Swing Set: Cruising Full Time
12/14/12Everglades City To MarathonBefore we left Goodland, we needed to go to Stan's to see what the fuss was all about. We had a good enough time, but canned beer was $4. That's really all I need to say about it. While in Goodland, I had put a feeler out on the AGLCA forum to ask if anyone had any ideas about where we could get a package delivered in Marathon. I had called the UPS store, and the owner said he would only hold a package for two days. We didn't have plans to stay at a marina, so calling one to accept a delivery was out. I got a call from a fellow "Looper" that has their boat in Marathon, and without giving us a lecture about where we should buy our zincs, or where we should stay, or how many spares we need to keep on board, Leslie and Flint Firestone on the MV Grace Full... |
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12/09/12GoodlandYesterday was seven months into our adventure. When I reflect on the whole experience up to now, it's hard to believe all the things we've done and places we've visited, and there are so many more places to see. They will most likely consist of views of land and water. I was also reflecting on our interview with the writer from Heartland Boating that we did last Friday. One thing I wanted to convey, and I'm not sure I did, was that after a length of time, after the initial shock or novelty wears off, the experience of living on the boat boils down to just living, period. So, if you cannot find some way to be happy with your current lifestyle or mate, it is doubtful that living on a boat is going to improve matters. The fact is that personalities won't change... |
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12/07/12Five Days In Marco IslandSmokehouse Bay is in the heart of Marco Island. If you're coming up the river from the Gulf of Mexico, there's a small channel on the south side of the river that leads into Collier Bay. Smokehouse is past Collier Bay as you weave your way through the well marked channel in this no wake zone. The Esplanade, shown in the picture, is a resort and condominium complex on the east side of Smokehouse Bay, and sitting right out front is the Esplanade Marina. They don't have services or fuel, but they do have some transient dockage. We anchored just a bit away from it, right in front of a small city park. After our fun day spent with Bert and Renee on Sunday, we wanted to just take a breather all day Monday, so we did. On Monday night, we decided to watch some TV, but in... |
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12/03/12Eight Days At Keewadin IslandWe spent eight days anchored off of Keewadin Island and would perhaps still be there except for the fact that we finally ran out of water, and we wanted to meet Bert and Renee from St. Louis, who were coming down for a meeting for Bert's work. Until then, though, we spent every day doing a little of this and that on the boat, and we did spend one afternoon on the beach. We visited the "burger boat" on this day and each had a delicious hamburger with all the trimmings for not a bad price of $6. Holly pretty much ruined any chance of making new friends by barking her head off at anyone who remotely looked as though they might stop and chat. She does look cute, however, in her neckerchief. Mark and Terri came down in their boat from Naples on Thursday and... |
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11/27/12Keewadin and Little Marco IslandsWe've found a good spot here just inside the Little Marco Pass, between Keewadin and Little Marco Island. The beach on the southern end of Keewadin Island has a lot of beachgoers, even on a Monday when we thought it would be deserted around here. On Sunday afternoon, there were plenty of boaters around. We took a walk along the crowded beach with Holly, and she learned to jump over the anchor lines as we walked along the water's edge. A familiar looking boat caught my eye; it was a 1997 Formula 330SS with the same color scheme that our 280SS had. Upon closer inspection, the boat wasn't in very good condition, unlike our old boat that a friend wound up buying eventually, keeping it in pristine condition. When we got back to Swing Set, a boater came by and... |
