(Sunday,
February 22nd): Clay and I have just departed Legacy Harbour Marina, Ft. Myers,
where we have spent just one day shy of one full month snugged safely and
securely in slip A10. I will recap our stay here, highlighting little pops of
joy which Luci Swindoll says are what make life worth living (she's right!).
Those pops of joy include sunshine, warm days (few in number during the month),
swimming pool temps above 75 degrees (again, few in number during the month),
wonderful new friends (in plentiful supply here), calm winds (ugh, fierce winds
and stormy seas are why we've been here the month), and special activities
around the marina (carry-ins, chatter on the docks and in the laundry room) and
around town (Thursday farmers market, a Sunday Festival of the Arts, the Edison
Parade of Lights last night).
Clay
and I spent a few days in Ft. Lauderdale visiting Uncle Woody, then returned to
Ft. Myers late evening on Wednesday, February 4th. We've continued our stay
here far beyond the one-week time period we'd originally scheduled with
harbormaster Eric due to the road trip to Ft. Lauderdale and to weather. Don't
think you northerners have a monopoly on nasty weather; you seem to be passing
it our way! Thanks! Err, no thanks!
We
awakened at 4:30 a.m. Thursday morning to a weather radio (more of those
abbreviated obnoxious blasts to 'coax' me out of a sound sleep), alerting us to
pending storms with massive winds of 36+ knots. Once back to sleep, we both
slept soundly until I popped up, remembering a 9 a.m. computer tech
appointment. Appointment success, Clay was now a happy camper (me, too) with a
working internet booster...Bad Boy was now a good boy (Clay was on the verge of
firing and replacing Bad Boy)!
You
will notice over our extended stay at Legacy Harbour that much of our time was
spent living a usual and customary lifestyle with appointments, cooking,
cleaning, shopping, visiting, troubleshooting problems, paying bills,
scheduling workmen, etc. As such, we opted to resume attending church Sunday
morning at the nearby Covenant Presbyterian Church. I say 'nearby'
tongue-in-cheek because the location is a 17:30 minute walk from our boat. We'd
have been on time had the service started at 10:30 a.m. as we thought. Nope, we
were a half-hour late with services commencing at 10 a.m. Nonetheless, we were
welcomed, duly greeted, and pleased to have made the attempt; we enjoyed the
service and the worship time with others.
A
knock at our port door Sunday early evening alerted us to the pending space
launch which had all of our neighbors perched atop the bows of their respective
boats along A Dock. We joined in, wine/beer in hand, for happy hour of a
different style. Soon, news quickly spread of a scrubbed launch which sent all
of us back inside. It was merry while it lasted! And we met a few new
neighbors!
Friends
Jack and Jan Alexander (more pops of joy!) called to arrange time together over
lunch at Bonefish Grill on Monday followed by a quick run to Home Depot. With
storms in the area through early eve, Jan believed this to be a delightful way
to spend the day; we agreed!
The
marina has a self-pump pumpout system which Clay scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Our day quickly filled with routine tasks because, although the day dawned 60
degrees under sunny skies, the winds kicked in to make it a pretty miserable
weather day. We off-loaded our bikes in anticipation of a bike ride, but today
wasn't the day for biking!
I
spent Wednedsay morning searching for a nearby optometry business to repair my
glasses. At times like these, we travelers/boaters are thankful for resource
persons, maps of downtown businesses, and recommendations to guide us. My reply
to Clay's question, "Don't you have a back-up pair?" was to hit not
him but the Goodwill Thrift Store for a pair of cheaters which I'd seen in
plentiful supply on a previous visit. Later afternoon, with my glasses fixed so
I could see again, Clay and I biked the area south of the marina, hugging the
shoreline residential area as best we could to avoid traffic on
heavily-traveled McGregor Boulevard; our goal was to explore and to build
endurance in anticipation of a trek to Edison Mall.
Thursday's
highlight, the marina carry-in supper, was slim in attendance numbers but
uplifting in spirit. Eighteen of us, dressed in layers, enjoyed conversation
and a variety of foodstuffs. Amazed that, for all of the variety, no one
brought dessert...a disappointment for dessert lovers I'm sure!
Friday's
highlight was booking our flight home for tax work and wedding prep (dress for
Sal, new suit for Clay) for John and Kristen's fall wedding. Tonight's low was
to be 38 degrees which had windchill alerts and freeze warnings popping up
frequently on our computer screens.
Saturday
morning's walk was chilly but tolerable. Once back to the boat, we welcomed the
US Coast Guard Auxillary rep Bill aboard to inspect our boat. We passed his
inspection, mounted a new garbage discharge sticker (required), mounted the
USCG Aux Courtesy Inspection sticker (hope that'll keep water-borne law
enforcement [the 'real' guys] away), took note of our flares due to expire this
summer, and sincerely thanked Bill when he pointed out an antenna defect. Not a
routine part of his inspection, Bill noted we'd either been hit by a bird
deposit or by lightning...a must for Clay to determine soon.
Jack
and Jan made our Valentines Day a special one as we joined them this Saturday
afternoon for a late lunch at Bonefish Grill followed by a movie (Still Alice).
Thanks, Jack and Jan. I fear we'd have spent the rest of the day fretting over
the lightning strike had it not been for you!
