eorges day, arriving at the Inn at Cabbage Key at 1:00. ODYSSEE seemed to be enjoying the day as much as we were as she sat waiting at the docks at Cabbage Key ready to take us back to Ft. Myers! After lunch we had a relaxing ride back to Ft. Myers Beach, getting back to the dock after 5:00. 
Everybody is smiling after a great lunch!
Wednesday and Thursday we were beach bums, spending most of our beach time at Bowditch Park at the north end of Eserto Island. Both of the sculptures are in the park. 
This Gopher Tortoise was also roaming the park, unbothered by those following it around taking pictures.
Friday morning Ft. Myers Beach has a Farmers Market. We were there bright and early to buy some stone crab claws and vegies for dinner. Then Claria and Jaci Willow went to a knitting show and then joined Chuck and Ron for lunch. Looper friends joined us on our boat for dinner and the stone crab.
Sunday, March 27, we left Moss Marine and headed south through Matanzass Pass and through Estero Bay and out into the Gulf through Big Carlos Pass on our way south to Goodland. The tide level was about 1' above 0 water and was rising as we left, so the charted 4' areas had about 5' of water depth, plently for our boat that draws 3'6". We came back in off the Gulf at Capri Pass and along the inside of Marco Island to Goodland. We met up with Rusty and Betty Hughes who are getting their trawler ready to leave on the Great Loop Trip.
On Monday we left Goodland late morning and proceeded north to Little Marco Pass, and anchored for the afternoon and night behind the white sand barrier island.
Tuesday, back up to Ft. Myers Beach and a stop at Snook Bight Marina. They still had fuel at $3.40 a gallon, while others on the Beach had prices ranging from 3.65 to 4.14 a gallon. We met the Mitchell's from Lake James Indiana and M-20 sailing days for dinner.
Wednesday morning our computer acted up, so Steve Mitchell took me to Best Buy and the Geeke Squad. When we got there the computer started right up, couldn't make it act up, so came back to the marina and had lunch with Steve and Jacki. Then afternoon walk on the beach.
Thursday, we had made arrangements to meet Ann Johanson, son in law Pete's aunt, for lunch at south Seas Plantation on the north end of Captiva Island. South Seas Plantation is an upscale resort that has been considered one of the premier resorts in southwest Florida. Our little 43' Hatteras looked like a dingy amongst the large yachts docked in the marina. After lunch we cruised further north to a anchorage in Pelican Bay at Cayo Costo.
When we anchored Thursday evening we did so in 6' of water so I could dive the boat Friday morning. I hadn't been under the boat since we hauled and painted the bottom last August. There are several pictures of the boat just before we relaunched her on the "For Sale" page of this blog. There was no growth on the bottom or running gear, and only some barnicle growth on the two grounding plates and depth sounder transducer. I did replace the rudder zincs. While I was under the boat I stepped on a counch shell. We left the anchorage at noon and ran up Charlotte Harbor Bay against a 20-30 knot wind and 3'-5' waves. The boat was covered with salt when we arrived at Fisherman's Village Marina in Punta Gorda. 
We had a good stay in Punta Gorda, visiting with "looper" friends and meeting Jim and Katie Johanson for lunch on Sunday, our son in laws parents.
Sunday afternoon we left to start heading up to Sarasota, getting to an anchorage behind Gasparilla Island. Monday we continued north on the Gulf ICW, stopping in Venice and finally anchoring in Little Sarasota Bay for the night south of Sarasota.
We arrived at Marina Jack's in downtown Sarasota at about 10:00 AM on Tuesday March 8. More "looper" friends were waiting here for us plus friends from Lake Minnetonka. We made sure we had our MYC burgee flying from our starboard yardarm. More meals out and a couple of cocktail parties.
We left Sarasota on Thursday afternoon in a strong NW wind for a 20 mile run to Anna Maria Island meet up with Pete and Nancy Weir, our son in laws God parents and good sailing friends from Minnetonka and western Michigan. The Weir's have a winter home here on one of many canals and we can dock ODYSSEE at their home.
