Wednesday January 28th

We made our way back north again to Cape Coral where we met up with daughter and grandkids--they had rented a house with a dock out front--so lots of fun to spend time with them.

Enjoying the pool--which is heated!!! ---thankfully as it has been a bit cool--but the sun is shining.  You can see our boat at the dock.

One day we went to Sanibel Island by boat and anchored off shore--here we getting ferried to the beach.  Spent the day walking the beach and picking up shells--included large sand dollars.   Another day we went to see the manatee's that congregate near the warm water from the generating plants.  They sure are big.

At an empty lot just up from the house--these burrowing owls have a home.  They are only about 5 inches tall--thankfully I have a zoom on the camera.  They are pretty cute!!     But tomorrow unfortunately we have to head out once again---this time to put the boat back up in dry dock and head back to Canada.  I have a health concern that needs to be addressed----with a whole lot of luck we hope to be able to continue our 'great loop' cruise this year.  Until then--stay healthy and happy.  Neil and Beth

Monday January19th

We've been blessed with wonderful weather the last few days.  Anchored out off Panther Key

took the dingy to shore to walk the beach

lots of shells--this one is a Helmet Crab

an another fabulous sunset!!   We are now at Everglade City at the historic Rod and Gun Club at their dock.

Last nite we decided to have a stone crab 'snack---after having to dodge all those crab pots in the water we thought we deserved it!!

The should be named rock crab as we needed Neil's channel lock pylers in order to break the shells!!

Coming up the river in the distance we saw this huge white raft--and couldn't figure out what it was ---the closer we got--it became obvious

The smell was over-powering!!  so that's whats new for now..  Heading back north again to meet daughter Jerri in Cape Coral on the 23rd.

Friday January 16th

Cruising along this section of the gulf coast has been a study in contrasts--that's for sure!  Left Monday heading back out into the gulf--south along Estero Island where the famous Fort Myers Beaches are--wow!   Snow white sand for miles and miles--lots of people strolling along.  From the Gulf we took Gordon Pass to get into Naples---canals with

million+ $ homes everywhere!!!

We left Naples traveling on the old ICW-which allows smaller boats like ours to travel inland.   Now we were in Mangrove swamps with, thankfully,  well marked buoyed channels.  Saw lots of these guys

--they build their nests on anything even this red marker.  Quite a feat--right!!  We anchored out just off  the channel--not a soul around.  In the morning we could make out the manatee swirling to the surface as they made their way up the river.  Thursday afternoon we arrived at Marco Island--again lovely beaches and not a soul on them!!   We began to wonder if they knew something we didn't!!!!

The shrimp business is booming--we were told they go out for 30 days at a time into the gulf  as far down to the end of the Keys.  We went to the local shrimp market and had a great dinner back on the boat.   Today we are heading out towards Everglade City.  Will update later

January 9th 2015

Happy New Year to all who are following our travels.  We flew back on January the 6th--and started the grueling task of cleaning the barnacles off the hull of the boat

Neil is using a razor blade scraper to knock the blasted things off!  After 2 afternoons of this and a lot of help we were finished and ready to launch

Looks pretty scary but these guys know how to do it right---soon we were in the water and on our way.  We've spent the last 2 evenings at a 'fellow loopers' dock on one of the canals in Cape Coral.  Kitty is very generous--letting loopers use her dock free--but not to wear out our welcome we will be underway tomorrow heading back out into the gulf to explore some of the waters south of Fort Myers.