 |
| Hey there!!! |
Here we go. I will try to make this blog do its thing. I took 95 pictures on our way to Ft Myers but fear not as I can't get any to upload. I will try to get them on later. Well - ok- not 95 of them. I am on a mooring and trying to use Salty Sam's wi-fi but I am pretty far away. They have installed more moorings here and it is a great place to land. $13 a day and everything is in nice condition. We dinghyed in to Matanzas to register and let Buddy check out land. We then came back to Salty Sam's and ate at their new sports bar. We have cool tropical breezes and the sun deck makes a great "office".
Rick Waltrip, Buddy,and I left Saturday at 4pm and went just under the skyway bridge, turned right and anchored by Oneal's marina about 6pm. The generator wouldn't start and I found the fuel turned off from servicing it. Turned it on and primed it and all is well. This is a nice sheltered anchorage we use often and we had a great gourmet meal thanks to Rick and turned in.
Sunday we ambled down to Venice and stopped to top of fuel and water and pump out. The local water police suggested we could anchor south of Tom Adams bridge so off we went. Turned out to be a great spot. We were in about 8 foot of water and it was quiet and peaceful. I discovered the starboard engine exhaust was leaking a lot of water into the engine room. In the morning a friendly neighbor took me to town in his boat and then his truck to get some new hose clamps for the repair.
I wasn't looking forward to it as the exhaust is behind the engine in the faarrrrr corner. We got the job done and off we go again.
We came down to Cayo Costa Island and anchored behind the island (the entire island is a state park). We had a beautiful view out across the gulf and enjoyed another sunset and quiet breezes. We did some fishing and I caught the first three fish. 9 inch, then a sail cat "ugh" and a really neat 16 inch hammerhead. Of course I was ragging on Rick not catching anything until he caught a 3 foot shark. not sure of its name -- we didn't keep it around long enough to get acquainted.
We had a leisure breakfast this morning as it truly was a nice spot. But time to move south and head east across the state. I called the Okeechobee waterway to check on the status of the locks, and lake, and learned that Clewiston lock is under repair and won't open again until Friday. We decided to amble on down to Ft Myers and so my tale is complete..
By the way Buddy is my dog. and he did the loop with me. I have his Barkalooperette to prove he completed it. He is a great boat dog and today when we put down the dinghy in the water he jumped right on board before we did. He is going to fall out of it one day as he stands up on the edge and balances while barking at all the birds and neighbor dogs. He tries to catch flys and he will throw himself out doing his acrobatics. He learned to do all of his 'business on the back of the boat on the loop. It took him awhile but is back on track.
Rick Waltrip, Buddy,and I left Saturday at 4pm and went just under the skyway bridge, turned right and anchored by Oneal's marina about 6pm. The generator wouldn't start and I found the fuel turned off from servicing it. Turned it on and primed it and all is well. This is a nice sheltered anchorage we use often and we had a great gourmet meal thanks to Rick and turned in.
Sunday we ambled down to Venice and stopped to top of fuel and water and pump out. The local water police suggested we could anchor south of Tom Adams bridge so off we went. Turned out to be a great spot. We were in about 8 foot of water and it was quiet and peaceful. I discovered the starboard engine exhaust was leaking a lot of water into the engine room. In the morning a friendly neighbor took me to town in his boat and then his truck to get some new hose clamps for the repair.
I wasn't looking forward to it as the exhaust is behind the engine in the faarrrrr corner. We got the job done and off we go again.
We came down to Cayo Costa Island and anchored behind the island (the entire island is a state park). We had a beautiful view out across the gulf and enjoyed another sunset and quiet breezes. We did some fishing and I caught the first three fish. 9 inch, then a sail cat "ugh" and a really neat 16 inch hammerhead. Of course I was ragging on Rick not catching anything until he caught a 3 foot shark. not sure of its name -- we didn't keep it around long enough to get acquainted.
We had a leisure breakfast this morning as it truly was a nice spot. But time to move south and head east across the state. I called the Okeechobee waterway to check on the status of the locks, and lake, and learned that Clewiston lock is under repair and won't open again until Friday. We decided to amble on down to Ft Myers and so my tale is complete..
By the way Buddy is my dog. and he did the loop with me. I have his Barkalooperette to prove he completed it. He is a great boat dog and today when we put down the dinghy in the water he jumped right on board before we did. He is going to fall out of it one day as he stands up on the edge and balances while barking at all the birds and neighbor dogs. He tries to catch flys and he will throw himself out doing his acrobatics. He learned to do all of his 'business on the back of the boat on the loop. It took him awhile but is back on track.
