This is our scheduled boat trip for our boating club. Each member of the club (and there are 14 of us) takes a turn being the “host” for a boat trip. Being the host means you find a marina, make reservations, find some place where we can eat our heavy Hors d’oeuvres the first night, and a restaurant to go to the next night. There must be a pool and if you can reach the beach by foot, all the better. You also need to bring the main meal when you are hosting. So a heavy soup, beef sandwiches, sloppy joes etc.

So Gary had to get the boat all ready

We normally only schedule the trips for 2 days but because this marina was a ways away, people wanted to go a day early. I had a doctors appointment Monday morning, and you know how they are, if you try to reschedule it you’ll have to wait for months, so Gary was taking the boat and I was arriving by car the next day.

The winds were suppose to be high for the next week, so Gary left very early Sunday morning

He called me when he arrived. When he was going thru Charlotte Harbor inlet it was like someone was throwing buckets of water on his windshield. Good thing his windshield wipers worked because he had them on for a good 1/2 hour straight so he could see. And because of the deep V hull, he was bobbin back and forth from the side waves. He figures from the bottom of the trough to the top, the waves were 6 feet.

But when he finally arrived, they gave him the owners spot

But when you look at this picture

You’ll see why they put him there….no one else would have fit LOL.

Gary’s first morning was nice and tranquil. He was able to eat his grits looking out over the water

There is an island across the way that you can see in the above picture. There are a few homes, a restaurant with a little ice cream/grocery store underneath, (Kind of reminded me of BearTrax.) and of course a beach that face the Gulf.

At the marina, they have a water taxi that will take you there for $3 per person, if you’re staying at the marina or for $55, round trip, you can take your car. Better not forget anything at the grocery store 😉.

Sunday night they took the water taxi across and had dinner at the restaurant on the island. Looks like Gary had a good time there

By the time I got there on Monday, the winds hadn’t diminished at all. The temp was over 90 degrees but the humidity was low, so it wasn’t too bad……in the shade. I was able to take a nice long dip in the pool before I had to play hostess.

They had some really pretty flowers there.

I don’t know what they are but I bet I wouldn’t find them growing in Minnesota…..at least not in my garden 😊

Here is the crew at “dinner” on Monday night

We are a bunch of old farts aren’t we? Turns out buying pizza was the wrong way to go, oh well, at least they are out of the sun.

The next day a few of them decided to cross over to the island and look for sharks teeth

If you think I am going out in that hot sun and walk on that hot sand, think again. Here is what I did while they were sweating away in the hot sun

My mama didn’t raise any fools. 😊. I enjoyed my ice cream and iced coffee while I sat in the shade and read my book. So relaxing!

Tuesday afternoon was another stressful day of lazing in the pool and enjoying a nice cool drink. Tuesday night we were supposed to have a restaurant all picked out and make the reservations. One of the reasons we picked this marina is because it has a real nice restaurant right on the premises. But guess what? Because season was over, they were closed Monday and Tuesday night. Oh no! We had to find another place to go to for dinner. Well good thing I drove, because we found this pretty cool place only 6 miles down the road.

We made reservations at the Lighthouse Bar and Grill. It took two trips but we got everyone there. They had music that was suppose to start at 6 so we made reservations for 5 knowing some of the people wouldn’t like music while they ate. Wouldn’t you know it, they guy starts early at 5:20. But Gary and I liked the music, so did our Commodore and his wife

I did find this cool Pirate I want to put in my lani

A few of them were partied out after dinner….if you want a strong Rum Punch, that was the place to get one LOL. The rest of us could stay awake long enough to enjoy the brownies and cookies we had back at the marina for dessert.

By 8 the next morning, everyone was gone in anticipation of high winds again. I helped everyone get off the dock and waved as the last one left. Bye bye till next time…..hopefully not again till 2023 😁.