Tag Archives: Florida

In Praise Of Small Airports

Passenger waiting area. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida

On our most recent trip to Florida, Kathy & I decided to fly, rather than make the 9-ish hour drive down unpredictable I-95. As a result, we had the very pleasant experience of using the Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB). What a nice airport and a refreshing change!

Passenger waiting area. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida
Passenger terminal hallway. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida
Think we can get on the Glasgow flight? Departure board. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida

The Melbourne airport is modern and clean with everything you would expect in an airport – except crowds! With the exception of the occasional charter flight from the UK or elsewhere and a few non-daily flights, the airport appears to be largely a private and corporate plane base. There are a number of Northrup Grumman plants nearby as well as a number of space-related companies. Other than that, the commercial activity appears to be Delta flights to and from Atlanta, and American flights to and from Charlotte. It was quite a contrast to the madness of the Charlotte airport!

We arrived to a nearly empty terminal, found our checked bag in “Baggage Claim” (there is only one!) and found a pleasant covered spot to sit while we waited for the free airport shuttle to our hotel. On our return trip, the shuttle drivers at the hotel assured us that there was no need to arrive 2 hours ahead. Skeptical, I took him at his word, and sure enough when we arrived just over an hour before, we walked right up to a check-in counter, staffed by a real person, and turned in our bag. We then proceeded to the TSA checkpoint, where there were more TSA employees than passengers. We breezed through TSA Pre-check and waited in a mostly quiet waiting area. No clueless wandering passengers, no repeated announcements about maintaining possession of your carry-on, none of the drama of Charlotte. And no crush of impatient passengers trying to board. Nice!

Tarmac. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida
View of Melbourne Orlando International Airport on our flight to Charlotte from Melbourne

Kathy & I decided that we could return to Melbourne any time. We found the hotel to be very nice, staffed with friendly people and in an excellent location on the beach. We’ll also take a look at other small airports we could fly to for a few days’ getaway!

Selfie (or Photo) spot. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida
Selfie (or Photo) spot. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida

The Ocean Blue

Blue Water. Melbourne, Florida

We’re packing up and getting ready to head home, but it’s been a very nice visit to a new (for us) place. We spent time with friends, had some beach time, ate some good seafood and even got to see a rocket launch! I didn’t take any photos of the launch because it happened at 3 am and would have only showed an orange ball against a black background! But it was great to see, since it was the closest we’ve been to one (we’re about 30 miles from Kennedy Space Center).

I’ll have some more photos and stories once I get home and get the files into my computer. Processing photos on my tablet is a bit cumbersome. And takes away from my beach time! 😉

Hurricane Evacuation Plan. Squid Lips Seafood Restaurant, Melbourne, FL

 

Postcard From Melbourne, Florida

Beach Time! Melbourne, Florida

Kathy and I are in Melbourne, FL enjoying a few days at the beach with our friends Jo Anne & Brent. I’m trying something a little different (for me) this trip and am planning to act like a tourist and take photos only with my phone. Took this on the beach before the occupants returned. Over-processed in Lightroom Mobile, which I suppose most tourists don’t do. 😉

A Short Stop In Key West

Where To? The Sunset Pier Bar in Key West, Florida

After our two cruises on Celebrity Equinox, we boarded one of Celebrity’s newest ships, Celebrity Apex, for a 7 night cruise to the Western Caribbean. The first stop was Key West, Florida. Not exactly an exotic Caribbean destination, but certainly an interesting place to spend some time.

No Shoes Please. Key West, Florida

This was our first time sailing to Key West, but we had visited there previously, flying down for a few chilly days in February 2015. I think we must have experienced record low temperatures on that visit. It was sunny and warm this time, however!

Celebrity Apex in Key West, Florida

As a cruise port, visited during the day, Key West is pretty much like any other cruise port except the natives speak English and everyone takes dollars. It’s a different world in the evenings, as we experienced previously. No, it’s not all the wild and crazy scene that Key West might be known for, but it is definitely more of a party atmosphere.

