Sunday, November 26, 2017

Dunedin - Nov '17 Part 2






Spiritus feels pampered here at Marker 1 Marina in beautiful Dunedin...

....and so does her lucky crew!!!




Cousin Julie lives in nearby Clearwater and gets to play with us on weekends.
Every day is not a weekend for Julie since she is not retired!



Toasting to Eddy reaching Medicare age!!




Linda enjoyed her first grouper reuben at the popular "Frenchy's" . . . pure deliciousness!




We love the fabulous Arts & Crafts Shows in Dunedin.
Downtown streets were closed to traffic this weekend so a variety of artists could highlight their talents.




Captain Eddy tries to figure out how to get one of these cool metal sculptures on Spiritus!




Some of downtown Dunedin's charming old homes have been converted into coffee shops and cafes.





We discovered "Honu", a restaurant which features mouth-watering Hawaiian dishes!





Did we mention how "dog friendly" Dunedin is??




It was so much fun to reunite with Gold Loopers, Jim & Connie, originally from Michigan.
They fell in love with the area while on the Loop and have retired here. 




In true Looper spirit, our Gold Looper friends met our pre-Looper friends and offered guidance, encouragement and inspiration.  Mark & Lezlie will set sail in January!!




Lucky Us!!!  Our dear friends drove down from Navarre and brought Mom Johnsen.
We felt so blessed to celebrate Thanksgiving week together and share our paradise with them.




A Bloody Mary toast kicks off our Thanksgiving day!!




Goddaughter Sarah joined us for Thanksgiving dinner at Cricketers.
The oldest and youngest embrace in a sweet, reunion hug!!




Linda and her bestie share smiles at our "home-is-where-the-boat-floats"!




Riding the handy dandy Jolley Trolley from Dunedin to Tarpon Springs for some Greek culture....

.... and delicious Greek food!  OPAH!!!




Eddy and the two moms window shopping after visiting Hellas Bakery.
Maybe someone went into at least ONE store!



Merry Christmas from the Johnsens on the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs!


Sunday, November 12, 2017

Dunedin - Nov '17 Part 1

It's good to be back on the Pinellas Trail with our trusty bicycles!




It's Friday, and we all know what THAT means!




The Dairy Queen has to have her favorite, too!




Any day that ends with a Guinness is a GOOD day . . . . .

. . . . . but when it's your Birthday, it can even get GOODER!



Cindy & Mike, Looper friends from Minnesota, join us for Eddy's birthday celebration. 




A beautiful day for a bike ride and picnic on Honeymoon Beach . . . . .

. . . . . and a little Tae Kwan Do practice!!



Looking across the water at Caladesi Island.



Mark & Lezlie Snyder, brand new members of AGLCA, visit aboard Spiritus.



Why yes, we can make a snowman in south Florida!



When you bike as much as we do, you have to stay hydrated!


























Tuesday, November 7, 2017

The Gulf Crossing - November 2017

We cruised past Apalachicola, watching folks enjoying the local fair.
This is the last civilization we see for another 26 hours!


The First Mate brings lunch up to the fly bridge while the Captain skillfully navigates through Apalachicola Bay.




Games of Quiddler on the flybridge help pass the time while cruising the open waters of the Gulf.



Before sunset, the Captain moves to the lower helm to ensure our chart plotter, autopilot, radios and AIS are in working order.



A big pot of Linda's "almost world-famous" Fiesta soup is secured to the stove!



The First Mate gives the Captain a break at the helm duties.




As the sun goes down in the Gulf . . . . . 

. . . . the Captain goes down in the salon!


The long awaited sunrise helps to brighten the waters ahead, as well as our spirits!


The First Mate on the lookout for crab pots!




The crab pots are not always easy to see . . . . .


. . . . . as they appear in random locations, numbers, and colors.


"Hitchhikers" join us for a free ride just before we reach Anclote Key.



The Dunedin Honeymoon Causeway Bridge opens for Spiritus.



Elaine, Caitlin and Aaron help us put fuel on board Spiritus after her long journey across the Gulf.




Spiritus gets a warm welcome to her winter home at Marker 1 Marina.





Soon after watching the "Beaver moon" rise over the docks, the crew of Spiritus heads directly to bed for a well-earned rest!
Gulf crossing number 8!