We were a little slow getting out of Tarpon Springs this morning because we were uncertain of our destination. We knew we had several draw bridges and a lot of no wake zones to deal with. Some local advice in Tarpon Springs indicated that we would not be able to make it across Tampa Bay in day light. Bill and I met this morning and selected three possible anchorages from which we would choose as we learned during the day how we would progress. We never had to stop for a bridge. The only bridge which we needed opened was listed as a 25 foot clearance which we can make but as we approached I thought It looks low and the gage at the bridge indicated only 17 feet clearance. I stopped and backed away and as I did the bridge began to open for a sailboat going the other direction. We decided to continue on and cross Tampa Bay. We got to our anchorage on the south of the bay in the Manatee River near Bradenton about 3:30. We talked briefly about calling Guy and Peggy because we are so close but they were having a party for their neighbors tonight so we dropped that idea. We hate to be so close and not get together with them. Bill and Shelly and I dingyed ashore with Carlie and while Shelly searched for shells Bill and I walked Carlie through the Desoto Monument Park. It is very nice and includes trails with displays of Desoto and his explorations around the southern area of what is now the US. We decided we need to slow down again after Christmas and begin to enjoy our surroundings more than we have since we started down the rivers.
It looks now like we will be in Ft Meyers on Sunday evening. This will leave a one day trip on the outside down the Gulf coast to Marco Island where Bill and Eileen will spend Christmas with some of their family. We will continue on to Everglades City but the weather looks questionable for the outside travel after Sunday. We will see how it goes.
We got a slow start this morning. It was so foggy when I took Carlie ashore that I thought I might have trouble finding the boat again. We just headed out into the fog and were able to find the boat by guiding on a piling out In the little bay we were in and then on to the boat. Bill had a problem with a bilge pump so he worked on that while we waited for the fog to lift. We finally got under way about 8:00 in some fog and it filled back in worse than before about the time we turned out of Tampa Bay into the waterway. It got kind of dicey when we were running a channel only a few yards from shore and the fog was to dense to see the next markers. It finally cleared and we enjoyed another beautiful day cruising down the waterway and enjoying the sights. Some mansions and in some places mangrove islands which seemed like there should not be any development anywhere near. We arrived at an anchorage about 36 miles north of Ft Meyers late in the afternoon and quickly got the dingy down and Bill, Shelly and Carlie and I went about a mile back up the waterway about a mile and entered a state park through a narrow channel through the mangroves. The park has a small dock where we were able to tie the dingy and get ashore to walk Carlie while we enjoyed the paths and the beach. We got back to the boats about dark. We are discussing whether to get a slip at Ft Meyers or try to get on down to Naples tomorrow. We will see how quickly we get away in the morning and see what we can find for marina slips.
We got away from the anchorage about 7:15 and started south. Before long we realized we could make Naples by mid afternoon and with good seas so we talked with Chip, who lives in Naples, and got the phone number for the Naples City Dock. We had another beautiful trip down the waterway to Ft Meyers Beach and then outside for about 27 miles to Naples. We were in and secured before 3:30. Chip and Michelle invited us to their house for pizza and beer. They have Chip’s family visiting for Christmas so they had a house full of people. It was great to see them again and relive some of the good times from last summer. We hope we can get together with the four boats, Ithaka, Southern Comfort, Blue Max and us, before we leave this area. Guy and Peggy are gone to Texas for Christmas but will return before New Years so we might work it out.
Anne was able to come to Naples and join us at Chip and Michelle’s. We were happy to have her meet them. We have hoped to get them to meet since Anne often shops here in Naples. When we talked to Anne earlier in the day she asked if she might take Carlie home with her if she got to come here. I told her she could not take Carlie until she crossed her wake at Everglades City. Anne said Carlie had crossed her wake at Ft Meyers so she has completed the loop. She went home with Anne last night. Seems strange getting up this morning without Carlie and no one to take out for a walk. Carlie was very excited to see Anne last night.
We are undecided at this point whether to move on today or stay here for a couple of days. The weather is best to move today but our destination is so uncertain in Everglades City.
Well,… Michele called this morning to offer her car since she would be in the office all day so we decided to stay and do some shopping and we drove down to Marco so Bill could see where he had to go with the boat to get to the house which Tracy and Ed, their daughter and son-in-law had rented. It works great for Bill, it is very near the waterway and has a great dock for their boat. After we returned to Naples we did some Christmas shopping and then went out for a great dinner.
Today, Tuesday, we got a good start and I got a shower and got the boat rinsed down and then left at 9:00 with Blue Max to help them get into the dock at the house. It was fun to meet some of their family because when you spend so much time together you begin to feel that you should know some of their family members. We enjoyed a nice lunch at the house with them and then left to return to Naples. This afternoon Muriel and I walked around old downtown Naples and tonight we are going to eat with Chip and Michele.
We are still uncertain whether we will move on down to Everglades City on Wednesday or wait until Thursday. Jeff has to work until after Christmas so we may stay put here until we can spend some time with Anne and him.
