Sunday 4-1-18 to Saturday 4-7-18

Easter Sunday 4-1-18

Today was not our typical Easter Sunday.  No ham and au-gratin potatoes in the crockpot.

Linda started reading the New Testament in January for our morning devotions. It so happened (came to pass) that today’ passage was when the women found Jesus’ grave empty. 

Ida is leaving for her new site in a co-op type trailer park.  We stopped by as quality control inspectors when she had everything hitched up.  She gave us the grand tour of her camper.  It is quite the item for one or two people with all the little conveniences to make living simple.  We wish her the best in her new lifestyle.  She pulled out around 1:30 PM.  When we got back to our screen room we found a thank you note she had snuck in when we weren’t looking.

What is all that noise down at the boat ramp!  A group of small racing boats and hydroplanes were gearing up for the season.  I had the chance to watch one of them run tune up runs.  These are high school aged youngsters deep into serious competition. They were the only ones I saw working on the boats.  The oldsters stood by and supervised.  Yes, it didn’t help fishing but, it was good to watch the young people so into something that challenges their minds and skills.  I shudder to imagine the money involved as some had custom closed trailers to haul the boats. 

Monday 4-2-18

This morning was warm (low 70s) but this afternoon promises to be quite warm with a possible thunder storm.  We drove into the teaming metropolis of Bunnell to use the library’s Wi-Fi.  Then we took a break and visited Hot Diggity Dog.  Good food. Then back to the library to add the pictures into the blog.

The highlight for the day was going to the IGA for groceries.  Now to beat the rain back to camp.

In the afternoon there were more racing boats at the boat ramp.  I went down and they let me take pictures.  These are the 20 cubic inch class of the American Powerboat Racing Association.  They are doing their preparations for a race this weekend in Jessup GA.  That would be fun to watch. 

Just before sundown we sat at a picnic table on one of the empty sites.  Our section of the campgrounds is empty except for our next door neighbor.  It is so quiet and peaceful as the sky darkens and all of the night-sounds come alive.  Back at our site we started our first campfire and watched the sunlight fade and the stars appear one at a time. 

The fishing tree

Then there was a small wake in the water behind our boat.  It’s the little resident alligator.  It’s only about a foot and a half to two feet long.  As the campfire burned we watched it slowly work its way along the bank.  We watched it for at least a half hour making its way silently through the blackness.  (Whoa…this is starting to sound like the screen play for the “Creature from the Black Lagoon”.)  Well it was a creature in a black lagoon.  As the fire died and the mosquitos became friendlier we decided that’s enough outdoor adventure for one night.

A few powdered…mini-doughnuts…and……a………cup………of……..Sleepytime ………tea ……..and ……………..Z Z Z Z  Z Z.. 

Tuesday 4-3-18

The morning was a-buzz with the sound of race boats accompanied by the string trimmers and lawn mowers of the park staff.  All necessary but not conducive to tranquility.

We went fishing on Dead Lake with no luck.  In the background the sounds of race boats stirred the air.  Linda said “Let’s try some other place”.  We headed out of Dead Lake and cruised to the far southwest corner of Crescent Lake.  There we found stands of cypress trees in small coves.  With three miles between us and the noise we enjoyed the quiet. 

The only sounds were nature’s gentle breeze, the call of an occasional bird or bull frog.  All this being interrupted by the sound of a splashing fish or of a lure and bobber hitting the water.  The complete picture of serenity. Two small gators kept a watchful eye from a safe distance

Suddenly, from a nearby island about 50 yards away, a muffled thud and the four loud long screams of Heron.  A splash…Then total silence.  A four second reminder that with all of nature’s beauty there still remains the dark side of survival.  As if nothing happened tranquility returned.

We returned to camp for lunch and a nap to take up the hottest time of the day.  Fishing will still be there in the late afternoon.

Once again we were not successful in our fishing endeavor.  But the time on the lake was so relaxing.

We returned to “alligator alley” and fished for a while.  In the distance we could see four gators swimming just off shore.  Then the sky started to darken off to the west.  Time to make it back to camp before the rain arrives.  On the way back across the lake Linda said “I’m homesick for Florida and we haven’t even left yet”.  I told her “it’ll be here next year waiting for us”.  

A Momma Osprey calls her displeasure at our intrusion. 

The nest is in the top of the tall tree

A close up of the nest

Linda looked out the window and could see the sunset.  It was spectacular.

This will have been our last fishing day on this trip as we have many chores to do including pulling the boat out of the water and giving it a good bath.  The black water does a number on a clean boat.  Tomorrow will be laundry and camper clean up as we only have four days left.

Jim from GA, arrived about five minutes after we did. He and I discussed a whole myriad of subjects and have most of the world’s problems solved.  Sleep well tonight world.

Wednesday 4-4-18

Yippy tie yie yae…Once again it laundry day.  But with a twist.  We have been using the laundry in Crescent City and it’s only a half a mile from Three Banana’s.  This is the same place we tried to get into by boat last Thursday but the waves were too rough.  Don’t you know on the day we drive over the lake is flat.