On Saturday Pete had offered my services to crew with him on a 30' sailboat to compete in Bradenton Yacht Club's "around Egmont Key" race. The skipper and crew of four were all from Wisconsin or Minnesota. 13 boats competed using a reverse handycap system and you could go around Egmont Key either way, the decision was based mostly on the tidal currents. Nine boats went around counter clockwise and four of us went around clockwise. Clockwise was NOT the way to go. We finished 2nd with counter clockwise boats but all of the clockwise boats beat us. What do all us lake sailors know about tides and current!
On Sunday, March 13 we will start back south towards Ft. Myers, stoping several places to see friends. Pete and Nancy say goodby. Sunday night we anchored south of Sarasota just off the GICW.
Monday we continued south another 20 miles and anchored behing Englewood Beach just north of Stump Pass. All the charts show Stump Pass is closed, but as they pump sand to renurish Palm Island Beach they have opened up the pass again. Once anchored we dingied to Stump Pass and walked Englewood Beach for a couple of hours. This turned out to be a delightfull anchorage.
Tuesday morn
ing we pulled anchore and proceeded south down the channel behind Englewood Beach to Stump Pass and then turned east in the old Stump Pass channel back to the GICW. We had learned on Monday a
fternoon there was plenty of water in these waters. We pulled into Palm Island Marina about 11:00AM to meet boating friends from Canada and Maine. Once our friends were aboard we took the boat to Rum Bay Restaurant where we had a delightful lunch. Note the smiles! We spent the night at Palm Island Marina.
Wednesday morning we took a short cruise to Boca Grande. We have a favorite anchorage in a small bayou between the Gasparilla Golf Course and the docks in front of the Pink Elephant Restaurant. It's easy to access the town from the docks in front of the Restaurant. On Thursday we took our bikes to shore and rode out to the light house at the south end of the island. Thursday evening we were guests of Nat and Twink Robbins, Minnetonka Yacht Club E boaters in years past, for a delightful dinner. It was great to reminisce on all the years of sailing we have both enjoyed.
Friday we pulled anchor and went a little further south to another favorite anchorage in Pelican Bay behind Caya Costa State Park. We dingyied in to the park dock and walked across the island to the beach on the Gulf. Saturday we took our bikes in to the park and biked the trails through the park.
Sunday we cruised further south to the Sanibel Marina, where we met up with Jim and Joan Reynolds for dinner. Jim was a fraternity brother at the University of Minnesota.
It's Monday, March 21 and we have started our trip back to Beaufort. We arrived at Ft. Myers Yacht Basin shortly after lunch. There is a Publix close to the marina so we have provisioned the boat and will start accross the Okeechobee Water Way tomorrow expecting to arrive on the east coast of Florida on Wednesday.
Tuesday, March 22, we left Ft. Myers Yacht Basin at 8:45 AM to make the 11:00 AM opening of the Franklin Lock. Then last lock at each end of the canal system are operating every two hours on the odd hour because the Lake level is so low. We pulled into the arrivals area for the lock at 10:40 with three other boats. They opened the lock at 10:50 and we started loading. At 10:55 a fourth boat arrived, a 65' Grand Alaskan. At 11:00 they closed the lock and they raised us about 2'. By 2:15 we were at the Ortona Lock and locked through with the same four boats, this time going up about 8'. By 4:30 we arrived at Moore Haven and tied up to the city dock with two of the four boats we had been traveling with. Soon we had gathered with drinks in hand on our boat to discuss the days cruise. We agreed to leave together in the morning at 8:00 to make the 3:00 opening at the St. Lucie lock at the other end of the canal.
