Today is Stella Marie’s (our 3rd grandchild) birthday. Though we are 600 miles from her, we decided to celebrate her birthday and NDRD at the same time. We made our first dinghy adventure day in quite a while. Mark & Lana, Robert & Carolyn, Steve & Susie, with us tagging along started NDRD (National Dinghy Ride Day). It was my idea, so I will take full responsibility for this national holiday, and its imminent success. Just remember Ocho de Mayo. Someday, it may be a paid holiday.
With the Florida restaurants receiving approval to open to 25% capacity, we decided to take a mini-loop around Marathon. Eighteen miles plus, we were able to get off the boat (home) and out of the marina to enjoy a day of sunshine on the water. Because of my heart issues, Amanda wouldn’t let me pull start our dinghy, so we ended up in the boat with Steve & Susie. Their dinghy is almost as big as our home boat, so we were quite comfortable and Amanda was happy not worrying about me doing something to myself.
Mark, Lana, daughter Ann Elise, along with Robert and Carolyn puttered behind us as we all were exploring, seeing fish and a sea turtle.
Steve & Susie (their boat is All Talk II-wonder why?) have become some of our closest friends during this lockdown. They don’t take life too seriously, and that is a good thing.
Approximately, half way around the loop, we stopped at Dockside Marine/Restaurant and enjoyed lunch outside under their canopy. Their first day open in weeks, the wait staff was thrilled to see us and to have clientele again. It’s been so hard for these hardworking restaurant workers and owners during this virus. We were equally happy to eat out and have happy people serving us. We enjoyed burgers, tacos, and chicken pot pie. I think I may have seen someone enjoy a cold beer…or two, as well. We cruised at a slow pace after lunch, enjoying the sunshine and company with our friends. Steve let me drive his dinghy back, so I could be under the bimini. Everyone is really looking out for me, since I will have heart surgery (cath) tomorrow morning.
Being stuck in Marathon has its advantages.
A mooring field on the south side of the island key.
We got back to our respective boats about 3:00 pm. FINALLY, around 4:00, I got the call from the heart surgeon’s office that my wonderful (sarcasm intended) insurance company had come through and that the procedure would happen tomorrow. Quite relieved, we packed a few things and headed to Miami, where we stayed at a Spring Hill Suites, around the corner from the hospital.
We have enjoyed our Dorman Happy Hours since the lockdown. We visit more now than we did before. And the old folks love it more than they will ever know.
We talked to the kids on Zoom, from the hotel, and then crashed for the night. Tomorrow is a big day in the life of this heart patient.
I am writing for the first time in a month. The world isn’t the same since I last wrote. The virus spread at an incomprehensible rate. The term “social distancing” has become a household word. New friendships made are differently. We have not gotten as close, figuratively or literally, to the boaters here, like we have for the last year. It’s just another time. In the weeks we have been here, we gathered twice at a picnic table and shared meals with other boaters. We had one “docktail” party, as well. Typically, that social aspect describes 3 nights in a marina, not a month. Like the rest of the world, we’ve shared our opinions regarding what we think is the right thing to do. Some think social distancing is a joke. Some take it very seriously. Some think it’s Trump’s fault (surprise surprise) and some think he is doing a terrific job managing the pandemic in America. One thing is for sure, regardless of your party affiliation: Trump thinks HE is doing a fantastic job! Nobody knows what is right. I do know that after our 2nd supper gathering, we got a letter from the GM at the marina. Apparently, someone saw us too close to one another, violating the 6’ rule. We got our hands spanked and decided we’d best follow the rule of the law for our health, as well as, to ensure we have a place to stay. Three years from now, we will know what was the right thing to do.
The marina has tried to figure it out, as well. Since our arrival, they have now closed the main lounge, boater’s lounge, fitness center, and steam and sauna rooms. As the world has gone to lock down, we as boaters wondered what our fate would be. With Florida’s governor mandating all short term (vacation) rentals be terminated immediately, we feared those of us in slip rentals would have to leave. After seeking legal counsel, the marina offered us an opportunity to renew our lease, on a month to month basis (meets the letter of the new ordinance because leases are longer than 28 days). That offer provided us a place to stay and we grabbed it. Marinas all over have closed, so we are relieved to have a place to stay for as long as we need. After saying good bye to our Bahamas dream, we are pleased to be in such a good location, even with the restrictions.
