11/15/14 - 1-3-2015 Back to the Wharf

We left Orange Beach and headed back to the Wharf.  We wanted to beat some weather that was suppose to come in and we had decided to leave our boat there to come home for the holidays.  It was out of Florida so we would delay the begin date of our 90-day Florida stay without a permit.  Also, the Wharf was a good safe harbor at a good price. $1/ft for the month.  $360 was a great deal.

We got back to the wharf and were greeted by Jerry and Susan who had gone back there early to meet some friends who were coming over.  We also got to see Beth and Randy who left Palafox and went there for a bit.

We had a good-bye dinner for them at the Wharf because they were headed out to go back to Palafox and then head out for their crossing.

We rode our bikes a few miles up the road but really did not find much.

The Christmas decorations were going up just before we left town to go home for Christmas.

11/11/14 - 11/15/14 Orange Beach, Alabama - Orange Beach Marina

Welcome to Orange Beach Marina

The marina was back of a secluded cove with canals lined with lovely homes and "Big" fishing boats. Not to many trawlers in the area except for those that are transient.  

The marina did not have any sailboats.

When I say "Big" fishing boats I mean HUGE!

This is what a 99' fishing boat looks like!  Josh made a great observation... they don't have anchors!  Go figure.

Josh and Lexi are bonding :-) 

Orange Beach was a great location.  We were able to dinghy and bike around everywhere.  And Teak and Lexi had lots of grass to "enjoy".

Carving on a dead tree trunk of turtles and birds that we saw on a bike ride to Tacky Jacks for lunch.

This is Tacky Jacks from the water side.  The hamburgers were really good!

We took dingy tours around a couple of times and were able to walk the beach and enjoy the secluded white sandy beach and beautiful water.  

Gassing up!

Let's go exploring!

Josh and Barb leading the way.

Dragging our dinghy's out of the water

We left our dinghies and walked the beach.

\This is the size of "Henry's" footprint.  There was a large heron at Palafox that wandered around the docks...folks named it Henry.  So every time we see one we call it Henry.  They are REALLY big.

Al and I were strolling down the beach and decided we would take a selfie.  This was our first one!

It might be too cold to swim, but we did "get our feet wet"

Al noticed a tree.  Right there at the water's edge.  He insisted someone just stuck it in the ground.

Josh and Barb tried to push it down.... If it is just buried there someone did a really good job.

 Beautiful seashore and beautiful sky.

 Josh and Barb taking a stroll

There was a service dog for a blind woman who was enjoying the beach.  She had never been on a beach before and was having a ball romping around and "digging" for crabs.  She had herself dug in all the way to her shoulders.  They lady told us that she pulled one out and went crazy when the claws came out.

Wading in the water's edge

 We have our turn at running aground!

Dolphins were everywhere.  The were playing all around our dinghy

The Tiki Bar and Restaurant at The Sportsman Marina.  

We never ate here but we were told it was very good.

Al and I stopped to pose for a king of the hill moment... atop the boulders on the beach.

The boat shed is taller than the house to accommodate the fishing boat's tuna tower!

Sunset from our bow.

Ron and Linda did not make it to Orange Beach because they were still in Houston when we left Palafox.  But they returned and still had a car so when we all wanted to do Prime Rib Wednesday at Ginny Lane's at The Wharf , Ron and Linda came by and took us four over to the The Wharf to have dinner with Beth and Randy and Susan and Jerry Grooms.. both of which are already moved there. We enjoyed our dinner!  And had a great time with everyone.  Randy took us and the Wallach's back to Orange Beach.

                                         The "Prime Rib"  - $14 Wednesday special

Orange Beach is also a great place for biking.  We biked over to Hwy. 98 where there are several stores, restaurants and more beach to ride to.  It was a bit cold on the bikes but we were able to comfortably bundle up and take a bike ride both days.

Besides Winn-Dixie, Publix and Walmart, there is Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Seafood and Steaks, and  Bar-B-Q.  The Italian "Rolotos" and Bar-B-Q "Moes" are both really good!  Hopefully we will have a chance to test the others sometimes.

Our power started acting really crazy going off and on and the "Reverse Polarity" lights came on the panel and really shook us up.  So, we shut things down, turned on the generator and called the office.  They sent someone out and ended up replacing the power pedestal. Which was good.  The bad part was that it blew out our TV in the salon....  Fortunately for us, Rand and Beth have their car and we talked them into taking us to Walmart to get a new one.... Walmart trip turned into several other stops like Lowes for water hoses and fittings for our water filter.. designed by Josh.  Then a stop at Blue Water Marine... you know we could not go anywhere without stopping by a boat store.

