April 12, 2013, Clearwater, FL

We got to Clearwater Municipal Marina about 17:00 Wednesday evening.  It was another beautiful, sunny day, in the mid 80's.  Thursday we went for a walk on Clearwater Beach at Pier 60.  A very busy place with lots of sun bathers with the high in the mid to high 80's.  Keith got to enjoy his steamed seafood bucket at Crabby Bill's Restaurant last night.

CO's comments:  The other day while traveling up the GIWW we had 5 boaters traveling together pass us at full speed creating unbelievable wakes.  I called on the radio and asked them if they had ever heard of a "slow pass" and one replied back, "You're in Florida, live with it".  Our encounters have mostly been with week-end boaters and fisherman and not with Loopers.  A fellow looper and friend's wife was injured by an inconsiderate boater with a large wake while they were in their dinghy on the ICW.  She will now spend 3 months in a back brace and possibly have a surgical procedure to help in her recover.  It is sad that now-a-days people only think of themselves and not of others.

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4-9-2013 Sun rise at Cape Haze anchorage, FL

4-9-2013 View from the dock at Moore's Crab House Restaurant

4-8-2013 Leaving Fort Myers Beach

 

4-8-2013 Awesome pictures of dolphins.  They followed our boat for about 10 miles just jumping and having a good old time.

4-10-2013 Sun rise at Longboat Key, FL

4-11-2013 Clearwater Beach off from Pier 60, very hot day.

Taken from my friends face book page. First one is the Steamer Sam Laud on the St Mary's River and the last one is taken off the back of the Steamer American Spirit by Gros Cap in Lake Michigan headed towards the Soo Locks.  Both pictures were taken in April.  Since it is so sunny and warm down here it is hard to fathom that there is still snow and ice up north.  Glad we are here.

4-8-2013, Cape Haze anchorage, Mile 36 on the GIWW

Good Bye to Snook Bight Marina.  After 5 weeks at Fort Myers Beach we are heading north to get ready to cross the Gulf again.  This time will be going West; a directions we haven't gone before.

We have really enjoyed our stay here and will definitely be back next year.  The marina is newly remodeled with wide floating docks, the people working here are great, and the Bay Front Bistro on the premises had a wonderful menu and the prices are in line with all others in the area.  We had awesome walks on the sandy beach each morning, and we have had good weather.  Publix grocery store is right in the parking lot and you can bring your full grocery cart down to the boat to unload, what more can you ask for.

We got a late start today but we did 5 hours and got to one of our favorite anchorages; Cape Haze.

CO's comments:  Wonderful day, all is working fine.  The only inconvenience we had was on the Miserable Mile out of Fort Myers.  There were several inconsiderate, large boats, that would not slow down for anyone and throwing wild wakes that darn near swamped a pontoon boat.  This is the first time at this anchorage that we have had other boats anchored with us but it is not a problem.  We went by Cayo Costa anchorage and there were so many anchored we probably would not have fit if we wanted to.

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4-8-2013; our last sunrise at the marina until next year.

4-8-2013; Snook Bight Marina.

Snook Bight Marina, Snook is a local fish and Bight is similar to a cove.

4-8-2013, last day at the marina.

 

 

4-8-2013, view from our slip.