The city of Marathon has virtually shut down, like all towns. The state placed a security checkpoint on Highway 1 so no southbound traffic from the mainland can access, without proof of residency. Apparently, northerners (New York, specifically) have tried to escape the Covid-19 hot spot, literally running for their lives. The Keys depend almost exclusively on the tourism industry. Fishing and water related entertainment are the reasons people come. Marinas have settled into a routine, accepting no new boaters, and requiring that any boat leaving the marina must file a float plan or be denied reentry. The plan must also include a commitment to not go anywhere where where there is contact with other people. If there is contact, reentry is denied, or worse, quarantined to the boat for 2 weeks.
So, entering our second month in Marathon, we have almost grown bored with the routine. As beautiful as the environment, we don’t go far. Occasional trips to the grocery with masks and gloves, we find the Publix is an exciting outlet for our psyche. All restaurants, like most places in America, are only open for take-out. We have had pizza a couple times and seafood a couple times. But for the most part, we ride bicycles to the grocery one mile down the road and then do our own food prep.
As all boaters know, there is always a project to do on the boat. But with 31 boats now confined to Marlin Bay Marina, it is my observation from my 6’-0” conversations with other boaters, we are all running out of projects on our boats.
For example, after being here a couple weeks with no functioning TV, I broke down and ordered the satellite antenna system that I have considered since I bought the Honey Queen. That has provided some entertainment relief for us. Over the air TV antennas, the method most boaters use for watching TV, are useless here because the nearest broadcast station in Miami is almost 100 miles away. Amanda can now watch Fox News, which has consisted mostly of Trump’s daily press conferences, providing us with updates on the virus. The antenna installation provided me some entertainment for a couple days.
My buddy, Tom Vail, was as bored as me and begged to help.
A bomb did not go off in the pilot house. Just had to tear everything apart to find a power supply for the new antenna.
My job: read instructions and supervise. Tom’s job: contortionist and main wire connector foreman.
Abigail joined us the 18th of March, and Zach came on Friday the 20th. Their plan was to visit for a few days and then head back to Nashville. Zach did return, but Abigail is still with us. She has been able to work remotely, what little work there is to do in her business. So, for now, 3 of us are living on the Honey Queen. Abigail “enjoys” the skinny couch in the salon as her new bed. She prefers to hang with us in paradise, as opposed to confinement in her apartment alone in Nashville (temps are going to 39 degrees tonight, as I right). I would like to think she loves spending time with her parents, but if the truth be told, I think the weather here may have a little to do with her decision to stay.
The following pictures summarize our weeks and memories in Marathon. We have enjoyed our time here, been happy to have Abigail and Zach with us, and we have made some good friends, in spite of the circumstances.
March 14th–The first weekend we were here, Marathon had a Seafood Festival. Rumors and concerns of the lock-down squelched some attendance, but we risked it, and went on Saturday afternoon. So glad we did, as this was the last public gathering of any kind that we would enjoy. Thankfully, we didn’t get sick.
March 15–grilled burgers with new friends at the marina.
March 18–Abigail made it down to see us and we went to Faro Blanco with friends Tom & Paula. This evening was our last (and first) meal at a restaurant. this is Tom & Abigail “prissing” down the dock after dinner.
The old salt working from the flybridge.
3/21/20 Zach made it down Friday night and immediately began working on his sun…burn.
We are south of the Keys, on the Atlantic side, and the water turned this deep rich blue.
Sombrero Tower. Normally, a great place to snorkel, but the waves were a little too tall this trip.
3/21/20
Manatees came into the marina basin for a visit.
3/26 A rare sunrise (for me)
3/26 …and the same sundown
3/28 This local ignored all the rules of Covid-19, except he had no trouble keeping 6′ away.
3/30 Sunset
3/31 Abigail seized the day at sundown
Sunsets are the highlight of most days. Everyone comes out and watches. Like snowflakes, seldom do 2 ever look the same. A few guys will blow their conch shell “horns” as the sun rests into the horizon.
April 1–Combined fire & pluming contractors are common down here. Glad I didn’t have to complete with plumbers, too.
