GREAT LOOP – SEGMENT 3 SUMMARY

Started our 3rd Segment when we departed Huntsville – October 21st!

Traveled down the rivers 600 NM and passed through 16 Locks to arrive in Mobile, Alabama – November 12th.

Traveled along the Gulf coast and the panhandle of Florida.

Ate our way around Pensacola for 5 days.

Celebrated Thanksgiving on the beach in Destin with Sylvain and Marie from the Montreal area.

Left Spring Fling in Panama City Beach area on December 1st for 5 weeks when we came home for Christmas and New Year’s.

Were in the Panhandle of Florida for the once-a-century snow storm there. Had an half inch of ice on the boat for 3 days with lows of 25 degrees. “Come to Florida they said, it will be warm”!

Got hung up on a dredge line in Apalachicola.

Spent 19 hours crossing the Gulf of Mexico overnight for 130 NM in open water from the panhandle to Tarpon Springs just north of Tampa.

Were encouraged by a fellow Looper ahead of us to keep going as it would get better every day as we continued heading south. He was correct!

Rented a car and spent 2 fun days making the most of Disney World (Epcot and Hollywood Studios).

Were awed by the opulent display of wealth as we journeyed through what’s known as the “Gold Coast of Florida” – (Fort Myers to West Palm Beach). Where did these people get that much money?

Started to understand why “Snow Birding” is a thing.

Was wonderful spending a few weeks in the Florida Keys in February, having Cyrissa and Ryan join us, visiting Hemingway’s Home in Key West and eating Key Lime Pie. Well, right up until Pete got a kidney stone that the ER Doc described as being the size of Mount Everest which resulted in a 2 1/2 hour ambulance ride to Miami.

Visited friends John and Joan who had moved from Centerville to North Palm Beach.

Saw 7 Rocket Launches as we traveled north up the East coast of Florida.

Had a smoldering Circuit Breaker to our Shore Power Cord that almost burned up the boat in Ft. Pierce. An electrician fixed that!

Pete spent 6 hours cursing, sweating, and skinning knuckles to change a water pump for the air conditioning system that went out during the high 80’s with no respite in sight in Melbourne. Fortunately, he fixed it and we only dealt with one night of hot temperatures! But – I have heard him say repeatedly to anyone who would listen and to anyone who will listen now, ” I wanted to fly the airplane, not work on it. Same with boating, I wanted to drive the boat not spend time working on it”!!!

Spent time and had fun with Cheri’s cousin Ron and Karen in New Smyrna.

Spent time in Daytona Beach where we met 51 years ago when Pete was attending ERAU and Cheri went on Spring Break from Kent State. Visited with Arnold, a former flight student of Pete’s who later became a business partner and his girlfriend, Connie.

Got to visit Kim and Rob who was a fellow pilot at ABX Air where Pete spent 33 years flying.

Traveled the St. John’s River south to Sanford. Saw our only alligator while on the river – he was little too.

Decided to leave the boat in Jacksonville which also preserves the option of perhaps playing Snow Birds again next winter.

Put 2000 NM under the keel of Spring Fling practically doubling the travel we’ve done on her in the last 4 years.

Saw so many dolphins, crab pot buoys, manatees, turtles, pelicans, eagles, herons, and other variety of birds than could possibly be counted.

Made many new life long Looper friends as we traveled for 5 months down the rivers, Gulf, and around Florida.

We grew as a couple after spending 5 months of 24/7 togetherness on a 42 foot boat. We are still happily married and looking forward to the next segment starting next year as we continue enjoying the adventure that is “America’s Great Loop”.

The dotted areas on the map show where we have already traveled. And the stars represent where Spring Fling spent some time between our segments. She is currently in the Jacksonville area getting all fixed up and waiting for us to return!