Dea's Visit

January 16 – 23, 2011


Well, Mark and I are returning from taking Dea to the airport to go back to Minnesota. She picked a good week to be here (between cold fronts) and a great week to be away from MN (negative degrees and a little bit of snow every day).

Dea arrived on Sunday, January 16th and we immediately treated her to a Costco excursion – YIPPEE!! We know how to show a girl a good time. We have learned to combine our trips because getting off Estero Island is time consuming and takes a bit of patience. Once home and settled, Dea forced us to play Cutthroat Pinochle – she hadn’t played since her visit last year. Oh, and she also forced us to go to the corner ice cream shop and have a cone. (Mark and I had managed to stay away from there until Dea’s visit – I think we made it there 4 of her 7 nights here).

Monday we woke to a rainy day. We were scheduled for a pedicure at 9:30. Once done with that we went back to the boat to a marvelous breakfast made by Chef Mark – he becomes a chef when he’s not a captain. In fact, I think he had breakfasts ready for us 5 out of 7 days and the other days we went out. Since the day was going to be rainy, we decided to go to the Immokalee Seminole Casino – unfortunately none of us had good luck. Back home after dinner under a brilliant rainbow and more pinochle.

Party on our toes!

Brilliant rainbow

On Tuesday Mary Sue had scheduled all of us to play in the golf scramble. Geff was still back in Michigan so Mark played a round with three women – too bad it was golf….. Anyway, we didn’t win any prizes, but had a terrific time. At one point, sea fog rolled in from the gulf giving the course an eerie feeling. On the last hole, Mary Sue and Mark won the “closest to the hole” contest.

Dea and I joined Mary Sue at yoga class on Wednesday and Mark went to pick up Geff at the airport. After that good workout and squeezing toxins out of our body, we went to the spa and loosened more toxins with massages. Our kids had given me a “spa day” for Christmas and I took full advantage of it. That night Mark took us out on a cocktail cruise searching for dolphin. No luck with the dolphin, but we saw a wonderful sunset and moonrise as well as a cuttlefish.

Yogies - Mary Sue, Dea, Gerri (instructor) and CE

Estero Bay cruise - Mark and Dea

Sunset over the mangroves

Cuttlefish

Moonrise and reflection

On Thursday morning we joined Geff and Mary Sue for an early morning walk on the beach (8:00 am). Because the beach area on south Ft Myers Beach is a bird sanctuary, I had to walk a trail through the mangroves and sea grass with Port for most of the way, but met up with the gang as we got close to the bridge at the south end of the island. Dea found lots of sand dollars and interesting shells, and Porter actually retrieved his Frisbee both on sand and in the water. In fact this beach walk was so much fun that we did it for the rest of the week and Mark even decided to join us a couple of days.

Beautiful day for a beach walk

Egret in flight

Garden oasis seen on back route

Thursday was also the day that we went with Geff, Mary Sue and Mary Sue’s Mom, Jean Ann, on a cruise to Naples. Of course, no cruise is complete without a bartender. Geff took us through the narrow and shallow channels for the first part of the cruise to Wiggins Pass. We almost enticed some dolphins to follow our wake, but we couldn't keep their interest. We saw an eagle with his catch, pelicans, and a couple of low bridges. In Naples we were treated to beautiful homes, condos on stilts and a good lunch. It was a great day for a cruise, but some clouds rolled in and made the trip back to Ft Myers Beach a little chilly.

First Mate, Mary Sue

Captain Geff

Bartender Mark

Dea and margarita

CE and Jean Ann

Narrow and shallow channel

Eagle with fish

Preening pelican

A couple of low bridges

Busy Wiggins Pass to the gulf

Naples harbor

Condos on stilts

Lunch on the terrace in Naples

Jean Ann bundled against the ocean breeze

Friday was supposed to be cloudy and rainy, so we planned a trip to Ft Myers and Cape Coral. We wanted to scope out some high rise condos in Ft Myers and a possible marina for a future stay in Cape Coral. The condos were quite nice and quite reasonable and as we toured models on the 25th floor we sometimes had a clear view of the Caloosahatchee River and other times a view through fog. The marina in question had received some good reviews on the Great Loop network, but we were not too impressed. I think we might be spoiled with our current situation. We also stopped at Manatee Park. Because it had been a warm week the park was not crowded with manatee, but there was also tarpon and more to be seen - like Mark doing an imitation of a Manatee. There was a mother mantee with her infant, but we couldn't get a good picture of them.