April 2–a few of us boaters had dinner together at the picnic table. We broke the distancing rules a little and heard about it the next day from marina management.
Susie demonstrating her listening skills as Abigail explains the meaning of life, while the sun fades.
Such a photogenic guy.
Tom pondering another piece of key lime pie, Paula already made her decision, Robert, Carolyn, and Steve watching the sun set in the Gulf.
April 7–Parrot fish frequent the marina. They are not good for eating but they are beautiful. I could never catch the light to adequately show their vivid colors.
April 4
Ab and I took and afternoon father/daughter dinghy ride
Sometimes, captaining a boat like this can be very stressful. It takes a unique skill set to negotiate the boat in these kinds of seas.
April 7..Getting somewhat bored with the routine of the marina life, we decided to drop the lines at the dock and anchor out. Though we only went about a mile from the marina, it was nice to get away from the artificial light and enjoy the solitude and quiet of being at anchor. This has been such a big part of the The Great Loop experience we have enjoyed.
April 11-More grass blew into the marina basin, leaving it quite messy for a couple days.
April 11 Sunset at the grassy marina
April 12–Easter Sunday–Mali sent us this picture of Stella and Will, two of our grandchildren. Our children have made 4 beautiful grandchildren…so far. Missing them so much and looking forward to spoiling them all soon.
April 17—friends from the marina took this picture of the beast, the beauty, and the baby (aka me, Amanda, and Abigail) while we were all looking at our phones. Yep, way too much time on our hands these days. The lounges, fitness center, and spa are all closed, but at least the beautiful pool area remained open. Just can’t get too close to the people we’ve been living around for 6 weeks.
the Honey Queen
the Honey Princess
…and another gorgeous sunset
April 19—to break up the routine, we decided to jump in the dinghy to go watch the sunset from the water.
Wildlife at Key West
Interesting architecture in downtown Key West.
This guy sort of…rules the roost. But he has to do it one leg.
Landscape of the Keys
Southernmost point of the USA.
the only beach Abigail got to enjoy in Florida.
On the 23rd of April, Amanda and Abigail took a field trip to Key West. We had rented a car since Abigail was about to head to Nashville and I had to go to Miami for a stress test.
April 24–Abigail was the “big” girl, and the closest in age to these young ladies, Analise (16), Lola (4), and Ava (8). They loved her.
April 25–Abigail’s planned 3-day visit that became a 5-week visit, ended this morning.
Fielder (the poodle) and Ava say goodbye to Abigail before embarking back to Nashville
April 29–Paula & Tom had us over for a sunset dinner
May 1—we picked up supper at a restaurant and I caught this sunset and babe walking back to the boat.
Wrapping up this post, one more thought. Since late February, I have dealt with an issue that we now know is a restricted opening in one of my heart arteries. After dealing with shortness of breath when running, I went to a cardiologist in Marathon. Now, almost 8 weeks later, I have been scheduled to have a heart cath procedure on Tuesday , May 5. So many of you have promised to pray for success in that procedure. I have been humbled by the genuine interest and concern for me as I enter into this procedure. I am thankful the doctors were able to find out and address the issue, before a heart attack. Thank you for your outreach and your promises to be praying.
My mind turns to the verses in James, Chapter 4:13-16; Look here, you say, “today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. Friends and family, I am thankful to you. We are trusting in the sovereignty of God and that His choice will be healing through the surgeon’s hands on Tuesday.
Finally, if the Lord wills, we will be here until May 11. With the hopeful news from Delegal Marina in Savannah, we expect a slip to open very soon for us. Boats at Delegal have not been able to leave for the same reasons we have not. We trust the stay-home ban will soon lift and boats will be able to get to their real homes. We hope to be in Delegal by June 1st.
The trip home will take 14-17 travel days. We have fuel capacity and water capacity to make it without the need of a marina, if it comes to that. A number of marinas are open along the Atlantic coast of Florida, so we trust there will be options.
We see the end of our big adventure coming to an end. What an experience this has been. We do look forward to some time back home, with family and friends. As Dorothy has said, “There’s no place like home.”
