Sunday, Feb. 24 – Wednesday, Feb. 27
Shortly after leaving Marco Island we noticed a boat we knew a ways behind us to our port side. A quick text with them (The Journey, Dale & Merna from Nebraska) revealed that we were headed toward the same marina in Everglades City. Then they let us know that another Looper boat that they’ve met before (Wild Goose, Barry & Carol from CA) was behind them off to their port, heading to the same marina too. (Plenty of room to port – towards the mainland - as we were about 9 miles offshore.) As we approached the Everglades and went through Indian Key Pass to the Barron River, we were the guinea pigs to find any shallow areas throughout the approach to the marina … it was a little past low tide but far from high tide. We made it through a few shallow spots and texted back the locations since both of their boats draw more than we do (they have deeper hulls below the water line).
Everyone arrived within about 30 minutes of each other. This created a challenge for Bill, the dockmaster, since he is the only one there to arrange and assist incoming boats at the marina. You see, Everglades Isle “Marina” is really an upscale Motor-coach “Retreat” with riverfront that they’ve decided to use as marina space. The dockage is very well done with power and water and all amenities of the Motor-coach Park included. Bill is exceptional in that he is happy to assist everyone in any way … except, the pump out hose for the marina (not the motor-coach park) was broken. OH NO! We had hoped to pump out before heading to our next port. Brian offered to look at it and, of course, decided he could fix it. A trip or 2 by bike to the local hardware store, some PVC fittings, a new hose clamp and a bit of epoxy, and voila! – the pump out hose was repaired! Sadly, we were not able to use it because we had a very long trip to Marathon (93 miles) the next day and did not want to take the time to move the boat, tie up, pump out, and then get going in the morning, we just had to get moving! (We did make it to Marathon without a pump out problem!)
Getting ahead of ourselves here…
After our arrival at Everglades Isle, we had a small (6 of us) docktails gathering where we learned a little more about each other, our boats and where everyone started the loop – because you can't start from Nebraska or California! Both couples had bought boats on the east coast and began their loops in NC and GA. While D&M were sailors for many years like us, B&C had never commanded any boat bigger than a kayak but took on the Loop anyway! Barry says he thinks he’s run aground in every state along the way! :-D
We all (6 of us) went for an airboat ride through the Everglades and saw alligators, many birds and the landscape where the grasslands join the mangroves. Another round of docktails in the evening, then Wild Goose left the next morning, and the day after that The Journey took off too. Alone at the marina the next day, we rode our bikes to the grocery store and prepared for our long cruise to Marathon, then spent an hour luxuriating at the pool that felt like bathwater (ahhhh!) with a cocktail, ate a spaghetti & meatballs dinner on board, then called it an early night.
A couple of videos from our everglades airboat ride.
Ride: https://youtu.be/prwqX1ck5C8
Yes, that is Sue in the front seat and yes, she got wet! Brian was in the 3rd row taking the video.
Duck: https://youtu.be/foVXQttADhc
BTW - if you have your sound turned up, the sound you hear is from the airboat, not the duck!