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Solo coastal camping: away from the Fort and back again


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My mother would be so proud! :shh:

I just wrote out a long update from yesterday, and something froze and it's gone! I'm lying in my hammock. It's my last night of my 23 day camping trip.  I'm pretty much out of food, except for some p

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I should get fired as a poster! Got distracted. I am now at Anastasia State Park. Buccanner was nice, but they are still rebuilding after Katrina, so it's pretty sparse. I feel bad for them, I am a hurricane Charley survivor and it sucks. Anyway, in a few years, maybe I'll go back again. I did take a picture of my new camp kitchen! Can I just say I LOVE it!

 

(OK, Now I'm getting annoyed. I have condensed the picture down to super small and it still tells me the file is too large) How do y'all get your pictures up without being yelled at?

 

 

On my way here, I stopped by Tallahassee to celebrate my youngest daughter's 29th birthday. Here's what I had planned - it's scalloping season in Florida, so I rented a deck boat (this is a flat bottom boat - sadly, that matters) out of St. Marks. The weather was a little dicey, but the nice young lady at the marina felt very positive that it was going to clear up. So, confidently, I loaded my daughter, my cousin and her husband up, and off we went. The nice young lady at the marina gave us a map to where she said they were finding scallops. Pretty straightforward - follow the chanel out to the Gulf, pass the lighthouse, then pass between two islands, and BINGO - succulent, sweet morsels just waiting for us to scoop them up! I had brought a portable grill, a marinade out of soy and ginger, and, laughingly, hot dogs "just in case." Oh and Coronas. The first squall hit when we were still pretty close. I pushed the throttle of that flat bottomed baby, and YES - outran the son-of-a-gun. Then we passed the lighthouse, hit deeper water and looked more like this...

 

(This is where I was trying to insert a picture of a ship flailing on high waves, but I keep getting nasty messages that I can't use "that extention on this site" so you have to use your imagination.)

 

If only I could find the SS Minnow!!

 

I've spent most of my life on the water, with parents who were kind of like a cross between the Munsters and Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn in the African Queen. But my cousin and her husbad were not. Thank God for the Corona's. They were singing a new, rather baudy, version of Gilligan's Island. We were being pelted by rain - I'm talking the needles-in-the-eyes kind of rain, and there was not a chanel marker to be found. A flat bottom boat (made for calm waters like, lakes) don't cut through waves - it hits like a ton of bricks.  I turn the "S.S. Minnow" around (or hoped I did) and ordered my shipmates to start looking for a dam buoy! They did - but kept singing the whole time. Finally, my cousin won the prize and spotted one - way off in the distance. We were SO off course! But, Captain Courageous (that's the name I got in the Gilligan song) found her way back into the chanel and back to the marina, completely drenched, freezing, yet somehow, still finding humor in the thing. I tied up the boat, unloaded the gear, stopped by a seafood shop and bought scallops, then grilled them, (with the hotdogs) back at my cousin's house. My daugher swears it was a great birthday! She's a sweetheart.

The moral of the story...don't bring an evening gown on a 3-hour tour and always ice down plenty of Coronas.

 

I am at Anastasia until Friday. I'll try and take some pictures. I'm still #@!X*% working, but plan to at least hit the beach a couple of times. I head to the FORT on Friday for my first GAG! Am so excited! :camp1:

 

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The food looks great.  I like hummus, but really, we can get that at the grocery store now.  I agree, it would have to really super good to compete with your other food offerings.  The 'thin' catfish, is that exactly what it sounds like?  I would not want to be the person slicing the catfish thin.

 

Best crap joke I've seen. =)

My mother would be so proud! :shh:

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Great update.

 

I hate to complain, but your photos are really small.  

 

So what's thin catfish? 

 

TCD

I know! And now it tells me that all my pictures are too big. I'm doing something wrong because I see some big pics on this site. Not sure what's going on but it's very frustrating :banghead:

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:jumpforjoy

 

Those duck wings look incredible.  I love wings.  And I love duck.  Why would I not love duck wings??

 

Great write up!  I'm hungry now.  Which isn't really all that unusual. 

 

So yeah....a foodie trip report to Lafayette.  This is becoming my favorite thread of all time.  A few more coma inducing pics and I'll happily pass out. 

Dave, I'm telling you - that was one of the best things I've ever eaten! If your travels get you back to Lafayette, you have to get you some!

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Ohhhhh. Thanks Carol! I'll set up an account now. Thank you, thank you!!

:jumpforjoy

 

I should get fired as a poster! Got distracted. I am now at Anastasia State Park. Buccanner was nice, but they are still rebuilding after Katrina, so it's pretty sparse. I feel bad for them, I am a hurricane Charley survivor and it sucks. Anyway, in a few years, maybe I'll go back again. I did take a picture of my new camp kitchen! Can I just say I LOVE it!

 

(OK, Now I'm getting annoyed. I have condensed the picture down to super small and it still tells me the file is too large) How do y'all get your pictures up without being yelled at?