We pulled out of Little Shark River mouth and was headed south in a matter of minutes. Winds were pretty stiff out of the East, but the waves were kind to us, and we had an uneventful trip to Marathon. The water was relatively shallow for most of the trip and we probably saw 500 crab pots. Though our bearing was due South, auto-pilot was not much assistance because we were manually dodging pots nearly all day.
The further south we went, the more clusters of grass we saw.
This guy passed us doing probably 80 mph as we were arriving. The water is 7-8′ deep here all the time.
Arriving about 2:30, after 42 NM, we were welcomed to Marlin Bay Marina by a first class staff. The dock hands and office, as well, exceeded our expectations. The recommendations from friends was spot-on. The docks look brand new.
Our approach to the 7-mile bridge . Beyond…the Atlantic. This side is known as Florida Bay.
This is our view from the stern.
A model of the Marlin Bay Resort & Marina. The Honey Queen is in the nearer (called outer basin) in the 2nd slip from land, left hand side.
Apparently, the place was built by a developer about 6 years ago as condos, with each slip to be privately owned, but the concept didn’t work and the place went belly up shortly thereafter. After sitting vacant for nearly 6 years, the current property management/ownership company changed the concept to weekly rentals in the condos, and started renting slips to the public by the day, week, or month. The whole boating community doesn’t know about it yet, so we were fortunate to get the last available slip when we made the reservations a few days ago. The clubhouse, boater’s lounge, swimming pool, and fitness center are spotless and well equipped. Marinas, as a rule, get more expensive the further south you go, especially in what is consideration their high season. Marlin Bay was no exception, but comparably, it couldn’t be a nicer place.
What the next few days and weeks will bring, Corona virus considered, no one knows, but we do look forward to enjoying the weather and this beautiful location.
We pulled out at 7:30 and weaved our way out of the Smokehouse and Collier Bays. The tide was dead low, compared to the high tide coming in yesterday. On our way out, a local homeowner (and boater) hailed us on Channel 16, as we passed his home. Local knowledge is the best resource for navigating and he warned us that most charts in the area weren’t accurate. He advised me to favor the greens going out of the bays and favor the reds when I got to the river, heading out Capri Pass. I got a little confused when I got in the river and favored the greens. The charts showed 8’ of water at low tide (my reason for confusion), but I can verify the water is just over 4’ deep, and the local knew exactly what he was talking about; the Honey Queen drafts almost 5’. A sailboat, who was well behind me called and asked if I was aground. I told him, “No, I’m just cleaning the boat bottom.” I had already managed to get free of the shoal. He was kind enough to advise me I should be favoring the REDS. We were able to move over in the channel, find the deeper water, and follow the sailboat without further incident. We forked into the Capri Pass and then the Gulf of Mexico once again, before turning due South.
Most cruisers go a little further offshore than we chose for the beginning leg. Fewer crab pots to the west. We held a little closer for as long as we could because the winds were from the East. Protection from the land provided less windage and wave height.
The water and the sky competed for who made the prettiest blue.
About 30 miles into the trip we were out of sight of land; the geography of Florida’s west coast recesses to the east. I enjoy the freedom and independence of being out, away from everything and everybody, but I also wonder what would I do if something happened HERE. I run the check list of equipment in my mind, hoping I changed the filter, checked that level, cleaned the do-hicky, verified the widget, and adjusted the thing-a-ma-jig. Staying on top of all maintenance, and then trusting your equipment is the only option.
We knew we had picked a pretty good weather window, but I didn’t know it would be this calm. This wind came from the east-southeast, while we were cruising about 7 knots.
A smoother than forecasted day, we arrived at Little Shark River about 4:00. We had spoken with 2 boats, Sauvy B and All Talk II along the way, and figured out their destination was the same as ours. Their boats are both much bigger than ours, so I promised I would get as far into the river as possible to ensre they had space.
Shortly before arriving, we realized we had no cell coverage. As many people as we talk to, bad cell coverage always comes up in conversation, but it had not in this case. We usually advise family when we know we will be off the grid so to speak. Abigail ended up being the only one to panic when she couldn’t reach us. After about 24 hours, her worst fears were over. She would not be receiving her inheritance yet.
Millions of acres of the Everglades in the background
Sunset, looking toward the Gulf. Our soon-to-be friends on their boats, to the right.