Good imitation?

Manatee facts

Manatee

Our last full day Saturday was like Thanksgiving. We had a great day for a walk on the beach – Mark took Port the back way and I was able to join Dea and Mary Sue to search for shells. Then Dea and I went to Victorias to shop. I had been banned from the store by Mark last year, and might be again soon. Dea and I both found something to buy. We came home to fix our Turducken dinner. Judy sent us the turducken after a phone call when we discussed how curious we were about it. What is a turducken, you ask? Ours was a deboned chicken stuffed with Cajun pork dressing that was stuffed inside a deboned duck that was stuffed inside a deboned turkey. We also received cornbread dressing and gravy with our roast – THANK YOU, JUDY! Geff and Mary Sue let us use their kitchen to cook this wonderful dinner. Dea brought desert of cheesecake with Florida strawberries on top, Mary Sue made potatoes and key lime bars, and Jean Ann made spoon bread – a cornbread that you spoon out of the dish. We added al dente green beans with hollandaise sauce. The turducken meal was a hit. We all rolled away from dinner feeling like we usually do at Thanksgiving. While we were eating, the weather outside was chilling down to feel like Thanksgiving in Minnesota.

So on Sunday morning before Dea packed up to go, we walked the beach dressed in winter gear – the temp was 40 and the wind was brisk. Just getting Dea ready for what she was going home to in Minnesota – cold, cold, cold.

Baby, it's cold outside!

Dea just called and she is home to Minnesota safely – what a great visit!

Becoming Part of the FMB Community

December 25, 2011 – January 13, 2011

We have been having a wonderful time here. We have sort of settled into a rhythm of retirement activities.

Mark tries to go fishing as often as he can – weather and time permitting. On New Year’s Eve, Mark and Geff decided to give it a go. Geff needed to have the appropriate gear so he got some new hair. I think this is now his official fishing hat. As you can see the guys had refreshments as well, although, they are not always so well equipped for their trips. On the last adventure, the guys ran aground in shallow water in Estero Bay. They knew the tide was supposed to be coming back into the bay so they waited – for about 90 minutes – under a very warm sun - without water (or beer) – until they finally decided they would have to push themselves off the mud. Of course, they had to struggle to keep their footing while keeping their sandals on their feet and not 6 inches under the mud. Once afloat, they had a good time fishing.

Geff's new hair

Goin' fishin'

So far, we have not had any fruits of their labor. It is my understanding that many fish have been caught, but most are not the right size, or in season. That being said, just a couple of days ago, Mark spotted this Snook taking a siesta under his fishing boat. Fish-Tale Marina is a clean green marina and a fish sanctuary. It would seem the fish know it….

Snook in Fish-Tale Marina under tender

We have gotten to the golf course a couple of times. Most recently we participated in a golf scramble with folks from The Palms. This has given me opportunity to practice with my new Adams hybrid golf club that Mark gave me for Christmas. I LOVE THAT CLUB! The first day I used it, I drove a green over 150 yards from tee. And during the scramble, I won the longest drive contest for women. Is that cool or what??? We will probably keep participating in the scramble format – seems to take some pressure off and both Mark and I are working on consistent golf swings.

Geff, Mary Sue and Mark on the Tee

Shortly after the new year the day was perfect for boating. We went out with Geff and Mary Sue. This time out excursion took us to the restaurant, Nauti Turtle. On our way back we spotted a group of dolphins “playing”. Geff turned the boat around and got closer and set his speed at about 8.5 knots. And just like it has with Grateful, the dolphins were attracted to our wake. They indeed were in a playful mood and put on quite a show for us by leaping completely out of the water.

Dolphins coming to cruise with Mary Sue

Big and little dolphins in the group

Very happy indeed

Mark and I have found that we are becoming part of “The Palms” Ft Myers Beach community. The Palms are the condominiums where Geff and Mary Sue live. Mark and I have been welcomed to many of their activities because of our friendship with Geff and Mary Sue. Not only have we played golf, but Mark is playing poker with the guys while I play cards with the ladies. I have also joined the ladies to play dominoes and practice yoga. And I was so worried about having nothing to do…. I will leave you with a picture of the Key Lime pie that a table of five of us shared. The “No Hat Lunch Bunch” from The Palms had lunch at The Veranda restaurant, a landmark in Old Ft Myers. The pie tasted every bit as good as it looked!

