Very overcast and cold this morning. I received a call from Brian Palys. Brian and Abby live across the street from Sandy and me in Brighton. They are Key West regulars. Seven years ago they got married here in Key West on a boat.
We met at Sloppy Joes and then made out way to the Schooner Wharf bar for drinks and snacks at the roof bar. They are with a group of eight people from Michigan getting out of the cold for a winter break. After drinks and conversation, I headed back to the boat to play guitar with a neighbor boater named Nick.
At 5:00PM I took a bus ride around the entire Key. Nice tour. The bus broke down so the driver had to swap out the broken bus for a new bus at the transportation depot. Seems that he got the wrong replacement bus because as soon as we pulled out of the garage, his radio came on and the voice at the other end told him that he was driving the wrong bus. He was finally told to finish his route and then return to the yard and get the correct bus.
There are two busses that run around the key. One clockwise the outer counter clockwise. Stock island is included in the route. I noticed that just to the east of the marina there is a shopping center with a Winn Dixie and a Publix. Great places for purchasing provisions for the boat. Turned on the heater and crawled into my sleeping bag at 9:30PM. Don’t know why I go to bed so early, but I am exhausted at the end of the day.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday February 25, 2010
Public transportation is Key West is really well done! However, the pricing strategy is somewhat confusing. The Key West Department of Transportation charges $2.00 per ride. Seniors pay $3.75 for a 7 day pass. I paid $2.00 to learn that it would be possible to get a senior pass for $3.75 and I could ride the bus anywhere at any time as I qualified as a senior. This information is only available if you are lucky enough to know a local Key Wester or are able to decipher the fare schedule on the brochure. The routes are color coded and straight forward. Blue and Green run clockwise and counter clockwise around the island. The orange and red lines run to the other keys. I love taking the bus so I paid the $3.75 and am now the proud owner of a 7 day bus pass.. Interesting impromptu conversations can occur as passengers talk about how cold the weather has been, local and national politics and government shenanigans.
On a ride back to the boat from the Old Sea Port, a conversation about the Federal Banking System was started. One of the tour guides on the island was heading home from work. Out of the blue he started telling me about the dealings of the Fed. He was interrupted and corrected by a guy sitting across from me. The young man sitting across from me told the tour guide that he was wrong. A stimulating conversation occurred. My guess is that the young man had an MBA from Yale or Harvard . He certainly knew the inner workings and history of the Fed. Then the conversation abruptly ended as the young man got off the bus and walked out into the rain.
Pat Dailey performed at Sloppy Joe’s this evening. Pat is from Put-In-Bay Ohio. I like some of his songs and in fact play a few so while he was here I had to see him in person. He is 69 years old and still going strong. He has gained a few pounds over the years since first seeing him play in Put-In-Bay. He has added more humor and vulgarity to his act, but his songs of the Great Lakes are one of a kind. I watched how he played a few songs and he now seems to be playing them all in a lower key. Maybe his voice is getting deeper as he ages.
On a ride back to the boat from the Old Sea Port, a conversation about the Federal Banking System was started. One of the tour guides on the island was heading home from work. Out of the blue he started telling me about the dealings of the Fed. He was interrupted and corrected by a guy sitting across from me. The young man sitting across from me told the tour guide that he was wrong. A stimulating conversation occurred. My guess is that the young man had an MBA from Yale or Harvard . He certainly knew the inner workings and history of the Fed. Then the conversation abruptly ended as the young man got off the bus and walked out into the rain.
Pat Dailey performed at Sloppy Joe’s this evening. Pat is from Put-In-Bay Ohio. I like some of his songs and in fact play a few so while he was here I had to see him in person. He is 69 years old and still going strong. He has gained a few pounds over the years since first seeing him play in Put-In-Bay. He has added more humor and vulgarity to his act, but his songs of the Great Lakes are one of a kind. I watched how he played a few songs and he now seems to be playing them all in a lower key. Maybe his voice is getting deeper as he ages.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday February 24, 2010
Sandy was up at 4:00 AM and making preparations to head back to Michigan. She wanted/needed to be at the airport 90 minutes prior to her flight departing for Miami. Sandy packed. I got dressed and haled a cab. Sandy had called a cab. She had to call and cancel the phone call. We arrived at the airport at 5:15 AM. It is at this time that Sandy learned that her flight had been delayed. The original itinerary had her departing Key West at 6:20AM. Fog the previous evening made it impossible for the departing plane to arrive. So she had to be rescheduled and rerouted. She was booked on a flight to Miami. Then to Chicago and finally her final destination Detroit.
