Dan and I are very lucky. The way we travel, either in our 5th wheel camper or our boat, means that we are naturally isolated from other folks. We can be as sociable, or not, as the situation warrants! In January, we pulled out of our home in Michigan and headed to Florida. Our usual spot for camping in Florida, on the Navy base in Key West, is not available this year due to the Covid19 crisis. So, we got reservations at the Phipps County Park, in Stuart, which is located right by the St. Lucie Lock on the Ocheechobee Canal across Florida. We thought it might be fun to be able to watch boats as they come through the lock. We were right! Our campsite was right at a bend in the St. Lucie River and gave us a ringside seat. We kept the binoculars handy, so that we could read the name and home port of boats. Some of the boats were owned by members of the AGLCA, or Great Loop, of which we are also members! We may bring the Kittiwake through this waterway next year, so that makes our observations particularly interesting!
In addition to watching the boats, the campground gave me access to miles of walking options. I had determined to get my weight under control during the 3 months we would be in Florida, which included walking 10,000 steps (or about 4.6 miles) most days. I am proud that I was able to take about 25 pounds off my weight during this time! By the time I was done, I had met my goal of 30 pounds. Now, just to keep it off! But, I digress!
These pictures are from our time in Stuart.
We stayed in Stuart for about a month, then relocated to the Navy Base campground in Pensacola for the last few weeks. This campground had miles of offroad hiking trails, a beach, and a 54 hole disc golf course! It was a lovely spot, and we enjoyed the area.
Both our camping spots were close to stores and restaurants, while allowing us all the relaxing time we needed. We did have a chance to see our friends, the Sprenkles, a couple of times while in Florida, but, for the most part, we just hung out together. Thank God we enjoy each other's company!
We were unable to get the Covid shot in Florida, since it was restricted to Florida residents. We were mostly careful, except for one occasion. We attended a concert on the street in Sanford, Florida with our friends. Almost no one there wore a mask. I believe that is where I contracted the virus. Luckily, my symptoms were extremely minor, consisting of just losing my sense of taste and smell for about two weeks. Somehow, despite our constant close contact, Dan did not contract the virus. We were very lucky.
The following are the shots I took during our 2021 Florida adventure. These first ones are from our camping spot in Stuart, right on the St. Lucie River - we were about 200 yards from the St. Lucie Lock, and we really enjoyed seeing all the boats coming up and down the river.
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