The basin to our north was very shallow, so we stayed closer to the river’s edge.
Little Shark River was beautiful. The edge of the Everglades is swampy looking and shorelines provide no place to get off the boat and walk. Even if they did, the landscape screams as alligator ground, so we were never tempted to go exploring.
With plenty of room, All Talk, Sauvy B, 4 sailboats, and one other trawler joined us at the mouth of the river. Without internet, TV, or cell service, we had dinner, read a little, and shut down for the day by 8:30.
We left Ft. Myers Yacht Basin early this morning, restarting our Southward journey. Leaving behind many friends, we hope to see them again in Savannah when they come our way. Many boaters turn eastward from Ft. Myers, crossing the Okeechobee Canal and Lake instead of rounding the tip of Florida. Our hope is to go to the Keys, so we continued south down the west coast of Florida, instead. We will travel to Marathon, Florida, and then spend approximately a month there, Lord willing, exploring the rest of the keys, all the way to Key West. Doing the math, we found it would be much more economical to stay at one marina, paying the monthly rate, than staying 1 or 2 nights at various marinas at the transient rate. The Keys have a bus system that runs the whole Keys, so we can travel for $2.00 each, from one end to the other. The marina, Marlin Bay, is also a resort, so we will enjoy the privileges of a nice pool and fitness center, as well, while we stay. The marina will also serve as our prep location for crossing over to the Bahamas, which is our desired destination in April.
We arrived at Smokehouse Bay around 3:30 or so. It was such a beautiful setting with very nice homes and condos on all sides. The mildest of breezes provided the air conditioning we needed for the whole night. I changed a fuel filter after the engine shut off on us in the Gulf today. When this happened to us in June (Chesapeake Bay), it was a MUCH bigger deal than today. Today, I knew what was wrong. In the Chesapeake, I was clueless. Today, winds were 5-10 knots and 1-2’ seas. Then, winds were 30-40 and seas were 8 feet. With the filter system I have on board, I can manually switch filters underway, which allowed us to be up and running within 2 minutes. If I had only known that last summer…. I wouldn’t have the adventure and experience I do now.
These osprey, like many, take advantage of channel markers as homes for raising their families.
A local party boat/pirate ship was blasting music as it cruised around us in the basin. They were having a good time.
This area is great and would make our list as a potential home in the future.
The color schemes reminded us of homes along the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
The night was as peaceful as any we have ever enjoyed. With just a handful of other boats on the hook, we enjoyed plenty of space, even when the wind and tide changed during the night. It was so nice that we wanted to stay another day and explore Marco Island, but the good weather window for traveling dictates that we move on.
We spent these remaining days in Ft. Myers Yacht Basin (marina) relaxing, tinkering, and meeting fellow boaters. Not too different from what we’ve been doing, but this is the longest we’ve stayed in one spot. We have been off the boat for longer, but never have we just chilled in a marina. Kind of like camping on vacation as a kid, we would see people come and go every day or two, while the majority of the folks, who are retired and find the warm weather and friendships enjoyable for extended periods.
Amanda ran into this hunk on the beach one day and tried to trade me for him.
We enjoyed getting to know Tom and Susan Law. They own a nice 43’ American Tug. From Massachusetts, they’ve retired and bought a home in New Bern, North Carolina. They enjoy traveling the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolina’s. Their soft, gentle spirit and warm hospitality made our time in the adjacent slip most enjoyable. Across the dock, were Steve and Pam. Steve retired from GM, working in the prototype department. He was involved with working on and building cars of the future. A hands-on guy, his old 1994 Grand Banks could easily pass as a new boat. Like mine, she has lots of high-gloss varnished wood on the rails, and transom. Steve is an extremely patient, detail oriented guy, and would have made a great teacher. I had mentioned to him I needed some wood repair work done, but the guy that was supposed to come had fallen through. He encouraged me, telling me I could do it. I was doubtful, but he came over and got me started. Loaning me tools, taking me to West Marine for the right products, and explaining step by step the process, I learned much about bright-work repair and maintenance. Steve’s temperament perfectly describes a shop teacher. He explains, demonstrates, allows me to try, critiques and corrects, and then gets out of the way. Several times per day, he would hop on board and check on my progress. The more progress I made, the more he would explain about the next step. Though my skill set is far from perfect, I’ve learned much about the process and will enjoy practicing the trade of bright-work as time goes on.
