Ft. Myers Beach, family and friends

Well, I just discovered that this had not been posted earlier this month when we had such a nice time here in Ft. Myers Beach with a visit from our son Ryan, and visits with the Occhinos and Doyles (see below).

Jeff is doing better, and we are back here in Ft. Myers Beach on the boat for a couple of weeks of rest and relaxation. After his stroke last week and a stay in the hospital, Jeff is talking again, and back to almost "normal".  Jeff's brother Pete came to visit, and we are very happy to have him here.

Special thanks to Dennis and Kathleen Doyle and Ed and Louise Occhino, who have helped us so much.  We also enjoyed a great visit from Todd and Fran Casetta and Russell and Wendy Williams who came down from Punta Gorda for lunch and cheered us up with lots of laughs.  Thanks also to our friends and family and the MYC family for all the calls and e-mails. 

Here's the old post:
We had a great treat - a visit from our son Ryan.  He flew in to Ft. Myers, rented a car and joined us for a couple of days of sun, beach, boating, eating, and most important, good family time together.  We drove over to Sanibel Island and spent time walking on the beach finding shells. There are thousands of them.  Then we stopped for lunch in a well known restaurant called "Grandma Dots" (In case you didn't know, my mom's name is Dot) so she has always been Grandma Dot to Ryan.  Excellent Food!  The next night we had dinner at the Bayside Bistro located in the marina complex.  Outstanding food and view of the water. Sadly, Ryan had to return to NYC in time for the Blizzard.  Too bad he couldn't have gotten stuck here...

Jeff and Ryan on the beach on Sanibel Island

Sanibel Shells

Sanibel Island Beach

Grandma Dot's Restaurant

 Snook Bight Marina is just gorgeous.  Very new and well designed buildings and docks located behind the Publix supermarket parking lot.  Simply shop and take the grocery cart to the boat to unload - no carrying heavy bags - and all that Chardonnay - to re-provision.  Cross the street and we had access to the public beach that runs the full length of the island.  The sand is finely ground shells, and packed down enough for people to ride bicycles along the beach.  Walking along the water is nice, and there are miles of beach in both directions.

Snook Bight Marina

That is a 40' Mainship on the biggest lift truck I have ever seen

Visitor - Snowy Egret

Ft. Myers Beach

We went exploring and found "Dog Beach"  Look at the roots - sure looks like a dog!

Sand birds on Ft. Myers Beach

When we arrived in Snook Bight Marina in Ft. Myers Beach we were greeted by MYC club members Ed and Louise Occhino.  They arrived in their power boat from their condo nearby.  We also were greeted by MYC members Dennis and Kathleen Doyle (by car) from their condo.  We had the pleasure of seeing both of their winter homes, and eating out together.  Kathleen and Dennis took us for a car tour through the very cute town of Ft. Myers Beach. 

Osprey in the water

Sunset from Dennis and Kathleen Doyle's condo

Dennis and Kathleen Doyle

Dennis and Kathleen Doyle, Louise and Ed Occhino with Jeff in front of the Occhino's condo

Louise and Ed, Keira and Jeff, Kathleen and Dennis at the restaurant

Our time spent in Ft. Myers Beach was so nice we were tempted to stay longer, but we want to visit MYC members Todd and Fran Cassetta in Punta Gorda (more on that visit soon), and get there before the predicted rain storm and cold front.

Punta Gorda and the Canals

After leaving Ft. Myers Beach on our way to Punta Gorda,  we anchored out between Useppa Island and Cabbage Key. It was breezy, and there were also some wakes from passing boats.  I still was able to kayak over to explore some of the small islands and coves. 

Turkey Vultures?

White egret on a small key

Blue Heron

Under water in the shallows ???

Good Tidings at anchor near Cabbage Key

Next afternoon we took off and headed up Charlotte Harbor to Alligator Creek, on the south side of Punta Gorda to Todd and Fran Cassetta's house (our former neighbors on MYC dock 4), arriving as the tide was coming up to full.  It was skinny water in the entrance channel and even skinnier when we turned into their canal.  Todd met us in his kayak and lead us into his own canal.  He and his neighbors had set up a couple of anchors with line in the side of the canal.  Unfortunately there was a lot of wind blowing us sideways, so we dragged the anchors right away.  We went to plan "B" and tied off to the palm trees and mangroves on one side and to some land anchors and a tree on the other side.  It was a short dinghy push across to shore. We stayed safe and sound for almost a week even through a VERY rainy day, and enough north wind to blow the water out of the canal to a couple of feet below normal low!

