This is the first time I have taken Haocheng and Carol Ann to Crystal River. While we were at the family condo, my family entered a contract to sell it the following month.
We purchased an inflatable mattress and brought a table and bench because we knew that there would not be any personal belongings in the condo. Despite the bare interior of the condo, it was still very pleasant and enjoyable.
The majority of the photos from this trip were shot from the quad-copter drone. This is the first time I have flown this device in Central Florida, and in my opinion these are definitely some of the best photos from this locale.
This is what one of the houses across from the condo looks like from a closer vantage.
"Look at the drone!"
Casa Rio Condo as seen from the river. If you look close you can see me sitting on a chair controlling the quad-copter from the patio outside the condo.
Casa Rio
NW 14th Place
Haocheng and I communicated around the grounds using the 900MHz radios with the short 1/4λ antennas.
A closeup of the house across the river with the super-bright lights.
The 'A' dock at Casa Rio
There is a bicycle in the small boat. I bet whomever owns this boat has an interesting story.
Pressure washing works wonders..
Sail boats
The guy who throws out the crab traps near the condo. If somebody leaves a crab trap in front of your house, is it technically abandoned? I have always wondered this. I wonder what brand of cigarettes he prefers.
Booshie. Puttin' On the Ritz
I accompanied my buddy Chuck to his customer's house where he was tasked with hauling off a 1980's CRT television and retrofitting it with an LCD screen. On her farm there was a small dog, a donkey, and adjacent properties with radio towers.
If this were my tower this osprey nest would be traveling South for the summer at a high rate of speed. Go find your own tower.
These look like Laird antennas to me. What a great view of Central Florida in the summertime.
Donkey
Chuck and Claudia
The remains of the Crystal Square Shopping Plaza located at 579 Southeast U.S. 19. This long-since abandoned shopping center - which has been a huge eyesore for the city of Crystal River - is owned by mysterious investors who refuse to do anything useful with the real estate. The October 2023 tornado deteriorated the structure even more.
Ocean Buffet in Ocala with my friends
Flying the quad-copter from the Ocean Buffet parking lot.
I went for a 7-mile morning jog at the Crystal River Nature Preserve. I saw two wild boar and a fox, and I had my cell phone, so I snapped a few photos.
I enjoy this park because it's truly in the middle of nowhere.
Cracker's Restaurant. I understand that this was a favorite place of my grandmother's.
Morning moon setting as seen from the condo.
My work toys in the common room of the Casa Rio condo. This is a great getaway place away from the condo unit, and it is rare to see other people in this room.
The Fort Island Gulf Beach in Crystal River. The beach was more crowded than I have ever seen it, but the boardwalk was closed and blocked off due to damage from the aforementioned tornado.
Of course, that didn't stop a few fishermen.
A sad sight
The man made beach is on one side, and the natural swamp is on the other.
A couple of years ago when I was practicing my scuba diving in Crystal River a manatee swam up to me. Scared the hell out of me, but ultimately I ended up petting it. Apparently that is forbidden, but I didn't know that. Heck, he swam up to me. Oh well. It's coming right for us!
My work station. I brought the table and unpictured bench. It worked very well.
Carol Ann and Haocheng
Dinner at Kelly's Half Shell Pub. Haocheng found this restaurant online, and it was very good.
Our setup as need during packup the night before returning home.
