Thanksgiving Trip 2020 Day 4 - Indian Rocks Beach to Dunedin

Dunedin, FL

    The day dawned with a little breeze and another “damn toilet won’t flush” apparently I didn’t fix it. Let’s try something else.  Obviously there is some type of obstruction. This time I started on the tank side. I disconnected the vent hose & back flushed it, water came out the vent so good there. OK, I know where I need to go next, I disconnected the inlet from the head, shined a flashlight in the hose, sure enough arteriosclerosis. The crud was blocking the inlet. I had removed some before so now was my opportunity to get it all. I improvised a rooter and broke it up. Reconnecting the hose was tough as the hose is stiff but a little silicone grease & some muscle got it back on & double clamped. A few flushes & success! I know I got it this time.

Breakfast time...NEED COFFEE!

Checks done & off back North to Dunedin.

Casting Off

    Easy trip to Dunedin. We had a slip reserved for 2 days, this is one of our favorite little places which isn’t as little as it was when we came here 12 or so years earlier. When you go from 2 breweries to over 8, you have expanded! Dunedin, Florida is located about 3 miles north of Clearwater on the Intercoastal. Across the Intercoastal west is Caladesi Island, a State Park with floating docks and a beautiful beach, several times named one of the top beaches in Florida. The only access to Caladesi Island is by personal boat or the ferry that runs from Honeymoon Island or walk north on the beach from Clearwater. No roads. Staying in the marina there is a treat. You have access to the beach, water & electric. The approach is a little tricky (compass skills required) and if you have a deeper draft boat, approach at a rising tide. The beach is not crowded and at night it is super quiet, getting away from the city lights gives you a fantastic view of the sky. North of Caladesi across Hurricane Pass is Honeymoon Island, also now a State Park. For some reason the beach there is rocky compared to Caladesi.  Honeymoon Island was once called “Hog Island” and in the 1940’s was advertised as an island paradise for newlyweds. At one time there were tiki huts there for shelter & lodging. 

    We are familiar with Dunedin’s marina layout so finding our slip for the 2 day Thanksgiving Holiday was easy. The marina is very easy to access. From the Intercoastal you make a turn at #4 & #5 then follow the markers in. The approach is 4’- 4.5’. There are 9 transient slip & the cost is $1.50/foot, they take only check or cash. Gate codes to the docks, restrooms and showers, power & water but no WiFi. Super great folks, I can’t say enough about it, a good friend of ours turned us on to this place years ago, thanks Captain Ron!

    

In the yacht basin there was no breeze or current so backing in to our slip was pretty easy. I am getting a little better with the single engine but I definitely need more practice. My deck crew is getting pretty good at handling lines and even learned to tie a bowline, an absolute necessary knot to know, in fact, if that was the only knot you can tie, you can do just about anything with it (more on the bowline later).

Yacht Basin

    Our 2 girls drove down from Crystal River and stayed at the Holiday Inn on the bike trail (also another favorite place when we are boatless). They had no intention of staying 7 days on a small boat with us....who can blame them? They arrived right about the time we placed the last line on the dock.  We headed downtown for a snack. There are so many great restaurants, shops & brew pubs here. The bike trail (Rails to Trails) runs through the heart of town. 

Edgewater Park

   Tomorrow is Turkey Day!