Once again it has been a little while since my last post. We have been making our way south along the east coast stopping at many of the places we have been before. One difference this year is that since getting into Florida, we have visited several friends in the boating world. This has been a real treat.
On our way through the Daytona Beach / New Smyrna Beach area we got the chance to visit some friends we met on the Great Loop. Rick and Deedy Crossland keep their boat in Ponce Inlet, FL and they invited us to stay at their marina. We first met Rick and Deedy in 2018 doing The Great Loop. Then this past summer they brought their boat " Rejoice" to Ocracoke and spent several days with us there. Even though the fishing was not that great while they visited; they invited us to stop when coming through Florida. It was a great visit. They showed us around the area, helped us run some errands, and Rick even got Keith out on their golf course.
Rick and Deedy on "Rejoice"
View out over the marina at Rick and Deedy's
Southern Style docked at Rick and Deedy's Marina (Harbor Village Marina)
Keith and I ready to feed our shrimp peelings to the cat fish. Picture courtesy of Deedy
Continuing south we stopped in Fort Pierce, FL where we met up with our good friends Jeff and Barbara Harris who were our gracious hosts. Jeff picked us up in Fort Pierce and drove us to their home in Jensen Beach for dinner. Barbara prepared a wonderful meal and we got to catch up with all the happenings in each others lives over the past year. Jeff and Barbara have a new and exciting mode of travel they will be exploring with a new camper. Can't wait to hear about their travels and adventures.
Jeff and Barbara with their new camper
After Fort Pierce we made our way to Jupiter, FL and The Admiral's Cove Club. This private country club is quite impressive. We were allowed to visit as guests of Peter and Cindy Bauer. These were our next door neighbors the winter we spent in Marathon, FL in 2019. They invited us to stop in on our way south. We spent three nights at Admiral's Cove and Peter and Cindy were the best hosts. They showed us around the property and facilities, taught us to play pickle ball, and indulged Keith in several games of ping-pong. Peter and Keith played a round of golf while Cindy took me to the beach in Jupiter. Cindy also does quite a bit of charity work and she helped me donate several quilts to the Admiral's Cove Charitable Foundation. I am so excited for the quilts to go to a worthy cause. We had a really wonderful time (more about that in a minute).
Cindy took this picture of me on the beach in Jupiter
Cindy celebrated a birthday while we were there and we all enjoyed a nice meal together.
Too soon our visit was over and we were off again. Peter helping with the lines as we left the marina at Admiral's Cove.
Our final stop as we traveled south through Florida was Lighthouse Point. Geoff and Celest Smith are old friends of Keith from his boat delivery days. Geoff and Celeste run a boat dealership just outside of Buffalo, NY. They have a lovely winter home on a canal in Lighthouse Point, FL with a boat dock out back and offered for us to stay there until we left for the Bahamas. They were going to be flying from their home in Buffalo, NY to the Florida house the same day we planned to arrive. The timing was just perfect. The dock was great and Geoff and Celest were so helpful. We couldn't have had a better time.
Southern Style docked in Lighthouse Point behind the Smith's house
Another view of Southern Style behind the Smith's
Geoff and Keith at dinner one night in Pampano Beach
We walked the pier after dinner
It was so kind of the Smith's to have us at their home for 2 weeks. It was the perfect place to stage for heading to the Bahamas. However, as we always say, it is best to keep a flexible agenda.
Now to explain what else transpired while staying at Lighthouse Point (the rest of the story as Paul Harvey would say). Keith and I had such a wonderful time at Admiral's Cove (the private country club in Jupiter); that we decided to put our name on their waiting list for a boat slip in the future. It took Pete and Cindy two years before the marina had space for them. Therefore, we expected it to be at least a year and possibly two before we could get into the club. Well within several days of putting in our request, they called and said there was an opening available for us. This presented a dilema as we had planned to be in the Bahamas this winter. Opportunities like getting into the club however do not come easily and we were afraid if we declined right after requesting a slip; they might not call us in the future. After much angst we decided to take the slip at Admiral's Cove and postpone the Bahamas for this winter. So we will be returning to Jupiter, FL on January 1st to take our spot and enjoy The Club at Admiral's Cove this winter. It is a fantastic facility and we cannot wait to be able to utilize all the club has to offer. I will do a post all about what is available and going on there once we get settled in. More to come.
Merry Christmas to all. Spending Christmas in sunny Florida has been a real treat.
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