At 8:30 AM we kissed goodbye and she headed through security. I headed out the airport door to investigate public transportation in Key West.
At 8:30 AM we kissed goodbye and she headed through security. I headed out the airport door to investigate public transportation in Key West.
Tuesday February 23, 2010
Port Departed: Bahia Honda
Port Arrived: Key West
Miles Traveled: 44
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1866
Hours Traveled Today: 7
Total Hours Traveled: 311
Port Arrived: Key West
Miles Traveled: 44
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1866
Hours Traveled Today: 7
Total Hours Traveled: 311
Monday February 22, 2010
Bahia Honda State Part Weather Layover
Tuesday February 23, 2010
Port Departed: Bahia Honda
Port Arrived: Key West
Miles Traveled: 44
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1866
Hours Traveled Today: 7
Total Hours Traveled: 311
Tuesday February 23, 2010
Port Departed: Bahia Honda
Port Arrived: Key West
Miles Traveled: 44
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1866
Hours Traveled Today: 7
Total Hours Traveled: 311
Sunday February 21, 2010
Port Departed: Marathon
Port Arrived: Bahia Honda State Park
Miles Traveled: 24
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1822
Hours Traveled Today: 3.5
Total Hours Traveled: 304
Sandy and I attended Mass at San Pablo. We called a local cab company. A live aboard sailor was the taxi driver. We arrived 15 minutes early for Mass. A visiting priest was the celebrant. He urged all the folks on vacation to attend a mission that he was hosting later that week. I hope he has some takers. We hitched a ride back to the Banana Bay Marina from a gentleman named Skip who had also attended the 8:00 AM liturgy.
We arrived at the boat and quickly made her ready to travel. The sun was out. The sky was blue. It started out as a beautify day to be on the water.
Winds picked up. When we made the turn into the channel that leads between the removed section of old bridge, the boat was making 7.8 knots and the winds were over 20 mph. Tossed out the anchor. Sandy and I then had a couple of beers and lunch. At about 3PM the winds changed and the anchor pulled loose. We weighed anchor and headed into the marina. Another beautiful location.
Port Arrived: Bahia Honda State Park
Miles Traveled: 24
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1822
Hours Traveled Today: 3.5
Total Hours Traveled: 304
Sandy and I attended Mass at San Pablo. We called a local cab company. A live aboard sailor was the taxi driver. We arrived 15 minutes early for Mass. A visiting priest was the celebrant. He urged all the folks on vacation to attend a mission that he was hosting later that week. I hope he has some takers. We hitched a ride back to the Banana Bay Marina from a gentleman named Skip who had also attended the 8:00 AM liturgy.
We arrived at the boat and quickly made her ready to travel. The sun was out. The sky was blue. It started out as a beautify day to be on the water.
Winds picked up. When we made the turn into the channel that leads between the removed section of old bridge, the boat was making 7.8 knots and the winds were over 20 mph. Tossed out the anchor. Sandy and I then had a couple of beers and lunch. At about 3PM the winds changed and the anchor pulled loose. We weighed anchor and headed into the marina. Another beautiful location.
Friday February 19, 2010
Port Departed: Flamingo
Port Arrived: Marathon Key
Miles Traveled: 39
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1798
Hours Traveled Today: 6.5
Total Hours Traveled: 300.5
Port Arrived: Marathon Key
Miles Traveled: 39
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1798
Hours Traveled Today: 6.5
Total Hours Traveled: 300.5
Thursday February 18, 2010
Weather again not conducive to travel. We stayed put. Watched a manatee and her baby in the harbor. Also watched dolphin. Pelicans continually dive bombed for fish. The pelican splash could be heard as they hit the water upside down like dive bombers. Flamingo in Everglades National Park is one of the most beautiful places we have been. There are mosquitoes. Sandy put up the screens and we did our best to keep them out of the boat. We both wondered how bad the mosquitoes were in the summer.
Wednesday February 17, 2010
Port Departed: Everglade City
Port Arrived: Flamingo
Miles Traveled: 72
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1759
Hours Traveled Today: 12
Total Hours Traveled: 294
Sandy told me in Everglades City that she did not want to travel at night. It was just too cold. We changed our plans and instead of heading directly from Everglade City to Key West, we would reroute the trip and head for Flamingo. Flamingo is at the very tip of mainland Florida. The water is shallow and we had to pay careful attention to our dept and out chart plotter. We made a long sun up to sun rise passage, that in the end was well worth the risk. We arrived at the Flamingo Marina just at sunset.
