Shell Island

While at the club we decided that we didn't want to have to rely on sketchy forecasts to cross the gulf then have to rely on them to get back across in time for our flight to Oregon in early April.  Kids and grandkids are too important to miss!  So, we're going to wander around the Panhandle of Florida then sail down to Alabama and work our way home.  There are so many places we love going to in this area and sometimes pass them by in our hurry to either go south or get home.  This time we are completely in the mozzy along mode!  We have plans to be behind Shell Island for a while then go to the Port St. Joe marina for Saturday and Sunday.  We'll get laundry done, buy groceries, tramp around town and ride on their great bike path.  Sunday, we'll get to Mass and then start looking at where we go next.

Besides reading the great information, we also used the sign
to tie up the dinghy.

Despite this end of the island being a critical wildlife refuge, the base
provides quite a few walkovers to the beach so there is no excuse for
ruining the dunes or disturbing the nesting birds.

Walking back to the dinghy with yet more trash.

This was a huge piece of driftwood.

Watching the weather system made me think that I forgot to close up the boat.
There are lots of little things we have forgotten since our last cruise.

This was one busy crab as seen by all of his tracks.

Conch blowing time at sunset.

Walking the beach as we pick up trash.

I'm always fascinated to watch the patterns created by the wind on
objects in the sand.

The beaches were pristine.  Wrong time of year for tourists, right time of
year for cruisers.

Lots of trash.  This was all we could hold getting back to the dinghy.

The sunset over the island was gorgeous.  The camera didn't capture it well
but there was an almost perfect arc around it.

The almost full moon was in the sky at the same time as the sun was setting.