Feb 1 - It is a rather warm humid morning and the sun hasn't come our yet. We are leaving here and heading to Pelican Bay to either anchor or Charlie thinks there may be docks to tie to. Just as we were preparing to leave a fellow boater came by and said that the only bridge we had today heading down the ICW is closed for one week (so much for that plan - back to the drawing board). We know there is a pass called "Stump Pass" just a little ways back down the ICW, but the man who told us about the bridge was not sure the pass was a good idea. Charlie called a local and asked his advice about us using the pass. He said it was high tide now and it should be OK to travel through, so off we went. We went slowly and as we were travelling through a sailboat that had just gone through called us and said he had no trouble. We travelled about 15 miles out into the Gulf to get us around that closed bridge and arrived at Pelican Bay as we had planned. We are anchored together in this lovely bay just outside Caya Costa State Park. We were taking Koby to shore to do his duty and stopped by a boat that looked a lot like ours. The couple are from New York and the boat is a Heritage which is built in the same yard as Manana. On the way back we stopped by the boat that had followed us through "Stump Pass" and they are from North Carolina. We are having dinner aboard Sonata tonight and will probably play a couple of hands of "May I".
Feb 2 - We woke to very heavy fog this morning, we can hardly see the shore or any of the boats around us. Poor Koby did not get to shore last night for his last call as it was too dark to see, so he was very good and waited until 9:00 am when the fog lifted. The rest of the day was warm and cloudy. We busied ourselves aboard for awhile when a couple from the boat that followed us through "Stump Pass" came over. They have a 44 ft Hystar called "Seaquel" but they are not Loopers. We talked for some time about our boats and the loop, then they had to get back. We rousted Charlie and Bonnie to go over to the island for awhile. Bonnie and I walked to the far side while the guys sat looking out over the bay talking and then we got back into the dingy and toured the bay. We had dinner then it was time to get Koby to shore for his last call until morning. We are planning to head to Punta Gorda in the morning.
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| A beach off our right |
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| Home along "Stump Pass" |
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| We are almost through |
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| Coastal homes along the gulf |
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| We are through the pass and out in the gulf |
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| Ten miles out to go around down bridge |
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| We are almost there |
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| Caya Costa State Park to our right |
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| Large beach to our right as we enter Pelican Bay |
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| A lot of boats in this anchorage |
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| Dock at Caya Costa |
Feb 2 - We woke to very heavy fog this morning, we can hardly see the shore or any of the boats around us. Poor Koby did not get to shore last night for his last call as it was too dark to see, so he was very good and waited until 9:00 am when the fog lifted. The rest of the day was warm and cloudy. We busied ourselves aboard for awhile when a couple from the boat that followed us through "Stump Pass" came over. They have a 44 ft Hystar called "Seaquel" but they are not Loopers. We talked for some time about our boats and the loop, then they had to get back. We rousted Charlie and Bonnie to go over to the island for awhile. Bonnie and I walked to the far side while the guys sat looking out over the bay talking and then we got back into the dingy and toured the bay. We had dinner then it was time to get Koby to shore for his last call until morning. We are planning to head to Punta Gorda in the morning.
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| The fog we woke up to this morning |
Hello Sue and Dave
ReplyDeleteHave really enjoyed your blog well done! We are heading your way with the Mccaigs, fellow neighbour Marsh's and wondering where you are floating this week. We are heading to the boat show in Miami then over to Punta Gorda and would love to meet to hear more stories and to say hello.... Can we make this work?