Still in Marathon

It has been about 10 days since the last post from Marathon and we are still here enjoying the sunshine, people and the seafood. The weather is perfect almost everyday. Temperatures in the high 70's, slight breeze and no rain. The marina is full so there are many people to get to know. There are quite a few current and past Loopers here so we have a lot in common. Some of the Loopers have stayed for only a short time and then moved on so it was nice to see them again. Sid and Evelyn on "Something Special" moved on to Islmorada, "Once Around" and "Algonquin" were here for a few days and moved to Key West.

The highlight of the last 10 days was that our son Dean came to visit. We did not have much on the agenda so Dean mostly just relaxed and enjoyed the weather. Dean and I went on a nice dinghy ride. We went to the beach, explored the many canals with nice houses and then we went to the other side of the island and went under the 7 Mile Bridge. Unfortunately when we got back, Dean slipped and fell and we all thought he broke his little toe on his right foot. Ginny and I thought he was was being a drama queen so we told him to walk it off, but when he got back to Columbus he went to the hospital and it ended up that his right foot is really broken. Sorry Dean but we still had a great time. We rented a car and took Dean back to Key West for his trip home last Saturday. His flight was scheduled for 5:15 P.M. but the airlines called and said the flight was rescheduled for 6:00 P.M. Actually the airlines called about every 15 minutes with a recorded message. We dropped Dean off at the airport around 4 and drove back to Marathon. When we got back the airlines called and said the flight was cancelled. Dean called several times with updates and the airlines decided to send all of the passengers to Miami by taxi, put them up in a hotel and reschedule their flights for Sunday. Dean wasn't really happy about that but he did fine and arrived home safely on Sunday morning. He is back to work using an air cast :).

Marc and Michele on "Marc"s Ark" are docked next to us and we have been having a good time. We last saw them in Fort Myers. They are both sunset lovers and sometimes even set a alarm to let them know the sunset is coming. We have been to a few different restaurants looking for a good sunset and I think the one we like the best is Sunset Grill which is right next to the 7 Mile Bridge on the Atlantic side with an unobstructed view of the sunset. Marc scheduled a 1/2 day fishing trip and asked me to go which was great. We went to Seadog Charters on the Gulf side and went out in a 60 foot boat with 8 other people. We went under the bridge into the Atlantic a few miles and anchored. The captain and first mate were fantastic. They told us how to fish, baited the hook, took the fish off and entertained us throughout the morning and then filleted the fish when we got back. Everybody caught fish and the weather was great. The total catch was 56 Yellow Tail Snappers which were divided up 8 ways because there was one couple from Utah that were leaving the next day and didn't want any fish. Marc and I took our share to Rocco's Bar and Grill in the marina and asked them to cook them for dinner. They did a great job and the fish was fantastic. They grilled some, fried some and blackened some. My favorite was the blackened because it was a little spicy with a slight crust. We did the best we could but couldn't finish them all so Michele took the rest home.

Our plan is to move on next week to Islmorada and then go to the Bahamas in March. We were planning on going with "Free 2 B" but they won't be able to make it this year. "Something Special", "Marcsark" and "Algonquin" have expressed and interest in going so maybe we can all hook up and go together but we will see.

"Something Special" leaving Marathon

Dean spotted this iguana in a tree in one of the canals

One of the great sunsets at Sunset Grill

That's me walking in the water at Sombero Beach

Dean's last day in Marathon was celebrated at the Stuffed Pig

One of the many marinas in Key West

Marc and Michele

Guess who

SeaDog Charters (I know the picture is sideways)

Heading back to port after we were done slaying the fish

The catch - see if there really is 56

The band that was playing in the bar while we were eating our fresh caught fish

Winter in Marathon and I miss ALA CARTE

We are getting settled in at Marathon. We are in Sombrero Marina at the very East end of Boot Key Harbor. It is a nice marina with a bar/restaurant and walking distance to Publix and other stores. We only have reservations for January but we are trying to get the dockmaster to let us stay through February. Two days after we arrived, our good friends Terri and Mike came to visit us. They have a place in Daytona so they drove down and stayed for two nights. Mike knows a couple (John and Donna) in Marathon and they invited us over to their house for drinks and then we went to dinner at the Sunset Grille. Their house was in Key Colony Beach on a canal and it is beautiful. The Sunset Grille is a great place to hang out, eat and watch the sunset which is what we did.

I met a guy on one of the boats, who is a diver and cleans boats. He said he would take a look at my bottom and zincs so I said great. He found a piece of nylon rope on one of the shafts and removed it for $10, what a deal. He said everything else was OK.

There was an organized happy hour with snacks on Thursday night so we got to meet a lot of the people which was great since we will be spending a lot of time here. Most of the boats are here for an extended period and many of them come each year for the winter so they all know each other.

