This is a shot (looking west) of where the Calooseahatchee River joins the Gulf Waterway...mile 0 on the Okeechobee Waterway. Even on a weekday morning, still lots of boat traffic
This is the beginning of the waterway that leads to Cape Harbour Marina...that's the Cape Harbour condo's in the backround
In this picture we are getting closer to Cape Harbour, and that is Rumrunners bar and restaurant along the water side
This is the small lock that seperates the waterside at Rumrunners from the marina
When you come out of the lock and bear to starboard (right) you come to Cape Harbour Marina
Amoung all the shops and restaurants, they have a bait and tackle shop
This shot is taken from the back of our boat, sitting in our slip
And this one is taken from our slip...looking down the dock towards the condo's and shops
Every Sunday and Tuesday they have a band. We could not believe the amount of people who showed up on Tuesday...even when it was cool out that night.
Log 189
Day 566
Tuesday, December, 8, 2009
9:30 AM EST
Location: Cape Harbour Marina; Cape Coral, FL.
Weather: 69 and hazy...heading to mid 80's today
Note: This will be my last log...for a while. We have made it to our winter home, in Cape Harbour Marina, Cape Coral, FL and as I have said several times...when we are not cruising, I write very few logs. But, I’m sure I will be updating some of our activity as we explore the area on our Boston Whaler. So....if you have followed these logs via the internet at http://www.hqlog.blogspot.com/ verses receiving my logs via email, and do not want to keep checking for an update, I can alert you when I do update an occasional captain’s log, if you send me an email to bob.koerner@gmail.com and I will add you to my email list. On average, 169 people a week, check out my logs (according to the counter) so maybe this will make it easier.
On Monday I wrote...
Interesting...when we are cruising, there are lots of times I’ll wake up at 4 or so, and think about writing a log, and get up to write one. Depending on what time we plan to leave that morning, sometimes I can’t finish it, but I am anxious to write about what is going on. Since we have arrived in Cape Coral Harbour...not so much. Until this morning, I have really had no desire to write a log. Why...not really sure, but I think it has everything to do with the “cruising” part. When we’re cruising, there is always something new and interesting going on. When we’re docked for a long time in one marina, we use the boat for a home, and just “life” goes on. I love our life...but don’t feel a need to write about it.
Anyway...last Monday, we untied our lines at Legacy Harbor about 9 am, and made the 10 mile run from Legacy to Cape Harbour (yes...this is spelled correctly) Marina. I must tell you Deb was in a “funk”. She was so concerned, and upset, that these last 10 miles this winter could be our last cruising days...ever (I’ll explain this in a minute). It was a beautiful warm and sunny morning. We had all the isinglass off, and we were just enjoying the ride. We had several dolphin around us, and I think that helped Deb for a minute, but it also made her sad, because she was thinking we’ll never see dolphin again. I kept telling her...”Deb...we’re not dying today...just not cruising for a while”. Her answer was “if we sell the boat, this is our last day of cruising, and I don’t want this to be over”. So...she made 2 bloody mary’s (one for each of us...not 2 for me), and we went as slow as the boat can go, and just soaked in the short trip. We arrived at Cape Harbour about 11, tied up the boat, and walked over to Rum Runners (one of the several restaurants on the marina property) for lunch. Headquarters was home...at least for a while.
Cape Harbour...is really a great spot. On a scale of 1 to 10, this property is at least a 9, if not a 10. The condo’s are certainly a 10. They are beautifully built, with great colors, and a great layout. They have several shops; several restaurants; at least 4 different companies that sell boats; a great bait and tackle shop that I can’t wait to use; and the marina & dry storage area are first class. The only negative to this place at all, is that there is a lock between our marina, and the gulf waters, that you have to go through. But...that lock also keeps the water at a constant level in the marina, and there are NO waves here to rock the boat. Oh...there is a slight negative, in that there is very little activity on the docks. We are the only ones staying our boat overnight, and this marina have very little transient activity (probably because of the lock), so there is not a lot of activity to watch (which I love to do) like there was in Key West, and other places we have stayed. That said...I think this is a great place to stay for the winter.
