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.