Here Come Da Judge

     It's hard to believe we're 1/2 way through our 3rd week here at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Most days have been beach days, and I've even had the kayak out in the river a couple more times.

     We,ve switched campsites to our favorite, #96, (perfect for guests, with its own cul-de-sac) and so bid adieu to our last neighbor, Dick Laliberte, from Hudson NH, here for a 600 person geocaching event;sort of a scavenger hunt using GPS to find things hidden at co-ordinates that you download from the internet. Fun? I don't know, but hey no judging here.

     I almost DID judge the 65 or so Jehovah's Witnesses that took over the campground the weekend before last. (Religiously oriented groups of any denomination tend to give me gas.) But honestly?  These folk were a miracle ( if I can use that word) of planning and execution: organized games for the older kids, Disney movies projected outdoors on the side of an RV for the younger ones, and a central food service area encompassing 2 of their 9 or so camp sites. Complete with a real barbeque pit. The smells of the slow cooking was almost enough to make me consider accepting a few pamphlets in exchange for a taste. (almost)

     This week we had neighbors across the road from, judging from the accent, Germany. A young couple with a toddler and an oft crying infant, driving an odd Ford Transit based camper that clearly came from Europe. Every time the baby would stop wailing, Gordon would commence barking. Turns out the reason the baby (this is the 7-8 month old, not the toddler) had quieted, and the reason for Gordon's alarm was that the baby had taken to SweetPea-ing himself across the road and up our drive into our site. This happened 3 times, to the utter indifference of the parents, who were closed in their camper leaving the infant to his own devices. It got to the point where anytime our other neighbors heard Gordon barking, they would run out of their camper to scoop up the baby in the road. Good Lord, the toddler probably frolics in the middle of the Autobahn at home. So Gordon:hero dog.

     Yesterday I took the kayak a few hours downriver, and had just reached my desired fishing grounds when I got caught in a thunderstorm/tornado/monsoon. By the time I sprinted back, (thank God for healthy knees) the entire campground was afloat, especially the tents. But not this one: www.sylvansport.com/go   "Only" $8,495.

     Of course the integrity of ANY camping unit is challenged when one (duh!) leaves the window open. YOU be the judge: who's at fault, the one who opened the window over the bed the night before, or the one who sat through the deluge blissfully reading without checking? Solomon says it's a wash. Literally.

     However, we COULD be camping in that unit with the Ron Paul for President stickers, (kind of a glorified dog house) so all is good, albeit a bit damp.

     Watched some guys at Hobe Sound Beach who were part of a 3 day shark fishing (from the beach,not boats) tournament last weekend. These guys use the same paddle-the-kayak-out-about-200-yds and drop-your-baited/weighted-line technique that we use for stripers at Race point, except on steroids. Instead of a 12 oz. sinker holding down a couple of sluggos (fake sand eels), these guys chunk up  sting rays and bonito into 12"x9" pieces, put it on what looks like meat hanging hooks, with leaders a good 1/2" thick, and weigh it down with bricks tied to ropes. And the reels? Size matters; bigger than anything you'll see on "Wicked Tuna".

     Of course my very presence on the beach (3 different times over the course of the weekend) meant no action to be seen, but rumor had it they caught a couple of 7 foot lemon sharks in my absence. (Catch,tag,and release, lest ye be judging)

     So now you're up to date. Hope you're all good, and remember: keep your fingers out of the snowblower.

Tiki Bar Wherefore Art Thou?

Well, I learned last year not to let the fun get too far behind us. So I'm checking in in a somewhat timely fashion this year, lack of material be damned.

My friend Carol wants "more redneck stories".
Given that we are eschewing the panhandle this year, they will be hard to come by. ( Not that the area is without its merits, we're just sick of driving 1500 miles to be cold in Florida) Hmm...unless I were to make them up....

No, fisherman that I am, I only write the truth. So Carol will have to settle for "odd people stories".

The Red Roof in Wilmington Delaware provided the first two: the guy who shared far too many details of his divorce with me over the course of 7 minutes, and archetypal Crazy Chatty Cat Lady, who had  ??? many cats in those crates.

I've noticed that at Red Roof locations where there IS  actually something nefarious going on, (Tallahassee, West Palm, Fort Lauderdale) you get left alone. They're too busy doing their ...whatever. It's these "nice" ones where you need to watch out.

