Tag Archives: Florida

F/A-18E Super Hornet

Raptors, Mustangs, and the Blue Angels – by Randy

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OK, we know our followers read our blog to keep up with the travels of our family aboard our 50 foot Sea Ray Motor Yacht the “Pilot’s Discretion.” We assure you that we are making significant improvements to our floating home to prepare her for the next chapter in our cruising life and we will be chronicling those improvements as well as sharing our future cruising plans in posts in the near future.

For now, we hope you will indulge us as we go off on a brief tangent about all things flying machine related (after all, our boat is named after an air traffic control term related to an altitude clearance). With the exception of 2020, as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic, springtime in Florida means warming temperatures and the Sun N’ Fun Fly In Aerospace Expo in Lakeland Florida. This year the fly in played host to thousands of pilots and hundreds of airplanes of every type and size from single seat home-builts all the way up to the US Air Force’s massive C17.

C-17
C-17

This years event represented two notable events for our Navy’s Blue Angel flight demonstration team. First, 2021 is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Blue Angels at the direction of Admiral Chester Nimitz. This years Blue Angels show in Lakeland represents the first demonstration of the Blue Angels since switching from the F/A18 Hornet to the F/A18E Super Hornet.

F/A-18E Super Hornet
F/A-18E Super Hornet

To the non pilot, the differences between the legacy Hornet and the new Super Hornet might seem hard to discern but the Super Hornet has lots of improvements all pilots love. More power, more fuel, more payload are all noticeable improvements to the Super Hornet. When you give a plane with the Super Hornets capabilities to the Blue Angels, you get a very loud and impressive improvement to their already legendary air show.

In addition to the Blue Angels we also enjoyed watching the F-22 Raptor demonstration as well as a very cool formation flight pairing our most advanced fighter, the F-22, with the legendary WW2 fighter the P-51 Mustang.

F-22 Raptor
F-22 Raptor

The combination of the roar of the Raptor in full afterburner and the sweet sound of the Mustang’s V12 Rolls Royce Merlin engine was at least as mesmerizing to a pilot as any Pavarotti aria or Rolling Stones live show.

F-22 Raptor, P-51 Mustang, A-10 Thunderbolt
F-22 Raptor, P-51 Mustang, A-10 Thunderbolt

All in all, our day at Sun N’ Fun 2021 was a perfect way to celebrate our son Ronan’s 15th birthday with the added bonus that we finally are feeling like our year in isolation as a result of Covid 19 may be fading into the history books.

Ryan & Ronan, prime viewing
Ryan & Ronan, prime viewing

Ryan, Randy & Ronan
Ryan, Randy & Ronan

Here’s hoping 2021 brings good health and new adventures for our family as well as yours.

Merry Christmas

Christmas 2020, the Holiday Spirit With Built in Social Distancing🎅🏻😉 – by Randy

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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
Dolphin at sunset
  • Gopher Tortoise
    Gopher Tortoise
  • Armadillo
    Armadillo
  • Pelican
    Pelican
  • Dolphin
    Dolphin
  • Ryan on the beach walk
    Ryan on the beach walk
  • Ronan
    Ronan
Ronan & Ryan
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.

Cheers 2020
Cheers 2020
Beach snowman
Beach snowman

Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019)

CALADESI ISLAND, FL – 2019 (By Theresa)

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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)
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) Patti, Park Ranger & Nature hike guide (Nov. 2019)

Ryan on the nature trail, Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019) Ryan on the nature trail, Caladesi Island State Park (Nov. 2019)
Patti, 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)
R&R at the beach, Caladesi Island, FL (Oct. 2019) R&R at the beach, Caladesi Island, FL (Oct. 2019)
Ronan & Randy (Nov. 2019) Ronan & Randy (Nov. 2019)
Randy & Patti (Nov. 2019) Randy & Patti (Nov. 2019)
Ryan at the helm cruising past Three Rooker Bar (Nov. 2019) Ryan at the helm, cruising past Three Rooker Bar (Nov. 2019)
Theresa & Marlow (Nov. 2019) Theresa & Marlow (Nov. 2019)
Randy on the bow, Caladesi Island, FL (Oct. 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) Ferry to Caladesi Island State Park, FL (Oct. 2019)
Pilots’ Discretion leaving Caladesi Island (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.

 

FLORIDA: EAST TO WEST COAST ACROSS THE OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY – by Theresa

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Okeechobee Waterway - FL Map Okeechobee Waterway – FL Map

Since arriving back in the U.S., after four (4) years cruising the Caribbean, we have received many inquiries about our next port(s) of call, and go-forward cruising plans. Long story short, after arriving in North Palm Beach, FL, we were at a cross road. Either head down the East Coast of FL, towards the Keys, around the southern tip of FL , and up the FL West Coast, or set a course northwest, to cut across the state via the Okeechobee Waterway.

The Okeechobee Waterway is a man-made waterway that stretches from Stuart, on the East Coast of Florida, to Fort Myers, on Florida’s West Coast. A series of canals, including the Caloosahatchee River to the west, and St. Lucie Canal to the east, link Florida’s East and West Coasts to Lake Okeechobee in the center of the state.

Okeechobee Waterway & Locks Map Okeechobee Waterway & Locks Map

We opted for the Okeechobee Waterway since it was a shorter route, and we were coming up on some deadlines for re-enrolling the boys in a bricks and mortar school. Hence, we positioned ourselves in North Palm Beach until the next appropriate weather window, and locks’ schedule, allowed us to cross from the East Coast to the West Coast of Florida.

