We chose to take 5 travel days to get to Fort Myers. We had to leave the marina at Islamorada around noon in order to go out the cut at Little Basin at high tide. There is typically only 3.5ft of water depth in the cut!! This would not leave us time for a full day of travel. So, the first travel day was a very short leg to a mooring field at an aquatic nature preserve, Lignumvitae Key. The moorings looked very new and secure and were on the SW side of the island - perfect for the anticipated NE wind overnight.
The second leg was threading our way through Florida Bay shallows, around Cape Sable to a popular stop, Little Shark River. Wind was light and easterly, so there was no problem with Gulf of Mexico seas around the cape. Little Shark River anchorage is narrow and well-protected by mangroves. It took two tries to get the anchor set – there were reports that the bottom of the river has some “difficult” areas. There was just a little sandy mud to wash off in the morning.
We hurried onward to the Ten Thousand Islands area of the Everglades in anticipation of a strong northeast wind/front coming through. Being tucked back into the gorgeous islands would provide plenty of protection for us. The anchor set perfectly in pristine sand and came up perfectly clean. We put out 120ft of chain and had no problems at all. We stayed in this gorgeous location at anchor for 3 days.
The wind was forecast to clock around through the North and become westerly. A westerly wind would create large waves out in the Gulf, and our desired path moving along the shoreline heading north would be difficult. There appeared to be a small window of low(er) wind from the NNE on Saturday morning. If we didn’t go then, we would have to wait up to 3 additional days at anchor for more favorable conditions to continue north.
We headed out into a forecast north-northeast wind of 10-15 knots. A north-northeast wind would be sheltered somewhat by the main Florida land mass if we stayed close to shore.
The forecast was not correct. By the time we got out and around Cape Romano Shoals, the wind was 25 out of the north ☹. It was a 10-hour slog around the shoals and up into San Carlos Bay. Our advanced HSSI (Hula Sea State Indicator) showed at least an 8.
Once inside, we anchored at Glover Bight in glassy calm waters. We got to the back of the crowded anchorage in 5ft of water and only 150ft off the mangroves. The anchor set immediately and the wind was calm all night. The next day it was on to Fort Myers at Legacy Harbour Marina.
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First Stop – Lignumvitae Key: We got to sleep late on this cruise day! 😊 We were only travelling 6 miles (1 hour), and we needed to wait until high tide (around noon) to leave the marina.
We picked up 1 of 5 mooring balls available at this state park. While we have utilized mooring balls on previous boats, this is the first mooring ball for us on SCOUT.
We are always amazed by the blue water in the keys.
Lignumvitae Key is named after a tree said to have been grown in the Garden of Eden.
Ref: A poster in the Florida Keys Discovery Center.
After being spoiled in Islamorada by instructor-led yoga under the tiki and in the beer garden, I'm back to yoga on the bow. I remembered enough poses to increase my usual 20 minutes to 40!
I then, for the first time in the Keys, decided to take a dip – WITH a wetsuit. 😊 There was a strong current (and we were on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico), so I held fast to the tether! It was chilly! And murky. I didn’t float for too long, but it was refreshing.
Second Stop – Little Shark River: We originally planned to stay at Lignumvitae Key for a couple of nights, but the winds increased, making any kayaking or dinghying less appealing. So…we decided to move on up the Gulf Coast, hoping for land protection from the mostly easterly winds in the next anchorage(s).
We cruised as far as 6 miles off shore past the Everglades.
In the Navionics screenshot below, you can see SCOUT (red arrow) near Shark River. Islamorada is in the bottom right corner. You can also see there are very few roads near the Everglades area (in the center).
🚩 Float Plan Support:
Unfortunately, we lost cell service before noon, which made me worried that our Float Plan support team (family members) would be worried of our status. ☹ More on that later.
Otherwise, the cruise was uneventful. The anchorage was peaceful. The water and landscape here, in the Everglades, are very different from the keys we just left.
Sunset was serene. There were 3 sailboats in the anchorage with us (closer to the Gulf).
So far, Ray has been successful with challenging anchorages like this -- a narrow river with current that reverses with ebb and flow tides.
This is an interesting screenshot from our anchor alarm app, Anchor Pro. It shows how much SCOUT moved during our overnight stay. As the tidal current moves into and out of the river, SCOUT “rides” on one or the other side of the anchor position alternately.
The bundle in the center is when the changeover occurs and there is no current moving the boat in either direction. An anchor alarm is used to sound an audible alert on the cell phone when your boat moves outside of a defined range (which you set in the app).
Third Stop – White Horse Key: We hauled anchor and began the cruise to White Horse Key -- part of the 10,000 Islands, near Marco Island, FL.
We soon had a gorgeous sunrise.
🚩Float Plan Support:
Finally, at about 10:30, Ray’s phone started receiving text and email messages through, so we both started trying to get a message out to our Float Plan support team. Yes, they had been worried! ☹
While I felt terrible that we were fine and they did not know, I am glad they are serious about keeping track of us.
We tweaked our Float Status communication template to include an indication of projected cell coverage. And we plan to provide more frequent updates throughout the day.
We arrived at White Horse Key early afternoon, escorted in to our anchorage by 4 dolphins.
We stayed at White Horse Key for 3 nights waiting for high winds to subside.
GHTA Meeting: While on achor, we were finally able to participate in a virtual meeting of Great Harbour Trawlers Association (GHTA). It was great to see other owners (and future owners). We are fortunate to be part of such a friendly and knowledgeable group.
Sunrise:
Sunset from drone:
This was our last stop in the Keys and Everglades. Below is a porthole comparison of the stops.
