PENSACOLA BOUND

PENSACOLA BOUND

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - Woke to another beautiful morning. Enjoyed soaking up the sun!

Free Bird, Sundowner and Estrellita respectively

View looking back at boats

Then we headed into the beach to check out Fort McRee which was built between 1834 and 1839.  It was heavily damaged during the Civil War in 1861 during a massive artillery exchange between Confederate forces who were held up at Fort McRee and Fort Barrancas (just across the bay) and the Union forces who were at Fort Pickens (on another slip of land near Pensacola).   

Coastal erosion has taken its toll but you can still see some of the batteries that remain.  The best part of our morning venture was the flora and fauna! 

There were monarchs, butterflies and moths everywhere as well as birds, herons and even jellyfish!  Karen and I found a jelly fish that was trapped in a little puddle of water up off the shore.  The falling tide left him stranded there.  What a neat opportunity to see one up close.  Karen nudged him with a stick and he was definitely alive. 

He moved slowly and his body kept morphing into different shapes.  They are really interesting creatures.  There was a sign there that warned of their sting and told you to apply vinegar to any bites you may get.  Hope we never have to worry about that.

Sundowner and Estrellita decided to spend another day in this spot as it was so nice. 

We had plans to go into Pensacola for a couple of days to meet up with John’s high school friend Tim and his wife Amy.  When we were staying on Dauphin Island last winter we came and visited them and John and Tim reconnected once again after not seeing each other for 40 years!  It was as though the 2 had never lost touch and I thoroughly enjoyed their company as well.  We were looking forward to seeing them again. 

We passed by the Pensacola Lighthouse and Naval Station and into Pensacola Bay we go accompanied once again by dolphins. 

We are just amazed at how many there seem to be.  Had no idea there were so plentiful.  Pensacola is known as the city of five flags as five different flags have flown over the city since its inception in 1559 – Spanish, French, British, Confederate and American. 

Tim suggested we take a slip at Bahia Mar Marina which is very near to where he keeps his boat.  We pulled in about 12:30 and there was Tim waving to us from the Oar House Restaurant which was adjacent to the marina.  While we were walking down the dock to join him for lunch we saw 2 other Looper boats we had locked through on the Illinois River with, Can Am and Oasis!  Both boats looked like no one was aboard and Oasis had a for sale sign on her.  On to lunch we go, more fish!  Just love all the fresh fish one can eat down here.  There is no limit to the types of fish and the ways it is prepared.  Had a yummy lunch complete with mojitos and bloody mary’s.  Tim insisted that we spend the night at their house so we packed a bag, buttoned up the boat and bid Molly farewell for the night.  We got a tour of Pensacola ala Tim and headed out to Chumukla for dinner and a visit.  We passed fields of cotton, some that had been picked and others that yet to be harvested. 

That is something you don’t see up North!  Had a nice relaxing time except for we were missing Molly.  Hated leaving her alone but Tim & Amy have 2 big dogs and it was not an option for her to be there with us.  We will give her some extra special lovin’ tomorrow!  Enjoyed a hot shower, a delicious dinner, a warm fire and just a nice evening catching up with Tim and Amy and their pups Pahsha and Joey.