Nothing is more satisfying than getting away from the rush and crush that is city and deadlines. Most of my deadlines are self-imposed, but the pressure is heavy just the same. My best inspiration comes from getting out into the spaces that are quickly being overrun by modern society.
We took off with the boat for the Gulf Coast. There’s a certain sort of serenity and peace that sweeps over you when you find yourself miles away from civilization and surrounded by nature that is usually unseen and often taken for granted. Like this huge sand bar at Big Pass off the coast of Siesta Key.
My husband spent his teen years here on the Key and it was pleasantly nostalgic for him and for me to share in his history there. We netted a few dozen soft shell blue crabs, which are in season now. They are scrumptious when lightly battered and deep fried. This next pic is the $10,000,000.00 house that was built on the lot that his father’s old house was bulldozed off of…funny thing is…you don’t need a ten million dollar house for the same glorious views you can get if you have a boat. There are a few 1950s hold-outs tucked between the $20,000,000 mansions here and there.
The RS told us stories of his youth, streaking across his college campus, making the front page of the local paper and becoming airborne in his VW bug when topping a hill, only to fine the cops sitting at the foot of the hill when he landed. Willful and wanton reckless driving was the charge (following a few dozen more) that suspended his license and had him riding a bicycle to college, thirty-six miles round trip, for the rest of the semester.
Many days he pulled his little skiff out to the sand bar and spent time alone absorbing the splendor of spiritual moments in tune with greater aspects of our universe…internal and external.
We’re hoping to be able to leave Central Florida and move closer to the Gulf Coast when the RS retires. We try to spend as much time as possible over that way. There have been some nice stays in top-of-the-line resorts, but our favorite thing to do is to find a little affordable waterfront hotel with no dress code and a quaint dockside marina where we can park the boat and chill for a few days with no worries.
I look forward to days when the grandchildren are a little older and we can take them out and share the splendor of the area before it’s all spoiled. It’s getting harder and harder to find such places in Florida. Old World Florida is slipping away beneath the concrete of condos and high dollar establishments as New World Florida smothers the best the area has to offer.
People pay big money to leave the massive condos for dinner tours to watch the sunset, and it’s becoming more challenging to find a spot to watch it undisturbed by all things modern and convenient.
Sometimes giving up conveniences is just the prescription you need to get your head and your heart in order. But I have to admit, it’s nice to have a well tricked out boat with GPS and a depth finder.
S.K. Nicholls 
Excellent, Susan. Have fun!
All done and very much enjoyed. It was a nice weekend.
How’re things with the book?
Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. We’ll get there. 🙂
You absolutely will. I was reading your book excerpt yesterday and admiring your gifts at dialogue, characterization, and moving the storytelling along at a pace that suits the story. You are a talented writer.
Thank you, Cynthia. I go back and read that first book and find so many places for improvements, but that’s part of the progress of writing.
Ah…looks heavenly, Susan. The photo of Big Pass Sand Bar is beautiful. Enjoy!
Home now, but these are the memories I hope I’ll never forget. 🙂
Looks like a relaxing trip. Definitely good to leave the world behind from time to time.
Most relaxing and very pleasant trip this time. The only foul up was when Greg tried to back the boat under a bridge at the marina forgetting the fishing poles in their holders. Nothing broken, just bent and fixable. Always something to remember.
Ouch. Sounds like a humorous oops though.
Yeah. He was paying attention to a huge speed boat filled with babes in bikinis. I got onto him pretty bad, but it’s all good. We all had a good laugh.
That’s one of the warm weather dangers that they don’t warn people about.
True…hehehe. I was telling him what this guy said to the girl who was driving the boat when I realized Greg was about to back under a very low bridge that our T-top wouldn’t have made. I exclaimed, “What are you doing?! He said, “What did the guy say? “Gabriel yelled, “The fishing poles dude!” I said nevermind the girl, you’re about to smash the T-top and ram the piller!” he swing the boat around and then asked, “Why did you ask me what I was doing instead of telling me what I was about to do?” I said “How is this now MY fault?” Always….*sigh*
Sounds similar to what goes on here. I ask my wife for something or yell for help in an emergency. The response is always ‘what?’ Gotta love it when people go into trances at the worst time.
LOL….”What are you doing?” was probably not the best question to ask a man who didn’t know what he was doing….I admit my fault. It was just funny.
I’m with you. Divine sunsets. Love all the pictures. Aah. The smells of summer. ❤ ❤
The brine in the air and the sounds of the surf. Ahhh.
What a beautiful escape. My brother and his wife lived in Marathon for several years after taking their boat down the Intercoastal Waterway from Baltimore. They lived on the water for months before finally getting a place on shore. Now, they’re back in Baltimore…still with a boat, LOL. I think it stays in the blood 🙂
It does. I was raised on the Chattahoochee River. Salt water is more peaceful IMO. Would love to do the loop down the Mississippi across the Gulf and up the eastern seaboard. Maybe one day. Don’t have the kinda time and money that requires. My dream is to live on the water for a couple of years and tour the Caribbean.
I did many of the same things when I lived and had a sailboat in the southern Chesapeake Bay. The only time I wanted to come ashore was when I needed provisions & water!
That’s the life. I wouldn’t want to do it forever, but I would love a few years at it.
Since being on the boat was reserved only for time during which I was not working, I could have done it for a lifetime. Alas, the Midwest & family beckoned so I left it behind. Annual visits to the bay do help fill the void!
The sunsets are why I love the Florida coast. My wife and I took a boat around the keys for a week. It was marvelous. We had a little zodiac to make runs into shore but we pretty much stayed anchored off deserted islands most of the time. Great memories. (Only had a bar spell when I navigated too close to shore and sucked up a bunch of lily pads into the generator. Had to disassemble the intake and clean them out or no electricity and hot water. Did get it done before dinner. Thanks, Susan.
What memories. I’d love to have an extended stay on the water…as long as it was a planned one.
Yes. Nothing like ending up on Noah’s Arc by accident.
The sea is equally fascinating and frightening. It gives humanity life and therefore, is imbued with the right to take it away.
It’s my serenity and peace.
My husband’s been hankering for a boat. These stunning pics helped his cause. What a serene place to write.
I usually don’t take my tools. This is my get away from it all time. But I could see this being a wonderful time to loosen up and let it flow.
It looks like you had a relaxing and beautiful getaway!
Three days back into reality and I’m near tears already. Argh! Too many decisions, too many questions. Not enough answers.
UGH! That’s no fun. I think it’s time for you to take a swim. 🙂
Your pictures are fantastically beautiful! I love the colors in the sunset photo. When I was a teen, my dad built a twenty-foot cabin cruiser with just enough space for all four of us to sleep on as long as Dad put his feet under the galley. We spent many a weekend sailing around the San Juan Islands.
Oh what fun! I envy you. There’s a book!