Pam, Steve’s wife, equally gracious, was kind enough to take Amanda to the grocery, as well. They both treated us like…well, like most boaters treat each other: eager to assist, cordial, and friendly. It was my honor to get to know both couples, though briefly.
We didn’t get a picture with Mark & Beth, but did enjoy meeting them, as well. And I admit I want a boat like theirs when I grow up AND when the stock market hits 40,000.
The most exciting thing that happened (shows you how exciting boat life can be sometimes) was the evening the cyclone blew through the marina. We had invited our friends from Vitamin Sea and Salty Dog over for a visit. The winds started picking up, and with the possibility of some rain coming our way, they decided to get on back home (boat) before the storm hit. Two minutes later, the winds were blowing 40-45 mph. Our boat was trying to turn sideways in the slip. Concerned that it might actually hit my neighbor’s boat, I jumped on the finger pier to tighten a couple lines.
I had just finished when BAM!!, I was hit in the head, back, and arm…by a flying kayak! I was stunned, literally, for a couple seconds, not seeing it coming, not knowing what had hit me.
The junk boat with the unsecured kayak on the bow.
The kayak…after it almost took me out. They decided to tie it down here.
The kayak had been lying on the bow of the boat adjacent to us. The people had not bothered securing it to the deck. Based on the appearance of the boat (someone referred to it as a man-made floating reef), nothing else was secure either. The boat is poorly maintained (if I can use that term) by folks who live aboard. Actually, one of their children lives on the boat, and the parents live on the next boat, one slip beyond. Bleeding from the hand, and throbbing in the head, I managed to get back on our boat without further incident. In 5 minutes, the storm was gone, and all was back to normal. My hand throbbed most of the night. I kept it iced, expecting an X-ray and cast the next day. Fortunately, my hand was fine. It could have been so much worse. I was thankful I escaped with a couple scratches and a sore hand.
A little theatre is located across the street from the marina. It’s play season. So, one Friday night, Amanda and I saw a play called, A Gentlemen’s Solution to Love and Murder, or something close to that. A musical comedy, I laughed a little, dozed a lot, and rolled my eyes at some of the disgusting “humor”. Neither of us enjoyed it very much, but it was something different to do.
The stage. I decided to skip a picture of the characters.
We enjoyed dinners out with Greg and Pam, and also with Ed and Kathy. We ate pizza at Capone’s, where they use machined guns (Al Capone vintage) as door handles. We ate burgers at Ford’s garage, where the door handles there are gas pump handles and the cloth napkins are rolled up in a hose clamp. Great meals at both places, with great atmosphere, equal service, and as always, good friends.
This watering pot (and many others) was in a window downtown. Cute…as Amanda often says.
Downtown Ft. Myers has a nice charm and feel
Burgers are their signature dish and I was happy to oblige.
The full moon was a nice backdrop to the festive downtown atmosphere.
Our third and final Sunday in Ft. Myers, we attended First Christian Church one last time. The congregation was encouraged to elbow bump or “chicken wing”, instead of shaking hands or hugging, in an effort to limit the potential of spreading the virus. Most of us were really just starting to understand the seriousness of what was going on, including no longer gathering as a community of believers, for a season of time yet to be determined.
After the service, we went to Taco Fest, across from the marina in downtown, Ft. Myers. The weather was beginning to warm up and it was fun to be outside.
The 4th Annual Taco Fest in Ft. Myers
The Marimba Band added much to the atmosphere, under the overpass.
The music really brings out the best in my bride. She couldn’t keep her hands off me the rest of the day.
Greg & Pam, our Indiana potato farmer friends, from the Salty Dog.
This guy wasn’t so in to the Reggae music.
Really good Reggae band, and I don’t usually listen to that music much.
Honey packing away the Mexican Street Corn.
The last night the 6 of us was together, we squeezed into this picture, on our boat. I lost my nice blue cap a few minutes later when the flying kayak took it off my head.
