Quadcopter Phantom with Camera or UFO?

Glenn brought his Quadcopter phantom camera aboard this trip.  Glenn is a professional photographer who has taken several photos of the Poole family over the years.  You can contact Glenn and see his work here.

The quadcopter created quite a stir at the marina.  There were many interested bystanders and more than one almost angry individual who vowed to shoot the copter with his shotgun.  After we explained that Glenn was not a goverment spy -- everyone wanted copies of the pictures he took.  

Looks like a UFO

This guy couldn't figure out what was happening--but he was a good sport after we explained.

Glenn at the controls

Getting ready to land the copter on this large green lawn --me looking over Glenn's shoulder to get the picture

Pictures from the Quadcopter tomorrow!!!

Joy

Shrimp Tacos

While planning our trip to Captiva, we (I) decided each couple would prepare a meal to be enjoyed together rather than going out to dinner every night. Dave and Charlene cooked Salmon with Crabmeat stuffing while we were in Venice with a salad and strawberry shortcake for dessert.  It was delicious, but I didn't get a picture--I don't know what I was thinking.  

It was another treat for us to have shrimp tacos on the boat after spending the afternoon at the beach.  

Glenn & Nancy  graciously supplied the recipe so that I can share with others. 

Shrimp Taco Ingredients:

70-80 medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined

2 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3 TBS olive oil

Corn Tortillas

Oil for frying

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes

sliced avocado

cilantro lime sour cream (recipe to follow)

Directions

1.  In a bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Add in shrimp and toss to coat completely.  Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to give the flavors a chance to marry.

2.  Cook shrimp in a skillet on medium heat until pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

3. Use enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of a small pan, about 2 TBS.  Heat over medium high heat.  Cook tortillas one at a time until soft, about 30 seconds on each side.  Fold over to make a taco shell.  As you cook each tortilla, place them on paper towels to absorb any of the oil left over.

4.  Spoon 5 shrimp into each taco shell, top with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and cilantro lime cream.
5.  Serve

Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

Ingredients:  1/2 cup sour cream, 4 TBS chopped fresh cilantro, 1/2 tsp cumin, zest and juice from 2 limes, salt to taste.  
Stir all ingredients together in a bowl and use to top the tacos.

Tedious Mojito Melon Salsa

Ingredients: 

1 cup each of  chopped watermelon, cantaloupe, & honeydew

1/2 large cucumber, seeded, and chopped

1/4 red onion chopped

1/2 avocado, chopped

10-12 mint leaves chopped

2 TBS chopped cilantro

2 limes, juiced

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and add lime juice, salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and serve with chips of your choice. 

Yummy!

Venice to Captiva

Leaving Venice in 22 knot winds proved to be a non event.  It helps to have crew help untie lines quickly.  Once we were safely in the waterway, the trees protected us from the wind.  Our destination today--Captiva Island.

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Venice the morning of departure

Nice ride on the foredeck

Swing Bridge

Several months ago I wrote about Gasparilla and Jose Gaspar for whom Gasparilla is celebrated.  Captiva is supposedly the island on which pirate Jose Gaspar held women captive until a ransom was paid.   It is also reported that the Calusa Indians once inhabited the island until the late 1700's.   Captiva and Sanibel Islands were at one time just one island.  In 1926, the two were separated by a hurricane forming a new channel, now called Blind Pass. 

Our destination for the day is South Seas Island Resort.  The resort was begun as a fishing resort known as South Seas Plantation 1946 by Clarence Chadwick who invented Checkprinter.  Hurricane Charley came through in 2004 inflicting serious damage to the resort, closing it for 18 months for renovation and repairs.  It is owned and operated today by Luxury Resorts. 

Luxury is an appropriate word to describe the resort--three pools and a waterslide, a short walk to the beach,  biking paths, restaurants, shops are all great options when staying at South Seas.   Another great plus to our slip was the local wildlife.  Four or five manatees live in the slip we were assigned.  It is the calmest slip so they like it here.  On occasion we saw a dolphin come in to aggravate the manatee. 