We dropped our lines at 7:55 the next morning with CRASSANDRA JADE II,(CJ) the 65' Grand Alaskan from Toronto, Ontario, Canada and BAVARIAN CREAM, (BC) a 40' express cruiser from New Orleans dooing the "Great Loop". The hull speed of CJ was about 1 knot faster than ours so she lead the way and set the pace. Immeadiatly after casting off, we went through the Moore Haven Lock and were raised about 3' to Lake Okeechobee lake level. The lake was low with a published navigation depth of 5.81'. CJ managed hull speed quite well, but when we tried to push ODYSSEE at 9 KTS she just drew down, churning lots of wake but really not going any faster. BC was haviong the same problem. We let CJ continue at her hull speed and when we got out into 12' water depth in the middle of the Lake, we put our boats up on plane to catch up with CJ as we got to the far shore and the Mayaca Lock. We entered the lock, tied up, closed the upstream door, opened the downstream door, untied, and proceeded through the lock. No discernable drop was detected.
About 5 miles after leaving the lock, we went under an automated RR bridge which is always open unless a train is coming. Well CJ made it through, and just as we arrived the red blinking light started to flash and the horn blew, and the bridge started to swing shut. We expected to soon see a train cross the canal. No train, and about three minutes later the horn sounded again and the bridge started to swing open. Finally a green light and we were on our way again. CJ was right on target to get to the St. Lucie lock right at 3:00, so some how we had to catch up, and we were running in a narrow canal. As I studied the charts it appeared we would find a undeveloped part of the canal about 12 miles befor the lock, so if we could run that section at 16 MPH we could catch up to CJ. When we got to that section we did get up on top to run on plane. About two miles down the canal there was a large old boat docked, so we did slow down so we wouldn't wake him, then back up on top. CJ arrived at St. Lucie lock at 3:00, the door opened and they started to load. CJ advised the lockmaster we were coming as we came into view of the lock. We slowed down and drove right in, tied up, and we were lowered about 14' back to sea level. We were out of the lock by 3:30 and tied up at Sunset Marina in Stuart by 4:45, just in time for a 5:30 cocktail party and dinner with 8 other "looper" friends who were waiting for us. To bad we weren't having any fun!
Thursday I went down in the engine room to check out our prime movers, and found about 30 galons of water under the port engine. It was clean sea water so I suspected in the raw water system was leaking. Pumped the water out, had Claria start up the port engine, and soon found a leak under the cover of the raw water pump. Removed the cover, which appeared to be tight, inspected the gasket which also looked OK, cleaned the gasket and flange, applied some Permatex Gasket Sealer, and reassembled. Had Claria start the engine again, leak fixed. Lets go! Having lost the morning, we had a short day, running 48 miles up to an anchorage behind Pine Island, an anchorage we had used on our way south in January, just north of Vero Beach.
Tuesday, March 22, we left Ft. Myers Yacht Basin at 8:45 AM to make the 11:00 AM opening of the Franklin Lock. Then last lock at each end of the canal system are operating every two hours on the odd hour because the Lake level is so low. We pulled into the arrivals area for the lock at 10:40 with three other boats. They opened the lock at 10:50 and we started loading. At 10:55 a fourth boat arrived, a 65' Grand Alaskan. At 11:00 they closed the lock and they raised us about 2'. By 2:15 we were at the Ortona Lock and locked through with the same four boats, this time going up about 8'. By 4:30 we arrived at Moore Haven and tied up to the city dock with two of the four boats we had been traveling with. Soon we had gathered with drinks in hand on our boat to discuss the days cruise. We agreed to leave together in the morning at 8:00 to make the 3:00 opening at the St. Lucie lock at the other end of the canal.
We dropped our lines at 7:55 the next morning with CRASSANDRA JADE II,(CJ) the 65' Grand Alaskan from Toronto, Ontario, Canada and BAVARIAN CREAM, (BC) a 40' express cruiser from New Orleans dooing the "Great Loop". The hull speed of CJ was about 1 knot faster than ours so she lead the way and set the pace. Immeadiatly after casting off, we went through the Moore Haven Lock and were raised about 3' to Lake Okeechobee lake level. The lake was low with a published navigation depth of 5.81'. CJ managed hull speed quite well, but when we tried to push ODYSSEE at 9 KTS she just drew down, churning lots of wake but really not going any faster. BC was haviong the same problem. We let CJ continue at her hull speed and when we got out into 12' water depth in the middle of the Lake, we put our boats up on plane to catch up with CJ as we got to the far shore and the Mayaca Lock. We entered the lock, tied up, closed the upstream door, opened the downstream door, untied, and proceeded through the lock. No discernable drop was detected.