We wrapped up our stay in Ft. Myers on a Monday night. With Marathon, Florida, as our next destination, we would leave at daybreak Tuesday morning, planning 2 anchorage nights getting to Marlin Bay Resort & Marina.
We are scheduled to stay here for a couple weeks. Plans for a friend to come visit us here fell through, and Amanda bought a plane ticket to Nashville for a visit with Abigail, from here. I will stay close and let the girls have their time, and take care of some things on the boat. We also have a crew scheduled to come detail the boat and repair some of the bright-work.
February 23 (Sunday)
We looked up a church online and walked to it Sunday morning. First Christian Church feels more like our church than any, since we left home. Just a mile from the boat, we were welcomed to a rather large congregation.
Good music, good preachin’, good day.
We sang music similar to Compassion Christian, enjoyed Communion, and was encouraged by one of the associate pastor’s sermon. I will go back again next weekend while Amanda is in Nashville.
Looking at the men, I’d say they’ve had a rough life.
Sunday evening, we had a covered dish on the picnic tables
with boaters Vitamin Sea, Salty Dog (our friends Greg and Pam who we had
traveled with down much of the river), and Bagus (Bill and Anette), whom we had
met in Stuart last year right after buying the boat. They had just bought their boat, which is
identical to ours, a 39 foot Kadey Krogen.
Banyan Trees on the grounds of the Edison Ford homes
One of two trees survived the last hurricane. They were planted during the construction of Edison’s & Ford’s homes.
No fire sprinklers in original home, but they did have a standpipe connection.
Sculptures like this are scattered through downtown. I was reminded of our family reunions when, as a kid, the old men would sit under the cypress trees playing dominoes.
Sunset from the marina
Feb 24 (Monday)
We joined Ed and Kathy today and toured the Edison Ford
Winter estate. Fort Myers was Thomas
Edison’s winter home for a number of years, until his death. We learned much about his all his inventions
and patents. He absolutely was a
genius. Interestingly, he was a strong
influence in Henry Ford’s life, offering him much encouragement when Ford was
trying to get the car manufacturing business off the ground. We enjoyed seeing the gardens, their homes,
the lab where they did research for an alternative product to the rubber tree,
for tires on the cars.
Our tracking line didn’t follow us all the way to Ft. Myers, for some reason. Our final destination is right in the “V” of the “M” in Myers.
After much debate this morning, we decided to take the chance and head on south to Ft. Myers. While at Uncle Henry’s, we met a couple on a sailboat, Mike and Theresa, who were amazed at our journey. Theresa, especially, had a hundred questions and was very interested in knowing more about the Loop. Mike, I tend to believe, was not nearly so excited about the idea. Nevertheless, we asked if they wanted to take a tour of the boat before we left. They were on board 2 minutes later and Theresa was even more inspired. Poor Mike, I think he will be doing the Loop someday. We so enjoyed meeting them and hope to see them someday in Savannah when they come through.
After a close call with Amanda getting her arm caught against a piling as we were pulling out, we were on our way. The wind was a challenge for me, trying to back out of the slip, and Amanda was trying so hard to keep the boat from bumping. Lesson: boats can be fixed; body parts, not necessarily. Thankfully, it was a minor bruise.
We passed this boat on the way in. It’s like a trawler/sailboat combo. Pretty cool.
The long trip, 43 NM, took us almost 7 hours. The winds ranged from 20-30 MPH. Wave action was pretty minimum, except when we crossed the Pine Island Sound inlet. Three foot waves made traveling a little more interesting. But once again, we enjoyed the stabilizers on our boat. The fins below the waterline hold our boat steady in rough seas and windy weather. It was later that evening, talking with friends doing the Loop, that we were reminded how beneficial stabilizers are. They talked about how much their boat swayed all day and how rough the long ride was. We really never felt how rough the weather was.
We got to the marina about 3:30 and settled into our less than desirable boat spot. They placed us on the wall, adjacent to the bridge. Lots of car traffic (noise) and an endless stream of walkers, runners, bikers, boom boxes, and lookers, walking by our boat on the sidewalk 10 feet from the side of our boat. We requested a better slip, away from all the very close encounters. Tuesday morning, we will be moving to a much nicer slip.
This picture paints a much prettier view of the marina than it actually afforded. We were glad to leave this spot for another slip.
