We have some friends down here that belong to a boat club called Shoreleave.  They invited us to join the club.  We decided we could always meet new friends and go on boat rides, so we joined.

Our first outing was to Palm Island Marina.

Palm Island Marina

The marina was about a 48 mile trip, one way.  There were 8 or 9 boats going but every one travels separately.  We all travel at different speeds.  It was all ICW traveling so it was a good trip there.  We passed this island on the way  Not much room for a house but you could come and sit on the picnic table under the grass roof enclosure and watch all the boats go buy.  You could play Gilligan’s Island!   I want to be Ginger!!

Then we passed this little store on the water

Beartrax II

See the pretty girls on the balcony modeling swim suits.  They are there rain or shine.  I wonder if he has to pay property tax or get a boat license for that thing?

The traffic was pretty light for a Saturday AM.  We did see this pretty boat

Nice boat, nice hull 🙂

We had to pass thru only one bridge

Fishing Bridge

Swing Bridge

Apparently they have been working on that bridge all winter.  It was actually tall enough for us to get under without them swinging it for us.  They were swinging it for a bigger boat.   I miss the good old days when we were the big boat :(.  This is a car traffic bridge, a little different from the RR swing bridge in Hudson.

We arrived at the marina about 11:30.  The entrance is so narrow that they only allow one boat in or out at a time.  So we had to wait our turn.  When they finally called us, the members that had arrived before us, all gathered around our slip to see if we could get the boat in without panicking, hitting another boat or the dock.  It was a very tight fit and we had to back the boat in to a one-sided cement pier on the starboard side and pilings on the port side.  Of course the Captain made it look easy.  They were impressed :).

Good Job Captain!

The Marina had 4 people there to tie the boat up for us, something we are not used to, but they know just how to tie it for the tides (although when we woke up on Monday to leave, the tide was WAY out and all our lines were very tight.  It was hard getting off the boat!)

After we got tied up and situated, we could break out the drinks and watch the rest come in.  They all did pretty good.

There was severe weather forecasted for the afternoon.  The Coast Guard kept announcing it on the marine band, saying boaters should seek cover.  We were glad we were tied up in a marina.  We all met under the patio area with our drinks and watched it rain and thunder and lightning.  Wow!  Some very close lightning strikes.  We were a little worried with our down riggers sticking up so high in the air.  Luckily for us, there was a Carver parked close by that was higher than us ;).

Soon it was time for dinner.  The marina had a very nice  restaurant there where we had an excellent meal.  The next day, we took their boat

Shuttle Boat

to go visit the island near by.  The island also had 2 ferrys going over to it.  It is $50 per car, one way!

Ferry 1

This is a private island.  You can only take the ferry over if you live there or if you plan to eat there.  There is a really nice beach there, but outsiders aren’t allowed.  They even have guards posted so you can’t get on the beach

Mean Guard

That is unless you are US!

Gary on beach

There are quite a few sharks teeth on the beach and people love to go hunting for the sharks teeth.  Do you see any

Here toothy, toothy, toothy

All I saw was this sponge

Now I can wash my car 🙂

And this strange thing

Euwwww!

Anybody know what it is?  Someone thought it might be a sea cucumber.  I Googled sea cucumbers, I don’t think it is that ;).

After we tired of searching for shark’s teeth, we headed back to the shuttle boat and ran into this little guy

Timothy the turtle

He was a munchin away on the grass.  Must have been lunch time.

When we got back to the marina we saw this boat

2002 Albin

Yup.  That is the 2002 Albin we looked at with the black hull.  Some guy walked by and was admiring our boat.  He said he was with the other Albin, pointing to the one with the black hull.  Gary asked him if the guy just bought it.  The guy replied in the affirmative.  Gary told him about how we looked at it but bought this one instead.  He told us he thought we got the better deal ;).

Well we left on Monday.  18 MPH winds.  I hate to say it but the Albin is NOT the Navigator :).  We were rockin and rollin when we passed thru the inlet.  The tide was comin in and the water was being blown out.  Water was splashing up on the windshield to the point we had to turn on the windshield wipers.  The Admiral was not a happy camper. But ya know, we didn’t want to look like wienies to our new friends.  Next time the weather doesn’t look good, I’ll put on that wienie suit and strut around the marina.  Heck, I’m retired, I’m in no hurry to get home.

We have another boat trip planned soon.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate :).  Until then, ta ta for now.