Last updated: October 14, 2011
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Friday. May 21:
I got up at 7:00AM this morning. I sure am tired. Dave and Deanna slept in till 9:00; they must be tired, too. We left camp and stopped at a Visitor's Center for maps and brochures, then drove to Captiva to inquire about a cruise to an island. We drove to Turner Beach but couldn't get in, it was too crowded. We went back to a different part of Bowman's Beach and picked up a few shells. We saw huge pieces of coral that looked like boulders sticking out of the sea. We left there and went to a Dairy Queen where we got some cold drinks, then went back to the RV for lunch. After that we went to Thomas A. Edison's house. On the way, we passed through a shopping center that was built where NASA was when Dave worked for them. It was a training station at that time. Now it is a mall. We took pictures of Edison and Henry Ford's winter homes, and then toured the museum of Edison and Ford. Edison died in 1931, the year I was born. On the way home, we stopped at Wal-Mart for gas and supplies. Back at Gulf Waters RV Resort we had supper then watched a DVD about the Tuskegee Airmen. |
At the Captiva visitors center
Shells, shells, everywhere
BIG Banyan tree
Edison's home
Back at Gulf Waters |
Coral rocks
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Is this cute? Beer advertising
Some of Edison's light bulbs and vacuum tubes
Work shop
You won't find one prettier than this |
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Saturday, May 22:
Today we are supposed to go on a boat ride after lunch. We did laundry then left camp for the marina at 11:30. This is a boat and shelling trip at McCarthy's Marina. We left the marina at 1:00 PM, cruised out to North Captiva Island, then to Caya Costa Island. We saw dolphins swimming in the wake of the boat. They were leaping and playing in the water. We saw a big manatee, pelicans, terns, ospreys, cormorants, and gulls. We walked the beach and picked up lots of big shells. Deanna found a complete sand dollar for me!! Deanna and I got in the gulf and soaked for about 15 minutes. When we got back to the boat, we had the captain take our picture with our cameras. We felt so special as we were the only 3 passengers on this trip! When we left the marina, we drove to a drive through wildlife refuge. We saw roseate spoonbills, crabs, cormorants, ospreys, etc. We then drove to Lovers Key Beach where the sand is pure white and there were really long bridges. We then went to a Subway for sandwiches. When we got back to the RV, we went to the pool and soaked in the hot tub. Went to bed early this night. |
Is this a big aloe plant?
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Our boat. The Santiva
On the beach at Caya Costa |
Dolphin follow us out
Osprey
Hamming it up |
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Sunday, May 23: Fort Myers to Tallahassee
We got ready to pull up stakes this morning. we'll be in Tallahassee again by tonight. We left camp at 9:30 AM and took highway 75 north. We drove over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and then stopped at a rest area to take pictures of the bridge. It is really golden in color with the sun shining on it. The front of the RV is loaded with love bugs again. At St. Petersburg, we saw a huge round stadium decorated with big .baseballs. We saw another big lighthouse at Tampa. We stopped at a rest area north of Tampa to have lunch in the RV. We had to stop for gas again and Deanna did a great job of getting through the traffic to reach the pump. It started raining again--a regular cloudburst. It only lasted about 10 minutes and cleaned some of the bugs off the front of the RV. Spanish moss is hanging on most of the trees and the magnolia trees are really beautiful. We had another tire going down, so had to stop again and put on the spare tire. Deanna called a Wal-Mart store to see if their tire section was open. We went there and got the tire fixed another leaky valve stem. When we left, we crossed over the Suwannee River, and then stopped to check the tires again. We arrived in Tallahassee RV Park, got set up, and then cooked spaghetti for supper. Dave and Deanna went to gas up the truck and I wrote letters to Sam and Barbara.
Map of Tallahassee RV Park |
Dee marveling at the Sunshine Skyway
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A Pelican windsurfing on the Skyway
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Rest area just before Sunshine Skyway. Check out all those Lovebugs
Flats, flats, so many flats!! This is the second one.
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Monday, May 24: Tallahassee to Navarre
We have to check into the office this morning as we got in so late last night due to the tire trouble. Dave wants to have the other tires on the RV checked out before heading to Navarre. We got the tires taken care of, and then left at noon. We had lunch at a rest area in the RV again. We will soon be back on central time. We crossed the Apalachicola River and were back in our time zone. We reached Navarre Beach and went to the Navarre Beach Campground. Dave and Deanna left to have supper with an old friend of Dave's. I stayed at the RV, had a salad, and showered and shampooed my hair. Then I watched TV till Deanna and Dave returned. They then took a walk around the beach and camp while I watched TV.
Map of Navarre Beach RV Park |
Tallahassee RV park
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Florida rest stop are some of the best around |
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Tuesday, May 25:
I slept really well last night. I was really tired when I went to bed, but am rested this morning. I had my breakfast and read my Bible. While Dave and Deanna had breakfast, I went for a walk down to the ocean. I took pictures of the ocean, a bridge, the city skyline and the Navarre Beach Campground sign. It is painted on a surfboard. We left to go to the Air Force Armament Museum. We toured the museum and grounds, took pictures of planes, bombs, and the helicopter that brought out the bodies of the Jim Jones religious group that committed suicide. I also took a picture of the type of plane Dave worked on in the Air Force. We went to Arby's for lunch then to the Navarre Beach. I talked to a couple from Maine and a man that has stage 4 cancer. We left at 4:00 PM and drove to Pensacola. We walked out on the long pier and saw 4 or 5 dolphins playing in the water. Some people were fishing and catching fish while we were there. We left and went back to the RV Park. Dave grilled chicken for supper. MMM!!! Good!! About 9:00 PM we heard a lot of loud booms from the Elgin Air Force Base near by. I guess they were practicing maneuvers or something. Navarre Beach Campground Brochure Navarre pass
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Air Force Armament Museum
New Navarre pier
Navarre Beach
Navarre Beach
Navarre Beach Campground
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The "Jug"
Mother Of All Babes with the Mother Of All Bombs
Pensacola Beach
Pensacola
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The "Thud"
Dave reminiscing with a B-47
Navarre Beach
Pensacola Beach - bushed!
Navarre Beach Campground
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