On Friday morning I got a call from Sid and Evelyn on "Something Special" who had just left the Shark River and were heading for our marina to stay a couple of nights. They had just called the marina that morning and were able to get a slip. They are only two boats away from us and it has really been great catching up with them. They were supposed to leave on Sunday but it has been very windy so they are stuck with us until probably Tuesday. We have missed them and it is so good to see them again. When we were traveling with them we had played a couple games of Euchre. Sid and I were partners and each team won one game so we needed to have a tie breaker which we did last night. Needless to say the good guys won convincingly but unfortunately it wasn't Sid and I. Evelyn and Ginny beat us fair and square but there was a lot of table talk (oh yes - that was Sid and I).

Our son Dean has come from the cold North to visit us for a week. He flew into Key West so Ginny and I rented a car and drove down to pick him up on Sunday. It was great to see him and he looks great. Ginny and I have been to Key West several times but Dean has never been so we walked around Duval Street for a while and ate at Sloppy Joes. Dean is flying back from Key West next weekend so we will have more time to visit the city then. We are not planning anything special, but if the weather gets better then we will go out in the dingy and fool around.

Now for ALA CARTE. I know I talk about food way too much, but darn it I miss a good breakfast out. I can cook a nice breakfast on the boat which I do but occasionally I like to go to a dive and eat a breakfast that is not good for my body but great for my soul. I am not talking about Denny's, IHOP or even Bob Evans but a place where you can get a good breakfast with good coffee at a reasonable price. There is such a place in Port Clinton, Ohio called ALA CARTE. They make their own sausage, they have the best fried potatoes and for my money the best coffee ever. Just to be fair, I have tried many places in the last six months but none of them stack up. I had high hopes for a couple of places in Marathon and they were good but not as good as ALA CARTE. I won't post the names because the sensor would remove them but they are both local and have a loyal following. I vow to keep looking and I will report back occasionally.

Sunset Grille in Marathon by the Seven Mile Bridge

A nice sunset at the Grille

I have no idea who these people are but they looked so happy I had to take a picture

Mike and I at the Stuffed Pig for breakfast

The rope on our shaft

Mom and Son at Sloppy Joes

I know I posted this in July but I wanted to remind anyone who may be going to Port Clinton

Tides, Crab Pots and Great Company

We are in Marathon Florida in the Keys and it is great, but before we get into that let me tell you about the trip getting here. We left Fort Myers on Monday and went into the Gulf to Naples through Gordon Pass. The weather was supposed to get cold and windy so we ran fast and arrived before the weather turned bad. By getting in early we were able to watch Ohio State lose to Florida - I hate the Florida Gators - but at least we got their old coach. We had reservations at the city docks for Monday night but knew the weather would be bad on Tuesday so we decided to stay two nights. We had an end dock near the channel so we were able to watch all of the boat traffic which was quite a lot since it was a holiday. After the Ohio State debacle we bundled up and walked around the city for a while. My cousin Dave, who was riding with us, treated Ginny and me to a great dinner at the Dock Restaurant. The food was great and the waitress was possibly the best we've ever had.

The next day was cold and windy but we had fun anyhow. Dave and I walked around to a couple of marinas and looked at some really big boats. Dave invited his friend Chris to drive from Cape Coral to spend the day with us. We walked around the town and enjoyed a very nice lunch in Tin City. Chris left and we spent the rest of the day staying warm. It was my turn to buy dinner so we had pizza and ice cream. Don't let it be said that I don't know how to entertain a guest.

On Wednesday we were headed for Everglades City about 50 miles away. We couldn't leave early because it was low tide so we waited until about 10 when the tide was rising. We decided to travel outside in the Gulf instead of the Intracoastal behind Marco Island because it looked a little easier. The wind was down but the waves were about two feet high from the North so the ride was fairly comfortable but still a little rolly. To go from Naples to Everglades City you have to go around a large shoal called Romano Shoals before you turn East into the harbor. Not only is the depth of the water 10' or less there are about a million crab pots that you need to dodge - Oh by the way the sun is shining on the water so it is very hard to see them. We got to the entrance to Everglades City in the late afternoon and then we still had 5 miles to go winding through the swamp in shallow water with tour boats buzzing around. Actually the trail is well marked and there were a ton of dolphins to entertain us. We stayed at the old and famous Rod and Gun Club. The docks are just a wall to tie up to and we were the only boat there. Everglades City is a fishing village and the fishing boat captains don't bother with the No Wake signs so we got rocked until dark and then they started again at 3:45 A.M. so we didn't get much sleep. The weather was cool so the bugs weren't out which was good. We had a very good dinner at the club (it was Dave's turn to buy again) and then turned in.

