Pottering About Florida 

Minnow on Lake Harris in 15kts of wind with Lapper and reefed main. 

Taken by WCTSS Commodore Ron from his Sea Pearl 21, Whisper.

Leaving the Biker Bar Restaurant with docks on Lake Harris with Chuck the Park Ranger (in Dade City, Fl) helping to cast off lines. 

The Messy Chicken Sandwich and draft beers were superb!

The view from our room's porch at the Island Place in Cedar Key, FL.  The Small Boat Messabout was a hoot. 

Next year we will take Minnow.  This year we just wanted to look at what there was out there.

Becky and Jessica catch a ride with Ron in his Sea Pearl 21, "Whisper". 

His other guest is seriously considering buying a Sea Pearl.

The view of our hotel from Captain Jack's Restaurant.  Our room is on the upper left.  3 Sea Pearls,

Ted's Sunfish on the hard, and three or four homemade skiffs.

Minnow on Lake Tarpon flying our new genoa.

Running in light winds (5 kts) with my "new to me" genoa (about a 155) on Lake Tarpon, FL. 

I recently put the genoa blocks from IM on, but need to get out and sail some to figure out how to use them. 

Lake Manatee on a hot windless Sunday, but no gators around.

Anchored off Egmont Key in the mouth of Tampa Bay.  My buddy Art was anchored next to us and when I asked him how deep the water was, as I was poised to jump in, he calmly told me the water was only 5 feet deep . . . or so.  He said the "or so" part as the top of my 5' 10" head disappeared beneath the water.  That Art, he has got the driest wit.  Becky wants me to pull Minnow closer in. 

On the beach at Egmont Key.  Commodore Ron, sore back and all, is coming down to find out what I screwed up this time.  

Becky posing on Egmont Key.  There were ruins all over the place since it was a gun emplacement during the Spanish American War and later had over 700 people living on it with housing, a gymnasium, a small railroad, and a sewer system (which flushed directly into Tampa Bay).  This is a great sailing destination and although there is a motor shuttle over to it, we only saw 8 or 10 other people in 3+ hours.  There are also a couple of shipwrecks off the island that we plan to snorkel next summer.

Anchored for the evening off Shell Key on the Ft Desoto trip.  Notice how deep the water is on Bill Fite?  Below knee level and no one went aground during the night with the tide change.  From left to right: Sea Pearl Tri, Sea Pearl 21's X3, Augie's Catboat, Peep Hen, Bolger (I may be wrong about types, but I am trying).  Of course, my Potter 19 is on the end in the little cove taking pictures.  We had a nice bonfire, shared a bottle of Kahlua, thank you Commodore, and talked sailing till after 9pm.

Looking out from the hotel to the dock in Key Largo, FL

Looking in at our "Florida-ized" motel from the dock at Minnow and my wife. The boat ramp is on the left up against the fence. 

You can rent the house in front for $225 a night.

Ted's Hunter 19 and a group of 6 Manatees who swam under us without a care in the world.  This is one of the few pictures that came out.

Sunset in Florida                                             "Panacea", Art's Nimble,  in Buttonwood Sound

The wind was around 15mph from the starboard side.                               The house/parking lot next door to the hotel was "different".

Minnow on the BEER 05 Cruise before Hurricane Dennis (taken by Daniel Snapp) I'm drinking and Becky is sailing!

Daniel Snapp's 04 Potter and Minnow, my 03 Potter on the BEER Cruise with a few of the other 50+ boats.

BEER Cruise 2005 2nd day anchorage.

Daniel and Melissa Snapp,  BEER Cruise 05.

Anchored off Navare Beach, BEER Cruise 05.

Just hoisted sail on BEER Cruise, and they always take your picture.       Just dropped the jib, close to anchorage on Day 2 of BEER

Launching Minnow on the BEER Cruise.

Daniel and Melissa on their 04 Potter and Mark and Pam on their Sanibel 17. 

Mark has a weed whacker margarita blender and uses it well!

Pottering!

10kts of wind from the south and sailing is easy!

The start of the BEER Cruise 2005!  Notice who is in the lead!  That didn't last long, but I did get some great pictures.

Minnow in the Boat House

Cayo Costa, Florida February 2005

Art and Brenda blow by me!                                                                           The anchorage at Foster's Bay from the nude side of the beach.

Checking out Terry and Dawn's new Compaq 19.   Molly, their dog in foreground.                                    Notice the brand of boat?  That's what happened to it!

