March 20, 2017 - A day with Jonathan and Rosa

We said goodbye to Mark and Susan at about 8:30 and dropped our anchor around 11:30 just south of Melbourne.  We took the dinghy down and headed to Honest John's Fish Camp for a very fun (and educational) day with Jonathan and Rosa.  We spent several days with them in 2015.  They travel in a 25 foot C-Dory, Salty (a platinum looper).  Salty can travel just about anywhere and we never knew where we might run into them.  Jonathan's family owns Honest John's Fish Camp which was started as a government homestead in 1887 by his grandfather.  At first, they were farmers and their produce was shipped to the White House during Franklin Roosevelt's administration.  Today it is a Fish Camp operated by Jonathan and his family.  The Fish Camp rents boats, kayaks and has several fishing/wildlife guides.  The first order of business was lunch.  Capt. Clark (one of the guides) took us, including Jonathan's mother, Barbara, to The Old Fish House for a very good lunch.  After the boat ride, we walked around the property visiting various dogs, Lulu, the pig, and the chicken coop.  We then hopped into the car for a trip south on Hwy. 1A1 to the Sebastian Inlet.  Most of the area was a state park so it was quite beautiful. At times we had the ICW on one side and the Atlantic on the other.  We then said goodbye, although we will probably see them this summer.  They plan to continue their travels beginning mid-April.  We then headed back to our boat and enjoyed our anchorage for the evening.

Along the way - I remember this house from two years ago

Jonathan (hidden), Capt. Clark and Jack

Lunch with the group

Our boat ride back

Lulu

My attempt at feeding the chickens

Salty - getting ready for her next adventure

Rosa's large parrot

Barbara's home

Jonathan and Rosa

Our anchorage

Beautiful sunset to end a great day

March 18, 2017 - Vero Beach

We spent two fun days with Mark and Susan.  Saturday morning, we started the day with cinnamon rolls and coffee on our back deck.   Susan took me to Publix and then to one of the condos she had just sold.  Mark and Jack took a trip to West Marine.  Saturday night, we enjoyed a great prime rib dinner at Bobby's in Vero Beach.  Susan had to work Sunday, so Mark took us on a few more errands.  Sunday afternoon we went to the Navy Seal Museum in Fort Pierce.  This is the birthplace of the Navy Frogman.  Across the street from the museum is a stretch of beach that was used to practice for the invasion of Normandy.  The museum exhibits the role of the Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) and Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) teams. On display was the MV Maersk Alabama lifeboat in which Somali pirates held Captain Phillips hostage, complete with the bullet holes in the windows.  Also on display were the Apollo capsules.  When the capsules landed in the water, the SEALS would jump from helicopters, attach floatation devices to the capsules, and help the astronauts out of the capsules and into safety boats.  After an educational afternoon, we ended the day with a good dinner on the back deck with great friends. Tomorrow we head to Melbourne.

A great prime rib dinner at Bobby's

The pool and clubhouse area at Loggerhead Vero Beach

More of the pool area with waterfalls in the background

Squivot and Nearly Perfect together again

(Nearly Perfect is down on the left)

Entrance to the Navy Seal Museum

Maersk Alabama used to capture Capt. Phillips

The Apollo capsules rescued by the SEALS

Special Operations Craft used to carry SEALS

Front view of the Special Operations Craft

Good dinner and great friends

March 15, 2017 - Lake O to Vero Beach

We left Roland Martin's marina about 8:00 am for a chilly, bumpy ride across Lake Okeechobee.  The ride wasn't that bad except one of the hooks holding Mr. Scooter came loose and he traveled at an angle the rest of the day.  After about two hours, we were off the lake and into calm waters.  The first lock we came to was open, the bridge at Indiantown (that had been broken and closed off and on the last week) was open, so we did not need to stop until we got to the St. Lucie Lock, our last lock on Lake O.  One of the (faster) boats docked with us at Roland Martin's caught us at the lock and pulled up too close to the doors, so the lockmaster would not open the locks until he moved back.  Lila Blue was anchored there so we just chatted with them for a few minutes while the guy decided to move back so the lock doors could open.  Once through that lock, we had a great trip to Stuart.  We found a little spot and anchored for the night.  Since we didn't need to get to Vero until Friday, we spent Thursday anchored and enjoyed a nice, relaxing day, although a little rocky at times.  On Friday, we pulled up our anchor around 8:00,  finished the Okeechobee Waterway, and turned north on the Atlantic ICW to Vero Beach.  This concluded the only part of travels that was new to us since we didn't cross the Okeechobee the year we did the loop.  We pulled into Loggerhead Marina at about 3:00 where our friends Mark and Susan (the previous owners of our boat) live on their boat, Squivot.  After we got settled, we had a few docktails and then went aboard Squivot for a good dinner.  We'll spend the weekend here with Mark and Susan. (And Jack also spent some time getting Mr. Scooter secured again!)

Oops!

Beautiful Okeechobee Waterway

Lila Blue anchored at the St. Lucie Lock

Waiting at the lock (Linda took our picture)

Finally in the lock

We had an audience

Back in the land of the BIG houses

Typical Florida neighborhood - manufactured homes

View from our anchorage in Stuart

Another view

Beautiful sunset

Along the Atlantic ICW

March 14, 2017 - Okeechobee Waterway

We left Ft. Myers around 7:00 this morning.  We said goodbye to Barb and Ross as they helped us with our lines.  It was still dark when we hit the river, but soon the sun was up.  It was fairly cloudy and chilly until afternoon when the sun came out.  The ride along the Caloosahatchee Canal was very pretty.  We went through 3 locks, 2 bridges and arrived at Roland Martin's marina at 4:00.  By then it was very windy and docking was not easy.  After we got settled, we walked into town to a grocery store, had dinner at the restaurant, and settled in for the night.

Goodbye Ft. Myers

By leaving early, we were able to see a beautiful sunrise

Franklin Lock - our first lock since October 2015

Some scenes from the waterway

More countryside

Happy hour at the end of a long day

March 13, 2017 - Ft. Myers in a nutshell

After two months, it is time to continue our journey.  We will leave Ft. Myers tomorrow and head across the Caloosahatchee River to Lake Okeechobee to the eastern side of Florida.  We have had a great time here.  We have spent time with old friends, made new friends, enjoyed many docktails, and generally enjoyed all the happenings in town.  Below are just a few of the shots from around town.

A big, beautiful hanging plant at the Edison Estate

A really odd looking boat that came into the marina.  The

owners were taking it
 to St. Petersburg to make it into an office.

Happy turtles in the sun at the Shell Factory Nature Park

View of Ft. Myers Yacht Basin from the Hwy 41 Bridge

Another view of the marina

The Caloosahatchee River

It's not all docktails - Jack redid the teak rails around the boat

One of the nice fountains/park area

Another fountain/park area looking into town at the Firestone Restaurant

A view of our home for the last two months - nice big dock area for parties

Three of our favorite restaurants - Capone's

(good pizza)

Cabos - okay Mexican food

and Ford's Garage - yummy burgers

Getting Mr. Scooter ready for his trip

A couple of the interesting sculptures around town