Feb.2nd..Riverbender's Invade Everglade Isles

    35 Riverbend coaches arrive at Everglade Isles in Everglades City, Florida for the Annual Seafood Festival and fun with friends. Resort is located on the waterfront with a gorgeous clubhouse and first class boat slips.

 

 Fred putting the Riverbend Cruiser in the water at the Everglades Isles boat ramp

Let's take an air boat ride while we're here...Susan, Jim, Paula, Connie and Jerry..Christine had a tummy ache so we left her behind.

Speeding through the Everglades...

Everybody had a good time, especially the girls....They're both speed freaks

OK it's time to go back..this old gal looks mean

Loading the dingy for a trip around town......

Park the dingy, load the pontoon and head out to the Gulf by way of Indian Key Pass....

Two pontoon boats loaded with River Benders for a trip thru Ten Thousand Islands area

Then it's back to the Everglades Isle Clubhouse for a cocktail party before heading out to the Seafood Festival

I'll have some shrimp with those Tah Tah's

A Beetles Concert in Everglades City? What's the odds of that?

AND they were really good...A few more drinks and they would have been great

Saturday morning about 15 go -fasters showed up for the Poker Run

Jan. 29,2012..Lunch at Rumrunners

Docked "Happy Ours" at the Cape Harbor dockside restaurant and unloaded 10 hungary mates. The day started out a little cool with clouds but by lunchtime it was beautiful and the cruise back to the marina was perfect.

Two tables of hungary mates. Left table L to R Kathy, John, Kathy, Don, Charlie, Lori, and Anna
Right table L to R Christine, Jim, Jerry, Susan, Connie, and Paula...and the food was great.

Jan. 25, 2011...Sea Trial Connie's 340 Sundancer

Drove over to Daytona to check out a 340 Sundancer that our friends Connie and Paula are thinking about buying. The surveyor had already started the process when we arrived. Here the boat had just been pulled out for bottom inspection.

After returning boat to the water we took her out for a wide open run down the ICW. Boat ran good, very fast with twin 8.1L engines. L to R Paula, Christine, Broker, and Connie

Came upon this hugh yacht being pulled off a sand bar after the captain ran aground in the ICW. Two tugs pulling her back into the channel. When boating in Florida it's not IF you run aground but WHEN.

January 2012 - Sarasota Boat Trip

                              Beautiful Sarasota Sunset shot from the bow of "Happy Ours"

                      Taking the Misses for a late night dingy ride into town for a drink at the Tiki Bar

                  Lunch at the Bayside Tike Bar the next day, They had roasted a whole pig on the spit
                       that morning and we couldn't resist.....It was delicious..
   L to R......Christine..Kathy...Don..Don's mother Anna...John...Kathy..and I'm the one with the camera

                                                       Party Time aboard "Happy Ours"..

                    Don and Kathy brought his mom over for a night cap aboard "Happy Ours"

            Fueling up at Marina Jacks before heading out to the Gulf for a quick trip home

         Running side by side with "Sea Dog" in the Gulf of Mexico......Absolutely beautiful January day.

                      Water was so calm we decided to stop in the Gulf for some lunch and fishing

                        Stopped off at Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, stayed at Boca Grande Marina
                          and had breakfast at the "Outlet at the Inlet"

                             

"Happy Ours" Haul Out....January 2012

After a great Holiday with family, a little rabbit and deer hunting with Austin, we return to our Southern Home and start getting ready for some cruising action. Should have her back in the water next week following a little routine maintenance.

Scraping off the little sea creatures and sanding the bottom

Primer going on

Wax on, Wax off, five straight days...New prop seals, zincs, and bottom paint..Ready to go Cruisin'

Launching, slow and easy down the rails into the canal

Austin's First Buck

I'm going for a 8 pointer next year

Opening day of Deer Season for Youth in Kentucky.
Austin bagged a 5 point Buck with his 243 so we loaded him up and took the deer to Yoder's for processing. Hope to get some really good summer sausage out of this one. A really good way to end 2011 and can't wait to report on some good journeys in 2012.

Five Pointer with one tip broke off, probably fighting bigger deer
Austin dropped him with one shot, the kid can shoot