EVERGLADES CITY March 9, 2009

After moving to the big bay at Shark River last night, we awoke not rocking. Tom investigated and found no other boats in harbor and we were aground! It was only 8:30 a.m.!

To make matters worse, the tide was still going out. If you have met Captain Smith, you now that he will not settle for staying in one spot for the tide to change. His first mate is not quite sure what he did, but both anchors are up and the boat found a passage way to the Gulf.

The rest of the day was rather uneventful with a light wind and a straight shot to Indian Key, the entrance to the five plus mile channel to Everglades City. On the way in we pass a big sand island (above) and lots of kayakers, fisherman, motor boats and sailboats.

It is a very pretty channel with lots of islands, mangroves and outcroppings.


Catrina goes through Indian Key Pass (below) and then passes an airfield on the right. A small plane tries to land but comes in high and makes a second pass and successful landing.

Everglades City appears in front of us and it is a very quaint, clean, charming town.


The largest house we see is on the left.


Debbie likes this yellow house.


The north side of the town runs along the channel and goes way back in to the fishing (work) boats and homes. Friends tell us that the boats leave every morning at 4 a.m. and they don’t follow the no wake rules!



When we get to the Rod and Gun Club, we discover the other PDQ that passed us.


It is parked at the only rental dock place for transients - the Rod and Gun Club.

We check prices and decide that $1.75 a foot is a little high for us. Back out the channel, we drop anchor off a shell/mangrove cove. It takes a number of tries to get the back anchor in but then we decide we are too close to “nat” country and don’t want to repeat last night.


Also Tom has trouble getting the TV disc aimed. We must be too near the mangroves.

We move to the big bay about a half mile inside the Gulf. The anchor drags halfway across the bay. That won’t work.

We move to one side of the sand beach island at the entrance which we think is called Indian Key. The anchor holds at last. After a quick sandwich, we decide to go exploring in Tigger.


We walk on Indian Key and take pictures of Catrina and another passing ship!

On our Radio 16 channel we hear from Pat and Colin. They are six miles away and should arrive shortly. They have been in Fort Myers for a reunion of sailors from the Virginia, I think. They drop anchor near us and join us for a short while to get caught up and say good bye until another year.