Catch Up Time

Saturday 2/28/09 Hey all you Northerners...another month and you can start to think seriously about getting the boat ready to drop back in the water! It's hard to imagine that whole process when sitting here looking out at a marina filled with boats from all over and of all sizes glistening in the sun.

This past week we caught up on laundry and provisions on Monday. Tuesday we put the dinghy in the water and went with three other boats up river a few miles and then wound our way into the mangroves to Marker 34 which is a restaurarant and golf course back in the sticks. Pretty cool! The stream thru the mangroves was just wide enough for the dink to get through. Pam kept watching overhead for spiders & snakes to drop into the boat. It was pretty tense but she survived without incident! Unfortunately we forgot to take the camera.

Wednesday we had to get out of the marina and excercise Tourist. We went downriver once again to Glovers Bight for the night. This was the first test for our reformed hooker (anchor) and I'm happy to report it passed with flying colors! We shared the achorage with a couple of blowboaters and the construction project nearby which produces Pams' new least favorite morning sound. The beep, beep, beep, of the alarms on the construction elevators that start at 7am. They sound like the garbage truck backing up. I think I anchor there just to bug her!?!

While on our way down river we were passed by the pictured Go Fast. Very patriotic!

Thursday we came back into Legacy to clean the boat and get ready for our next visitor, Julie who arrived last night courtesy of Air Tran.

Weekly Review

The past week we've been at Legacy Harbour in Downtown Ft. Myers. Temps have been in the 70's with one day in the 60's. Not too bad compared to home! On Monday Roger & Pam Gehl drove down from Crystal River to have lunch and visit. Roger & Pam are former boat owners who now have a motorhome that they travel around in. Schedules didn't work out last year for us to get together so it was nice to see them this year.

Tuesday we went to lunch with Dad & Mom and did a little shopping and got the boat ready for our next guests, Frank & Peg Balistreri from Madison who arrived Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday did bring with it one major accomplishment that has been in the works since we left home in November. With the help of Buttgravy and a guy in Boulder, Co. I was able to download navigation charts into the &%@* Sea Ray Navigator. I know this doesn't sound like a big deal to all you computer geeks but for an illiterate like me it was an accomplishment of gigantic proportions! It was made difficult in the fact that since we took delivery of the boat the company that produces the charts went out of business but not before they changed the format from CD(ours) to DVD. The charts aren't as detailed as the new products available but they are better than looking at a map of the US when what you really want is a chart of what is within a few miles or less of the boats position.

Thursday Frank & I drove across the river to get the anchor straightened. 10 minutes later and $20.00 lighter we returned with a straight anchor. No more hookers on Tourist!

Friday was the cool day with temps in the 60's but sunny. We drove to Sanibel Island and had lunch at Grandma Dots which is a restaurant located at the Sanibel Marina. From there we drove around the Sanibel and Captiva Islands and stopped to do the Sanibel Stoop at one of the beaches.(pick up shells)

Saturday was a relaxing day with a walk downtown to the craft fair (mostly junk!) and then a drive to Bonita Springs to have dinner with my Dad & Mom. Sunday morning Frank & Peg left and we went for a walk and then back to the boat for a nap. This lifestyle is exhausting!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Saturday 2/14/09 The past few days we have been anchored in Glover Bight. Temps in the low 80's, sunshine, and light breezes. The local canals have provided us with a steady stream of boat traffic coming and going. Everything from small fishing boats to cruisers that are bigger than Tourist! One of the development's a short distance away is called Cape Harbour (http://www.capeharbour.com/). You get there either by car or by boat through the smallest lock I have ever seen. Rumrunners which I mentioned in an earlier post is located in the development. Great food and drink while sitting right beside the main canal watching the boats come and go. It don't get much better!

We're back at Legacy Harbour and today is boat wash day. I don't know how Tourist can get dirty sitting in the middle of all this water but it does. Washing should be highlighted today by the music festival taking place a couple of blocks away. One of the acts is Blues Traveler and if the wind is from the right direction it should be as good as being there. The festival is part of the month long Edison Festival of Light (http://www.edisonfestival.org/). I'll be the guy dancing on the top of the boat!

The Great Escape

Thursday 2/5/09 thru Sunday 2/8/09 Was spent doing boat chores and staying in Bonita Springs with my Mom & Dad. We went shopping, eating, and made a visit to the Flea Market. A cultural experience that no one should miss! I've yet to see a flea. Guess they're too small for my eyes. Maybe some of those glasses they sell (2 pair $5.00) would help.

Monday2/9/09 We returned to the boat last night with one thing in mind. Get out of Dodge! Legacy Harbour is located just two blocks from where the new President was going to be pushing his stimulus plan on Tuesday. Everything was to be shut down around the area. Parking lots cleared. Any boats transiting the area would need to be escorted away from the area by law enforcement. You get the picture. I wanted to stick around and get my handout from the Pres. but Pam said NO!

