Century Club: mike pitchford

The winter in Florida has been good, but short. The weather was cooler than normal but not as cold as back on the Bay.

We headed back to Annapolis in late March. We are on Grandbaby watch with #3 due in early April. Before we left we enjoyed out final time this winter in Florida and worked to get the boat ready for the 1140 statue mile trip home.

Before leaving there were things to do. The transmission oil was due for a change. The impeller needed changing as well. They there was gear to lead from the dock box and gear to stow. The car needs to be loaded for the eventual trip north. The bike and the Scooter needed to be stored locally.

The "boys" and I will fly down on April 8th and start north on the 9th. Assuming good weather, Winsome Winn will be home in her slip on April 17th.

Florida has NOT lived up to its reputation this winter. El Nino has brought us a colder and wetter winter in South Florida this year. And so it was that we started and ended a 12 day cruise across the state and up the GIWW to Sarasota with rain and wind on the front and back end.

The Okeechobee Waterway includes seven locks and covers 149 miles from the AIWW to the GIWW. The transit is roughly from the east coast town of Stuart to the west coast town of Ft Meyers. The rough half way point on the Okeechobee is the town of Clewiston.

We stopped in Clewiston both ways. It is a slice of America. The main industry is the US Sugar operations around the town and the main entertainment is bass fishing on the Lake.

The weather was kinder to us while on the GIWW. We made stops in Ft Meyers, Venice, Sarasota and Punta Gorda in fairly nice and mostly sunny weather.

Thanksgiving is always the final warning that winter is upon us. It always seems to sneak up on me. Those warmer early November afternoons always lull me into thinking the fall may continue. Then, slam! The string of late November near freezing mornings remind me I will be cold getting the fleet and house ready for winter.

And so it was in the days after Thanksgiving. Post turkey, I completed winterization on the Key West and covered her for the winter. I covered the row boat and tied down the kayaks with ratchet straps. The SUPs went to the screened porch as did the deck and dock furniture. The dock water was shut off and drained.

Tomorrow, maybe holiday lights for the little sailboat?

Sue and I made it to Stuart Florida yesterday. Sun set Bay Marina in Stuart is our winter home. It was eleven days, 1200 miles, 69 engine hours, 900 gallons of diesel and ten marina nights. The schedule, the weather, the crew and the boat all cooperated to make it go just as scheduled.