1/31-2/10/2017. Ft. Myers to Sarasota

On Feb. 7 we were finally off the dock in Ft Myers after about a month there.  While we really enjoyed our time at Edison Ford, it was so good to be back moving again.  Our dockmaster, Carly, Maggie’s new best friend, was great and she and the guys made our stay so enjoyable.   Where to? North.  I’m ready to spend some time at anchor, enjoy the sunset and stars and wake up to the sun rising.

Before I move on, I have to say we are always amazed by what a small world it is.  A few days before we left, a steel boat came in to the Marina at Edison Ford.  We chatted with the owners briefly, but one morning as they were heading out, Tim was helping them with their lines and learned they were from St Paul, Mn.  It turns out they live just down the street from Tim’s  Uncle Ray and Aunt Sheila and Aunt Elayne.  Paul and Laurie Olson joined us a couple nights later for cocktails.  What fun.

So, we were off and heading north.  We heard a lot about Cabbage Key, only about 3 hours north, so we chose that for our first anchorage.  We pulled into an area just off the ICW that already had about 7 boats anchored.  

Once settled,  we dropped the dingy in and took Mags for a cruise to Cabbage Key.  Cabbage Key is a small private island with guest cottages and a restaurant.  The restaurant is known for its burgers and one dollar bills posted on the walls and ceiling.  We just let Maggie stop for a potty break and decided we’d go back for lunch the next day (dogs are not allowed).  But, as things happen with a boat, plans change.  The next morning, Tim realized that our fridge/freezer unit was not working.  This is not a good thing.  In fact, it can be a BAD thing.  It should run off the 12 v batteries when we are at anchor, but for some reason, they were not.  A call to the manufacturer told us that they have upgraded a diode for our unit and they’d be happy to send us the upgrade.  Why they can’t notify owners that they goofed and made a fix before we find out is beyond me.  What if this had happened while in the Bahamas?  Not good.  It meant we had to get to shore power to keep our unit working until the upgrade arrived.  No more chillin at anchor for now.  We decided to have the part sent to Marina Jack in Sarasota. We knew that marina and figured we could get a slip there to do the fix.  By this time it was too late to get to Sarasota, besides they were full for the next two nights.  A quick call found us a slip at Palm Harbor Marina in Rum Cove/Lemon Bay, only a few hours away.

Palm Harbor turned out to be a great spot.  The neighbors were unbelievably friendly, chatty and just plain nice.  There was a good sized group of Ranger Tugs rendezvousing there and we were given a tour of a 27′.  Wow!!!!  A very nice, well thought out interior, but quite tiny compared to what we have become used to on Subject to Change.  Basically it is the size of a large van.  Hmmm that might be too tight for Tim and I.  Love the guy, but we need more space than that.  While at Palm Harbor, we took the dink across the ICW to Don Pedro Island, a barrier island.  We were allowed into the private resort since we were staying at Palm Harbor.  We strolled the beautiful beach and lounged watching dolphin play in the surf.  Mags got her fill of chasing sea birds before we headed up to the restaurant for lunch.  

Soon after we returned to the boat, one of our neighbors called out to me that a manatee was swimming right behind or boat.  Just loved watching it slowly glide by, surfacing for air a couple of times before heading into the channel.

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We left Palm Harbor on 2/9  after the fog lifted in the morning and began our 5 hour trip up the ICW to Sarasota.  Great trip.  Lots of amazing homes, plenty of dolphins, and a bunch of bridges.  Our fridge/freezer diode was waiting for us at Marina Jack.  Also ran into a couple we first met at Houma City Marina back in November.  Again, its a small word.  Boating makes it even smaller.  Rock and Louisa along with their westie, Maggie, are on a mooring ball here in Sarasota.  Our mutual love of dogs named Maggie made a mark in our memory banks.  They stopped by for a beer while the Maggies had a romp.

So, now it is today, 2/10 and we have pulled out the fridge/freezer and installed the “fix”.  Cross our fingers.  Soon we’ll walk the mile or so to Publix for a few supplies and then figure out where we’ll head tomorrow.  We have booked a mooring ball back here at Marina Jack on for the 15t through 21st.  Then we’ll be back in a slip for the rendezvous.

An update on our cruising buddies- Steve, Deidra and Trouble, on Osprey, are in Marathon looking for a window on Tuesday to cross over to the Exumas.  Wayne and Elda took Aloha to Isla Mujures and will be there until ????

Other pics taken just because.