The call of the wild and dreams of adventure seem to call all of us at some point in our lives. Only a very few have the nerve, will, or resources to follow the call whenever it comes. The rest of us seem to wait until retirement or children, time and finances permit. I guess some and all of these were the reasons for the “mass migration this Fall” of our four Waterford Yacht Club Members, all heading to Florida and points beyond. Stitched together below are some summary accounts, through Christmas, of the travels of these five who have  “gone a venturing… sometimes known as cruising.”   

After buddy boating from St. Pete to Ft. Myers in the ICW, C'est Tout parted company with Utopia and crossed from Marco Island to Key West, spent two days there and moved on to Marathon. Utopia caught up with C'est Tout for a day in Marathon before C'est Tout moved on to Biscayne Bay. Another week later, Utopia caught up again and both boats spent a few days at Dinner Key in Coconut Grove. 

While Utopia stayed for the Miami Boat Show, C'est Tout crossed to Freeport - Lucayan Marina Village. Today, February 22 nd., a little over a week later, Utopia arrived at Lucaya. We now have four Waterford Harbor, Pier 15, boats here on the same pier: Gypsy Wind II, Bob and Terri Putz; Russler, Ike and Joan Russel; C'est Tout, Jack and Gwen Holcroft; and Utopia, Dennis and Beth Baker. In addition, we have one non-Waterford boat, China Moon, also from Houston. However, we are outnumbered by Canadian boats, about 2 to 1. Can you please arrange to send some more Texas boats?

“Erin's Child”

Mike's son maintains a trip website at www.erinschild.com. 

“Moby Duck”

Jim and Sallye Woodard departed in mid-October, chugging down the ICW in “Moby Duck”, their Katy Krogen. They reported minimum problems and great times visiting the small towns and large cities along the way. One of the high points of their visit was Avery Island and the famous Tabasco plant. All reports are that there are no signs pointing the way to Avery Island, but once you reach the Tabasco dock (provided you don’t draw too much), several miles off of the ICW, the folks are great and the “liven’ is easy.” 

Working around the Florida coast visiting many friends along the way, they finally reached Marathon, Florida in early December, their new home for the next several months. Jim reports Mike and Linda Hill (Erin's Child) are also at Marathon and he (Jim) has a bad case of the “Key’s Disease”, which translated means laid back, doing nothing, and finally really enjoying life!   Over Christmas, Jim and Sallye will be doing a quick trip to visit Jim’s parents in Arizona and see the kids in Houston on the way back to Marathon.

“Utopia”

Dennis & Beth Baker in their Morgan 45 were the next to leave, about a week after Jim & Sallye. They too, headed down the “ditch” and made a stop at Avery Island and numerous other places, “including a few Jazz clubs”, along the way. Utopia caught up with Moby Duck in New Orleans for a day or so and then stayed several more days in the local area. Moving leisurely East along the coast of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, Beth, “fell in love with Pensacola”. 

Thereafter followed some short offshore hops and then the jump from Destin to St. Petersburg, arriving December 4th where they caught up with Jack and Gwen Holcroft in C’est Tout. Dennis and Beth are at the Renaissance Venoy and will be spending Christmas with her family in Jacksonville.

“Argonauta”

Len and Lynn Engstrom in Argonauta, their Tayana 48, were off in early November. Len and three friends took the boat to Venice, LA enjoying two days of “real offshore” sailing. They were met in Venice by Lynn and one of the spouses, and the four then moved on to the LA/AL coast, visiting several ports, including Bear Creek Marina near Perdido Bay. 

Jumping off from Pensacola, the four had an easy ride direct to St. Petersburg and the Harborage Marina, arriving in mid-November. After a week of exploring beautiful old downtown St. Pete and a brief sojourn back in Houston, Len and Lynn were back in Tampa in late December for a few days, where they caught up with C’est Tout. They plan to spend Christmas with her parents in Ft. Lauderdale.

"C’est Tout"

C’est Tout, Jack and Gwen Holcroft’s Catalina 470, departed last in mid-November. Jack and crew, including WYC member, Curt Nicholls, started offshore, but after a day of plowing into unrelenting head winds and chewing fuel at a furious rate, they came back in at Cameron, LA.  Staying inside and “Running the Ditch”, from Lake Charles to Gulfport, MS, C’est Tout jumped back offshore and three and one half days later, arrived at the beautiful Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Tampa Bay at 6:00 AM. Thanksgiving day. 

After the run up the Bay to the Harborage Marina, Jack and Curt returned to Houston. A week or so later, Jack, Gwen, and ships dog, Gallagher, headed back to St. Pete to really start what Jack calls, “the Grand Adventure”. In St. Pete they caught up with “Utopia” and her crew to watch the Christmas Boat parade and for some fine dining experiences and welcomed Len and Lynn back. Visiting friends from the Tampa area and Gwen’s mother, who is joining them for Christmas in St. Pete, have kept Jack and Gwen quite busy. Jack reports there are currently 5 Waterford Yacht Club boats in the two Marinas in St. Pete: Argonauta, C’est Tout, Anicca (Alan and Ann Taylor, formerly of  Pier 18),  Pilot’s Away, and Utopia.   

Houston, Texas, and Waterford Yacht Club are certainly well represented in this part of the world.  Who will be next to join our flotilla to paradise?