When we got back, the gang came over to our boat for drinks and snacks and we all watched "and helped Al put together and set up our new TV.

After being here for 5 nights... after our bike ride and bar-b-que on Saturday we loaded up and headed over to The Wharf.  We decided that with the weather that was coming in it would well be the latter part of next week before we would have good weather to move.  But we will definitely be back.

11/10/14 Palafox Pier & Yacht Harbor Marina to Orange Beach, Alabama - Orange Beach Marina

We  decided that the next couple of days would be great days to anchor out so we headed back west but when we got to the anchorage there were too many boats already there so we headed to Orange Beach Marina. The trip to the pass was nice weather and calm water.   We had been given written directions to follow to the marina with lots of twists and turns.  There was good water with only a few skinny spots until we turned west along the bridge.  The directions were not really clear and we went to far west instead of turning immediately to the north and Josh and Barb hit ground and stopped. They were able to back off and we turned around and followed the plainly marked channel to the marina.   We were pushing it to get there by dark and when we arrived the slips we were given had short piers and would not work... so they put us into a covered slips...

Well it was a first time for us to be in covered slips.  After spending the night under cover we decided that we preferred to be out in the open air.  It felt like we were living in a parking garage.  So, we had them move us.  

Our slips were on t-heads just across from the marina office/fuel dock.

 Note Cambria and Last Trade are on the T-heads... now look at the huge boats around the corner

This is the Maria Office and fuel dock  - note the 1st boat. it is a "party" boat

All settled in we were ready to enjoy the area.  

10/15/14 - 11/10/14 Pensacola - Palafox Pier and Yacht Harbor

We left The Wharf for the short day run to Pensacola.  Entering Florida was beautiful with white sand beaches

                                                            Pulling alongside AGoode Ketch

Entering Pensacola Harbor

We stayed at the Palafox Pier and Yacht Harbor. What a great place.  The marina had nice floating docks and was right downtown.  We had a slip right up against the breakwater which was bustling with activity as it was a great place to see the bay.

 

Sunsets were spectacular... starting with the Solar Eclipse that lit up the sky line fire.

We rented a slip for the whole month and enjoyed our time there. We rode our bikes all over the place.

The most popular place as Joe Patti's - Just a 10 minute bike ride away.  A seafood market that sold everything under the sea.  Just take a number and tell them what you want.  It has a great grocery and bakery and ice cream... and they will even cook the food for you.

Every weekend it seems there is some sort of festival in town.  Art shows, markets are always around

Gallery Nights on Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola. The street is blocked off and stores and restaurants spill out into the street.  Music and entertainment line the streets.

Girl singing for the crowd

Girl doing 'scarf' acrobatics

Young boy playing his sax.  There were two other boys near by playing drums

Another Big event... of the largest in the country... is the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival.  The event was complete with vendors, artists, cobblers and food... It stretched about 12 blocks by 12 blocks and the entire downtown was blocked off.

                            There is also a weekly craft market in the center of Palafox Blvd.

We also rode our bikes to the Greek Grocery... not so good... But did get a soda.

There is a great little "trailer park" outdoor restaurant just up from the Marina a couple of blocks.  It is a series of 5 Airstream trailers, each serving a different food... you got your food and set at one of the tables n the food court.

We had a "friend".. Henry.. that strolled around the whole Marina.  Showing up at odd times.

One of the oddest "enclosures" on a boat!

Ron brushed a tree when we were riding bikes and a little green fellow hopped onto his arm!

Every day we went for a walk in the little park at the edge of the water... there are always birds there and Lexi would chase them!

The US Coast guard goes to pier each year to hold a "haunted house" at Halloween.  You can't really tell, the it is decorated with ghouls and goblins.

There were a field of beautiful flowers along our bike route.

We were there for the Blue Angels Air Show.  We took Last Trade out for a test drive after he got his engine repaired and were able to get a closer look at the show.

 

Barb just chill'n

We met some new Canadian "Canooks" friends... Beth and Randy.  They are so much fun.  The just bought a sail boat and will be taking it across to Florida coast soon.  We look forward to meeting up with them again...

And no trip to Pensacola is complete without a trip to the Hardware store and Richy's Liquor Store.