The entrance to Uncle Henry’s, well off the ICW, was tricky. The dockmaster could see us from his office and told us every turn to help avoid the shoaling coming in.
Our short ride today was only 10 NM. Boca Grande is a town made up of lots of “old money”, so we were told. Our friends, Reggie and Gwen, from Apalachicola had given us places we must go when we arrived, so Amanda made sure we kept her promise to them. Arriving here late morning, we rented a golf cart and traveled to the south end of the island, gawking at the houses and beautiful beach.
This guy kept an eye on our boat while we were golf carting and exploring Boca Grande.
Banyan Trees on Banyan Lane. Apparently, newlyweds get their pictures taken here.
We killed a couple hours, returned to the boat, cleaned up a bit, and then headed back to downtown for our 7:30 dinner reservation at Temptation Restaurant. With a name like that, I was sure there would be babes dancing on the tables. But instead, it was just a nice pricey restaurant. We enjoyed crab cakes and their signature pan fried snapper dish.
I didn’t do so great on the mural behind us at Temptation.
From there, we carted to the Pink Elephant and enjoyed their signature drink, The Hummer. Ice cream, coffee liqueur, and some other ingredients foreign to me, made this a delicious dessert drink. It was, by far, the best thing I tasted all night long. It wasn’t strong (with alcohol) and I would have absolutely had another, if it wasn’t so expensive. It was probably a good thing that it was expensive. Where they get the name, I dont know. But as tasty as they are, it’s my bet that after several, you’d be doing a lot more than humming.
I could enjoy one of these every day, if I wouldn’t get fat, broke, and end up in a rehab center.
We also met sort of a celebrity while at the Pink Elephant. Macy Kirkland, whose father was co-founder of the Kirkland Stores across the country, and her brother, were sitting next to us at the bar. She was sitting beside Amanda and turned to her and said, “Is your name Lauren, by chance?” After clarifying her name was Amanda, Macy said she had to ask because apparently her brother thought Amanda was an old girlfriend. They were a pleasure to meet and we talked (Amanda and Macy) quite a while. Macy was very evasive in defining what she did for a living. Amanda later stalked her on the internet and learned that her family has been very philanthropic, especially supporting Habitat for Humanity. Her home is in Nashville and apparently she manages the estate and philanthropic efforts of the family foundation. She could not have been a kinder, more genteel person. It made the end of our evening a pleasant experience. Wish we had gotten a picture with her, for bragging rights, but we didn’t know she was “somebody” till later.
We carted back to the marina about 10 pm and turned in for the night. Lots of wind is forecasted for tomorrow, so we will determine early tomorrow whether we will risk the travel to Ft. Myers.
We opted to ride “inside” to enjoy the calm waters and see more scenery.
Today’s cruise was 29 NM. Weather was 75-80 degrees and we operated from the pilot house.
Many bridges we can squeak under, but this one would have removed about 2′ from our 22′ high mast.
We found a good anchorage spot among a few derelict boats. After I completed Amanda’s hair coloring (look out Tina, I’m getting good at this), we jumped in the dinghy and boogeyed over to Englewood Beach. There, we tied up at the White Elephant Pub dock and enjoyed a cool beer and met some upstate New Yorker snowbirds. It’s always a pleasure to meet these folks and they are always so enamored by our southern drawl and our adventure. Afterward, we strolled over to the beach and then back across the street to the Sandbar Tiki & Grille.
I picked this babe up and took her home with me.
Abigail always takes pictures like this. This one doesn’t make any sense to me either.
Englewood Beach sunset
We didn’t eat dinner, but found it to be a much more family friendly atmosphere. They had a band ( a bunch of old geezers like us) playing old tunes of the 70’s. Grandparents, parents, and kids were all dancing while many played corn-hole and other beach activities. Most were waiting on their food. A lively place, everyone was enjoying.
Shells were everywhere on the beach.
Grandma dancing with her grandkids.
We puttered back across the shallow dark bay to our boat, had dinner, and called it a day. We are enjoying the shorter travel days and the warmer weather. Glad the rivers and long cold days are no longer a part of our routine. Tomorrow, we head to Boca Grande (Uncle Henry’s Marina). Amanda has more plans for us there.