The Sunset Pier Bar in Key West, Florida
The Sunset Pier Bar in Key West, Florida
View of Sunset Key from the waterfront in Key West, Florida
Snowy Egret on the waterfront in Key West, Florida
Along the waterfront in Key West, Florida

One example would be our visit to the Sunset Pier Bar. We arrived in the morning, and at that point the bar was closed. There were a few people taking selfies on the pier, but for the most part it was deserted. It’s a completely different place at sunset, which is what that part of the island is famous for.

Random scene in Key West, Florida
Random scene in Key West, Florida
Even the trash cans were green! Key West, Florida

Kathy & I spent a few hours walking around town, ending up at Blackfin Bistro, a favorite lunch spot that we remembered from a previous visit. We had a lovely lunch of fresh fish and veggies, along with a nice glass of wine. Afterward we wound our way back to the ship to prepare for departure and sailing to our next stop, Belize.

Random scene in Key West, Florida
Random scene in Key West, Florida
Random scene in Key West, Florida
Lighthouse. Key West, Florida

Turnaround Day In Port Everglades

Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise

One of the things that is fun about doing a back-to-back sailing is what is often referred to as Turnaround Day. The ship returns to port (usually but not always where it started) to disembark passengers, embark new passengers, take on food and supplies and prepare to head out in the afternoon on a new cruise.

Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise

Part of what makes Turnaround Day fun, especially if you don’t have to change staterooms, is that you basically have another nice morning on the ship while all of the passengers that are disembarking are schlepping their luggage (some or all of it) into and out of elevators, generally congregating in and blocking the stairwells and public areas, anxiously waiting for their luggage tag number to be called so they can race off the ship and on to wherever and whatever comes next. Those of us who get to stay on board walk around smug and proud, ignoring the fact that they’ll likely be joining that group the next go-around. 😉 My eventual goal is to never have to leave, although that’s not likely to happen!

Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise
Yes, that is a ferry on the deck if the cargo ship! Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise
Yes, that is a ferry on the deck if the cargo ship! Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise
Yes, that is a ferry on the deck if the cargo ship! Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise

One of the other really nice things is that the crew is often really excited to know that you are a back-to-back passenger. Especially if you are really nice to them and even more especially if you tip well.

After the disembarking passengers have left the ship, those of us who are staying on gather in a central spot, where we are escorted into the terminal, through customs and back on the ship, where we can enjoy an hour or two before the new passengers are allowed to board. There is often a special lunch set up for “consecutive cruisers” which is a nice bonus.

Most mornings on this past cruise I didn’t get up too early. On the islands where we were doing an early tour, the timing didn’t work out, and I had to pace myself for a long day! For some reason, on the morning we returned to Port Everglades, I was up early with my camera, and managed to catch a few photos as we entered the port. Especially interesting was a cargo ship that was transporting a ferry on its deck. In general the port at night is a pretty cool place, as it operates 24/7 and there is always something interesting to see. The light was pretty as the dawn approached, so it made for some nice scenes.

Departing Port Everglades on our second Celebrity Equinox cruise
Departing Port Everglades on our second Celebrity Equinox cruise
Departing Port Everglades on our second Celebrity Equinox cruise
Departing Port Everglades on our second Celebrity Equinox cruise
Departing Port Everglades on our second Celebrity Equinox cruise

I didn’t make too many photos during the day, and I regret that I didn’t get to see the ferry offloaded from the ship it had come in on. That would be interesting to see, but as we left the port in the afternoon I could see that the ferry was gone, although I have no idea where it went.

Next stop, Bonaire!

Sailing From Fort Lauderdale, Part 1

Drawbridge carrying 17th Street/US A1A over the Stranahan River in Fort Lauderdale

Kathy & I enjoy cruises that depart from Fort Lauderdale, and we’ve done a bunch of them. The airport is close enough to the cruise port that you can see the top of the ships from the concourse. It’s an easy flight from Charlotte and the schedules usually provide plenty of choices for flights.

