Cruising on Last Dance


This blog archives the adventures of Glen and Jill Moore and provides a means of communication for friends and family. Exploration and adventure have been synonymous with boats and water for centuries. The joy of adventures shared while exploring new places and meeting new people has built a strong bond for Glen and Jill. Last Dance is the platform for the exploration.

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." St. Augustine, 354 - 430

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910

"There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats." The Wind in the Willows, 1908, Kenneth Grahame, 1859 - 1932

"I've never believed speed and ease are conductive to living fully, becoming aware, or deepening memory, a tripod of urges to stabilize and lend meaning to life." River Horse: a log book of a boat across America, 1999, William Least Heat-Moon,1939 -

The Great Loop -- The current adventure is a circumnavigation of the Eastern United States, cruising north up the east coast through New York into Canada, across the Great Lakes to Chicago, navigating multiple river systems south to Mobile, along the Gulf coast to the Florida Keys and back to St. Augustine. This trip by boat is commonly referred to as the Great Loop. Progress and current location are indicated by the red line on the map to the right. It was titled the Traceless Path in recognition of a German sailor we met in St. Augustine who published booklets of his travels with hand-drawn, detailed maps describing his travels across the water as the Traceless Path.



Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Florida Panhandle - Cape San Blas Christmas

Port St. Joe, Florida, is centrally located among our daughters, so it was selected as a stopping place for Christmas. Melissa stopped by a week before Christmas, spending some time catching up and looking into the future. Amanda and Brittany, left early on Christmas Eve morning so they could help crew a trip to Cape San Blas.

A skinny spit of land, that would be a barrier island except that one end is attached to the mainland, Cape San Blas lies north/south along the Florida Panhandle creating St. Joesph Bay. Port St. Joe is on the mainland in the middle section of the bay.  The northern 8 miles of Cape San Blas is a Florida State Park.

Click here and zoom out for a Google Map of Cape San Blas


A short cruise across St. Joesph Bay brought the extended crew to Eagle Harbor, a cove along Cape San Blas that has a skinny piece of deep water providing an anchorage.  The shoals are clearly visible in the photo above.  Get near the green water and you are aground.











The long Gulf-shore beach provided many shell treasures for the ladies.  Again, the Last Dance crew found another beautiful beach that seemed to be a private enclave.  A private beach full of shells; a treasure trove for beachcombers.









Well, the crew did have to share the beach - with the full-time residents, many shorebirds.











Including one who complained about having to share the beach.































Back in Port St. Joe, the girls found a quite different tandem bike at the Port Inn, where they stayed.  Both riders shared the steering duties, a formula for problems which, fortunately, they avoided.
















A multiple-course, seafood-based, non-traditional Christmas dinner was enjoyed on Last Dance, to benefit from the fresh local fare of foods.  A different, albeit savory meal, nurtured conversation and family time together.  It will be remembered as the Cape San Blas Christmas.


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