A BRIDGE TOO FAR

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First light of the day; idling through our canal toward the harbor


As we exit the canal system this is our first view of Charlotte Harbor

My new best buddy and fellow Cardinals fan, Chuck

Now here's something you don't see everyday. As I took their picture he hollered out, "We're going to cut the sea grass!"

I never get tired of shots like this. Saturday afternoon returning home alone, after dropping Chuck off on another boat.

With the sun at his back and the wind in his face, it's just him and the wheel.

He wouldn't take a million for the way it makes him feel.

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Home in PC

Nice night, going to a low of 76.

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Oops I did it again. After a fun day out with Cardinals Chuck I dropped him off at the Barrier Island of Gasparilla and I headed back home to meet the rising tide. I had to get to the short bridge by 1PM to beat the tide. I was 5 minutes late. Normally I have a 10-15 minute window to get through but today the tides were not behind me. I couldn't make the bridge for the 3rd time in 18 months. If I was 5 minutes earlier or my boat was 2" shorter.... .

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I backed away from the bridge; less than a mile from my home dock. I idled up the Pellam canal and looked for a new friend. I spotted a man working in his yard and he graciously helped me tie up to his empty dock. His name was Ed and he built his house in Port Charlotte in 1981. He and his wife Martha have been married for 67 years. My own young bride came to meet me and our new friends invited us in for a refreshment. Kathy and I were both stunned when Ed revealed he was 93. Not only does he look great, he works in his double lot yard, still drives, pulls a trailer with his own fishing boat and spends several days a week fishing alone. He was some kinda guy. He shared with us that he was from the Houston area (born in 1916) and that he spent 41 years working for Aamaco/BP oil. He said he was recruited to the company to play on their corporate basketball team and ended up making a life there. He retired from BP while stationed in Cairo, Egypt, and they settled in Port Charlotte. We have met the nicest people in this town.

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Saturday evening we had our neighbor from NY, Ronnie, over for dinner. He and his wife Carol live 3 doors down from us. He's retired but she still works. They spend a few weeks at a time here, several times a year, and the rest of the time on Long Island, NY.

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At 10:30PM Ronnie and I headed over to the boat and brought her home without incident. The maintenance job I did seems okay, as the boat ran great all day. I put 64 miles on 25 gallons of fuel. After having awoke at 3AM Saturday, it's now 11:40PM Saturday and I am ready for a good nights sleep.