Kim Jo IV: 2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Christmas in shorts!

1st time for both of us

Fruit from Santa

Bridge opening into the Gulf
at John's Pass

Dave and Nancy at John's Pass

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas. We had a wonderful one. Our friends from Minnesota are here visiting so we have been busy doing things. I feel bad that the weather was on the cool side the first two days but they are just glad there is no snow. It is supposed to warm up every day and by the 31st it should be in the mid to high 70's. Now, I like that.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas to everyone

Les, our Dock Master, is in the Christmas spirit

Christmas kits at the beach this afternoon

I must have taken 30 or more pictures of all the dolphins we
have seen so far and all I got were pictures of water- this is
the first time I actually got pictures with dolphins in them

Dolphins celebrating Christmas Eve

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

More time at the Tiki Bar
This can get expensive!

Bobbie and Joan

We have just been hanging around the marina and exploring Treasure Island these past few days and getting ready for Christmas. Went to John's Pass on Sunday with N-II-Wishin and Boomer; it was windy again and it felt a little chilly but we had fun. Yesterday we went to the Pier in St. Petersburg by trolley with Boomer and had a nice time. N-II-Wishin left yesterday morning. So there are just 4 Loopers left at the marina today.

I had a little mishap the other day. The tide was up and it was windy. Just as I went to get off the boat the wind blew and my foot hit the cleat on the dock and down I went. I grabbed the railing on the boat because I didn't want to go into the water. So there I was; feet on dock, body stretched out over the water, and my arm clutching the railing of the boat for dear life. Luckily, Keith and Jerry were close by and helped me back onto the dock. My ribs are bruised a little but otherwise I am OK and very thankful I did not go into the water!

Our little Christmas

Brought these from home

Had to have some outside lights

CO's comments: We were warned about cleats at night before we left Red Wing by our friends Jim and Linnea. We didn't think we would have to worry about cleats during day light hours. Lesson learned; we moved the boat 4' forward so that the cleat will not come in play during boarding and unboarding. Also, the fuller the moon, the more the tide varies.

Winter Solstice-Lunar Eclipse
Taken at about 02:10 on 12-21-2010
(if you look close you can see the outline of the moon
in the middle-you might have to use your imagination!)

Friday, December 17, 2010

Friday, December 17,2010

Outside Treasure Island Marina

Treasure Island pool

We finally got relief from the wind and were able to leave Clearwater on Wednesday, December 15, 2010; we were ready to leave after 12 days. It was a beautiful sunny warm day without a cloud in the sky. We had a smooth ride down the GIWW, through the narrows and into Boca Ciega Bay and then into Treasure Island. The Club at Treasure Island Marina is a very nice place; it has a tennis court, work out room and a large heated pool with propane fireplaces at the tables around the pool as well as a Tiki Bar out by the pool. We have been spending quit a bit of time there enjoying the warm weather. We walked to the grocery store on Thursday and then I went to Walmart in the afternoon; got some Christmas decorations. We are all decorated (at least a little) and we are trying real hard to get into the Christmas spirit. It's hard with no snow. They have 2 courtesy cars available here but they drive you instead of us driving.

N27 46.144
W82 45.406

CO's comments: Unlike the Mississippi and the Tenn-Tom, the intracoastal waterway is very narrow and very shallow in many places. I don't believe the government is mandated to keep a certain depth since there are no commercial barges.

Leaving Clearwater Beach-
Clearwater Pass

Sunset at The Club Treasure Island Marina

Coming back to the boat

after buying groceries

Treasure Island pool

The Club at Treasure Island Marina

The Tiki Bar

GIWW from top of Treasure Island Causeway bridge

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Fog down south

Record snow fall in Wisconsin

22" of snow

Snow up north-my sister Susie

Fog can be beautiful at times
if you don't have to travel in in

More fog

We are still at Clearwater Municipal Marina. The wind these past few days has been horrific. We have had gale force winds of 36 knots, gusting to 40 with seas above 15 feet. It is a good time to stay put. Looks like tomorrow will be good enough to go the next 17 miles to Treasure Island.

We are just thankful we are not up north. They have had record breaking snowfall and that's a lot of shoveling!

CO's comments: Time to wash the boat. After all the high winds, the boat is covered from top to bottom with a film of salt.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Doug and Joanie

Kim Jo III at Clearwater Marina

The all day fishing boat with a
big catch-Clearwater

Half day fishing boat-Clearwater

Cleaning the fish with the
Pelican looking for a handout

All but 3 Looper boats that we came in with last weekend left yesterday with 2 more that left today. We plan on leaving tomorrow if the weather permits.

We went out on the half day fishing boat yesterday afternoon and had a good time. It was a little chilly out there with waves up to 4 feet. high but there was a lot of fish caught. We caught 16 "Gray Snapper". Keith caught most of them. I spent the afternoon feeding the fish. I lost count how many baited hooks came up empty. I had 2 to 3 large fish on my line but I lost them all; one even took my hook. I caught what I thought was a large Grouper but had to throw it back as it was too small. Enough with the fish stories; we had fun and our freezer is full with fillets.

Today Joanie and Doug Tjomsland drove over to see us. We had a wonderful visit and talked a lot about doing the loop and exchanged experiences. We went for a walk on the beach and had lunch. It's amazing the similarities between Doug and Keith! It was a good day.

CO's comments: For those of you out there who do not know who Doug and Joanie are, I will tell you. In 2005 they got married, sold everything thing they owned; including their cars, bought a boat (I think it was a 25' Rinker and named it after Doug's uncle), and started the loop. After they finished the loop they settled in Florida and they have been following our blog. They started their loop from Bill's Bay Marina in Red Wing, MN, just like we did.