LOOP Report 04/03/2005

April 3, 2005

Moss Marina

Ft. Myers Beach, Florida

Well, the latest hot news is cool news as we are not doing much at all with Chinook except getting her ready for travelling. David and Susan will join us again April 7th leaving April 8th. to head up the Caloosahatchee River and through the Okeechobee Lake Waterway and on up the Atlantic side ICW (Inter Coastal Waterway).

Right now all is quiet at the Moss Marina and the weather has been terrific. These weeks, temps have been in the 80’s. The March Break on the gulf beach is in full swing. Our Cape Breton neighbours took their boat around to anchor with others. As they tell the story, seems another 4 boats were rafted offshore and at least 200 people gathered in and out of the water with the ladies showing their wares on the shouts of others. The Sheriff had to find the owners which took quite some time. He then apparently got all of them quieted down. The winds had also picked up at that same time so the fun was over until tomorrow.

Our local friend John Kingston has kindly loaned us his car so we have taken advantage of it to get to the beach with deck chairs, and also do some grocery shopping. Easter Sunday was also in the program. John’s friends have been doing a Barbecue on The Sanibel Causeway middle island for many years and asked us to join them. This was a major food event once more. They did great double dutch oven pots of beans and scalloped potatoes (will get the receipe) done on charcoals and the ham and other meats on a standard large Barbie. There was lots of beverage too. Two large tent canopys to get some shade and cover for the food displayed. These folks know how to have a good time and celebrate any occasion that comes along, much like we do up north on the Bay. We were lucky to be included in their celebrations, neat people, John has great friends.

As we wait for the Chinooks crew to arrive I have managed to get the dinghy out of the water and turned over to expose 4 weeks of barnacles having their own March Break group party. Finally after trying many different products we chased the party away with some nasty chemicals called ON/OFF bottom hull cleaner. Waxed the hull hoping that this may help keep them off. Have put the dinghy on swim platform until we need again. So now we will have to get a diver to do the party that’s attached to the Chinook’s shafts and props.

This ocean travelling in salt water has it’s chores. Must keep at the salt and corrosion with lots of fresh water and wax on stainless. Have discovered if it’s not good stainless it’s going to rust away. Just replaced a side vent that was made of bright metal. Soon as we hit the ocean it just started to corrode. Brass and copper lines seem to get a green coating but doesn’t seem to do damage. Internet Google information confirms this.(hope they are correct).

Well, our friendly neighbours have all left to go home to Nova Scotia. Kenny is still here so we still have the monkey next door. They both have been most entertaining neighbours. Thanks to his fishing we have enjoyed Snook and Sheepshead fish which he kindly shared. Both are nice white meat fish and when done in the frying pan are tasty. He recently went 30 miles offshore fishing and diving with another boat here. So left us his Will on a business card, giving it all to mother, he did say we could have the monkey if he did not come back. He was going to dive alone to 40-60 feet with speargun looking for grouper or shark. CRAZY or what?

Kenny now has his boat up for sale and wants to go back to something like a 55-65 foot houseboat for lake travel near Dallas. Kenny changes boats like socks.

As we move on we will miss all these dock friends and their activities.

Yesterday went to the beach again with chairs and books. Dropped Pat off with chairs and took car back to marina for free parking. Walked back to beach and Pat and I shouldered our way through the crowds to the shore and parked our chairs for the day. Had a swim and then some 21’ boat seemed to be having trouble up the shore so being nosey started up the beach to check it out. Dammit!!! I got a teenagers, out of control, surfing/skimming board rammed right into my left heel to leave a large cut, needless to say I never saw it coming from behind so I did have a few...#*@#%*&+!^%#%... words to say as he tried to apologize. We got a bandage from another beacher and hobbled back to the marina to fetch the car back to pick up Pat. Soaked in Detol and patched with Polysporin seem to have worked as today it’s repairing. Last thing one needs is ocean barnacles and their friends deciding to party there.

Woke up today to rain and winds creating a good rock and roll chop in the marina, so gives us time to catch up on the loop reports.

Observations:

-US Coast Guard guys (no women) all look like teens
-Medical disclaimers are more than half of a pharmacutical
TV commercials
-Hard to find any Florida Bush supporters
-Restaurants serve large, even their appetizers
-Ugly colour licence plates on expensive pretty cars
-Seafood is fresh
-Big discounts at grocery stores with their card
-West Marine stores are everywhere I am
-Beaches are shells
-Birds(pelicans)can smell successful fishermen
-Lawyers on TV commercials trying to look like they’re looking
out for you.
-Spelling-color,harbor,nite,neighbor.
-Florida beaches are mostly white
-Hush Puppies are not shoes here
-Local Newspapers should be Local Adpapers
-Canada needs to buy Florida

Loopers at rest…Ted and Pat