Cedar Key Boating

Our gracious hosts Pat and Cindy from the Hideaway, invited us out for an afternoon of boating to some of the outlying Keys around Cedar Key. Of course Sheryl and I jumped at the chance to experience the area from the water. So around 1:00 we headed out. The boat was a small skiff which allowed us to get into some pretty shallow places.

Once we cleared the safety of the marina, it was out to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Not to worry, even as far out as a few miles the water is still only a few feet deep in many places. As you can tell the trip started out a bit brisk.

Pat steering a steady course.

Some of the outer keys have shallow paths thru them, you really have to know the waters not to get hung up on the oyster beds.

While out on the open water, Cindy shouts out, look at that Conch, it's the largest I've ever seen. Pat circles the boat around and we find it in about 18" of water. I reached down in the water and bring it up, this thing was huge! and as an added bonus, there was a smaller one attached to it. After a few pictures and further examination, I placed it back where it was and we headed off.

As we were cruising around, far off in the distance, we saw what looked like a white sand bar coming out of the water, so we headed that way, as we got closer, we found the sand bar was full of White Pelicans, which had just started arriving in the area. As we circled their little island several times, they finally became skittish enough to fly off a few hundred yards to see if the darned tourist would leave them alone.

Well after a few more pictures, we decided to start heading back, as it was getting late in the day. Plus we wanted to be back at the Tiki Bar for the evenings sunset celebration.

Cedar Key, from the water.

As we approached the marina, this guy was hanging out. He sets in wait for the fishermen to come in who usually throw him the unused bait. Now that's a sweet gig for a pelican.

He swam behind us all the way to the boat slip, till he figured out we didn't have anything for him and just scooted off. One note, the White Pelicans are twice the size of the brown ones, hard to see with out them side by side, but that are huge birds.

What a great day out on the water, sun was shining, temps were just right with little to no breeze, making the water look like glass. We can't thank Pat and Cindy enough for being such great hosts and now friends. We hope to see them out on the road sometime or back at the Low Key Hideaway should we make it down that way again.

Ok, almost all caught up on the blog. Funny how sometimes it seems as if nothing happens for a week or more, then all of a sudden you are just busy busy busy. We should be staying here in the Florida Panhandle for a week at Tyndle AFB if they have room, if not we'll be heading further west to the Ft Walton Beach area. So until then, keep Lovin You Life as we do ours.........................