 

 

On my way here, I stopped by Tallahassee to celebrate my youngest daughter's 29th birthday. Here's what I had planned - it's scalloping season in Florida, so I rented a deck boat (this is a flat bottom boat - sadly, that matters) out of St. Marks. The weather was a little dicey, but the nice young lady at the marina felt very positive that it was going to clear up. So, confidently, I loaded my daughter, my cousin and her husband up, and off we went. The nice young lady at the marina gave us a map to where she said they were finding scallops. Pretty straightforward - follow the chanel out to the Gulf, pass the lighthouse, then pass between two islands, and BINGO - succulent, sweet morsels just waiting for us to scoop them up! I had brought a portable grill, a marinade out of soy and ginger, and, laughingly, hot dogs "just in case." Oh and Coronas. The first squall hit when we were still pretty close. I pushed the throttle of that flat bottomed baby, and YES - outran the son-of-a-gun. Then we passed the lighthouse, hit deeper water and looked more like this...

 

(This is where I was trying to insert a picture of a ship flailing on high waves, but I keep getting nasty messages that I can't use "that extention on this site" so you have to use your imagination.)

 

If only I could find the SS Minnow!!

 

I've spent most of my life on the water, with parents who were kind of like a cross between the Munsters and Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn in the African Queen. But my cousin and her husbad were not. Thank God for the Corona's. They were singing a new, rather baudy, version of Gilligan's Island. We were being pelted by rain - I'm talking the needles-in-the-eyes kind of rain, and there was not a chanel marker to be found. A flat bottom boat (made for calm waters like, lakes) don't cut through waves - it hits like a ton of bricks.  I turn the "S.S. Minnow" around (or hoped I did) and ordered my shipmates to start looking for a dam buoy! They did - but kept singing the whole time. Finally, my cousin won the prize and spotted one - way off in the distance. We were SO off course! But, Captain Courageous (that's the name I got in the Gilligan song) found her way back into the chanel and back to the marina, completely drenched, freezing, yet somehow, still finding humor in the thing. I tied up the boat, unloaded the gear, stopped by a seafood shop and bought scallops, then grilled them, (with the hotdogs) back at my cousin's house. My daugher swears it was a great birthday! She's a sweetheart.

The moral of the story...don't bring an evening gown on a 3-hour tour and always ice down plenty of Coronas.

 

I am at Anastasia until Friday. I'll try and take some pictures. I'm still #@!X*% working, but plan to at least hit the beach a couple of times. I head to the FORT on Friday for my first GAG! Am so excited! :camp1:

So Carol has come to my rescue and told me how to do pictures. So here's my new camp kitchen.http://s1317.photobucket.com/user/Amanda2Europe/media/20130718_100734_zpsb8484b0e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

 

and here's what's for dinner tonight. http://s1317.photobucket.com/user/Amanda2Europe/media/20130722_183054_zps7c5fdcbd.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6

 

And this is my "tent office" http://s1317.photobucket.com/user/Amanda2Europe/media/20130709_121859_zps625ab80c.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

Gee, aren't you glad Carol helped me out ??

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OK- you are almost there on being able to post photos!

 

What is thin catfish?

 

What is that in the crockpot?

 

I like that alligator clip holding up your paper in your office.  So, you are some kind of editor?  A professor?  Author?  Whatever it may be, it appears your job can be conducted from a campsite with a hammock and bottle of rum.  Are they hiring?

 

TCD

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OK- you are almost there on being able to post photos!

 

What is thin catfish?

 

What is that in the crockpot?

 

I like that alligator clip holding up your paper in your office.  So, you are some kind of editor?  A professor?  Author?  Whatever it may be, it appears your job can be conducted from a campsite with a hammock and bottle of rum.  Are they hiring?

 

TCD

Thin catfish is...catfish sliced thin :D then fried nice and crisp. That's chili in the crockette that will next become a chili dog and taco in a bag.

Definitely not an editor, but correct on the other two guesses. I've finished off the rum and moving on to bloody Mary's with cilantro vodka. Which makes me look like a lush. :unsure:

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Garlic butter fries?!?!? YUM!

 

Don't listen to TCD; lose the gator clip. It's gross.

 

Dont' forget we're sharing the GAG.

 

What do you write?

Haha. The gator clip was grabbed when my papers were flying around the tent. I write boring stuff. I missed the publisher deadline of July 1st for a book I'm lead author. It's about applying neuroscience to direct practice when working with victims of trauma. Subjects that really bring down a room at dinner parties :(

I was hoping our times would overlap so I could share that GAG!

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I have one more day here in St. Augustine, then I head to the FORT! No work, all play. And I'm a happy camper. I spent 5 hours in the library today. My propane stove died during week 1 of this trip (I've had it for about 20 years) and was shocked to see the prices. But I always camp with electric so why bother? But...I have discovered a couple of cool uses for my sandwich/waffle maker.

">http://20130724_075807_zps7bd22f37.jpg

Eggs over easy and the crispest toast I've ever had. All on my sandwich maker. Who knew? Then...

Leftover chili for chili/cheese dogs. I even toasted the buns!

">http://20130723_183849_zps2567c38d.jpg

 

I haven't even made waffles yet, but I did make hash browns using the waffle plates. This little sucker has turner out to be more versatile than 3 pans!

Which is a good thing, because I pack all of this in my SUV!

 

">http://20130722_182955_zpsb82ea9c4.jpg

 

Tomorrow, I plan to hit the library as soon as they open. The knock off in time to go to the beach for the first time. Then come back and start breaking camp so I can get a good start Friday for my trip to the Fort!! Am so excited!

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