Fourth Stop – Glover Bight, Cape Coral: After waiting out high winds for 3 nights, winds appeared to be favorable for a northerly Gulf-side cruise to the Caloosahatchee River. We got under way early and were rewarded with another gorgeous sunrise.
Before long, we realized the weather forecasts were not correct. Winds were around 25 mph on our beam; we were rocking side to side. (Weather station photo was best I could do in those conditions.)
For most of the day, SCOUT was rocking or bouncing into waves. It was like a 10-hour core workout.
Ray and I passed the time playing “Snap a Splash”.
This photo is one example of the water splashing up to the windshields and the angle of the boat tilt.
After anchoring in a very calm Glover Bight, we ate and retired early!
Fifth (Last) Stop – Fort Myers: We were happy we got to sleep in since we were only 2 hours from our destination in Fort Myers and we couldn’t check in to the marina before 11:00.
We had a relaxing cruise to Legacy Harbour Marina, where we stayed for a week.
Fun Stuff: After securing SCOUT into the slip and straightening up a little, we wasted no time exploring eateries we had not been able to fully enjoy last year – when COVID-19 lockdowns began.
The Skybar at Firestone was fun, but gets busy quickly, so I recommend getting there early for a seat.
Twisted Vine had delicious (and plentiful) Happy Hour tapas.
It is joined to The Barrel Room, a live music venue that is open only on weekends – or for special events.
MUST SEE: 86 Room was our favorite find! The evening (early) we were there, this prohibition-style speakeasy had Big Band music playing (loud, so we felt like we were in the room with a live band). Some nights they have live jazz. We enjoyed the totally immersive experience created by the prohibition-era furniture and décor, along with employees in perioed-styled clothing.
I had a smoked Old Fashioned. Watching the bartender smoke the glass and mix the Old Fashioned was fun. (Ask for Angie.)
Video: Click the video below to step back in time.
Our Great Harbour friends on mv Tanuki soon joined us on our quest to explore Fort Myers.
At Social House Downtown (SoHo), we enjoyed live music on the patio. The small plates were good. And most of us enjoyed the High Five IPA.
Coastal Dayz Brewery still has a good beer selection, offers small pours, and has food trucks onsite most days. We loved the Vibes and Spice tacos, nachos, and rice bowls. Did I mention Coastal Dayz is only 5 blocks from the marina and sometimes has live music? 😊
Our Great Harbour friends formerly from mv Seven Tenths drove down from their land home, “Three Tenths”, to spend the day with mv SCOUT and mv Tanuki.
Unfortunately, we missed meeting up with the crew of mv Avocet, mv SCOUT’s Previous Owners (POs), who live nearby, and look forward to a post-COVID-19 Fort Myers visit.
We walked downtown for lunch at Capone’s Coal Fired Pizza. (Ray and I got take-out from here several times last year, during lockdowns. They still have great pizza, both regular and Gluten-Free!)
We walked backed to the marina Chickee Hut to catch up for a few hours.
We then walked to Coastal Dayz for Happy Hour, walked back downtown for dinner at Twisted Vine, and got back to the marina and said goodbye at sunset. (Reminds me of the 6-hour lunch I had with the girls last year in Key West.)
Regular Life Stuff: In between the fun stuff, Ray and I had to take care of ourselves.
I became eligible for the vaccine in Florida (I’m still a spring chicken) on our first day in port.
We found out Publix (2 blocks away) opens up online scheduling for COVID-19 vaccinations certain days of the week at 7:00 AM. So, we set our clocks and got up early to “go to work”. We both won the vaccine lottery and got appointments later in the week! 😊
No more J&J shots expected in Florida for a while 🙁, so we will need to hang around Florida for at least a month and make arrangements for our 2nd shot (somewhere).
Nature Stuff: Last year, while in Fort Myers, we were “swarmed” by Lovebugs.
This year, even worse. Midges! (Like non-biting mosquitos.) They swarm where they can be protected from wind and are attracted to white surfaces. They leave green “ick”, wherever they are, that usually requires a little scrubbing to remove. Great! 🙁
I learned a trick to get rid of them several years ago (after being swarmed by midges in a different boat). Spraying them with a hose garden sprayer “filled” with Dawn dish soap will kill them. Then you can hose them off.
I didn’t want to use dish soap since we had waxed the boat recently (and that would strip the wax). So, I decided to try boat wash in the sprayer only on the first day.
Thankfully, each day, the swarm got smaller, as they died off or moved to a different wind shelter. But I still had a morning ritual (after coffee, of course) of hosing off the dead bugs & green “ick” – top to bottom & front to back.
Here is my view of the remaining midge swarm from inside -- after a few days. I forgot to get a photo earlier and wouldn’t have wanted to stand outside near them long enough for a photo. 🙁
Boat Sanitation Stuff: We wanted to empty our holding tank (toilet waste) before cruising north. Here at the marina, it is free, but it is self-service. Our position on the transient dock put us 0.2 miles from the marina gate – where the pump-out controller is located. Ray had hose duty, and I had “button duty”, as noted by a fellow boater.
Interesting Plants and Landscaping: In addition to the aromatic Confederate Jasmine I passed by on the way to and from Publix (or Coastal Dayz), I enjoyed this special walkway alongside the Publix parking lot.
I also passed by several Bottlebrush trees, in bloom.
I got a chuckle out of this thorny little guy. I think it’s a Silk Floss Tree. Reminds me of Winnie the Pooh – except with an elephant trunk. 😊
What’s next? Here’s a hint.