 A fun walk around the pools and then we headed to the beach for cool breezes and sunshine.  We couldn't pass up the photo opportunity that presented itself at the pools...Enjoy!

Stuck in Venice

The winds and rain came into Venice on Monday evening and into Tuesday.  The captain decided it was best that we stay in Venice for the day and avoid the bad weather.  The good thing about getting stuck somewhere is the opportunity provided to explore.  

We discovered a golf cart shuttle service owned and operated by Bob and his wife who gladly took us the two miles into town safely protected from the rain.  Bob had a unique business idea to start a shuttle service using electric battery operated golf carts.  Bob picked us up at the marina, zipped up the doors and took off toward the tree lined main street of Venice.  He gave us an abbreviated history of the area while pointing out great shopping sites.  When we had heated up the credit cards and decided it was time to return to the marina, Bob came back to take us.  

Dinner on board prepared by Dave and Charlene was salmon stuffed crab meat, baked potatoes, salad and strawberry topped angel food cake.  By sunset, the rains had ceased, but the wind picked up to about 30 knots.  We took a walk to the inlet to watch the waves crash into the rock wall.  

Hibiscus were in full bloom on our morning walk between rain showers.

Always fun to spot a Fleming--65 foot--don't know how he got into this slip.

I told Steve about seeing the Fleming 65 on our morning walk.  He and the guys took off in that direction with a boat card in hand.  He was determined to meet the owner.  Glenn, Dave, & Steve walked around the house of suspected Fleming owner to the back yard,  called out a "Hello" and were greeted by the owner who graciously gave them a tour and then drove them back to the marina because the rain had begun to fall heavily.  The people at Burr Yacht Sales told us they won't sell a Fleming to anyone who isn't nice--once again they are proven correct.  

Trouble

Joy

Venice and the Crow's Nest

Our latest adventure is a trip to Captiva Island. We have crew with us this week --Glenn & Nancy & Dave & Charlene.  The first stop is the Crow's Nest Marina in Venice, FL.  Venice is known as the shark tooth capital of the world--meaning that combing the beaches will surely turn up some of those deadly teeth.  The shark tooth festival will be held this weekend, April 12-14. 

The marina is located at the Venice Inlet about as close to the Gulf as possible.  The beach is a two minute walk from the marina.  The downtown district is about 2 miles away.   

view of the inlet from the bow of the boat

The Crow's nest marina restaurant has a reputation for great food--we decided to check it our for ourselves. 

Shrimp & Grits

Crow's Nest Seafood Platter with mixed julienne vegetables

Key Largo Grouper with Rice

Joy

A night at the Races 80th birthday Part II

When my father was younger he enjoyed racing cars.  The story is that while dating my mother he could make it from his hometown of Commerce, Georgia to Lawrenceville, Georgia in 30 minutes.  It takes most people close to an hour to make this trip.  I don't know if this is true or not--but it does go to show his love of driving fast.  

My brother had a great idea to take Daddy to the Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson.  Gresham Motorsports Park opened its 2014 racing season on the Saturday evening we attended.  The Park hosted its first Stockerama which is  contest on both the quarter and the half mile oval tracks.  The tickets are $10 for an exciting evening adventure.  

I was most interested in the flag man.  Along with the green starting flag and the checkered finish flag, he waved multiple combinations of flags in an effort to communicate to the drivers speeding around the course.  

Joy

White Peacock

We have owned peacocks for many years.  We started with a pied peacock which has white feathers mixed in with the beautiful blue and green.  After many years two solid white peafowl were hatched into the family.  These two survived childhood and have matured into adults--one male and one female.  These white peacocks have a genetic mutation called Leucism which causes a lack of pigmentation in its feathers.  White peafowl have blue eyes, unlike Albino animals and birds which have red or pink eyes. 

Can you see Jack in the window?

Joy