Our plans now...are fairly well set. When we got here, we gave the boat an extra good cleaning, and then invited the folks from Galati Yacht Sales to look at the boat, and “officially” try to sell it. I would say that there are probably 40 boats for sale in this marina, and we are one of them. We have Galati for sale signs on the boat, and it gets lots of looks from the folks walking the dock looking to buy a boat. The biggest reason we are here, is that we want to take advantage of the traffic of the boat buyers who walk the docks. The chances of us selling the boat here, verses staying at Legacy Harbor, are greatly multiplied. And, the good news is, (several sales people have told us) that boat buying traffic is up, and there are lots of boats being sold. The bad news is, these buyers are looking for rock bottom prices, so it will be interesting to see if we do accept a “low ball” offer if we get one. If we can’t get what we want, our current plans call for us to head north in the spring, and spend next summer somewhere on the Tennessee River, then back here again next winter. But that’s a long way off.
In the meantime...we plan to head back to Illinois to spend the holidays with our families, and then get our truck, and Boston Whaler, and drive them back to Florida. We should be back in Cape Coral by the 1st of the year. We really look forward to using the Whaler to run around the Fort Myers area, and explore all the rivers and tributaries. We also look forward to spending time with good friends who will also be in the area. Along with some friends who plan to stay on the boat, our friends on Good News (Andy and Mary), and Salvage Crew (Brad and Patti) have rented a house in Cape Coral for the month of February. Plus...Deb’s sister, and brother in law (Annie & Less), and Darrell and Donna also rent a place in Cape Coral for the months of February, and March. I’d say there could be a party of two?
Here are some interesting statistics since we left our Holland, Michigan home on Saturday, May 24th, 2008.
· Days on the boat...557
· Days cruising...144...it seems like it was more...but it wasn’t
· Miles traveled...7,499.9
· Hours put on the engines...781
· Average miles per day...52
· Nights at a marina...552
· Nights at anchor...5
· Gallons of fuel used...5,839.18
· Average price of fuel...$2.78
· Average miles per gallon...1.28
· Average price of docking per night...$60
· Cost for repair and maintenance...$18,652
· Total cost for the trip so far...PRICLESS
Today (Tuesday)...up at 4:30...not sure why. Just woke up at 4, and decided at 4:30, I was done sleeping. Obviously, pitch black out this morning, and a little foggy as well. Although I do have the heat on in the helm area, it’s 68 outside and heading for mid 80’s today. I can’t help but think that the temperature will be 50 degrees warmer today, than it will be, when we arrive in Chillicothe on Friday. I am already looking at the 10 day forecast for Chillicothe, and some days it does not even make it to 30. We are not looking forward to cold weather. But, until then we will enjoy this great Florida weather. Not a lot planned for the rest of the week, except an extra cleaning on the boat, and packing for our flight on Friday.
This morning, I am reflecting back on our trip (so far)...I can not find the words to explain how cool this is for us, and how much we appreciated it. In the 557 days, I’ll bet Deb said “we live on a boat ya know” at least 100 times, and each time with a huge smile on her face. At least 2 to 3 times each week, one of us would comment on how great this life is, and how fortunate (luck has nothing to do with it) we are to be able to do this. We planned for it; saved for it; and are doing it. It is a very cool feeling. Many people who do the Great Loop, say their greatest enjoyment was all the people they met. While there is no doubt, we have met some great people, some who will be friends for years to come, for Deb and I, it was the “boating experience” itself that we have enjoyed the most. By that I mean, living and traveling on a boat. When some folks do the Loop, it really becomes about completing the circle, and saying “we did it”. I know what this is like...that’s how we felt in 2000 when we completed our Great Circle Trip. It’s different for us now. We LIVE on a boat. This is our home. For us, it’s an incredible life, and one we enjoy EVERY day. We know someday this will end, and that makes us appreciate it even more. I can’t tell you the number of people we have talked to that have said, what we’re doing is their dream. We are living that dream.
Well it’s now 6:40 am, and still not light out, but you can tell it will be in a short while. It’s time for me to end this log, and get some breakfast. By the time I do that, and sort through the pictures I want to attach to this log, and hit “send”, the sun will be up, and there will be activity in the marina. I’m not sure what the day has in store yet...but I do know, we get to enjoy another day on the boat. Very cool.
I’ll keep you posted.
Bob
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