The following is a "cruise report" filed by CLSA member Mike Trautman. The cruise just ended on May 7. The all-CLSA crew included Mike, Joe Thompson, and Larry Mohr. The "Island Princess" is a 32 foot Island Packet that Mike keeps in Florida.
Well, the 2008 Island Princess Cruise didn't get as far as we'd hoped it would, but all things considered, we're glad that we survived the flu bug we all shared and we actually had a good trip anyway.
Yes, Larry finally came down with it on Saturday, the day we headed back toward Sarasota. When we got home we put him to bed and forced fluids, Today he's feeling better and back on his feed. So I think he will live after all.
Our Abbreviated trip started Wednesday and ran from Sarasota, directly to Pelican Bay at the Cayo Costa State Park about 45 miles South. We arrived and dropped the anchor just before sunset.
We spent the next day at anchor and played with the kayaks, motored around in the dinghy, and explored the island. Joe and I particularly had fun sailing the dinghy around the bay. Joe of course made friends on another boat and spent some time "chatting them up". Friday we had a fine sail across the Boca Grande channel to Gasparilla Island where we pulled up to dock at a classic old time Florida place called Whidden's Marina. At Whidden's we rented an electric golf cart and went to see the light house at the South end of the Island.
After lunch at the "Loose Caboose" we sailed on up the ICW to another anchorage at Stump Pass and another great evening on the hook. I broke out the kayak again and paddled over to the beach. I took a nice dip in the Gulf of Mexico and walked the beach.
Saturday Larry was feeling the effects of the flu and it was time to head for home. We had a nice breeze to push us along and spent much of the day sailing with the colorful spinnaker flying and the mainsail "wing on wing".
So we're putting Island Princess to bed for the summer, tying extra lines on her for hurricane season. It's nice to have a little extra time to secure the boat and relax before the trip home. Larry's back on solid food and life is good!
Flying back to Illinois tomorrow!
Maybe a better trip log will follow, but that's it for now!
From Mike, Larry and Joe on Island Princess