Yes,
the antenna defect was a lightning strike which Clay promptly reported to our
insurance carrier. Clay had gained knowledge from fellow boaters in knowing
that damage from such strikes doesn't always show immediately. So, an alert was
in order. Too, we'd just had our barely two-year-old salon tv die in an odd
manner, with lightning the probable cause. No other damage to date that we've
found. Correction...Clay just discovered the tri-colored LED light strips on
the fly bridge are non-functioning.
Clay
and I took advantage of better weather (sun and less wind but still marginal
temps) to bike and swim over the next few days. We biked to Edison Mall on
Sunday, a 45-minute 'hike' each way which tested our endurance as well as our
leg muscles. I chose to swim Monday in a chilly 70 degree pool, having a
companion to brave the chilly water with me. I now know my water temp limit! I
didn't make my goal of 15 minutes, but I did manage 13. Tuesday's pool water
was 74 which made swimming more bearable; I knew this was my last chance for a
few days as temps were once again forecast to drop.
With
our bikes locked at the marina bike rack and readily available, Clay directed
us back to Edison Mall for a 4 p.m. showing of American Sniper with our bikes
as our mode of transportation. We had barely enough time to pedal back to the
marina before dark. Truth be known, we traveled the last ten minutes in
darkness, but the sidewalk path enabled our safe return. We do have bike lights
and reflectors (uninstalled to date on the new bikes), but no helmets. I'm
thinking smart biking requires all three!
Friends
made early in our Looping experience, Dave and Carol (DCea) arrived Wednesday
for lunch at Reuben's Smokehouse, a favorite restaurant of theirs. Clay and I
highly recommend this favorite if you are ever in the FMY area. Delightful
lunch with delightful friends. We returned to the marina as the winds whipped
up and the chill set in. We anticipated another eve of rocking and rolling,
even with the protection afforded by our slip location.
Thursday's
early morning text sent to sister Susan read: "26, 42, 53, 12." In
order, winds were NW at 26, gusting to 42; it was 53 degrees, but felt to be
12. (I think I might have fudged that last number a bit from WeatherBug's
'feels like' report, but it might as well have read 12!) In my morning call to
friend Gayle Horton, I told her to cross Florida off her bucket list (tho' FL
weather far beats MO weather currently). SaSea Sally was rocking with lines
squeaking, flaps and flags flapping and chains clanking. Folks docked on D Dock
(a floating concrete dock curving at a right angle to ours along the river proper)
reportedly couldn't walk safely on the dock which rocks and rolls with the wave
crests; the higher the crests, the more violent the tilt, the dock angle, and
the rocking. I managed to generate enough body heat in my morning walk/jog to
stay warm, but the morning farmers market was another matter altogether. As
Clay and I stood in the shade of the overhead bridge selecting fresh fruits and
veggies, we 'bout froze!
We
were scheduled to depart Legacy Friday morning (by now it's February 20th and
Clay was getting anxious to move on...the question was where), but overnight
forecast for Thursday night was a low of 24. Friends Jean and Sam (Windfall)
said we'd be chipping ice to enable our movement. So, harbormaster Eric gave us
safe haven for another couple days, to depart Sunday, the 22nd. Friday morning
was cold, so I donned full gear walking/jogging clothes for my solo walk/jog;
but one of my favorite pops of joy (sun!) enabled me to shed layer after layer,
mittens, handwarmers and ski cap before the halfway mark. Boy did I: a)
overdress and b) underestimate the warming power of the sun this morning!
Anticipating
a Sunday departure, Clay and I went about tasks on Friday and Saturday to
enable the Sunday departure. I defrosted the freezer (thanks again, Woody, for
supplying the slam-dunk method!) and did a laundry load of rags aboard. I'm
sure Clay was productive as well, installing the new replacement tv (Amazon
Prime needs to be on all Loopers' packing list) and rechecking fly bridge
equipment to ensure working condition. We restocked the frig from Publix as we
ended each morning walk and, of course, took time to bid our newfound friends
adieu.
Saturday
evening began with a bang as sunset brought a huge display of fireworks as
forerunner to the annual Edison Festival of Lights parade. Touted as a Ft.
Myers 'biggie,' the two-hour parade was part of the three-day festival in
downtown Ft. Myers. Earlier in the day, Clay and I had walked among the vendor
tents and listened to the live bandstand music, marveling at the diverse sights
we saw. An early dinner at the boat, we then returned to the downtown parade
route and found a place among the many gathered there. Usual parade entries
(politicians, firetrucks, high school bands, flag corps) were interspersed
among the unusual: a bagpipe corps; a flatbed truck carrying the North FMY
Academy of Arts steel drum ensemble playing Jimmy Buffett music; mini horses
the size Remi will be; Clydesdales; a Wells Fargo wagon pulled by a team of
horses; numerous Viet Nam vets on motorcycles, on flatbed trucks, and as parade
grand marshalls. Patriotism was quite evident among parade watchers as most all
stood, removed hats and 'saluted' each and every time flag corps and war vets
passed by. What a fabulous way to end our stay in Ft. Myers!
We
are now cruising east on the Caloosahatchee River toward La Belle, FL, our
overnight stop ahead at the Rivers Edge Motel (and 'marina'). We bid you a fond
farewell and hope you stay warm in the depths of this winter chill we have all
been experiencing, some far more than others. Yes, as I said in earlier
paragraphs, we are not immune from extreme weather conditions in Florida, but
spring gets closer each day!
