Cruising during the dog days of summer

Updated: August 13, 2025

We sold the boat last month. While it was bittersweet, we have no more hurricane worries!

All the adventures we've had seem like a distant memory now—but we sure do miss her. Mai Thai was more than just a trawler—she was our floating home, our escape, and our adventure companion for over two decades. Life moves on, but those memories are hard to top.

Originally posted: August 2, 2009

It’s August, and along the Gulf Coast and southeastern seaboard, that can only mean one thing: hurricane season is kicking into gear. Officially, the season runs from June 1 to November 30, but it's this month when activity typically starts to heat up. According to AccuWeather, the forecast is for a "major reduction in the number of overall storms compared to last year." Only three tropical-force storms are expected, two of which could become hurricanes, with perhaps one developing into a major storm.

This marks our ninth year with Mai Thai, our steadfast trawler. We've been lucky—very lucky—to have dodged the worst of the storms over the years. We weathered two hurricane seasons in the calm and scenic cruising grounds of the Chesapeake Bay, and one each at safe harbors in Jekyll Island, Georgia (Jekyll Harbor Marina), Daytona Beach (Halifax Harbor Marina), Jacksonville (Ortega River Boat Yard), and St Pete (Tierra Verde Resort and Marina). More recently, Mai Thai has ventured inland, exploring America’s river system with hurricane-free seasons in Fulton, Mississippi (Midway Marina), and Chattanooga, Tennessee (Hales Bar Marina).

But after fuel prices spiked last summer, our cruising lifestyle has shifted. These days, Mai Thai serves more as a floating cottage than a full-time cruiser. And honestly? It's not a bad tradeoff. We’re still traveling—just by car now, which is far more affordable. We’ve been able to explore new places, avoid the hurricane hotspots, and enjoy peace of mind with boat insurance that costs a third less.

Sometimes, slowing down opens up a whole new kind of adventure.

Poker Run at Oxford, Maryland

Fort DeSoto's North Beach

We were back to Florida for a few weeks this summer, and yesterday, on our way to our all-time favorite beach—Fort DeSoto Park—we passed by a place that brought back a wave of memories: Tierra Verde Resort and Marina, where Mai Thai was docked during the summer of 2005. Now, the marina looks almost abandoned, with mostly empty slips and a stillness that felt strangely eerie.

Back then, there were rumors of a major redevelopment—developers eager to transform the property—but the timeshare owners wouldn’t sell. Then the financial downturn hit, and those grand plans seemed to vanish. With foreclosures and unemployment having taken such a toll, who’s really in the market for condos and boat slips anymore?

But not everything has changed.

Fort DeSoto is still as stunning as ever. It’s the kind of place that reminds you why you keep coming back. Though we’ve never seen the north side of the beach this crowded (it was a Saturday, and maybe more people are opting for staycations?), it still didn’t feel overwhelming—certainly not compared to places like Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where my brother and his family are currently vacationing.

Here on Florida’s Gulf Coast, we’re spoiled—with warm, calm waters, powdery white sand, and that unmistakable low-key charm that’s getting harder to find. Fort DeSoto Park remains one of the best-kept gems in the state, run by Pinellas County. It's well-maintained, with showers, bathhouses, outdoor grills, picnic pavilions, concession stands, and plenty of parking. The park also boasts a historic fort, a popular campground, two boat ramps, fishing piers, playgrounds and a dog park.

In the thick of summer, there’s really no better escape than the beach.

This post is shared on **Art*Journal*Journey* and Skywatch Friday.

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