Company Comes

While most of the country suffers through the harshness of winter, we have been enjoying a very pleasant one here in Southwest Florida. Because of that difference the tourism people are happily having one of the best seasons in awhile. Certainly they are here at Legacy Harbour with the marina being fuller than we have seen it in the 5 years we've wintered here.
Meanwhile life goes on with the daily projects and some fun activities squeezed in. I'll try to give you an idea of what we've been up to since our last posting.

We had a wonderful dinner at Bill & Mary's condo and got this shot of Legacy from the 22nd floor.

Tourist, (3rd from left)

It was also the Edison Festival of Lights weekend and I got this shot after dark looking towards downtown.

A few of the sailboats in the foreground have lights in their rigging.

Saturday night is the big parade. People mark off their spots along the route weeks in advance in what they believe is the best viewing area. We on the other hand just walked to the route and found a good place to stand for awhile and watch.

The festivities started before we left the marina with fireworks over downtown before heading to the parade route.

Worlds first inflatable light bulb.

Just like a parade at home with a John Deere tractor.

Even a replica of Edison's home made it in the parade.

And a Paddy Wagon to pick up the drunks along the route.

The parade lasted much longer than my attention span and we moved on to other endeavors before it was over.

Having survived the weekend Pam and I thought we'd sneak out for a couple of days so we cast off and went to Glover Bight and tossed out the anchor. We spent a couple of nights on the hook relaxing and riding through the canals of Cape Coral.

Peaceful morning at the Bight.

Me heading back to get my wallet which I discovered I didn't have after we had ordered lunch at Rumrunner's! Duh!

Of course another beautiful sunset over Tarpon Point.

W came back in in time to provision Tourist and pick up Kim & Lu at the Punta Gorda airport. Pam decided we should welcome them to Florida with a lobster dinner.

Yummmm!

With a good weather window we threw off the lines and took off for Cayo Costa State Park. About half way there we started running in and out of a fog bank rolling in from the Gulf. Fortunately it waited until we got the anchor down in Pelican Bay before socking us in completely.

Right after we anchored and it got worse.

100 % humidity formed water droplets on the screen over our bed. I'm glad we weren't sleeping at the time or I may have thought I'd had an accident!

The next morning (late morning) we dinghied over to the little cove where we usually see manatees. We weren't disappointed. We would go to one side of the lagoon and shut down the motor and drift across. Just like magic the big creatures started coming up for air all around us. Almost prehistoric looking you hope they don't surface under the raft or we'd be swimming!

You can see the shadow of one in the center of the picture.

After a few drifts we aimed for the park docks where we unloaded and walked the 9/10ths of a mile across the island to the beach. We were able to avoid the sea fog which was once again flirting with us.

Kim And I stopped and as we suspected the girls just kept on walking.

The girls.

The guys.

The escapee's from the cold.

The restroom required before our hike back to the dinghy.

Once back at Tourist we were enjoying snacks and libations when this seagull showed up. At first he just floated around waiting for a treat to be tossed his way. After he figured out we weren't sharing he jumped up on the dinghy to dry off.

 As a final gesture of his displeasure with our selfishness he pooped on the dinghy before leaving. Now I know why my Dad always called them "shit birds"!

Again that afternoon the fog started to set in.

Our third morning we raised anchor and headed for Sanibel Marina and Grandma Dot's restaurant. It was a pleasant ride made so by the fact that there wasn't much boat traffic to contend with. Of course they were dredging the entrance channel to the marina when we arrived making a narrow entrance even narrower. We made it through and were told what slip to occupy while we ate. Pam quickly went to get in line after putting on a display of accuracy by lassoing the piling on her first try with the rope at the bow.
After waiting inline for about 15 minutes she was told by a rather rude hostess that all of the party had to be there or she would not give us a table. Keep in mind that we were no more than fifty feet away and in plain view.  With no choice but to come and get us Pam gave up her spot in line. Once we all got back up there we were told we could wait for a table to open or she had 2 tables of 2 which were back to back available. We took them.
The meal was good in a nice setting but dulled by an unimaginative and rude hostess.

Grandma Dots.

From Sanibel it was a short ride to Ft. Myers Beach and the mooring field.

We passed this replica Spanish sailing ship whose name I can not either pronounce or spell .

We dinghied ashore and paid for our mooring before heading over to the Trico shrimp docks to check out their selection of seafood.

Trico from the water.

The land side entrance.

Kim checking out the selections and secretly remembering an old girlfriend.

We selected some fresh tuna steaks which we did on the grill that evening. They were downright tasty!

The next day after morning coffee we ventured ashore for a walk on the beach and for the girls to snoop in the shops. We stopped for lunch at the Cottage and ate looking over the beach and the Gulf.

It looks like Biscuits and Gravy from the rap group Rum B & G!

Lunch at the Cottage.

Of course we walked out the pier and posed with the pelican.

After the shopping was done we ventured once again to the fish market and picked up some scallops for dinner.

Once again. Yummm!

Our final morning at the mooring field started with fog but fortunately it quickly lifted and we were underway by 7:30.

Suns coming up.

Once back in the Caloosahatchie Pam treated us with biscuits and gravy for breakfast while underway. It doesn't get much better than that!

Upon arrival back at Legacy we were met by Linda Walpole from M/V Tumbleweed. We had seen her husband Floyd back at Cayo Costa when he dinghied over to pick up a coffee carafe from us. (Linda was there too but under the weather). Now together at Legacy I was able to visit with them for a couple of hours. We all first met a few years back when Floyd and I were attending Chapman's School of Seamanship in Stuart, Fl.. We had a great visit and compared past experiences as well as future cruising plans. Unfortunately for this year we're going in different directions. Safe travels Tumbleweed.

Linda, Floyd, &  Dakota with Tumbleweed behind them.

That evening we drove over to Cape Coral to have a delicious dinner with mutual friends Jay & Judy Ploessl at their home before Kim & Lu flew out Thursday morning.

Lu with Judy in the kitchen. Son J.J. in the background.

Lu and Pam being entertained by Jay.

It was a short night of sleep before we had to take Kim & Lu to the airport for their reluctant flight back to reality. BTW. It was 3 degrees when they got off the plane in Moline!

Thanks for coming guys. It was great fun!