Monday 25 March 2013


March 17, 2013

Monday night we had dinner with Marilyn and thanked her for her hospitality and said our goodbyes.  

The next morning we left for Fort Myers Beach.  The weather was so-so, calling for rain in the afternoon but with the wind out of the south, we were able to make good time at 6 1/2 to 7 knots most of the way.  We arrived at Moss Marine about 2 pm. and shortly after the wind speed picked up and started coming out of the northwest and it stayed that way for the next 2 days.  The tidal current in this area is very strong and when the current is going in the opposite direction to the wind, it makes it a little uncomfortable sitting at the dock.   We had thought of moving to the mooring field but with the weather conditions,  currents and the long distance to the dinghy dock, it didn’t seem like a good option.   

We toured around Fort Myers Beach, looking at all the t-shirt shops, walking on the beach, and seeing all the March breakers, it reminded us of a larger version of Grand Bend near home.  It was fun to watch the kids on the beach, the girls all trying to look ‘hot’ and the guys all trying to look ‘cool’.  We sure felt old.

Friday the wind died down and changed direction slightly, so we decided to head up the Caloosahatchee River to North Fort Myers.  This is the start of the Okeechobee Waterway.  We were glad it was a short trip as the water temperature had dropped to the mid-60’s, this combined with the wind, made for a cool trip (wore our foul-weather gear).  We wanted to stop in North Fort Myers to visit with friends from Kincardine, so we reserved a slip at the City of Fort Myers Yacht Basin.  The staff at the Yacht Basin couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful.  The City of North Fort Myers is trying to restore and promote it’s old downtown core, so there is a lot of services and conveniences for boaters staying here, including a free bus service.   

We met up with our friends, Jim and Bev Saturday morning.  We had a nice visit and they gave us a tour of the area, showing us Fort Myers, where they keep the plane, and their condo.  All over Florida we have seen homes on canals for the boaters to keep their boats in their backyards, where Jim and Bev keep their airplane is an aviator’s version of that.  Bev’s uncle’s home, where they keep the airplane, has an airplane hangar right beside the house.  When they want to fly in their airplane, they taxi down the road in this gated community to the airstrip.  It’s a pretty nice set-up.  We had a very enjoyable day with them. 

  Sunday was St. Patrick’s Day and Fort Myers had a large party planned.  They closed off a 2 block section of the downtown core and had several bands playing, special Irish foods at the different restaurants and, of course, green beer.  We wandered around listening to the bands and having fun just people watching.  There were some interesting sights. 
Saying Goodbye to our friend Marilyn on Marco Island


Strange looking Catamaran on Caloosahatchee River
Spring Breakers at Fort Myers Beach 67 degrees F.

Fort Myers Water front and Marina

Our friends from Kincardine Bev and Jim in Fort Myers. 

St Patrick's Day Fort Myers

St Patrick's Day Fort Myers

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