About 5 miles after leaving the lock, we went under an automated RR bridge which is always open unless a train is coming. Well CJ made it through, and just as we arrived the red blinking light started to flash and the horn blew, and the bridge started to swing shut. We expected to soon see a train cross the canal. No train, and about three minutes later the horn sounded again and the bridge started to swing open. Finally a green light and we were on our way again. CJ was right on target to get to the St. Lucie lock right at 3:00, so some how we had to catch up, and we were running in a narrow canal. As I studied the charts it appeared we would find a undeveloped part of the canal about 12 miles befor the lock, so if we could run that section at 16 MPH we could catch up to CJ. When we got to that section we did get up on top to run on plane. About two miles down the canal there was a large old boat docked, so we did slow down so we wouldn't wake him, then back up on top. CJ arrived at St. Lucie lock at 3:00, the door opened and they started to load. CJ advised the lockmaster we were coming as we came into view of the lock. We slowed down and drove right in, tied up, and we were lowered about 14' back to sea level. We were out of the lock by 3:30 and tied up at Sunset Marina in Stuart by 4:45, just in time for a 5:30 cocktail party and dinner with 8 other "looper" friends who were waiting for us. To bad we weren't having any fun!
Thursday I went down in the engine room to check out our prime movers, and found about 30 galons of water under the port engine. It was clean sea water so I suspected in the raw water system was leaking. Pumped the water out, had Claria start up the port engine, and soon found a leak under the cover of the raw water pump. Removed the cover, which appeared to be tight, inspected the gasket which also looked OK, cleaned the gasket and flange, applied some Permatex Gasket Sealer, and reassembled. Had Claria start the engine again, leak fixed. Lets go! Having lost the morning, we had a short day, running 48 miles up to an anchorage behind Pine Island, an anchorage we had used on our way south in January, just north of Vero Beach.
On Friday, we put in a long day, running up paast the back side of Cape Canaveral and the VAB at complex 39, where I let a project for P&H to install 25 large jib crane hoists back in 1964. We finished the day at 8:05, dropping our anchor just south of New Symerna Beach. I'm stealing wi-fi from "Yachtclub1", whoever that is! Will post more and fill in details from Daytona Beach.
On Saturday, March 26, we cruised up to Daytona Beach, arriving at 11:05 at the marina. Bill and Kathleen Root picked us up and took us over to Sanford so we could see their new to them, 54' Hatteras. Oh my, what a beautifull boat, a real floating condo! We look forward to their visit at our dock as they travel north later this spring. Sunday morning Ayrle and Jeanne, friends from Richibucto, New Brunswick, picked us up and we enjoyed a late breakfast together.
While in Daytona Beach, have tried twice to update the blog, spend over two hours at it, and both times it has failed to publish. So, if this publishes, you know I've been trying. It's late, so won't spend any more time at it tonight.
We cast off from the marina at 12:30 and traveled 40 miles further north, anchoring in the Mantanzas River near Fort Mantanzas a short distance south of St. Augustine.
On Monday we had a 70 mile run planned to an anchorage in the Amelia River, just short of Fernadina Beach.sFrom this point Mission accomplished.
Tuesday, March 29, we stopped at the Fernadina Beach marina, deployed the bikes, and rode to the needlepoint store in town, and then to a grocery store to stock up on a few items needed to get us home. Shopping done, we fueled up at a commercial fuel supplier, and headed north into Georgia. We dropped anchor near Ft. Fredricka behind St. Simons Island.
From here north we will be in delivery mode. Wednesday we anchored in Herb River, just south of Savannah. Thursday we reached our home dock at 3:10 PM. The end of another very successfull trip.
Well, our computer problems continue, but this time it is our computer. We are home, arrived back in Beaufort Thursday afternoon. After tying up the boat, took the computer up to the house, downloaded 51 e-mails, when opening the third one, computer screen went black, never to come to life again.