Here in JD State Park, most people maintain a respectable distance when using the shared spaces. So this morning I (unseen lady occupying stall 3) was a tad surprised to hear from (unseen lady occupying) shower #1 :"SEEN ANY CRITTERS?"

Well,yes,yes I have. 1 Raccoon in the dumpster, 1 bunny in the grass, 4 whiting, 1 flounder and 1 of those god awful hard head catfish (see Revenge of the Catfish, April 2, 2012 for the gory details)

Other than sighting wildlife and odd people, much of our time here has been spent trying to find a replacement for our 2 favorite post beach watering holes. One gone to a no dogs policy, and one "closed permanently". Yeah, I know, a first world problem.

Mark and Lucy: Swampbloggers: Remember This? Welp,it's that time of year again....

Mark and Lucy: Swampbloggers: Remember This?  Welp,it's that time of year again....: Remember This?  Welp,it's that time of year again. Last year we hadn't much to report (#peteredout), and are expecting/hoping? for m...

Remember This?  Welp,it's that time of year again. Last year we hadn't much to report (#peteredout), and are expecting/hoping? for more of the same.

Basically we are pushing the envelope even a bit further than last year;checking into our campground in Hobe Sound on Sun. January 19, and alternating names, credit cards and  camp sites till checkout on Mar.3. This works perfectly, theoretically,despite the 2 week maximum, due to the required 11 mos. in advance booking via Reserve America. But in reality, the eyebrows of the ACTUAL PEOPLE who man the in and out booth raise higher and higher the longer we stay.

During this extended stay, we're having our usual guest of honor,Suzanne Osberg joining us, and for 4 days are using our Hobe Sound campsite as a reasonably priced parking place, and joining her in a jaunt to the Keys in a dog friendly hotel, sans camper.

BTW, in years past, we've attempted to lure others to share in the fun,given that we carry a tent and Aerobed for the purpose. But, aside from Suzanne,no takers. So this year we offer up JUPITER WATERFRONT INN. Within a mile of the campground. All Tikki Bar research done. Around 170/nt for a good place. Anbody??? Airport pickup free!


Once we return from our sojourn in the Keys, within a week, we are off across the state to  Koreshan. Long time readers of this little blog might remember this as the park that was donated to the state ( as many of these parks were) by a cult who believed that the world was contained within a  giant hollow sphere. Today, it's attraction is as the closest campground to Red Sox spring training in Fort Meyers. (Which is our purpose: Tickets on the fake green monster ;check. Reservations for the dogs in a nearby kennel;check.)

After Fort Meyers, we return to Hobe Sound via Rainbow Springs, a State Park we've visited before, which offers a tubing excursion. We've got friends from Wellfleet who live nearby, who will take the dogs. (HI MONICA AND LINDA,REMEMBER THIS???)  Also hoping to visit with LARRY ROSS and WAYNE and GINNY GILES during this time, at THE VILLAGES.

Come Mar.12, we are back in Hobe Sound until the 26th, expecting to arrive home in Wellfleet by April 1.

Come join us!

Don't Hate Us Because We're Warm...You've been Invited

     Well,nothing of huge import has happened here, which is as it should be. (Excepting, that we were waited on by ELVIS at the Walmart  today!!!)

We were shopping for cheap fishing gear for various Seans and Caitlins, and decided that the place in Jupiter that doles out these awesome bags with the purchase of a 3 oz.sinker might possibly not be in our price range.

So, we're in the middle of the 2nd of our back to back to back series of 2 wk. reservations here at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Here's a shot of papayas growing here at site 97. By the looks of things, we're not the only ones skirting the 2 weeks at a time rule. Some people were here when we arrived on the 21st and haven't budged an inch, like the couple in the vintage Airstream, whom I suspect of being the ones with the 24-30 second endless loop of music serving as their "white noise".
---Faintly Prokofian harmonically, with the lugubriosity of Gorecki, overlayed with a slight sheen of John Tesh.

I seem to be the only one of us that can hear this,which must mean I win the hearing contest. Good,I'll be needing the points when the hearing and memory events of the nearing-60 triathalon commence.

Had our friend Suzanne this week in the guest room---lots of fun. I do blame her "Alligator" and "Crocodile" concoctions (involving Cachaca) for some imperfect securing of the campsite at night. The good news here is that the new medicated Gordon didn't even notice the raccoon party raging outside.