Good Tidings tied up in the canal

Todd and Fran Cassetta's house, boat and dock

Todd and Fran have a lovely spot on the water with a great house and lanai.  It was busy season - card games, pool games (not swimming pool - a pool table) garage sale, friends for dinner...  We even found time to go for a dinghy tour of the canals and a car tour of the same area another day. 

Dinghy Tour:

Todd

Jeff

Favorite fishing spot

 Fran loves the birds, and many egrets and herons come to visit and ask for snacks.  I'm guessing they have gotten a few, since they come right to the door and don't seem afraid of people.

Fran's Birds:

Heron posing for the picture

Asking Politely

 

Ibis

Night Heron

Snowy Egret

 
The best part was all the laughter and good companionship, getting to know Russell and Wendy Williams (MYC dock 4) and of course being with Todd and Fran.  Thank you for everything.

Jeff, Todd and Fran, Russell and Wendy with Atticus

When it was time to leave, the water was still very low, so we waited as late as we could.  We went to the entrance to their canal where we had touched bottom on the way in to check the depth.  We found the high spot, and measured - 4 feet - we need 4' 2" We decided to give it a go anyway, planning to stay to the right as far as we could without hitting the shore.  First try, I stayed too far right, and as I nudged the mud, I was pushed left.  We backed off and tried again with a little more speed.  This time we got over the hump, but the stern caught as we turned.  I wiggled left and right, and we slid through.  No damage, but I think we have a clean bottom!  Following the Alligator Creek channel was easy after that, but still nerve racking, and the sigh of relief when we got out past the last marker must have been heard around the world.  The sunset was lovely, and the seas calm where we anchored in Charlotte Harbor south of Punta Gorda.

North up the West Coast

We bid a fond farewell to Marathon and the keys after a month of relaxation and warm weather.  We left on a breezy day with a following sea all the way across Florida Bay and into the Gulf.  After passing Cape Sable we pulled in to the Little Shark River.  This is all part of the Everglades National Park.  It is undeveloped and remote - and BUGGY - but beautiful scenery. 

Shore of the Everglades National Park - tall mangrove trees

Little Shark River

Little Shark River Inlet

Looking up the Little Shark River.  We had a little company.

Side Creek - Little Shark River

We arrived and set the anchor in the middle of the river with plenty of current, knowing we would turn with the tide.  The anchor skidded, and then set ... All was well until the "no-see-um's" got through the screens.  We were both itching all over.  In the morning we got up early to make the run north ahead of a cold front.  After not setting easily, we couldn't budge the anchor.  The windlass couldn't get it, so we wiggled side to side, and then put GoodTidings in gear and pulled.  She finally came up - the anchor shaft has about a 30 degree curved arc now (see picture below).  We think it might have been stuck around a rock on the bottom.  I don't think it will set properly any more, so now we will need a new main anchor.  We have a Fortress, but it is not set up to be the primary anchor on the pulpit, and will not work very well with the windlass.  We are having a replacement shipped to Ft.Myers Beach next week.

Look at the bend of the anchor shaft - solid stainless steel!

 
We took off in calm seas heading north. By 8:00 AM - much earlier than expected - the cold front hit, the wind turned 180 degrees, and the seas kicked up.  We bounced along in bumpy - not quite lumpy - seas for a couple hours until we started to get into the lee of Cape Romano and Marco Island.  We left the gulf to go up the river to Everglades City.  What a great place! Not really a city though.  We came up through some very skinny water - at dead low tide.  We tied up to the Rod and Gun Club docks.  We met several very nice boaters who were heading south on the great loop trip.  We hope to see them in the spring when we get back to the east coast.

GoodTidings on the Rod and Gun Club dock

 

Tree in Everglades City

Everglades City

Everglades City Sunset

Palm tree trunk with something growing in the trunk. Might be a mangrove.

Everglades City is a step into the past

Rod and Gun Club - the first alligator we have seen

Rod and Gun Club

Rod and Gun Club

 

Rod and Gun Club

Mangrove trees are determined to grow even on this rocky island.

Everglades

 We stayed 2 nights in Everglades City waiting out a cold front wind.  It was back into the polar fleece and jeans.  We enjoyed walking around the town and the old style Rod and Gun Club that was a favorite for a couple of US Presidents and many others.  Today we returned out the river into the gulf and went out 12 miles west to go around the Romano Shoals, turned north around Marco Island and are now relaxing here for the afternoon.  It is completely different from the Everglades.  Very Modern and full of high rise condos. 

Marco Island from the gulf

The condos next to our marina = Marco Island

 Tomorrow we will go to Ft. Myers Beach, and look forward to a visit from Ryan.