Drawbridge carrying 17th Street/US A1A over the Stranahan River in Fort Lauderdale

We generally arrive in Fort Lauderdale the day before a cruise and stay at a hotel along 17th Street, which crosses the Intracoastal Waterway via a drawbridge that provides a nice view of the cruise port and all of the big money yachts that sail in and out of the harbor. More money than I’ll ever have!

Drawbridge carrying 17th Street/US A1A over the Stranahan River in Fort Lauderdale

Departing the port is always fun, because a number of the residents of the high rise condos near the opening to the sea will stand outside, wave banners, blow horns and generally say ‘bon voyage.’ One of the residents even has a webcam where he will upload footage to a website and you can watch yourself sail by. Some cruise passengers go so far as to bring their own banners, wear bright colored clothing and make a point of standing on the Port (left) side of the ship facing the camera.

Yachts docked in the marina along the Stranahan River in Fort Lauderdale
Yachts docked in the marina along the Stranahan River in Fort Lauderdale
Yachts docked in the marina along the Stranahan River in Fort Lauderdale

Since we did a back-to-back sailing on the same ship, Celebrity Equinox, we returned to Fort Lauderdale 10 days later, so Part 2 will have some of the photos from our “turnaround day.”

View of the Port Everglades Cruise Port in Fort Lauderdale
View of the Port Everglades Cruise Port in Fort Lauderdale
New construction along 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale
Departing Port Everglades aboard Celebrity Equinox
Shadows on the Promenade Deck during departure from Port Everglades aboard Celebrity Equinox
Departing Port Everglades aboard Celebrity Equinox
How many motors are enough?
Pilot boat during our departure from Port Everglades aboard Celebrity Equinox

Postcard From Key West

The Sunset Pier Bar in Key West, Florida

We made it home from sunny Florida to gray and cloudy Charlotte yesterday (Saturday) afternoon. I’ve got my photos downloaded and should be able to start on some editing and processing over the next few days. We were gone a while, so there are a few more important things to do as well.

The first stop on our third cruise, aboard Celebrity Apex, was in Key West, FL. We pretty much wandered around looking for photos, and I kind of liked the repetition of all the tables along this pier. I’m certain the scene would be a lot different at sunset, but early in the morning I was able to get the tables and umbrellas all in a line, mostly uninterrupted by tourists!

Odds & Ends…And Friends

Juniper Springs Recreation Area. Ocala National Forest, Florida

After our Constellation cruise we headed home by way of Ponte Vedra, FL to meet up with John Linn and his wife Linda, who live nearby. On the way we made a stop at the Juniper Springs Recreation Area of Ocala National Forest. It was an interesting place, with mineral springs that you could swim in (we didn’t) and lots of greenery. We met John and Linda at Bird Island Park in Ponte Vedra before going to their home then having a lovely dinner at a nearby seafood restaurant. It was nice to meet another long-time “online friend,” if only for a few hours. But Ponte Vedra is on the way to lots of places down that way, so it’s likely we’ll be in the area again!

Juniper Springs Recreation Area. Ocala National Forest, Florida
Juniper Springs Recreation Area. Ocala National Forest, Florida
Juniper Springs Recreation Area. Ocala National Forest, Florida
Bubbling spring. Juniper Springs Recreation Area. Ocala National Forest, Florida
Juniper Springs Recreation Area. Ocala National Forest, Florida
Juniper Springs Recreation Area. Ocala National Forest, Florida
Bird Island Park in Ponte Vedra, Florida
Bird Island Park in Ponte Vedra, Florida
Turtle. Bird Island Park in Ponte Vedra, Florida
Not So Secret Squirrel. Bird Island Park in Ponte Vedra, Florida
Tom and John Linn at Palm Valley Fish Camp in Ponte Vedra, Florida

We’re off again. Back to Florida to visit different friends, hop on another cruise ship with them for a few days, then slide back into town just in time for Christmas! Good thing our shopping is done…. 😉

Complete photo gallery of our trip is here.