Pirates? Issue #17 2-9-2018

​You never know what you will see on the Inter-coastal Waterway (ICW) in Florida.  Tourists on a pirate ship bundled in coats and blankets.  I bet they didn't expect this cold weather in Florida!

Evidence of the power of hurricanes.

​We were continually amazed at the number of wrecked and abandoned boats.  Some were washed up on shore, some were sunk with only the mast above water and some were run aground on sandbars.  A true testament to the power of the ocean.

Hello 'Tween-waters Resort!

​We took a side trip to a resort called 'Tween Waters on Captiva Island.  I could have stayed there until spring.  The sun finally came out so lounging by the pool felt wonderful.  The Gulf was a short walk across the road so we spent time walking the beach.  It was glorious.  The resort had a pool and 2 hot tubs. Did I mention the sun finally came out?

​Traffic jam on the water by Fort Meyers, Florida

​We could not believe the boat traffic coming out of Fort Meyers, Florida.  We learned a lesson...get off the water before the weekend or deal with all the local boaters who are in a hurry to get started on weekend fun.

Getting ready to cross Lake O

​Lake Okeechobee is the 2nd largest lake in the continental United States.  We planned to cross it on Jan 11 but high winds forced us to duck into Roland Martin Marina and hope for better weather.  The next day was perfect.  We usually cruise at 7mph but that day Tim put the hammer down and we crossed the 25 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes.  I was very, very glad to have that stretch of open water behind us.

Fort Pierce City Marina

We arrived in Fort Pierce City Marina ready to get off the boat and explore the city.  The marina is downtown which makes it fun to walk to coffee shops, restaurants and shopping.  The bench wasn't very comfortable but it was pretty.
Two layers of coats and a hat.  In Florida, in January.  But it's still warmer than South Dakota!