Port Arrived: Flamingo
Miles Traveled: 72
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1759
Hours Traveled Today: 12
Total Hours Traveled: 294
Sandy told me in Everglades City that she did not want to travel at night. It was just too cold. We changed our plans and instead of heading directly from Everglade City to Key West, we would reroute the trip and head for Flamingo. Flamingo is at the very tip of mainland Florida. The water is shallow and we had to pay careful attention to our dept and out chart plotter. We made a long sun up to sun rise passage, that in the end was well worth the risk. We arrived at the Flamingo Marina just at sunset.
Tuesday February 16, 2010
We went for an Air Boat ride with Sandy. The Air Boat ride was one of the main activities that Sandy wanted to do along the way. Great fun a little cold. The captain was the on-in-law of the owner of the restaurant we were staying at. This ride was different from the ride I had taken last year with Andy. This trip was through the Mangrove canals that run like veins through the Everglades.
Monday February 15, 2010
Port Departed: Naples
Port Arrived: Everglades City
Miles Traveled: 45
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1687
Hours Traveled Today: 8.5
Total Hours Traveled: 282
Tuesday February 16, 2010
Everglade City Weather Layover
We departed Naples at 8 AM and steered Water Mark past the big homes on the shore. Sun was out. Later in the day the weather forecasters said that the temps would hit 70. By noon we had our winter coats off and put on our shorts as we rounded Cape Romano and headed for Indian Key. Indian Key was our mark to pick up the channel that leads into Everglades City. It is an 8 mile trip from Indian Key to Everglades City. Sandy called the Rod and Gun Club and inquired about a dock. They said that it cost $100 per night. We passed the Rod and Gun Club and continued north. About 5 minutes later we spotted a restaurant. At least I thought it was one. We asked if they were open. They said yes. We docked the boat right at the restaurant. Once the dock lines were secure, we ordered dinner. We had shrimp and oysters. Took a short walk. After returning from our walk, I sat on the picnic table next to the boat and played my guitar for Sandy. I felt like a rock star. After the concert I climbed on to the boat and went to sleep.
Port Arrived: Everglades City
Miles Traveled: 45
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1687
Hours Traveled Today: 8.5
Total Hours Traveled: 282
Tuesday February 16, 2010
Everglade City Weather Layover
We departed Naples at 8 AM and steered Water Mark past the big homes on the shore. Sun was out. Later in the day the weather forecasters said that the temps would hit 70. By noon we had our winter coats off and put on our shorts as we rounded Cape Romano and headed for Indian Key. Indian Key was our mark to pick up the channel that leads into Everglades City. It is an 8 mile trip from Indian Key to Everglades City. Sandy called the Rod and Gun Club and inquired about a dock. They said that it cost $100 per night. We passed the Rod and Gun Club and continued north. About 5 minutes later we spotted a restaurant. At least I thought it was one. We asked if they were open. They said yes. We docked the boat right at the restaurant. Once the dock lines were secure, we ordered dinner. We had shrimp and oysters. Took a short walk. After returning from our walk, I sat on the picnic table next to the boat and played my guitar for Sandy. I felt like a rock star. After the concert I climbed on to the boat and went to sleep.
Sunday February 14, 2010
Sunday February 14, 2010
Port Departed: Fort Myers Beach
Port Arrived: Naples
Miles Traveled: 35
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1642
Hours Traveled Today: 6.5
Total Hours Traveled: 272.5
We tossed off the dock lines at Fort Myers Beach Marina at 9:00 AM and headed out into the Gulf of Mexico. Once out into the Gulf we pointed the bow of Water Mark south and headed for Naples, FL. There is a 4 mile trip up the Gordon River to the Naples City Marina. This stretch of water has some of the largest and wealthiest homes Sandy and I had ever seen. What a tremendous display of wealth. We tied up at the Marina and went a shore to discover the town.
Port Departed: Fort Myers Beach
Port Arrived: Naples
Miles Traveled: 35
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1642
Hours Traveled Today: 6.5
Total Hours Traveled: 272.5
We tossed off the dock lines at Fort Myers Beach Marina at 9:00 AM and headed out into the Gulf of Mexico. Once out into the Gulf we pointed the bow of Water Mark south and headed for Naples, FL. There is a 4 mile trip up the Gordon River to the Naples City Marina. This stretch of water has some of the largest and wealthiest homes Sandy and I had ever seen. What a tremendous display of wealth. We tied up at the Marina and went a shore to discover the town.
Saturday February 13, 2010
Fort Myers Beach Weather Layover
Took the trolley to the 4:30 liturgy at the church of the Ascension on Estero Blvd. This is the same church that Tricia and I went to last year while she was on Spring break. After church we walked several blocks to the show. Saw a movie called Valentines Day.
