____________________________________________________
March 2012 - Page 4
Docked at Cabbage Key in Pine Island Sound. In the background, the very exclusive Useppa Island.
Tuesday
March 13 - 11:15 AM - Dep Sarasota - fair 80º, wind E-10
. 12:45 PM - passing Venice
. 3:00 PM - Arr: Cabbage Key (Pine I Sound)
Today: 43.8 n mi - 4.9 eng hrs
March 13 - 11:15 AM - Dep Sarasota - fair 80º, wind E-10
. 12:45 PM - passing Venice
. 3:00 PM - Arr: Cabbage Key (Pine I Sound)
Today: 43.8 n mi - 4.9 eng hrs
Wednesday
March 14 - 11:00 AM - Dep Cabbage Key
. 12:45 PM - enter Caloosahatchee R.
. (mile 0 of Okeechobee Wtrwy)
. 2:30 PM - Arr: Ft Myers Yacht Basin
. Today: 28.3 n mi - 3.5 eng hrs
March 14 - 11:00 AM - Dep Cabbage Key
. 12:45 PM - enter Caloosahatchee R.
. (mile 0 of Okeechobee Wtrwy)
. 2:30 PM - Arr: Ft Myers Yacht Basin
. Today: 28.3 n mi - 3.5 eng hrs
Pine Island Sound in a rare calm state - gorgeous!
The well-marked entrance to the Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant.
Along the scenic Cabbage Key Nature Trail.
A cooperative gull at sunset on Cabbage Key..
| . We've seen some Funny Boat Names while cruising, . I decided to start a new page for them, check it out! |
| . Back to À BORD d'ACCORD - . La Deuxième Partie - Page 5 . October 2011 Canal Boat Cruise . Canal de Garonne & Moissac, FRANCE |
Links to some of our Overseas Exploits...
.
| .February 2012 -LED Nav Lights on Sno' Dog . and Tom Mamczur's "Radioactive" Katatomic |
One of the Cabbage Key rental cottages - with a
fenced-in turtle habitat in the front yard!
fenced-in turtle habitat in the front yard!
Thousands of dollar bills decorate the inside of the the Old
House Restaurant on Cabbage Key - over $50,000, so they say.
(Fortunately, they don't serve any flaming apetizers here!)
House Restaurant on Cabbage Key - over $50,000, so they say.
(Fortunately, they don't serve any flaming apetizers here!)
Thursday
The Ides of March! - 11:00 AM - Dep Ft Myers
(our usual early departure!)
12 noon - Franklin Lock
2:00 PM - passing La Belle
4:00 PM - passing Moore Haven
passed PDQ 34 "Allez Cat"
5:15 PM - Arr Clewiston - Roland
(and Mary Ann) Martin's Marina -
is there anywhere else to stay here?
Exactly 2 weeks from from our last
visit here, & once again, it's Karaoke Night!
Today: 55.7 n mi - 5.8 eng hrs
The Ides of March! - 11:00 AM - Dep Ft Myers
(our usual early departure!)
12 noon - Franklin Lock
2:00 PM - passing La Belle
4:00 PM - passing Moore Haven
passed PDQ 34 "Allez Cat"
5:15 PM - Arr Clewiston - Roland
(and Mary Ann) Martin's Marina -
is there anywhere else to stay here?
Exactly 2 weeks from from our last
visit here, & once again, it's Karaoke Night!
Today: 55.7 n mi - 5.8 eng hrs
A low-cost powercat. Looks to be a Gemini with the
mast removed and power suplied by 20hp outboards..
mast removed and power suplied by 20hp outboards..
At the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River, everyone's heading out into San Carlos Bay - boating season has begun!
Sunset as seen from the Ft Myers Yacht Basin..
Friday
March 16 - Filled diesel tanks (@ a mere $3.98/gal)
100.1 gallons. Since last fill-up: 296 n mi
11:00 AM - Dep Clewiston, wind E 15 kts
11:15 AM - headed for East Rim
12:15 PM - passing Pahokee, practically deserted!
1:00 PM - Port Mayaca Lk, St Lucie Canal
3:00 PM - St Lucie Lock - 13 ft down
5:15 PM - Arr: Jensen Beach, Nettles I.
Today: 63.8 n mi - 6.1 eng hrs
March 16 - Filled diesel tanks (@ a mere $3.98/gal)
100.1 gallons. Since last fill-up: 296 n mi
11:00 AM - Dep Clewiston, wind E 15 kts
11:15 AM - headed for East Rim
12:15 PM - passing Pahokee, practically deserted!
1:00 PM - Port Mayaca Lk, St Lucie Canal
3:00 PM - St Lucie Lock - 13 ft down
5:15 PM - Arr: Jensen Beach, Nettles I.
Today: 63.8 n mi - 6.1 eng hrs
Caloosahatchee RR bridge. (I liked the clouds.)
Along the Caloosahatchee R. a CAMEL with the horses! Click
or mouse-over, for a close-up - there's an ostrich in there too!.
or mouse-over, for a close-up - there's an ostrich in there too!.
An Outward Bound boat coming out of the Ortona Lock
- under oar-power!
- under oar-power!
Great clouds today - along the upper Caloosahatchee River..
At Roland Martin's Marina, an airboat skillfully manuvers into
the dock just ahead of us..
the dock just ahead of us..
Back to where we started - the St. Lucie Lock.
What's she doing down here?
______________________
| . An excellent 16-day mini-cruise! We covered 545 . nautical miles (625 statute miles). We traveled on 13 of . the 16 days, making our average run about 48 miles per . day. Our 15-knot cruising speed allowed us to accomplish . this with easy 3-4 hour daily runs, the rest of the time was . spent sightseeing. As usual, the boat performed flawlessly. |
| . Certainly an easier trip than heading to the Bahamas . as weather is not much of a factor here. The biggest open . expanse of water is Lake Okeechobee (which was . completely flat on our westbound trip, see Page 1.) Even in . windy weather, the Rim Route can be followed to gain . protection. On our return trip, with winds gusting to 20 . kts from the East, we headed over to the east rim and came . around past Pahokee in flat, calm waters - no sweat. |
| .The Florida West Coast does have a different flavor .from the FL East Coast. We were particularly .impressed with the St. Petersburg area where there .appears to be some real culture! It's a lovely town .with four waterfront parks, several museums and .many restaurants - all within walking distance of the .marinas. We also enjoyed Sarasota and the distinctly .ethnic flavor of Tarpon Springs. |
| .It was surprisingly uncrowded; we had no trouble .finding transient dockage, even without reservations. .Apparently the boating season for most Floridians .doesn't start until Mid-March - strange! For us .Yankees, it seems like time to think about heading .North. It's starting to get hot here! |