We pulled out of Legacy and went 1/2 mile East to Ft. Myers Yacht Basin for fuel. Upon completion of that we headed back west 15 miles to Cape Coral to anchor for the week in Glover Bight where we are now. Glover Bight is a fairly well protected spot with good water and access to Tarpon Marina and Rumrunners Restaurant which we found while out exploring the many canals of Cape Coral. Supposedly Cape Coral has more miles of canals than Venice, Italy.

So far we have seen dolphins swimming around the boat. Pelicans and other birds diving into the water for fish. And today we saw a manatee. The weather has been great and looks to remain good throughout the week.

We Made It!

Monday 2/2/09 With an eye on the forecast we decided to pull the anchor and head toward Ft. Myers. We used the twin 660 horse Cummins and ran on plane down the ICW through Pine Island Sound, past Captiva and Sanibel Islands before turning left onto the "Miserable Mile" and into the Caloosahatchie River. Approximately 15 miles later we arrived at Legacy Harbour (http://www.legacyharbour.com/) just ahead of the high winds and rain. We no sooner got secured in the slip when the strong south winds hit. I thought the canvas was going to blow off! Fortunately we are located close to the marina office so we get some protection from shore on one side and the boats in the harbor on the other. The picture shows just how close.

Tuesday 2/3/09 Wind is still blowing but the rain has ended. My Dad showed up at noon today and we went out to find oil for the Cummins since it's time for an oil change. It took us two different Wal Marts to get the 18 gallons needed to make the change. After dropping the oil off we went to Bonita Springs to spend the night at my parents.

Wednesday 2/4/09 We returned to the boat today and started the oil change process. Much to my delight we found that I could get rid of the old oil at the Ft. Myers Yacht Harbor which is a city owned marina. The folks at Legacy voluntered to take the old oil the 4 blocks up to the yacht basin but since we had dads car we did it ouselves. The yacht basin will also take used fuel and anti-freeze. Considering most marinas discourage do it yourself'ers like me, this was a breath of fresh air! The oil got changed. Mom & Dad went home before rush hour and Pam & I had cocktails in the boat. (The wind is still blowing!)

The other day I thought we were meeting Marc's Ark on the ICW! Someone check Frentress Lake and see if the ark is still there!

A Hooker and Waldorf & Astor

Thursday 1/29/09 It had been quite breezy all night long at our anchorage which caused the anchor to do its' job and dig into the bottom even more than normal. When it came time to pull it up the windlass just groaned when we got the slack out of the chain. At this point I had Pam put the boat in forward and drive over the anchor to pop it out of the bottom. Mission accomplished! I continued to retrieve the anchor and when it came out of the water I could see that we now had a hooker! Apparently the bottom didn't give it up without leaving its' mark on our anchor which now has a bent shank.

We pulled out of the Manatee River and found the ICW once more and started South. We now have bridges with low clearances to contend with as well as many No Wake areas. Going is slower than slow. Just north of Sarasota we pulled off the main channel to take a look at the Ringling Mansion which sits on the waters edge. Enough of the circus, on we go!

Friday 1/30/09 We arrived at Venice this morning without running over one gondola! We checked into the Crows Nest Marina which has a great restaurant but is right on the inlet to the Gulf which when the wind came up later made it a bumpy night.

Our main reason for stopping in Venice was because my uncle Leo lives there and my parents were coming up for lunch and to stay overnight with us on the boat. All arrived about 11am and off we went. Throughout the day either my dad drove or my uncle. Either way it was like riding with Waldorf & Astor from the Muppet Show with the one who was the passenger telling the other where to go, what lane to be in, etc. and the driver saying that he already knew that! Quite humorous and and enjoyable day for all.

Saturday1/31/09 My parents took off for Bonita Springs and we pulled out of the Crows Nest. We did a whopping 23 miles and anchored in a well protected residential cove near Cape Haze. Beautiful homes, deep water, dolphins playing and calm water. A welcome change from the previous night.

Sunday 2/1/09 Today we uncovered the dinghy for the first time since October. A little grungy from diesel soot but not bad. Kinda gives it character. We did a quick clean up and dropped it in the water. Three pulls later the Yamaha fired and off we went for a cruise through the residential canal just off our anchorage. We checked out the homes for sale (which were few) explored a few more areas and returned to the boat where we pulled the deck chairs out onto the swim platform and watched the world go by. My day was complete! Or so I thought. Little did I know that Pam had a strong desire of which I was a big part. Yep! You guessed it. Domino's! We made it special by having chips and dip while playing. Incidentally, I won!!!

Tomorrow we move on.