Weather forecast for January 6, 2017:
Turner Marine, Dog River, Mobile, Alabama
Cloudy, low 36 high 60.
Northeast winds 8 to 13 knots becoming north 15 to 20 knots.
Light chop becoming choppy to rough.
Captain’s Log: December 26, 2016 – January 5, 2017
Happy New Year!
Not much to report since the last post; the marina office was closed most of the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Things were, in a word, ‘slow’ so we decided to get out of Dodge for New Year’s Eve.
We had no specific plans other than to spend the weekend in Pensacola at our friend Jeff’s place. I wanted to watch the college football semifinals but Jeff’s TV didn’t get ESPN so we Googled ‘Sports Bars Near Me’ and at the top of the result set was ‘Flora-Bama’. Our drive east from Mobile to Pensacola on Perdido Beach Blvd (US 292) takes us right past Flora-Bama and we had taken notice of the funky looking place with the parking lot that was always crowded. It looked like the place to be on New Year’s Eve. We were not disappointed.
Flora-Bama is famous:
Playboy Magazine
2003: Best U.S. Beach Bar
People’s Choice Award
2003: Best Bushwhackers
Men’s Journal
2003: One of the Best Bars
CNN Travel
2012: #17 of World's 50 Best Beach Bars
Yahoo Travel
2013: America's Best Beach Bars
CheapFlights.com
2013: Top 10 Beach Bars (World)
Fox News Insider
2014: Fox and Friends - Mullet Toss
Huffington Post
2015: The Most Iconic Bar in Every State (Alabama)
FloridaBeachBar.com
Top 10 Beach Bar in Florida
Southern Living Magazine
100 Best Bars in the South
Although I suffered through countless exclamations of ‘Roll Tide’ and had to keep my allegiance to The Ohio State University a secret (which was not difficult to do given the pathetic and embarrassing performance of the Buckeyes), we had a lot of fun.
Big Earl’s Band performed on the main stage and Earl’s extremely politically incorrect banter between the tight musicianship and great vocals had the energized crowd in stitches. The buffet, complete with large shrimp and oysters-on-the-half-shell, was outstanding. The rainy night ended with fireworks on the beach. A large time was had by all.
Boat-related accomplishments:
Sanded the hull below the waterline
Bottom paint applied
Zincs installed on prop shaft, rudder shoe and bow thruster
LED deck lights installed on main and mizzen spreaders
We are anxiously awaiting the delivery of one 2”, stainless steel thru-hull. Once the thru-hull is installed the boat will be ready for the water. The marina has designated a location for us along the wall (a very desirable spot) and will also move our spars close to the boat, making it very convenient for completing the considerable amount of remaining work on the masts. Next week we will be floating and I will unceremoniously commit my ladder, upon which I have climbed Mount Everest,12 steps at a time, over the past 8.5 years, to the deep blue sea.
May your tomorrow bring fair winds and following seas!