M/V NORDIC                      CinMar 2004 Adventure Log 2



CinMar 2004 Adventure Log 2
August 24, 2004
Hello & greetings from Tarpon Springs, Florida. We are on the West coast & its our first port after making the Gulf open water crossing from Apalachicola.

We were in Tarpon Springs 3 miles up the Anclote River from the Gulf  of Mexico when Hurricane Charley hit.  We were so so so lucky, fortunate & blessed that we were spared! We had not used those words as much as we do now-each & every day! We had been in the direct path of the hurricane until it quickly changed directions 2 hours before it hammered (putting it mildly) Punta Gorda. Tarpon Springs is 100 miles north of there. As you may remember, we chose Punta Gorda for hurricane protection in August '01 for a couple of months when we were cruising a few years ago. We cannot imagine the hardship it has caused nor the total devastation to so many people! Had the hurricane made landfall in the Tarpon Springs/Tampa Bay area, our boat would not have survived!  We have never been so scared!  It was mandatory evacuation for us. We were lucky enough to rent a car, load it to the hilt with some of our valuables & then drove aimlessly north/east unable to find a motel room anywhere. We were told to keep going to Orlando & decided not to. Gut feelings work! We turned around, headed back toward the boat &" finally" got the last room at a motel in Tarpon Springs. We were relieved to be out of the car & stationary on land. We were on high ground, away from the water & just 5 miles from the boat. The motel gave us a 2nd floor room & 2 local evacuation sites if we chose to go to.  They taped our windows & we hoped for the best! We were both walking around in a daze with heavy hearts & glued to the TV. By late that afternoon (Friday, August 13), we left the motel & moved back aboard with glee! The hurricane had turned & we were now on the "better side." It was a miracle!  The car & motel were very cheap hurricane insurance! Mother nature is so powerful & being on the water we are especially vulnerable. Throughout those stressful days, came a new & special friendship. We met Jami & Solon, aboard M/V Solo in the middle of hurricane preparedness. They are very interesting locals-Greek sponge divers. We thoroughly enjoyed their company (that's an understatement) until they went to sea again. Hope to meet up with them in Clearwater if they come back in time before we leave the area?

We want to thank our dear friends & family who called & emailed us while we traded places with Hurricanes Bonnie & Charley. The support was comforting & made us feel so good! It was a very scary & eire times to say the least. Today, now each & every day we have a new appreciation for life & it feels mighty good! Our lives/boat had never been as threatened!

Our boating friends Cindy & Steve who live in Punta Gorda, our thoughts & prayers are with you. They were one of the few lucky ones, who had damage to their home & boat but minimal compared to what others were faced with. We commend their gra-8 attitude (as if they have a choice). They still have no electric & must boil water to use. They both still have jobs in tact to go to-luckily.
On a more upbeat note, Tarpon Springs is heavenly! It's a small, Greek waterfront community, famous for its sponge diving & natural sponge industry. The streets are lined with fabulous Greek restaurants, irresistible bakeries, unusual retail shops, free museums & a huge Greek cathedral/shrines.  Shopping here is irresistible. We have had fun shopping, visiting with the merchants, buying unusual & local ethnic things. There's also a 36 mile bike trail here which was made from converted railroad tracks strictly for walking, biking & roller blading. It goes all the way to St. Petersburg. We biked 12 miles on the trail & thoroughly enjoyed it. We even visited a water reclamation park where they recycle water & use it for lawns, etc., on the way. The daily ambiance included listening to Greek music playing in the streets & watching parts of the Olympics on TV from Athens. We were treated to Greek coffee while sitting outside along the street with locals. The people here are very friendly, sincere & interesting along with their rich & fascinating culture. Lots to eagerly learn!
 
Nancy O., Gayle & A. K. , this is a tribute to you too being Greek...Opa...!
Here's a sampling of the wonderful & distinct flavors of Greek food we are enjoying here. We love the traditional Greek salad with potato salad, homemade breads & pastries, Greek chicken chow mein, chicken souvlaki & Greek spinach pizza. All so yummy. We did some serious bike riding to help burn our overindulgence, to say the least.
 
