Wednesday, February 9, 2011

81° 43.569’ W

25° 58.055’ N

Marina at Factory Bay

Marco Island, Florida



Leaving Ft. Myers



Sanibel Bridge



Today we cruised 58 miles, from Ft. Myers to Marco Island. The weather was great and the sea was running at 1 to 2 feet. If every day could be like that I wouldn’t see much land! The dolphins escorted us from time to time as they like to play in our wake.



Naples skyline



Arriving at Marco Island



Marco Island is typical south Florida and expensive. The area is quite beautiful and very popular with the snow birds from up north. This is their high season so restaurants are packed with waiting patrons.



Need to know what kind of bird
this is???



The marina we stayed at was very nice and had a few dolphins swimming around in the empty slips putting on a show for us. We also got to watch a fireworks display later in the evening from the boat which was a surprise.

Docked in Marco Island

The weather is looking good for tomorrow so weather permitting we will move on to Everglades City, Florida about 40 miles south of here.





Tuesday, February 8, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida

Jim and John helped me set up a new chart plotter that I recently installed on the boat. Like every thing on a boat it takes a half a day to do an hour worth of work! To test the system the boat must be underway.

Tomorrow’s weather should be good enough to let us depart and head for Marco Island.

Monday, February 7, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida

The loopers staying at the marina organized a pot luck dinner that was held in the marinas club house. We had another fun filled evening and had an opportunity to meet additional loopers that we hadn’t met before.

Within minutes of returning to our boats the wind kicked up and moved the boat around in the slip until morning! We’re getting a little tired of sitting around and waiting for a good weather day. Ft. Myers is a beautiful area but when you are trying to get somewhere and can’t, it does get old fast! Tomorrow’s weather doesn’t look good for getting us out of here either!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida



We are not going anywhere today. I checked out from the marina and paid the bill. After disconnecting and storing the power cords, water hose and TV cable the weather changed quickly! A front moved in, increasing the wave height to four feet and building. Also the morning fog that appeared to be lifting has not completely dissipated! Put the two together and we will probably be here for another few days. If the weather changes again – in our favor – we can be under way in 30 minutes.



Skip - Dick



To get a little exercise Barb, I and the Flints walked into town for a light lunch. On our return to the marina we noticed an old friend sitting at a sidewalk café and joined him for a drink. Dick is also a looper from the Midwest wintering in Florida. As always it is great to renew old acquaintances!

There’s a Super Bowl party later on Jim and Cathy’s boat which will be fun while grazing on all types of appetizers now being prepared!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida

Another beautiful day in Ft. Myers, Florida! Barb and I walked to the local restaurant and had brunch then to the local super mart for milk, bread and beer!

Eight of us walked to dinner before going to a play titled The 39 Steps, which was very entertaining. The walk into town and back to the boat was the only real exercise undertaken today.

The weather continues to be pleasant with the possibility of a front approaching! Cooler temperatures with increasing wave heights are predicted! Weather permitting, we will depart Ft. Myers tomorrow and move to Marco Island.

Friday, February 4, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida

My daughter had surgery this morning and I’m happy to report the surgery went well! It’s times like this when being away is uncomfortable! Get well Sherri!

Today was a typical “live aboard day”. Everyone was on the dock in the sunshine swapping sea stories and rushing around getting ready for happy hour or some other non essential adventure!

Between 5 and 6 pm every evening most boaters gather at the marina patio and watch the sunset with a cold drink in one hand and munchies in the other!

I did wash the complete boat and polish all of the exposed stainless today! The old girl is looking sharp and ready to move on.

There’s an outside art fair that we walked to which was very enjoyable. In addition to the art displays local food was available.

Tomorrow we have reservations to see a play, The 39 STEPS, adapted from the Alfred Hitchcock movie. Four actors play 45 different characters in the story line. We should have a good time as the theatre group has a great reputation.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida

The weather continues to be perfect in the low 80s with blue skies and low humidity. Barb and I have received many photos of the blizzard back home………….we are so lucky to be here at this time

Today started out cloaked in fog that burned off quickly under the hot Florida sun. The morning was spent cleaning sea strainers, flushing both engines with fresh water and doing general maintenance on the boat. Barb kept busy with laundry and her list of chores that had to get done.