The next day we walked around the town and had breakfast at a small cafe while we waited for the tide to rise. We left port around 11:00 and headed for the Little Shark River to anchor for the night. The ride was good except for the crab pots and the fear of entering a small river that we have never been in. Actually the entrance to the river was well marked and the water depth was very good. We went into the river about 1/4 mile and dropped a bow and stern anchor and waited for the dark and the gators (I hate the Gators) to come out. The gators never came so Dave and I decided we would do a little fishing. Guess who caught a fish. Ginny made a great dinner (it was my turn to buy) and then we set off all of the anchor alarms and settled in for the night. As you may know we don't anchor much so we were not real comfortable but we managed to get some sleep and the boat never moved. We got up and had a good breakfast and then left for Marathon. I had spent many hours plotting our course across Florida Bay, under the 7 Mile Bridge and into Marathon but I was still a little nervous. It all turned out well and it was a great ride except for the crab pots and the shallow water going into Marathon. We are at Sombrero Marina and will be here for at least the month of January and hopefully February.

Our dock in Naples

One of the many large boats in Naples

Chris and Dave staying warm

The city docks in Naples

Leaving Naples heading into the Gulf

Entering Everglades City - Marco Island in the distance

The Rod and Gun Club

In case you didn't belive me

A big estate

A nice little city

I thought it was supposed to be warm in Florida

This is a wisherman - sorry cuz

And this is a fisherman

The moon in the daylight

Great sunset in the river

We had company in the Little Shark River

Leaving the river heading into the Gulf

First look at the 7 Mile Bridge

Closer

Looking from the Gulf to the Atlantic

The channel into Marathon

I think part of the bridge is missing

Our first meal in Marathon

Our first sunset in Marathon

I have no idea why I am smiling

Dolphin picture 1

Dolphin picture 2

Dolphin picture 3

The last dolphin picture I promise (this time).

December in Legacy Harbor and on to Naples

Well it has been a while since I posted and I am sorry but we have been pretty busy waiting for happy hours and sunsets each day. Seriously, we have done quite a bit and we have connected with several people from the North. You might remember that our daughter and my sister came for a visit and it was way to short but we have good memories. We visited the Thomas Edison winter retreat in Fort Myers. The whole estate was donated to Florida and they have done a great job of keeping it up and showing it to the public for a reasonable cost. My cousin Dave let us use his car for several days so we were able to drive around the area and do some shopping and dining.

Bill and Susie from our yacht club on Lake Erie picked us up for a great dinner at the Fort Myers Royal Palms Yacht Club. Len and Judy Assante, who are friends from Columbus have a place in Fort Myers and they were so generous to visit us several times and show us the sights. They took us to a wonderful place called the Turtle Club for dinner and they took us out on their pontoon boat all the way to Sanibel for a beautiful day of swimming and lunch.

Christmas was a little sad because we weren't home with family but we had a good dinner on the boat, saw a great sunset and a rainbow so it was not all bad. Many of the people in the marina went home for the Holidays so it was not very busy. Bob and Lynda from Erica Lyn stayed on their boat so we visited with them many times. Mike and Gail on Happy Hours V docked at the city marina on the 28th so we got to spend some quality time with them.

We were scheduled to leave Fort Myers on the 29th so we could be in Marathon by the 1st but we stayed until January 2 because we had two surprise visits. When we were in Michigan we met Mike and Marge and they called and said they were going to be in Orlando for a wedding on the 30th and said they could come down to Fort Myers on New Years Eve. They drove down in the afternoon and we got caught up and then went downtown for the New Years Eve celebration in the streets of Fort Myers. The city does a great job of blocking off the streets, providing music and allowing people to roam the streets. We did not make it until midnight but we had a great time anyway. The next day on the first, Ginny's brother Fred and sister in law Lyndi from California came to see us for the day. They were in Miami on business and drove over to see us.

On January 2 we got up early and left Legacy Harbour after almost more than a month and headed for Naples. Naples was only 50 miles away but we left early because the weather was supposed to get very windy. Several people who we probably won't see for a very long time, if ever came to see us off. I am not the most social guy so it always amazes me how easy it is to make friends on the water. Some friendships are casual but many are forever which is really nice because I can use all the friends I can find. We are going to stay in Naples for two days and then head to the Everglades City before arriving in Marathon sometime this week.

Thomas Edison Statue

Edison's Study

The gardens and the grounds were very well maintained

Edison Laboratory

Stephanie and Cherie in front of Coconut Jacks

Cherie on her last night before going home to Columbus

Len and Judy at the Turtle Club

Even the sign was fancy

Swimming in the Gulf in December

It seems that Ginny is not the only female captain

Christmas Night Sunset

Christmas Day Rainbow

Me, Ginny, Gail, Lynda and Bob

Mike and Gail invited us to join them and their friends from Canada for lunch.

Farmers Markets every Thursday in Fort Myers

Marge and Mike from Michigan

Elvis on New Years Eve in Fort Myers

Ginny and her baby brother Fred

Friends saying goodbye

Fort Myers Beach from the water - Notice the bridge in the background

Cousin Dave watching for crab pots

Just one of the many nice homes in Naples