Every day is a good day on the water. This past weekend brought back oodles of fond memories of the time when we had a boat docked at Lake Texoma. There are so many islands off the coast of Fort Myers and Naples – some are private, some are uninhabited, and some are worth exploring. Neil took us out on Friday and Saturday to see his favorite spots. The map below will give you an idea of the layout of the islands.
It took us about thirty minutes to reach the boat. Once he notifies the marina that he wants to go out, they put the boat in the water and it is waiting to have a good time. We didn’t see many people there on Friday, but it was a little chilly on the water that day.
We grabbed a coffee in the clubhouse and headed down to the boat. The marina is really nice and they are currently building a large restaurant on the premises. It won’t be right on the water, but totally walkable from a docked boat.
We weren’t too concerned about the temperature because the boat has a heater in the cockpit area. Although the sun didn’t come out much, it got up to 70 degrees, which feels much cooler on the water.
The marina houses all kinds of vessels, from small boats to large yachts. When you finish up for the day, the marina staff pulls your boat out and sprays it down (if you don’t have a slip). How convenient!
It takes a while to get out to the ocean as you pass manatee zones and go under bridges, but the ride is incredible and the dolphins are plenty. Plus, you never know what kind of boats and people you will see.
With all of the mega mansions in Naples, there are plenty of 50-120 foot yachts around. We kept looking for Judge Judy on hers, but I don’t think she is down here right now. Well, shucks!
The technology in boats sure is helpful, especially in the shallow waters. Often we were cruising in depths of five feet. The Belize panga style boats come with no technology. Their captains need to know the routes like the back of their hands.
Florida has a lot of mangrove areas that are prime habitats for alligators. We passed by a lot of mangroves. I didn’t want to get close and look for any of those toothy monsters. Just keep the boat moving, please!
Once we got close to the north bridge going over to Fort Myers Beach, we saw lots of commercial fishing boats. I honestly didn’t realize that the shrimp industry was so big here. The next night I had to order shrimp scampi just to see how fresh it tasted. It was delicious!
I’ve seen multiple Coast Guard stations in the past year all over Alaska and in Belize. However, this is the first time I have noticed machine guns on the front of a coast guard boat. Wowzers!
Unfortunately we didn’t stop to eat at this Doc Fords restaurant, but we did go to the new one on Sanibel Island for lunch. It was very good and comes highly recommended. Just be aware of the crowds around noon, as it fills up quickly.
On Saturday we ventured over to Cabbage Key, a tiny island full of history. It has a small restaurant and eight bungalows for rent. A ferry brings people over from Pine Island, or you can reach it by private boat.
The island is known for the gopher turtles that all have their own homes underground. Neil has seen them many times before, but we didn’t see any of them wandering around. The weather was a bit cool so they were staying in their holes. Each one has a name and a designated little yard, even though they move freely all over the island.
We climbed the water tower for 360 Degree views of neighboring islands and ocean. This wooden tower has survived all hurricanes that have passed over and supplies water to the island. It is around eighty years old.
The restaurant is the main draw to the island. Fishermen often stop for a meal and head back out to catch more fish. The outdoor tables fill up quickly but the inside has more character.
The owners claim that $10,000 worth of dollar bills can be seen on the ceiling and walls. It reminded me of the interior of the Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer, Alaska. See pictures of it here. They don’t serve any fried food because they have no way to dispose of the grease. The potato salad was delicious and healthier than french fries, so we didn’t care.
On the way home, we ended up circling Sanibel, Captiva, and North Captiva islands. It was great because we saw so many dolphins during our ride back. I am already planning a future trip to go boating again when the weather is warm enough to swim. It was so much fun, but sunbathing on the boat would be awesome. Thanks for the water tour, Neil!