Marie and Aunt Millie at the funeral

Having lunch afterwards with Mike's brother in law, Bob, sister Barb, Jackie, Laura and us

The Naval Base Marina beach

She did just fine here and the price was right!

Marina Building...basic military...concrete or brick

Love the white beaches along the Panhandle

We enjoyed seeing all the various aircraft

Following Fins

Looking for gators but haven't seen them yet...

Beaches across from the NAS

Some of the natural parts of NAS

We loved exploring this lighthouse before we picked up the boat last year

Ft Picken's across from NAS

NAS Sculpture

Just a small section of NAS

Getting into the marina

Ft Walton, FL Ft. Walton Yacht Club 11/21/2016

The trip from Pensacola to Ft Walton was filled with lots more military installations and more planes flying overhead. M & D knew that the yacht club would be closed but they had been here before and knew where to go. A nice young Englishman Steve was there to catch our lines. We quickly tied up and dad jumped off to catch Fin’s lines.
I was so happy to see and use bright green luscious grass!!! Paradise!!!

Ft. Walton Yacht Club sits out on a point

The Yacht Club was closed...we were sad since it's such a fun place!

Fins and Moondance on the end of the transient docks

Lynne

Some of the sights on the way to Ft. Walton

One of the many beachfront areas...

One of the large barges we had to pass

Fins getting around the barge

Lily's favorite past time...

One of the many military installations along on the outer islands of the Seashore State Park

Mike caught this landing...

Big boy...

Fins is so pretty with that blue bottom...

They all knew that USAF Captain Andy Sexton, the Bun’s son-in-law was arriving to take them all out to dinner. Fins came over for dock tails around 5:15 while we waited for Andy. He wasn’t able to arrive until 6:45 because of heavy traffic…so we all enjoyed appetizers and drinks… We even Facetimed with Molly, who we had seen in Columbus. (Mom did make Andy a sandwich too!) The adults really enjoyed talking to him and picking his brain about the military and what currently was happening. I just enjoyed his loving on me…

USAF Captain Andy Sexton...love him and praying for him to stay safe...he goes in harm's way too often...

Panama City, FL St. Andrew’s Marina 11/22/2016

The next morning, M & D and Phil & Lynne commented again on what a delight Andy was!!! He and his wife are incredibly wonderful examples of our current military!!!

We got off into a bit of a chop across Choctawhatchee Bay but it started settling down around Navarre Beach. We texted with some of our looper buddies who decided to run outside and it was a bitty choppy out there in the Gulf too!

It was an easy day of traveling, mom was spelling dad at the wheel much more often; especially since they know what to expect in this part of the trip. We are seeing lots more pelicans, terns, seagulls and herons along with our beloved dolphins.

We were surprised to be docked next to the sailboat Seadition with Colin and Jan whom we had met last year. They had “over the top” holiday decorations on their boat…Helping them win the Panama City Holiday Boat Decorations for two years straight…they were in the process of decorating for their third year…then they thought they might take a break. Colin was nice enough to help us dock. Mom jumped off with me, so I could go but we couldn’t find any grass??? No problems, I used what I had…concrete.

Once we docked M & D decided to change out our burgee flag to our new Gold Looper Flag and celebrate with champagne that was given to us when we left Burnt Store…

Phil and Lynne came over to take photos for us and enjoy some Mumm Brut Champagne…I got to be in the photos, but no one shared their drinks with me…Darn!

They all talked to Jan and Colin for a bit but the cooler weather drove us indoors…

Phil came back to tell us that GH3 were here along with Tammi and Mike on Songlines. We never saw Tom and Tracy, but Tammi and Mike came with M & D, Phil and Lynne to their delicious meal at the Captain’s Table in downtown Panama City. Mom said Panama City’s downtown looked cute! Mom told me that she had this incredible red snapper crusted in horseradish and served in a dijon sauce, but she didn’t bring me any…BOO!!! The rest ate oysters, shallops, shrimp, mussels, clams and flounder…so obviously they were in seafood heaven!!!

As usual they were back on the boat way before Looper’s midnight which always makes me happy!!!

More boat dogs, Field Springer's Bailey and Driver

St. Andrew's Marina boats

Sorry, we didn't get to meet Loverboy's Captain...

Us with Phil, Lynne, Tammi and Mike from Songlines

A working boat

Mike's getting into the Buffett Spirit with my visor...Hey, you grab what's on hand!!!

Going through the Cypress Swamps...more white sand...

Pretty but still no gators...

Boating industries of various kinds

St. Andrew's Marina

Looking towards downtown Panama City, FL

Colin hanging some kind of setup, so he could bring it down to hang lights...

Finally, we get to celebrate...

So you can see our journey a bit closer...

YUM...Champagne time after Mike changed out our burgee

Still smiling, still married and ready to do more...next year... :-)

So Happy we got to celebrate with these two lovely new friends!!!

We don't even want to know how much that little burgee cost us, but it was worth every penny!!!

Colin and Jan who we met last year when we were bringing the boat back...

Apalachicola, FL Apalachicola Marina 11/23/2016

Phil decided we should be off around 7:30 and after a bit of confusion getting out…we were underway! St Andrew’s Bay and the Grand Lagoon were easy to navigate and quite beautiful. The exceptions were the boat industries tucked into different places…they admitted a lot of smoke…UGH! But boy, did it get narrow and shallow at certain points!!! M & D were grumblings as they drove through these areas…
Thankfully, they didn’t have too many boats to deal with along our way…

Here’s what we discovered about this charming town:

"Apalachicola" comes from the Apalachicola tribe and is a combination of the Hitchiti words apalahchi, meaning "on the other side", and okli, meaning "people". In original reference to the settlement and the subgroup within the Seminole tribe, it probably meant "people on the other side of the river".^[5][6] Many inhabitants of Apalachicola have said their name means "land of the friendly people”.^[7]

In 1849, Apalachicola physician Dr. John Gorrie (1802–1855) discovered the cold-air process of refrigeration and patented an ice machine in 1850. He had experimented to find ways to lower the high temperatures of fever patients. His patent laid the groundwork for development of modern refrigeration and air conditioning, making Florida and the South more livable year round. The city has a monument to him, and a replica of his ice machine is on display in the John Gorrie Museum. The John Gorrie Memorial Bridge, originally built in 1935 and rebuilt in 1988, carries U.S. 98 across Apalachicola Bay to Eastpoint.

Before the development of railways in the Gulf states, Apalachicola was the third busiest port on the Gulf of Mexico (behind New Orleans and Mobile). The AN Railway, formerly the Apalachicola Northern Railroad, serves the city. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the sponge trade, led by Greek immigrants, was a major industry in town.

Apalachicola is still the home port for a variety of seafood workers, including oyster harvesters and shrimpers. More than 90% of Florida's oyster production is harvested from Apalachicola Bay. Every year the town hosts the Florida Seafood Festival.

We just know from being here before that this is the city to come to for oysters!!! It’s a darling little town where loopers come to dock and monitor the weather for the crossing across the Gulf.

We and Fins got separated because of other Looper boats already here…they are down Water St. closer into town. We are on the Apalachicola Marina fuel docks. We met other loopers that started out in GTB in KY. They all know Kevin and Jill from Chasin 80.

If we stay we can take a dish over to the Ice House Restaurant to share Thanksgiving with who knows how many transients like us???