Wednesday…Muriel started to do some laundry and we talked about where we would go for church on Christmas Eve. Eileen called and said they wanted us to come on down to the house on Marco so we agreed and when Muriel finished the laundry she had started we prepared to leave. By the time we had the lines in and ready to cast off the wind was so strong on our beam that I told Muriel I was not going to try to maneuver out of the slip so we waited about an hour and the wind died enough to allow us to get out of the slip so we headed on down to Marco. It was about two hour run with most of it on the outside. The Gulf was good to us again. We had a pleasant ride in 1 to 2 foot seas on our bow. Muriel and Shelly have gone with Tracy and Eileen to do some last minute shopping, grocery and Christmas. This is going to be a very nice place to relax. Jeff and Anne plan to come either tonight or in the morning.
It looks now like we will be in Ft Meyers on Sunday evening. This will leave a one day trip on the outside down the Gulf coast to Marco Island where Bill and Eileen will spend Christmas with some of their family. We will continue on to Everglades City but the weather looks questionable for the outside travel after Sunday. We will see how it goes.
We got a slow start this morning. It was so foggy when I took Carlie ashore that I thought I might have trouble finding the boat again. We just headed out into the fog and were able to find the boat by guiding on a piling out In the little bay we were in and then on to the boat. Bill had a problem with a bilge pump so he worked on that while we waited for the fog to lift. We finally got under way about 8:00 in some fog and it filled back in worse than before about the time we turned out of Tampa Bay into the waterway. It got kind of dicey when we were running a channel only a few yards from shore and the fog was to dense to see the next markers. It finally cleared and we enjoyed another beautiful day cruising down the waterway and enjoying the sights. Some mansions and in some places mangrove islands which seemed like there should not be any development anywhere near. We arrived at an anchorage about 36 miles north of Ft Meyers late in the afternoon and quickly got the dingy down and Bill, Shelly and Carlie and I went about a mile back up the waterway about a mile and entered a state park through a narrow channel through the mangroves. The park has a small dock where we were able to tie the dingy and get ashore to walk Carlie while we enjoyed the paths and the beach. We got back to the boats about dark. We are discussing whether to get a slip at Ft Meyers or try to get on down to Naples tomorrow. We will see how quickly we get away in the morning and see what we can find for marina slips.
We got away from the anchorage about 7:15 and started south. Before long we realized we could make Naples by mid afternoon and with good seas so we talked with Chip, who lives in Naples, and got the phone number for the Naples City Dock. We had another beautiful trip down the waterway to Ft Meyers Beach and then outside for about 27 miles to Naples. We were in and secured before 3:30. Chip and Michelle invited us to their house for pizza and beer. They have Chip’s family visiting for Christmas so they had a house full of people. It was great to see them again and relive some of the good times from last summer. We hope we can get together with the four boats, Ithaka, Southern Comfort, Blue Max and us, before we leave this area. Guy and Peggy are gone to Texas for Christmas but will return before New Years so we might work it out.
Anne was able to come to Naples and join us at Chip and Michelle’s. We were happy to have her meet them. We have hoped to get them to meet since Anne often shops here in Naples. When we talked to Anne earlier in the day she asked if she might take Carlie home with her if she got to come here. I told her she could not take Carlie until she crossed her wake at Everglades City. Anne said Carlie had crossed her wake at Ft Meyers so she has completed the loop. She went home with Anne last night. Seems strange getting up this morning without Carlie and no one to take out for a walk. Carlie was very excited to see Anne last night.
We are undecided at this point whether to move on today or stay here for a couple of days. The weather is best to move today but our destination is so uncertain in Everglades City.
Well,… Michele called this morning to offer her car since she would be in the office all day so we decided to stay and do some shopping and we drove down to Marco so Bill could see where he had to go with the boat to get to the house which Tracy and Ed, their daughter and son-in-law had rented. It works great for Bill, it is very near the waterway and has a great dock for their boat. After we returned to Naples we did some Christmas shopping and then went out for a great dinner.
Today, Tuesday, we got a good start and I got a shower and got the boat rinsed down and then left at 9:00 with Blue Max to help them get into the dock at the house. It was fun to meet some of their family because when you spend so much time together you begin to feel that you should know some of their family members. We enjoyed a nice lunch at the house with them and then left to return to Naples. This afternoon Muriel and I walked around old downtown Naples and tonight we are going to eat with Chip and Michele.
We are still uncertain whether we will move on down to Everglades City on Wednesday or wait until Thursday. Jeff has to work until after Christmas so we may stay put here until we can spend some time with Anne and him.
Wednesday…Muriel started to do some laundry and we talked about where we would go for church on Christmas Eve. Eileen called and said they wanted us to come on down to the house on Marco so we agreed and when Muriel finished the laundry she had started we prepared to leave. By the time we had the lines in and ready to cast off the wind was so strong on our beam that I told Muriel I was not going to try to maneuver out of the slip so we waited about an hour and the wind died enough to allow us to get out of the slip so we headed on down to Marco. It was about two hour run with most of it on the outside. The Gulf was good to us again. We had a pleasant ride in 1 to 2 foot seas on our bow. Muriel and Shelly have gone with Tracy and Eileen to do some last minute shopping, grocery and Christmas. This is going to be a very nice place to relax. Jeff and Anne plan to come either tonight or in the morning.
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