Like families the world over, we are adjusting to the new norms in a world with COVID-19. We have limited our family gatherings, forgone the holiday parties, and avoided public places. As followers of this blog already know we have spent 5 previous Christmases aboard. This year we decided to enjoy Christmas in Florida at Caladesi Island State Park. We are attaching a short video to share some of the isolated beauty that we experienced this Christmas.
It turned out to be the perfect socially distant choice given the circumstances of 2020. We arrived at Caladesi Island on December 22 and stayed through Christmas Day. The beautiful Caladesi Island Marina (a 100 plus slip marina with floating docks) was empty, save two other intrepid cruising couples who, like us, wanted to spend Christmas afloat on one of Florida’s most beautiful and isolated state parks.
Dolphin at sunset
Gopher Tortoise
Armadillo
Pelican
Dolphin
Ryan on the beach walk
Ronan
Ronan & Ryan
We hope everyone enjoyed their holiday and are wishing everyone all the best in the New Year! Hopefully, 2021 will give us all the opportunity to enjoy a more traditional and festive holiday season.
Below is a video of our last year’s Thanksgiving and Christmas Cruises. We are very much looking forward to this year’s Thanksgiving and Christmas cruises. Being out on the water is an excellent way to stay socially distant and safe while enjoying time with the family. #Gratitude.
Below is a short video-clip of our recent excursion to Caladesi Island State Park, a little slice of paradise about an hour south of our home port in Tarpon Springs, FL. Randy’s sister Patti joined us on our sojourn, making the trip even more special.
The swaying palms, pristine white sand beaches, and crystal clear aqua-marine waters rivaled many of the beaches we have visited in the Caribbean.
Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019) Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019)
The island is also home to scenic nature and hiking trails. We were fortunate enough to get a personal guided tour of the island with the park ranger and a nature trail guide.
Nature trail hike, Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019)
Ryan on the nature trail hike, Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019)
Patti, Park Ranger & Nature hike guide (Nov. 2019)
Ryan on the nature trail, Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019) Patti, Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019)
We all enjoyed he beauty of the island and continue to love being out on the water.
R&R at the beach, Caladesi Island, FL (Oct. 2019) R&R at the beach, Caladesi Island, FL (Oct. 2019) Ronan & Randy (Nov. 2019) Randy & Patti (Nov. 2019) Ryan at the helm, cruising past Three Rooker Bar (Nov. 2019) Theresa & Marlow (Nov. 2019) Randy on the bow, Caladesi Island, FL (Oct. 2019)
In an ironic twist of fate, as we were departing Caladesi Island, we passed the incoming ferry. Later in the day, we received an email from friends of ours, Gail and Jason (S/V Two Fish) who were our boat marina neighbors in Grenada in 2015. It turns out they were on the ferry headed to Caladesi Island and snapped a photo of Pilots’ Discretion in the channel departing the island.
Ferry to Caladesi Island State Park, FL (Oct. 2019) Pilots’ Discretion leaving Caladesi Island (2019)
It is a very small world indeed that our bows have passed in this fashion!
We have more boating adventures on the horizon. Details to follow.
Warning, this post is not boat related, however, it does recount a recent, amazing landlubber, encounter at the 2019 PGA Valspar Championship, where Ronan, 12, received the surprise of a lifetime when he got to play the 18th hole with reigning champion Paul Casey, and Sergio Garcia!
Below are a few pictures that we snapped along the way.
Ronan gets microphoned up on the 18th hole at the 2019 PGA Valspar Championship
Ronan being interviewed on the 18th hole at the 2019 PGA Valspar Championship
Reigning PGA Valspar champion, Paul Casey, surprises Ronan during his interview on the 18th hole (2019 PGA Valspar Championship)
Reigning PGA Valspar champion, Paul Casey, surprises Ronan during his interview on the 18th hole (2019 PGA Valspar Championship)
Reigning PGA Valspar champion, invites Ronan to play the 18th hole with him and Sergio Garcia (2019 PGA Valspar Championship)
18th hole 2019 PGA Valspar Championship
Paul Casey drives on the 18th (2019 Valspar Championship – Practice Round)
Sergio Garcia tees up drive on the 18th (2019 Valspar Championship – Practice Round)
Ronan prepares to drive on the 18th (with Paul Casey, and Sergio Garcia, looking on) (March 2019)
Sergio Garcia, Ronan, and Paul Casey on the 18th fairway (2019 Valspar Championship – Practice Round)
Ronan, Paul Casey, and Sergio Garcia on the 18th green (March 2019)
Reigning PGA Valspar Champion Paul Casey giving Ronan his new EnChroma glasses! (March 2019)
PGA Valspar Champion, Paul Casey, and Ronan, finishing up the 18th hole (March 2019)
Ronan’s special day at the Valspar PGA championship this past Tuesday was full of surprises, and thanks to the EnChroma glasses that Paul Casey surprised Ronan with on the 18th hole, Ronan is now seeing the world in a w”hole” (pun intended) new, and more colorful way! In addition to the kindness and generosity of both Paul Casey, and Sergio Garcia, there were a lot of wonderful people behind the scenes that worked to make our sons’, Ryan and Ronan’s, day at Valspar unforgettable. Our heartfelt appreciation is extended to all who contributed to making the entire event so incredibly spectacular!
As we indicated in our previous post, our arrival back to our shore based life has been bittersweet with lots of adjustments. Our family’s unique opportunity to cruise the Caribbean for the past four years has been challenging, magical and enlightening for all of us. One of the sad realities of our final leg home was that we made it with one fewer crew member than our first leg outbound. Our intrepid boat dog, “Patton,” lived out the final three years of his fifteen year life aboard the Pilot’s Discretion in the Caribbean. His passing left a hole in our crew that we knew we would one day want to fill. Happily, we have had the opportunity to adopt the Pilot’s Discretion next generation boat dog, and his name is Marlow!
Marlow trying on his new life vest
Ryan, Marlow & Ronan aboard Pilot’s Discretion
Marlow’s 1st ride in the dinghy; Marlow & Theresa
Marlow’s 1st ride in the dinghy; Marlow, Randy & Ronan
We knew we wanted another Cocker Spaniel, however, we wanted to make sure he was unique and different enough from our previous dogs so that he would occupy a space in our family distinct to him. That is where Becky Holmes, the owner of Silver Moon Cockers, came in (www.silvermooncockers.com). Becky breeds a rare silver Cocker that looks very different than Patton, who was chocolate.
Brigadier General Chuck Yeager
Marlow is the third pure bred Cocker Spaniel in the Mowrey family tree. Each of the previous two Cockers were named after famous American military heroes. Marlow’s oldest sister was named “Yeager” after Brigadier General Chuck Yeager (the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound).
General George S. Patton
Patton was, of course, named after WWII legend, General George S. Patton.
When we got the opportunity to adopt Marlow, we decided that we would name him utilizing a slightly different convention. We wanted to recognize an American success story, choosing someone closer to our personal story. If you have followed our blog, you already know that our dreamboat is a Marlow Explorer. Who better than David Marlow, the founder of Marlow Yachts, to name our new boat dog after.
David Marlow
David Marlow is the youngest of twelve (12) children, who started with modest means and has gone on to build one of the world’s preeminent motor yachts, while at the same time providing hundreds of highly skilled tradesmen a place to practice their craft. Our Marlow has some truly large shoes to fill (or chew on🐶). He is approaching his tasking with a puppy’s enthusiasm and a gentle, loving spirit.
And so it is, we have finally gotten a Marlow of our own, and he is adorable!
