Florida Lighthouse Association Trip

This weekend we gatered on the Gulf Coast to visit the Anclote Key and Egmont Key Lights. On Saturday we took a paddle boat out to Anclote Key and was treat to a tour of the renovation in progress of that long neglected light. Over 200 members of the FLA attended. The weather was beautiful (shorts and t-shirt) and the food on board the boat was excellant. About 90 of us met that night for dinner at Pappas greek restaur in Tarpon Springs and again had a wonderful meal and traded Lighthouse information. What a great time. The next morning we gather at Ft. Desota for a short boat trip over to Egmont Key and was again given a grand tour of that light and the surrounding historic area.
Would like to brag now that I have visited/viewed all the Florida Lights but need to go back to the keys and get closer since some are so far out that the land shots are not really good views.
Happy Lighthousing

Harry

Yup, it was a great trip. I just wish the FLA had seen Anclote before we started cleaning up around the tower grounds. It's still a mess, but it looks a lot better then it used to. BTW Punkin, I wish I had known another Wacko's was there I would have said hello. You may have seen me, I was the "door guard" at the base of the tower, for most of the time we were on the island. I saw one other Wacko Ron from CT.

Weasel58-
Sorry I didn't know who you were at the tower door. Looking forward to returning after you all have finished your project.
It will really be a show place. You are doing a great job overcoming years of mistreatment and we lighthouse lovers owe you many thanks and also financial support..

Thanks to your group for your part in giving us a great weekend.

Harry

This situation is the very reason Dave has come to the rescue for Wackos everywhere.

You need your Connected Collector Badge that can be worn at all Lighthouse encounters.

This way you can introduce yourself to all the other Wackos in the world without even opening your mouth.

And the best part is while you are doing this you will be helping a much in need Lighthouse.

All Wackos in need should contact Dave Hannum for their Badge and then situations like this will not happen again.

Dennis

I too had a great time this weekend at Anclote Key and Egmont Key Lights!

(Weasel58 and Punkin) I wish you two had introduced your selfs to me

My husband and I were the only ones out of the over 200 people that were wareing our WACKO badges!!! So we weren't hard to find. Besides I was the shortest person there !! LOL

I did get to meet Ron Foster from CT. And we had our photo taken together, I hope he will post it here as I don't know how to do that yet. Ron it was relly nice to meet you and I hope to see you again someday!

It was truly a great weekend!

Stephanie

Way to go Dennis & Stephanie! I'm reading down the thread thinking "I gotta post a reply reminding folks about the Wacko Name Badges" and Dennis already had it covered! I checked my list, and guess who has badges? They must store theirs the same place a certain Saint I know does......

Sounds like you all had a nice weekend. Nice to be able to get out to those lights that aren't normally very accessable. Hopefully we will see some pictures here.

Dave

Dave,

Maybe they are just shy- they don't want to proclaim to the unknowing masses that they are card carrying Wackos!

I never emembered to wear either of my Wacko Pins, but they are harder to see than the badges, although they help the Lighthouses also.

Dennis

Well actually I forgot to wear my Wacko Badge. I tend to forget it as my Tampabay HL Collectors Club badge http://home.tampabay.rr.com/esharp/Images/clubbadge.jpg (cut and paste) has my name and forum handle on it.

[This message has been edited by Weasel58 (edited 04-23-2002).]

Have to admitt, I forgot to wear my Badge,too. We all have some Lighthouse I>D.'s of some sort but I just plain forgot to wear my Wacko Badge. Calls for three lashes with a wet noodle !!!

Harry

I hate to admit it but I had my WACKO 2002 badge with me at the FLA outing to Anclote and Egmont Key but when they handed out their own ID's at the boat dock I thought it wouldn't be right to wear another one. Now, I'm kicking myself. It sure would have made it easier to recognize one another. I did see Ron Foster and Gail Jumper. Well, next time I won't be so shy.
It was a great week-end. However, I was disappointed I wasn't able to buy postcards of those two lights for the Post Card exchange. I looked in lots of stores but couldn't find a one. (no less 28)
Took lots of pictures, though.
And, thanks again for a wonderful week-end.
JoanieO and Ron

PICTURES, WE WANT PICTURES !!!(please)

terry

Well Here are a couple form Egmont. I left the camera at home when we went to Anclote. You will need to cut and paste to make these work, since Roadrunner dosen't like direct links.

Egmont Lighthouse from top of the old army battery. http://web.tampabay.rr.com/esharp/Images/Lighthouse%20from%20Battery%20Mcintosh.JPG
The old lens from the lighthouse http://web.tampabay.rr.com/esharp/Images/Old%20lens.JPG
Keeper Richard and Hib Casselberry (one of FLA's officers) http://web.tampabay.rr.com/esharp/Images/Richard%20the%20keeper.JPG

MJ and I just returned Sunday evening (28th of April) from our 10-day trip to Florida, where we enjoyed these trips to Anclote Key & Egmont Key immensely. We met friends Ron & Shirley Drummer in Tampa and spent the next ten days lighthousing our way back to Connecticut. I hope to get some pictures posted here soon.

I must say that the Florida Lighthouse Association did an excellent job putting these trips together. It was nice to see with the Harbour Lights Collectors Club members we met at the reunion in Baltimore as well as the Connected Collectors from these Forums along the way.

Ron & Shirley and MJ & I traveled over 2800 miles (one way) from Florida to Connecticut, visited 22 lighthouses, climbed 5 of them, took over 1200 pictures with my digital camera, met lighthouse lovers & connected collectors and ate plenty of seafood (I paid no attention to my WeightWatchers diet) and gained a few pounds.

I will work on posting pictures soon.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

OK Ron where's the pics?

Sorry for the delay. I will work on posting them this weekend. Since we arrived home from FL I haven't had a weekend free. Last weekend we were in NY on the cruise of Stepping Stones, Execution Rocks, Sand Point and then drove to Jeffrey's Hook.

I can hear you now saying...."Excuses, excuses" and you are right. I'll get right on it.

Ron
(CT Keeper)