Sunday morning on the hook in Foster's Bay.  Beautiful.  This is off Captiva Island 10 miles or so south of Cayo Costa.

Sunset December the 29th, 2004 east of Panther Key on the 10,000 Islands Cruise.  It doesn't get much prettier!

Beached at Leesburg City Park on Lake Harris

My new bugscreen - The bottom edge can be filled with water to hold it down, but we are going to use clean sand

Anchored east of Picnic Key 10,000 Islands Cruise.                                      On the beach for lunch at White Horse Key 10,000 Islands Cruise.

Kiva motoring in at Camp Lulu Key as a rainbow marks her passage.  Everything off the starboard side was less than a foot deep

 and was above water at low tide but they were in 8 feet of water along the mangroves.  10,000 Islands Cruise.

Fish on!  Plenty of catfish for catch and release.                                                Lake Harris, Ron's Sea Pearl and Sten's Potter 19.

    Minnow at anchor 23 January 2005 at Ft Desoto looking east

      Buttercup and Crew - Potter 15 at Ft Desoto.                                   Our campground at Ft Desoto among the $100K motor homes.

     Sten with an example of well trimmed sails at Lake Harris.                    Great trim and sail shape - Sten doesn't drink, I do, go figure.

Glenn's boat, Lil Blue, anchored in Ingram Bayou on the BEER Cruise 2004.                   Minnow under sail in Charlotte Harbor on a Cayo Costa Cruise.

Minnow anchored in Ingram's Bayou on the BEER Cruise 04, I am BBQ'ing          Motor-Sailing in rain, 3+kts of current, and fluky winds, BEER Cruise 04.

Anchored at Cayo Costa   

The Raft Up in Ingram's Bayou on BEER 04.  There were another 10 boats or so behind me and to the left further into the cove.

10,000 Islands New Years Cruise 2005

28 Dec 05 thru 1 Jan 06

Yours truly motoring out the 7 miles to the Gulf on the Faka Union Canal.  Sten in Lilly P with dog Nakita.  Two Potters make a fleet?

Beam and downwind sailing all within an hour enroute Panther Key to our first night's anchorage.

Becky at the entrance to the cut, which looked like something from Pirates of the Caribbean.  Day 1 Anchorage in the cut between Picnic and Tiger Key.

Our "legally" camping neighbor's boats.  We found out 3 days later we were in violation of park rules.

Day 2 breakfast, Potter Style!  Coffee from a 25 year old percolator, Fried Spam Lite, and eggs over medium. 

All done on the boat but eaten before a roaring fire on the beach.

The weather on Day 2 was supposed to be 25 kts of W wind and 3 - 5 foot seas in the Gulf so we waited till 3pm and sailed around the island to hide from that nights predicted wind shift to the NE with 25+ kts of wind.  The weatherman was wrong again.  We anchored in a well protected cove in 4 feet of water and enjoyed a very pleasant evening.  We woke up to this.  We finally got out around 10am.

Sten mugging for the camera in Lilly P.  Lilly P and Ted's Hunter 19, Ted Jean.

Day 4 early morning.  Aground, but at least there is some water.  Ted and Sher took this from Sojourner, their Precision 21.

Light, fluky winds on New Years Eve, but we are sailing wing on wing with the genoa poled out. Ted's photo from his Hunter 19, Ted Jean.

Trying to sail in puffy winds.  Notice the belly in the main.

Minnow, Lilly P, Ted Jean, Miss Elsie, and Luna Sea II beached at Camp Lulu Key on New Years Eve 2005.

New Years Day 2006.  Some of the best sailing of the cruise, on our way back to the boat ramp.  Taken and Ted and Sher on Sojurner. 

We had this one blown up and framed for our picture wall.

Ted and Sher's, Sojurner, on the left with Minnow on the right.  Taken by Mike and Gilda on Solus.  Every time your sail luffs someone takes your picture.  :-)

M

Early morning January 1, 2006 off Camp Lulu Key.  The fog is blowing off as the wind picks up. 

Finally enough wind to fill both sails.  Our new/used genoa has been invaluable when the winds are light and fluky.  Check out the bow wake.

Our friends Mike and Gilda, took all three of these shots from their Compaq 23 "Solus".  They are doing the BEER Cruise this year too!

We had another great time sailing and visiting with all of our sailing friends.  My new Idasailor Rudder Rocks!  It is like a VW vs a BMW for handling.  Mucho Better!  The noise when you get up around 5 kts is different but I can live with that.  Uphaul/downhaul is no problem at all.

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