After lunch, Cathy & Jim, Barb & John, Barb & I drove to Sanibel Island to visit a Shell Museum. I never realized how many different types of shells there are! We all took another van ride to a local strip mall for the ladies could shop and the men could get out of the hot sun and get refreshed. From there we located a very nice Chinese restaurant named - Sakura Chinatown. I must say we selected a good restaurant for dinner! Before selecting this restaurant we had driven to four others that we rejected.

The day was closed out with a night cap on Cathy and Jim’s boat before returning to our floating home away from home.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida



Leaving



We said our good-byes to Kathi and Harold then pushed off from their dock. Within an hour we were docked at the municipal marina and took on fuel for the next leg of our trip. After traveling another ten minutes down river and we entered Legacy Harbour Marina where we had stayed four nights before.





We were assigned a slip close to the Flints boat. When I walked over to greet John there was a diver removing his damaged props! I needed a prop check and bottom cleaning so I asked the diver to check our props and zincs then clean the barnacles from the bottom. Everything checked out fine and we are good to go again.

An old friend that I worked with Jim Ennis is staying in the area for the winter months. Jim and Sue came to the boat for a visit before we drove to a restaurant for a good dinner. It was great fun seeing both of them again.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

81° 47.727’ W

26° 41.460’ N

Kathi & Harold’s waterfront home

Ft. Myers, Florida



Edison in front of Banyan tree



Gardens at Edison & Ford
winter estates



Another beautiful day with temps in the 70’s and lots of sunshine! Considering what’s happening back at home with a major blizzard on the way ---- our timing is perfect!



We toured the Edison and Ford winter estates and museum today. This is a must see if in the area!



Manatee



We continue to enjoy the Manatees swimming past our boat. Tomorrow we will depart this beautiful setting, return to the marina and our friends that we will travel south with.



Left to right: Marge - Harold -
Skip - Kathi - Marlene



The Rogers had two longtime friends arrive this afternoon from Canada - Marge and Marlene and we enjoyed visting out on the deck. Kathi and Harold are great hosts and parting company will be sad.





Sunday & Monday, January 30 & 31, 2011

81° 47.727’ W

26° 41.460’ N

Kathi & Harold’s waterfront home

Ft. Myers, Florida



Jim & Cathy  Skip & Barb  Barb & John



We enjoyed a Jazz brunch Sunday morning at The Edison Restaurant with Barb & John, Cathy & Jim a short drive from the marina. On our return we made the boat ready to move up the river to Kathi and Harold’s home on a canal off the Orange River. It was a short ride, less than eight miles to their dock at their winter home. We have seen Manatees up and down the canal where we are docked. Harold took us for a boat ride that took us under low bridges and into old Florida little development. It was very nice seeing a canal in the wilderness with few homes tucked back in the bush.



Docked on the canal



Kathi and Harold continue to be great hosts in a beautiful setting! Our time here has been wonderful.



Kathi & Harold's home



I also have had time to make a few repairs to our dinghy hardware and get it in the water and running. With all of the marinas that we have stayed in the past two months, the dinghy was not used!

Our plans are to stay one more night before returning to Legacy Harbour Marina in Ft. Myers. Weather permitting we will travel south with the Scoperta (Barb & John) and Merried With Her (Cathy & Jim) this Friday or Saturday.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

81° 52.568’ W

26° 38.538’ N

Legacy Harbour Marina

Ft. Myers, Florida

First and foremost – HAPPY 16^th BIRTHDAY – to our grandson Grant.



Sunrise



Leaving our anchorage



Last night while at anchor the water was calm and the sky was filled with stars! It was probably one of our better nights on the hook. We woke up to a beautiful sunrise. This morning I was a little worried when leaving the shallow bay we anchored in so I slowly followed a sailboat out into the GIWW. At one location I was showing less than 2 feet under the boat!



