Ft. Myers Beach, Florida - Month 2

This is the wettest winter in Southwest Florida's history. El Nino, gale force winds, tornado warnings, and Lake Okeechobee spillway open didn't stop us from enjoying our time here. Our friend Helen, who we met in Canada this summer, came to visit us! We also met up with fellow Loopers, Dan and Jacque, in Naples. We hadn't seen them since we were in New York. We took a road trip across the Everglades Parkway and up the east coast of Florida and became legal Floridians! We met Cathy and Michael who are Facebook Live Aboard group members and also Loopers . We spent Valentines Day at Lovers Key, Florida with my brother and his wife, Marty and Linda! Our boat was the stage for a Donald Trump YouTube Video Parody. Our Dinghy, Flying Fish, was a prop for a modeling shoot. We've made new friends and great memories here at the marina and have enjoyed the wonderful staff. We love this town!

One extreme to the other.

Coconuts were flying!

 Naples, Florida:

Dan and Jacque's rental car. (We were enjoying their company so much, I forgot to take our group photo. Second time this has happened!)

 Traveling along Alligator Alley we did not spy a single gator.

Coming back south, we breezed past Walt Disney World.

Our new mail service "home of record".

We obtained our Driver's Licenses,  registered to vote, and purchased our state fishing license at one counter in 30 minutes!

We are official Floridians!

K

Cathy and Michael. They begin their Loop in April and we hope to travel a bit with them up the eastern seaboard.

Helen and Linda who traveled from Canada.

 We put our fishing license to use and caught a Sheepshead. Who knew they had these teeth?! They are very tasty!

Lake Okeechobee confluence with the Gulf of Mexico, not good.

Donald Trump parody being filmed on our vessel! Great guys! We wish them success!

Valentines Day at Lovers Key, Florida, with Marty and Linda: 

Billions of seashells.

Our Flying Fish being hauled out for a good bubble bath before we cradle her for our travels.

Sunrise

Our final sunset here.

Ft. Myers Beach, Florida - Weeks 3 - 4

We have enjoyed spending time with great family and friends over the past two weeks! Carol, Charlie's #1 Sister, flew in from Fort Worth to spend 5 days with us aboard! It's so nice for her to chose to spend her vacation time with us and it was exciting to not only show her our boat but to also have her aboard as our VIP guest!  Carol so lovingly brought me chips and salsa from my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant in Fort Worth along with my favorite wines!! We enjoyed touring Thomas Edison's and Henry Ford's historic winter homes with her!! Also, Craig, Donna, and Dylan moored nearby and shared their time with us over their two week stay, which was fantastic! We hadn't seen them since earlier last spring along the east coast. They were one of our first "snowbirders" and Facebook Live Aboard group members who we traveled with for many nautical miles and shared many ports with. We also learned much from them, last spring, as they were well seasoned cruisers along the eastern seaboard and we were not. Garmin was instantly friends with their dog, Dylan, last spring and when they were reunited they remembered each other as if no time had passed! Fortunately, Craig, Donna, and Dylan were traveling with their friends, Allan and Geraldine aboard Stray Cat. We are grateful to now know them and enjoyed great times with them also. Sanibel Island was enjoyed with Carol, Geraldine, Carol, and myself. Beach-combing, shopping, and brunch was fun together! Between tornado warnings, we all had a fun beach day with Garmin and Dylan along with a Beach Bocce battle! Over the past two weeks, we have had to "seek shelter now" from two tornado warnings. Tornado's touched down and caused damage in Cape Coral and caused damage along, with loss of life, in Sarasota. We also battened the hatches from two additional strong storms causing gale winds and high water for over 18 hours each time. Fortunately, we are all good as are all others here at port. Additionally, we connected with a dozen other full time cruisers/liveaboards/ Loopers and enjoyed a dinner with all of us together! Our Looper friends, Marv and Connie, aboard Sadie Too, dinghy-ed over to see us as they are docked nearby! (I didn't have my camera handy).

Our travel map thus far.

We are, again,  featured on AGLCA (America's Great Loop Cruisers Association) Facebook page! Cool!

Garmin and Dylan being "Alpha Beach Bums".

Beach Bocce, Craig and Donna ruled the sands!

Garmin loves his dinghy rides This one is going under Matanzas Pass Bridge.

Our "Boat Load of Sushi"! Carol approved!

Garmin's "digging" the beach!

Snowbird, Full time Cruiser, and Looper Dinner on Fort Myers Beach! Big fun with great people!

Craig, Donna, and Dylan!!!! Woohooo! Great to see them!

Thank you so much, Donna, Craig, and Dylan, for Garmin's new Tote!! Priceless!

Happy Boat Dogs reunited and off-leash!

We love you, Dylan!

Sangria with Charlie and Carol!

Carol looks great on Fort Myers Beach Pier!

Ahhhh, Sanibel Island.

Donna and Geraldine on Sanibel Island.

Kay and Carol doing Sanibel.

McGregor Blvd. Thank you, Thomas Edison, for planting these Palms for the next 15 miles.

Historic Fig Trees at Thomas Edison's winter home.

Charlie and Carol at Thomas Edison's winter home, underneath the historic fig trees.

HUGE bougainvillea "shrubs". Mom, this pic is for you!

Thomas Edison's Lab.

Thomas Edison's Darkroom! How cool is this for this art major!?!

Shopping on Sanibel Island!!!!

Carol, Kay, Donna, and Geraldine enjoying Sanibel Island!

Dylan and Garmin at Happy Hour, Bootleggers Bar & Grill.

We "took shelter now" twice and glad we did. Tornado touched down close by at Cape Coral. Having the emergency "ditch bags" made abandoning the boat in a few moments notice profitable and easy breezy.

G-Man was never bothered with the high seas and tornado warnings!