Three Banana’s advertises as “World Renowned”.   There is a sign in the dining porch that says “This ain’t Burger King.  You get it our way. Since 1956”.  Well, their way is pretty good.  Linda’s Chicken Caesar Wrap was so full of chicken (probably a complete breast) there was hardly room for the lettuce and cheese.  They had a Fish Ruben that caught my attention.  Two large fillets topped with Cole slaw and provolone cheese placed inside Texas toast.  No room for deserts.

When we arrived I spotted a Maul float-plane at the dock.  They were loading up and getting ready for takeoff.    I just had to get pictures.  I told Linda to order my iced tea and I should be back before we have to order.  I’m not sure the waitress was too pleased.  When I asked her forgiveness for leaving the table to get a picture, because I used to work on one of them, I got a cool “Yeh, she told me”. 

We are doing some of our pack up chores a little early.  There are showers forecast for Sunday and loading up in the rain would be a bummer.

Tonight’s fare was also from a world renowned chef.  The great Hector Boiardi

(A.k.a. Chef Boy-ar dee).  His Ravioli is to die for!

A fire starter made by our friend Bill

How long until the cracked frame breaks in two?

Another beautiful sunset.

Thursday 4-5-18

Today is Boat Appreciation Day.  Or to put it another way we are pulling the boat out and giving it a thorough cleaning.  There is a price to pay for boating in black water.  The Litl’ Fisherman’s waterline is covered in dark brown scum and below the waterline, green grass-like something.  It’s not too hard to scrub; just inconvenient.  It especially seems like a a chore when your home lake is nearly crystal clear and a quick wipe with a wet rag does the trick. 

This crazy cardinal kept attacking the bird in the window.

The Skipper going Rub-a-dub-dub.

Yuck!

Gilligan helps the Skipper

No more of that Gilligan crap!

After the boat was cleaned we went for lunch at Bull Creek.  Linda likes the chicken wraps better there (and their not even world renowned).

Then it was time to take down the screen room.   Now what do we do?  I haven’t had a banana split in years.  According to the GPS the nearest Dairy Queen is in Ormond Beach 30 miles away.  It’s only 18 miles to Steak-N-Shake in Palm Coast…No brainer… S-N-S here we come.  Shuckie-Darn; they only have milk shakes.  That’ll have to do.

We drove aimless around Palm Coast until we crossed a toll bridge which took us to the barrier island.  Headed north we came to Marineland.  Further north the road paralleled the Intracoastal Waterway bringing back memories of the boat trip in 2011/12.  Finally we turned around at South Beach Grill where we met up with Harry and Kathy a month ago.

Back at camp we spent the evening playing Minus5.  Linda won 51 to 103.

Friday 4-6-18

There are those tender moments when in the deepest recesses of my heart, I truly want to strangle the idiot who developed Windows 10.  When it forces an update it royally screws things up.  We went to the library to catch up on the blog.  A new update was being downloaded and the computer would freeze.

So we left the library and headed up to see Fort Matanzas.  

We stopped at Bings Landing on the ICW.  Linda shot these Pix.

We stopped at the beach at Marineland.

Then we passed the area where the ICW meets A1A

Then we arrived at Fort Matanzas.  It was a small Spanish fort intended to be the first line of defense in case French or English forces try to attack St Augustine from the south.  It is also the location where about 250 French soldiers died at the hands of the Spanish.  The French from Ft Caroline (Jacksonville) trying to reach St Augustine ship wrecked in a storm.  The battered French forces decided to surrender to the Spanish.  The Spanish brought fifteen to twenty French to shore in longboats.  When out of earshot the Spanish massacred all of the Frenchmen.  Thus the name Matanzas; Spanish for slaughter.

Recently the area was devastated by hurricanes Irma and Mathew.  There is still recovery work being done in the park.  The ferry to the fort is not running.  However, one of the rangers gave us a hint to walk up a path along the river and we could arrive on the shore straight across from the fort while it is mid-tide. 

The path crosses a salt marsh that is dry at low tide and filled at high tide.  You could tell the tide line by the thousands of holes made by Ghost Crabs.  Anyplace left dry at high tide had no holes.  Anyplace under water had crab holes. 

About half the foliage is missing from these

Live Oak due to hurricanes 

Linda found this house design intriguing.

Back in Bunnell our last lunch at Hot Diggity Dogs.  Then pick up some items at the IGA.

 After our nap the computer was up and running on its own just when it was too late to make it back to the library.  What did I ever do to your Mr. Gates??

Saturday 4-7-18

The day started out great with breakfast at Bull Creek.

By leaving a day early there is no need to hurry to meet the checkout deadline.  Everything went pretty much as planned until we put the boat in the trailer.  Somehow the cable slipped off the drum on the winch and jammed it and something inside the winch broke.  At least the boat trailer tires were inside the trailer.  With a lot of growling and grunting I got the boat in place for the tie downs. 

We were on the road by 12:30 PM headed for I-95.  Traffic was heavier than we expected.  I missed the I-295 beltway so we got a scenic tour of Jacksonville.  We arrive in Kingsland, GA about 3:30 in the rain and called it a day.