Approaching Legacy Harbour Marina



Our view at Legacy

Spring has arrived! It is 75 degrees, clear, sunny and our 40 mile cruise was as smooth as glass.

Our boat is now tied up next to Barb and John Flint (Scoperta). It was great seeing them again. Also in the marina are the following loopers: Pat and Dick (Gypsea), Cathy and Jim (Merried with Her) and Barb and Greg (Gon Cruzn III). As we were tying up Double Trouble - x4 was leaving the harbor.

Tonight we will stay at Legacy Harbour Marina then tomorrow move up river for a visit with Kathi and Harold. From there we will return to Legacy and plan our route south to Marathon in the Keys!

Friday, January 28, 2011

82° 14.421’ W

26° 140.826’ N

At anchor in Pelican Bay off Cayo Costa



Saying Good-Bye



Leaving the dock



At 9am the tide was at the correct height for Barb and me to get our boat under the bridge! We said our farewells to Joan and Tom then departed their home and dock on Siesta Key and headed south down the Intracoastal Waterway! Traveling this section of the GIWW was slow going as the waters are home to the protected Manatee. We also encountered a few bridges that had to be lifted and two swing bridges that were rotated for us to pass.



Approaching the bridge



Swing bridge



Today we had one of our best weather days since entering Florida. It was warm and sunny day as we traveled 50 miles to where we are now anchored. Tomorrow weather permitting we will cruise another 40 miles to Fort Myers and hope to touch base with our friends Barb and John Flint.



Drawbridge



While in Fort Myers, we hope to visit with Kathi and Harold Rogers who have a summer home in the area. Barb and I traveled with Kathi and Harold for a period of time while on the Trent Severn water way in Canada.

After Fort Myers we will head for the Keys!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

82° 33.473’ W

27° 17.232’ N

Grand Canal off Roberts Bay

Siesta Key, Florida



We are still experiencing some of Florida’s cool weather with sunshine and blue skies. We can’t complain - just can’t wear shorts and t-shirts!

Joan and Tom drove us to the Ringling Circus Museum. It was everything we had expected. I would highly recommend a visit if in the area.



Later we went into town for dinner at an Italian restaurant. Good food……..good company. We started saying our goodbyes as we will depart tomorrow. We can’t say enough about our stay here. Where else can you live on your boat walk into a beautiful home of friends and socialize while drinking there liquor!

Tomorrow we will cast off around 9am when the tide is out and the water is not flowing. If our departure goes as planned we should clear the fixed bridge then motor into the bay where we will drop anchor for a few minutes and install our running lights that were removed to clear the bridge! Tomorrow we will push as far as conditions will let us travel. Our goal is to reach Fort Myer’s, Florida and reconnect with friends we have traveled with before.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

82° 33.473’ W

27° 17.232’ N

Grand Canal

Siesta Key, Florida



Storks



Entering Grand Canal



Almost there!

O'Brien's home

We had a short 15 mile trip moving the boat from Longboat Key to the Grand Canal! We cruised the distance without any problems until we confronted a low fixed bridge without height markings. Our charts showed a bridge at its location but nothing else. We entered the canal at low tide without any current. After assessing the height I moved the boat to the center of the narrow canal and quickly removed the running lights. We cleared the underside of the bridge with a couple of inches to clear. Our friends Joan and Tom had made arrangements for us to dock on the sea wall between their home and their neighbors’ Frank and Lyndon.




Backyard



Moor $tuff docked in the canal



Barb and I had no idea of the location or what type of amenities we might experience. There was sufficient water under the boat and there was adequate space for us to squeeze between two other boats. The homes are beautiful, the dock and hook up is five star, and our hosts are over the top gracious!



A major storm roared across Florida within hours of arriving, with damaging winds and rain squalls that lasted all night long. We were in a protected canal with the Gulf of Mexico a quarter mile to our west and the Roberts Bay a quarter mile to our east. With all of the violent weather that every one was experiencing we gently rode out the storm in the Grand Canal!

Our schedule is flexible at this time, and we are not sure of our departure date.