Key Lime pie at The Veranda, Ft Myers

Well, my sister, Dea, is here to visit for a week so the next entry will be after she leaves – we are looking forward to our week.

Okeechobee Waterway to Fish-Tale Marina, Ft Myers Beach

December 15-17, 2010


Well, we are finally back and writing. We took some time to fully appreciate Christmas and the New Year.


Christmas Eve dinner at the Sandy Butler

 Actually, we had lovely holidays, but shortly after the new year, we purchased a new laptop. We forgot everything that is involved with learning a new operating system and transferring files, then learning the new software that goes along with the new computer. Anyway, these things as well as Mark playing with the new computer games have conspired to keep me from writing on the blog. Blah-blah-blah.

The last entry before Christmas was while we were crossing the Okeechobee Waterway. We had been delayed because of a cold front moving across Florida. The winds finally calmed to 10-15 mph which was enough for us to go. We were up and out early while it was still quite chilly (34 degrees) – the snowy egrets were huddled against the cold.

Even the turkey vultures were not moving – I think we counted 16-17 birds.

The Port Mayaca Lock is the gateway to Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee is at a higher elevation than either east or west coast of Florida so there are two locks on the east side waterway and three locks on the west side waterway. The St. Lucie Lock was the greatest lift at 13 feet, but Port Mayaca was only about two feet. As the gates opened we looked out at what the weather service called a “moderate chop”. The waves were about two footers, and Mark remained alert while steering. The channel is narrow with the first channel marker about 7 miles out. Unlike most of the other channels we have been in Lake Okeechobee’s channel is lined with rock debris – we carefully followed our GPS headings. After 25 miles we were on the west side and followed the channel through the grass.

Port Mayaca Lock

Out to Lake Okeechobee

Channel through the grass

We left the big lake at Clewiston, then turned north and followed the waterway along the west side of Lake Okeechobee for roughly 10 miles to Moore Haven. Lake Okeechobee is contained by manmade dikes with locks to prevent the water from being blown out during hurricanes. We were in the channel just on the other side of the dike. Our books told us that the USACE waged war against the casuarina trees, believed to be an invasive species. An invasive species is an organism that becomes established in a new environment, and then spreads in a way that is destructive to the native ecosystem. The name is derived from the Malay word for the cassowary, kasuari, alluding to the similarities between the bird's feathers and the plant's foliage. Our Waterways guide book referred to the trees as exotic.



Remains of casuarina trees

 We made it through the Moore Haven Lock and finally stopped at the River Forest Yacht Center in LaBelle. We traveled nearly 80 miles and it took a little over 9 hours. We are considering leaving Grateful at this facility over the summer when we go back to MN. Negotiations are in process with our insurance company. River Forest has “hurricane tie-downs” – cleats in the concrete – that are used to secure the boats with straps in case of high winds.

Sunset at River Forest Yacht Center, LaBelle

Thursday, we moved on. The weather was warming and Mark was able to drive from the flybridge. This day we had about 43 miles to go with two locks, three bridges and manatee zones. We passed through the citrus areas of Florida with orange trees lining the canal.

Orange groves along the Okeechobee Waterway

We had to ask for two bridges to open for us and thought that we would be able to go through the Beautiful Island RR Bridge because it is usually open. But as we approached, it closed for a train. A half hour later we were through. Fortunately, we were now in the Caloosahatchee River and had more wiggle room. That night we stayed at the Legacy Marina in N Ft Myers. Geff and Mary Sue met us at the marina having traveled there in their boat. We had a great seafood dinner at Joe’s Crabshack.

Train on Beautiful Island RR Bridge

Grateful at Legacy Harbor, N Ft Myers

Friday, December 17th, was another beautiful day. Our route to Fish-Tale Marina on south Ft. Myers Beach takes us out into the gulf. We were back to familiar territory. As we crossed under the Sanibel Causeway, the gulf was very calm.

Sanibel Causeway - familiar territory

We picked up happy dolphins who were jumping completely out of the water. We could have come in at a little higher tide because we had a bit of a scare coming into Big Carlos pass – only 3 feet of water under Grateful. It was a glorious day with sun and 78 degrees. We were safely settled in by early afternoon.

Calm "soft" gulf water