Since our last email log, we finished our delightful stay at Baypoint Marina in Panama City Beach & traveled a whole 6 miles in beautiful emerald green water to Panama City.  While in Panama City Beach, we snorkeled, visited several beaches accessible only by boat/dinghy, collected wonderful shells, swam & even went out to dinner via dinghy. It's a favorite area that we discovered about 7 years ago. Panama City is a totally different area where we spent 1 night & then left the "redneck Riviera" & "emerald coast"as the Panhandle is known. We traveled leisurely through an 18 mile landcut which the towboat captains call the Grand Canyon. Its contrast of high multicolor rocks, trees & sand are very picturesque. Also we passed under the White City bridge & are now part of the EST zone. Ooops-we just lost an hour! The next 2 nights we spent in Apalachicola waiting for the weather forecast & the winds/seas to match so we would have a nice calm Gulf crossing.
 
From Apalachicola, we headed south/east in the Gulf Of Mexico, covered about 155 miles of open water in about 7.5 hours That was record time for us! It was relaxing & exciting! Our best one yet. Guess that's what the expression -- 3X a charmer-means. Here are the details. We left at daybreak with lightening & rain on the radar within 16 miles. Our Captain said that he would do his very best to adjust course, dodge the rain & it should be clear thereafter. He was right & 100% accurate. It did not rain (a drop) on our parade (crossing). It was a bit bumpy at first -- as always. First 3' seas, then 2', 1' &  then "0" foot seas. The Captain spotted a gigantic sea turtle along the way & turned around so we could watch it as the birds circled around it. We even traded places sitting on the bow, enjoying the gorgeous water & horizon. It was quite suprising, very beautiful & a gift from Mother Nature. We were very proud & glad to have the crossing behind us.
 
As far as our weather goes, we had a few hours of rain altogether so far, a local wind storm in Clearwater Beach the other night & no storm surges since we left Houston.  We are so so grateful too! 
 
The sea quenches our thirst ... for life, adventure, tranquility, peace & freedom, except during these trying hurricanes. Here are a few more boat names we added along the way:
RitzSea                                                       Funatic
Out To See                                                 Sweetheart
Slice Of Heaven                                        Fin Addicts
 
We began cruising again just over a month ago. We can't seem to slow down the days. They are going way too fast! Sure wish we could keep on cruising, however the "real world" is calling us. We will live onboard & settle at the Riviera Beach municipal marina, just across from Peanut Island & Lake Worth inlet around the end of September or so.  It's a real convenient area. West Palm beach is the local airport. Come visit us!
 
We would love to hear from you! Call or email us anytime! Let us know about you & what you are doing.  Until then, take care & be well. We hope to email you again soon.
Captain Marc & First Matie Cindy
2951 Marina Bay Dr#130-199
League City, TX 77573
281-433-8843 Cap
281-798-1700 Cindy
snowhites2@aol.com
Tuesday, AUgust 31, 2004
Hi Everyone,
No need to worry about us. We are in port at Clearwater Beach marina & will extend our stay until Hurricane Frances passes. Since we are on the west coast of FL, we may be on the "good" side of the state for now. We are watching the local & national news day & night. We will be in touch soon. Until then, take care. Be well!
Fondly,
Captain Marc & First Mate Cindy
 

 

Thursday, September 2, 2004
 
Well, we evacuated the Clearwater Beach area yesterday. The prior night we had a local storm with 20-25 MPH winds & gusty.  Between the lightening strikes & the open Gulf waters/beach all around us, made us very concerned! We couldn't imagine what 3-4X that intensity would be like & didn't want to find out! We took that as a warning & heeded it. Not feeling safe & listening to our gut feelings, we left! We got the only slip at the city marina that we could fit into back in Tarpon Springs & very grateful to be here. We are 3 miles up the Anclote River, hopefully tucked in well? We both feel so much safer & better being here.
 
We hope & pray that we are spared & safe. Our prayers for Mom & Manny in Delray Beach as well as other family/friends are of utmost concern too. Mother Nature is totally unpredictable with no rhyme or reason. Thanks for everyone who has called/emailed us & worried too! We will be in touch after it is all over.
 
Cindy & Marc
M/V Nordic