Took the trolley to the 4:30 liturgy at the church of the Ascension on Estero Blvd. This is the same church that Tricia and I went to last year while she was on Spring break. After church we walked several blocks to the show. Saw a movie called Valentines Day.
Friday February 12, 2010
Fort Myers Beach Weather Layover
Changed the spark plugs in the Honda. Salt water is negatively effecting the electrical systems on the Water Mark. There is a short somewhere in the system. When I try to trouble shoot the problem, the lights work. Then when it get dark, the lights choose not to work. We have a good back up 110 volt electrical lighting system. This means that when were are docked at a marina we have lights in the cabin.
Changed the spark plugs in the Honda. Salt water is negatively effecting the electrical systems on the Water Mark. There is a short somewhere in the system. When I try to trouble shoot the problem, the lights work. Then when it get dark, the lights choose not to work. We have a good back up 110 volt electrical lighting system. This means that when were are docked at a marina we have lights in the cabin.
Thursday February 11, 2010
Fort Myers Beach Weather Layover
Sandy and I were up just before sunrise. The weather was cloudy and overcast. It was also on the chilly side. We walked over the bridge into Fort Myers Beach searching for a good restaurant to have breakfast. We found one. A small establishment owned by a Greek family. After breakfast we walked out on the public pier. I showed Sandy where Patricia and I had stayed last year when we visited Fort Myers Beach. We also discovered Fort Myers Beach has a wonderful public transportation system. The busses are called Trolley’s. The trolley route runs by the marina an over the bridge to the Beach community. We purchased unlimited passes. Then took a ride on the trolley to Lover’s Key.
Sandy and I were up just before sunrise. The weather was cloudy and overcast. It was also on the chilly side. We walked over the bridge into Fort Myers Beach searching for a good restaurant to have breakfast. We found one. A small establishment owned by a Greek family. After breakfast we walked out on the public pier. I showed Sandy where Patricia and I had stayed last year when we visited Fort Myers Beach. We also discovered Fort Myers Beach has a wonderful public transportation system. The busses are called Trolley’s. The trolley route runs by the marina an over the bridge to the Beach community. We purchased unlimited passes. Then took a ride on the trolley to Lover’s Key.
Wednesday February 10, 2010
Port Departed: North Captiva Island
Port Arrived: Fort Myers Beach
Miles Traveled: 25
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1607
Hours Traveled Today: 5
Total Hours Traveled: 266
Wonderful weather, blue sky and just a few clouds. We loaded our bags onto Jim’s Carlolina skiff and Patt ferried us out to Water Mark. We weighed anchor and prepared to head out. Getting the anchors up was a chore. The holding ground in Safety Harbor is excellent and they were dug into the mud. It took us fifteen minutes to get the anchors up.
Shortly after pointing the bow toward the channel, the keel dug into a shoal. I tried to back out and could not. Just then a power boater came by. This stranger has rented a boat. We tossed him a line and he pulled us off the sand bar and headed out into the Pine Island Sound.
We traveled 25 miles to Fort Myers Beach and headed to the Fort Myers Beach Marina after realizing that we needed to cross under the Sanibel Island bridge at the east end.
Once we had the boat tied up at the Marina, if discovered a seafood store. I purchased a dozen oysters on the half shell and one dozen peel and eat shrimp. The owner of the seafood establishment let us pick out our oysters and the shrimp. He then cooked the shrimp and made us up a fresh batch of cocktail sauce. We walked back to the boat through the rain and ate like epicureans on Water Mark. I rigged up the rain fly and by 9AM we were in our bunks sound asleep. It is funny how being out on the water makes you tired at the end of the day.
Port Arrived: Fort Myers Beach
Miles Traveled: 25
Total Miles Traveled to Date: 1607
Hours Traveled Today: 5
Total Hours Traveled: 266
Wonderful weather, blue sky and just a few clouds. We loaded our bags onto Jim’s Carlolina skiff and Patt ferried us out to Water Mark. We weighed anchor and prepared to head out. Getting the anchors up was a chore. The holding ground in Safety Harbor is excellent and they were dug into the mud. It took us fifteen minutes to get the anchors up.
Shortly after pointing the bow toward the channel, the keel dug into a shoal. I tried to back out and could not. Just then a power boater came by. This stranger has rented a boat. We tossed him a line and he pulled us off the sand bar and headed out into the Pine Island Sound.
We traveled 25 miles to Fort Myers Beach and headed to the Fort Myers Beach Marina after realizing that we needed to cross under the Sanibel Island bridge at the east end.