Speaking of parties, we had some pretty rowdy (in a pre 11pm kind of way) Quebecois in this sweet ride. PARTAY EN FRANCAIS! Mercedes Turbo Diesel, I'd take the over on the 100K threshold.

Lots of other Canadians here as well. This sign belongs to Barb and Dave Henderson from Utopia Ontario. Apparently one needs a vacation, even from Utopia.

Have spent a few afternoons kayaking on the Wild and Scenic Loxtahatchee. Caught 8 of these,which I now know, thanks to my new handy waterproof,trifold guide to the fishes of Florida, are Jack Crevalle. (food value:poor)

Said cards were purportedly delivered to my brother's house by "an Asian man", with the printed admonishment "don't ask me again".Coincidentally,they were wrapped in my brother's signature graph paper....thanks Dave! Now I know that sardine #2, the one with the kissy lips and the high def scales was actually a triggerfish. (food value:good)

Lots of big birds on the river too; Osprey and Heron.

Stopped by a classic car lot on the way home from Walmart. Here's the latest object of Mark's affection.




OK, that's it for now. Remember,Don't hate us because we're warm.

Siri gets Existential

I read where Apple is hiring young writers to make Siri a "better conversationalist".
Well,unless they plan on exhuming Jean Paul Sartre himself for the job,they won't be beating THIS conversation:

Mark: What time is "Dish Nation" on in West Palm Beach?

Siri: I can't help you with TV

Mark: Why not?

Siri: I don't know. I've often wondered that myself.

Mark: You're a useless bitch, you know

Siri: I'm only trying to help

Mark: But you didn't

Siri: I don't know the definition of the word "I". Shall I search the web for it?


Huh?

Guess I can see where this is going. Just as one can now (for .99) choose one's GPS directives from  "Sexy Voice", "British Butler", or "Utter Fop"; Siri will now be overlaid with such options as "Henry David", "Jack" (Kerouach or Nicholson,you choose) or "50 Shades of Siri". Can't Wait!


So, obviously, we have some new toys at our disposal this trip. The personal hot spot is awesome. No more frequenting Ranger Stations or free Wi-Fi coffee joints. If only something blog worthy would occur.

I'm hesitant to dwell on the 80 degree temps, and our trips to the beach, considering what the majority of "you" (shall I search the web for it?) have recently endured temperature wise.

So, I'll just briefly run down the goings on:

Had a disappointing stay at the Kingsland Georgia Red Roof; not to fear, the Jacksonville option is a mere 40 minutes further down (and right off) 95.

Getting back into the Camping life:
     Step 1   Push Button
     Step 2   Rub hands together gently under warm air
     Step 3   Wipe hands on pants   *

Caught 5 fish so far, all different and all unidentifiable by me. The Asian gentleman fishing next to me called them all "Sardines", which only fooled me once.

Saw my brother David and wife Ann, had a nice dinner out, and set up our superbowl viewing...go 49ers!

Gordon's Prozac is working!

And finally, Dish Nation is on here at the ungodly hour of 11 pm.



*totally stole that one,sue me.

Last Calls

Well, it seems our little travel blog has outlived its title. " Swamp Loggers"  apparently aired its last episode sometime during last years action packed trip. Of course there is no dearth of quality inspiration from the same er...swamp: "Here Comes Lucy's Boo-Boo's", or, in a nod to Gabe's current place of employment,"Fish Nation--That's What We Dis-em-Bowel!" are both begging to be chosen. However,being both technologically challenged ( how DID I do that logo thing???) as well as downright lazy, and not wanting to lose EITHER of our followers, we soldier on unchanged. Call it nostalgic.

Once again,the RED ROOF gods are casting their scarlet rays upon us. We've managed to parlay their 40th Anniversary Sale into 3 nights lodging on the way down for a grand total of $72.98. Plus tax,of course.

So, after gathering a 90 day supply of all the required pills,potions and nostrums for ourselves and the dogs,we're off tomorrow!

Once again, we're toting tent and Aerobed, in case anyone wants to join in the fun for a few days.
Jan. 21-Feb.28= Hobe Sound (airport=West Palm)
Feb.28-Mar.9= Tampa area
Mar10-Mar.21=Panhandle (airport=Tallahassee or Panama City)
Mar22-Mar30= Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina

Shoot us an e-mail or a call on Mark's cell.

We'll keep you posted when and if something bigger than a breadbox happens.