Useppa Sandpipers Sail Off For Lunch

Story by Bob Stevens

Photos by UseppaGin

Such a lovely morning.  No breeze though, so getting off the moorings on Useppa was a challenge.  Loading the lunches aboard was not so hard with no waves to contend with.  Everyone got their boat loaded up, off the moorings, and out on Pine Island Sound.  With about no wind, I was thinking about making up a giant string of towed boats, knowing that doing such a job was all but impossible, when a wisp of wind came around North Point.

Off eight boats went, along with an accumulation of powerboats along the way.  The morning turned out to be just a delightful sail to Pelican Pass, up the ICW to the east of Punta Blanca Island.

Big happenings on the way over with Jay and Ginny T. showing up on Floridian, their beautiful Grand Banks cruising boat.  She is just lovely, and stood down on the ICW to say hello to us all.

Some of us managed to wander by a pirate-looking boat, that turned out to be a ketch rigged sailboat, with two square sails on the forward mast, and a lot of built up superstructure.  Looked like "home" for the folks aboard.  She had been anchored out, west of Patricio Island, for a night or two.

Useppa powerboats stayed "on patrol" following the sailboats over to Cayo Costa, and we had absolutely nothing to do.  Nice day to volunteer.

A delightful change of pace Saturday for the Sandpipers.  Picnic on a beach with good friends, I sure enjoyed the lunch cruise, and wonder how we can do any better.