During our E-W Florida crossing, we encountered countless car and railroad bridges: swing bridges, draw bridges, fixed bridges, etc. Some, we could pass right under because they were high enough for us to clear.

Bridge Bridge
Bridge Bridge

At lower clearance bridges, we had to hail the various bridge operators on the VHF radio to  have them open the bridge so that we could safely pass through.

Draw Bridge Draw Bridge

While transiting the “Locks,” (a series of water-like elevators), we positioned the Pilots’ Discretion in the lock basins, which then closed and either added or drained water before opening to let us out at the appropriate water level on the other side.

Along the way, we made stops at Roland & Mary Martin Marina, in Clewiston, Fort Myers, and Venice. We had dolphins and jet skiers hitch rides in our wake along the way, and the sunsets were as spectacular as ever.

Dolphin in our wake
Dolphin in our wake
Dolphin in our wake
Dolphin in our wake

Jet skier in our wake
Jet skier in our wake

Sunset in Venice, FL (2018) Sunset in Venice, FL (2018)At long last, we reached the Anclote River, Tarpon Springs, FL. We slowly made our way up the river to our home port, Port Tarpon Marina, which had served as our departure point four (4) years previous.

Theresa refueling, Port Tarpon Theresa refueling, Port Tarpon
Randy refueling, Port Tarpon Marina Randy refueling, Port Tarpon Marina
Ronan, Randy & Ryan, back where it all started, Port Tarpon Ronan, Randy & Ryan, back where it all started, Port Tarpon
Sunset from Pilots' Discretion, back in her home port slip at Port Tarpon Marina Sunset from Pilots’ Discretion, back in her home port slip at Port Tarpon Marina

To say it was a bittersweet surreal moment would be a dramatic understatement.

Mark Twain has been attributed with having said:

Throw of the bowlines ...

Our family is most certainly not disappointed. We are tremendously grateful for our unique experiences and adventures. We have lived the dream, and will continue to do so. 

Since returning to Florida, it has been a whirlwind of nonstop activity reintegrating as part-time landlubbers. The changes have been quick and dramatic, some of them easy, others more challenging, We will provide updates on the reintegration process after we are more settled. In any event, it is all part of the next leg of our journey, which includes, among other things, a new addition to our crew! More about that in our next post ….

45 foot USCG patrol boat pulling up astern of Pilots’ Discretion

6100 Nautical Miles Later, Pilots’ Discretion Returns to the United States – by Randy

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Early in the morning on June 6, 2018, Pilots’ Discretion eased out of her slip at the Old Bahama Bay Marina, on Grand Bahama Island, and pointed her bow west for what would be her final international leg of our 4-year Caribbean odyssey. There were brisk winds of 15-20 knots out of the west, as we passed the breakwater heading out into the Gulfstream. The resultant seas were not particularly large (4-6 ft), but the period of the waves was a very short 2-4 seconds, giving us an uncomfortable ride. I don’t think anybody aboard was really looking forward to this day, and it just felt appropriate that the sea conditions were not unsafe, but not pleasant either. We pressed on through early morning showers and passed several other yachts going the other way, heading east toward the Bahamas.

When we were about 20 miles west of Grand Bahama Island the seas flattened out and the skies cleared. Florida was already clearly visible on our radar, but not yet on our visual horizon. Four hours after our departure, the waterfront condos of West Palm Beach became visible as we headed for the Lake Worth Inlet. After cruising for days at a time seeing few boats at all in various parts of the Caribbean, the high level of traffic off the coast of Florida was just one more subtle reminder that we were reentering our home environment.

As if on cue to reenforce that point, a U.S. Coast Guard 33′ patrol boat pulled along side of us and advised us that they would be conducting a routine boarding of our vessel. Those of you that have followed our blog in the past already know that I am a former Coastie. What many of you may not realize is that Theresa served as the Vice President of a major maritime safety organization for many years. As part of her duties there, she interacted with the Coast Guard at the highest levels (she counts several past US Coast Guard Commandants among her personal friends). Some boaters are put off by the Coast Guard boardings, that is not the case with the Pilots’ Discretion. Our entire crew has a tremendous amount of respect for the work that the men and women of the USCG perform each and every day. For me personally, and my family, having the Coast Guard board us as we approached our home country represented an important symbolic welcome home. Click photo below for video

The young Coast Guard boarding team came aboard our vessel and reviewed our paperwork and our safety systems. Happily, they did not find any discrepancies. After they had completed their official duties we had a chance to share stories of “The Guard.” It was a lot of fun to compare notes since long ago I had served on many Coast Guard boarding teams in the Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering Sea. Ryan and Ronan were fascinated by the patrol boat and wanted to know how much power it had and how fast it would go (40+ knots). The Coast Guard crew was thorough and professional at all times. I hope those Coasties sensed how proud our family is of their organization and the individuals that serve our country via the USCG.

After the Coast Guard departed we entered the Lake Worth inlet, then turned north on the ICW toward the North Palm Beach Marina. One hour later, we pulled alongside the fuel dock as a thunderstorm broke out with a torrential downpour. Soaking wet, the crew of Pilot’s Discretion refueled her and cleared inbound with US Customs. Pilots’ Discretion is now back in the United States, our journey is nearly complete.