Once we had the boat tied up at the Marina, if discovered a seafood store. I purchased a dozen oysters on the half shell and one dozen peel and eat shrimp. The owner of the seafood establishment let us pick out our oysters and the shrimp. He then cooked the shrimp and made us up a fresh batch of cocktail sauce. We walked back to the boat through the rain and ate like epicureans on Water Mark. I rigged up the rain fly and by 9AM we were in our bunks sound asleep. It is funny how being out on the water makes you tired at the end of the day.
Tuesday February 9, 2010
Cloudy and cool. Stayed on the island and listened to the weather radio praying for good weather.
Monday February 8, 2010
Still waiting for a weather window. We hiked to the State park on the south end of the island. Along the walk we saw a Tern that was tangled up in a fish line. We used a tooth pick and a cigarette to get the line off the sea bird and set it free.
Sunday February 7, 2010
North Captiva Island normally has a daytime temperature in the high 70’s and the lows are in the 60’s. This year the weather in south Florida has been about 10 degrees colder. The plan was to wait for a “weather window” and then weigh anchor and head to Fort Myers Beach. Today the wind was out of the north at 15 to 20 knots. Not a good day to be on the water but a great day to eat steaks with Patt and Jim and watch the Super Bowl. I was hoping that the Colts would win, but was happy with the result and the Saints coming out on top of the football world.
Too cold and windy to get on the water. We continued to visit with Jim and Patt. Patt has these tremendous books that allow you to identify the sea shells that was up on the beach at low tide. We spent the day hiking the beach and identifying the various shells. There are over 300 different species of shells, I think we managed to identify about 10.
Too cold and windy to get on the water. We continued to visit with Jim and Patt. Patt has these tremendous books that allow you to identify the sea shells that was up on the beach at low tide. We spent the day hiking the beach and identifying the various shells. There are over 300 different species of shells, I think we managed to identify about 10.
Saturday February 6, 2010
Drove to the Four Winns Marina in Bokeelia, FL. Patt had gone to town for provisions and we met her at the marina for the 45 minute boat ride back to North Captiva Island. Jim was kind enough to watch the Water Mark while I went north.
Friday February 5, 2010
Sandy and I enjoyed the Continental Breakfast at the hotel. We gassed up the car and headed south on 1-75. Drove until dark and got a hotel room in Tarpon Springs, FL. Great town famous for the Greek sponge divers that located here and developed the sponge industry.
Thursday February 4, 2010
By 1:00 PM the car was loaded. The surfboard that I promised Patt hung out of the trunk about one foot with a red bandana tied to the fin. We shut the garage door and headed out of the drive way. We stopped on Covington, KY for a Skyline Coney Dog. Every time I get close to Cincinnati I have to stop for a couple.
We drove to Knoxville, TN and stopped for the night.
We drove to Knoxville, TN and stopped for the night.
January 18 to January 26, 2010
Jim and Patrice Provato are wonderful neighbors. They live across the street from Sandy and I in Brighton. That is they live across the street during the summer months. In the winter they live on North Captiva Island.
North Captiva is a charming little barrier island that separates the Pine Island Sound from the Gulf of Mexico. Jim and Patrice call this home from November to May. Their winter home is on stilts. They have a very nice apartment on the lower level. They allowed me to stay in the lower apartment. A few steps out of the apartment is the swimming pool that is heated to a very comfortable 86 degrees.
When visiting Jim lets me clean the pool. He also introduced me to Sea Grape trees. Normally they drop their leaves in March, but the cold weather caused them to drop a lot of leaves because of the cold snap.
While visiting Jim and I went fishing. Patrice’s friend Any invited us over for dinner several times. Patrice says they live on Island Time. I believe her. Time stands still on the island and it also moves so quickly that before you know it it is time to leave.
I can’t thank Jim and Patt enough for their incredible warm friendly hospitality.
North Captiva is a charming little barrier island that separates the Pine Island Sound from the Gulf of Mexico. Jim and Patrice call this home from November to May. Their winter home is on stilts. They have a very nice apartment on the lower level. They allowed me to stay in the lower apartment. A few steps out of the apartment is the swimming pool that is heated to a very comfortable 86 degrees.
When visiting Jim lets me clean the pool. He also introduced me to Sea Grape trees. Normally they drop their leaves in March, but the cold weather caused them to drop a lot of leaves because of the cold snap.
While visiting Jim and I went fishing. Patrice’s friend Any invited us over for dinner several times. Patrice says they live on Island Time. I believe her. Time stands still on the island and it also moves so quickly that before you know it it is time to leave.
I can’t thank Jim and Patt enough for their incredible warm friendly hospitality.
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