Cool Change Travels & Adventures: Fort Myers, FL February 22-29

Finally, We Found the Beach!

Last week we decided to again take a trip to the beach. Mid-week, shouldn't be many people going that way. Guess again! We ended up in the same traffic jam heading to Fort Myers Beach that we found the last time. So, we turned north and west and unwillingly coughed up the six dollar toll to go to Sanibel Island. Then, when we found a public parking area, it cost another two dollars for parking. We did have a pleasant walk on the beach and lunch on the island at a marina Wayne remembered from another visit. So here's the west coast beach photos:

That's the beautiful Gulf of Mexico behind Wayne.

West coast sand between my toes. It feels as good as the beach
on the east coast.

The beach fishing was good for this guy.

Sanibel Lighthouse

Colleen Finds a Quilt Show

On the 24th I went to "Gathering of Quilts," the quilt show for the Disconnected Piecers Quilt Guild in Punta Gorda. I always love to see the work of other quilters and I was fortunate to happen to sit near the show's featured quilt artist, Shirley James, at lunchtime. She and another local quilter convinced me I could not go home until I visited a local business, Sandy's Quilt Shop. So I did, having a fine day and bringing to four the number of quilt shops I've enjoyed around here. Two others were Quilt Lovers' Hangout and Susie Q's Quilt Shop, both in North Fort Myers. The quilt show was so much fun that it inspired me to finish two more of the projects I've been working on, a flannel quilt to donate to Project Linus and a table runner/wall hanging I'm making with the Stack and Whack blocks.

Quilting a flannel blanket on an 85 degree day

One of the pieces by featured quilter, Shirley James.
This is not a painting. She's created this picture using fabrics. Wow!

Generator Problems:
While Colleen was at the quilt show, Wayne occupied himself with changing the fuel filter on the generator set. Well, that is, trying to get the gen set to start and run after changing the fuel filter! This was supposed to be a routine service item. When the generator would not start, he was turned down by five different diesel service companies. After much diagnostic thinking, he set about solving the problem himself. As usual the pros were of little help except for one who consoled Wayne and said that the Kohler gen set was probably powered by a Yamaha diesel engine and that it was a terrible engine to get primed, even for him. Wayne could hear the fuel pump whirring and gurgling but no air or, most importantly no fuel, was purging from the fuel lines or injector lines. The fuel tank that the gen set pulled from was only about a quarter full and the fuel level was below the level of the fuel pump. The pump was air locked and would not draw fuel. Wayne transferred fuel over to that tank. But after many hours of attempted purging of the fuel lines and being stood up by the only available mechanic in town, Wayne went to NAPA and purchased a pulsing automotive fuel pump, fuel hose wiring, crimp connectors,and hose clamps. He cut the electric lines to the pump and crimped on new quick connectors. He then installed the new pump in line after the Kohler pump and immediately had fuel flow. He was able to purge the injector pump and lines and get the gen set running again. Now we can have 120 volt power when we are at anchor again. All this just in time to shove off from Fort Myers for the trip back across Florida.

Another auto show in downtown Ft. Myers:

The were about 70 cars at this event on Saturday. Here are some photos:

Good-bye to Fort Myers

We've had a wonderful stay in this city, met some new friends, John and Kay and Gordon and Mary Lou, and we've seen a lot. We'll miss this extraordinary, idyllic weather but it's time to start the trip back to North Carolina.

Good-bye, Fort Myers. We'll be back.

Tuesday Feb. 28th: Fort Myers to Moore Haven

After buying 95 gallons of diesel we shoved off at 8:45 on the first leg of our trip back home to NC. This leg encompassed 55 miles of the Caloosahatchee River. We traveled at 8 mph alternating on one engine at a time to save fuel. At this low speed Cool Change steered very well. Any faster becomes a handful to keep on a straight course. We arrived to the Moore Haven City docks at 4:45 only to find that the 55 foot boat that barrelled past us just two miles back had taken the last space. Actually they managed to get the front half of their boat to fit on the end of the dock. As we floated off the dock deciding if we could fit our 42 feet of boat into 35 feet of dock, a couple aboard a sailboat started to move their boat forward with no prompting from us. After much effort and high volume conversations, they managed to clear what we thought was enough space for us. All the boaters came out on the dock to watch us screw up. With only four feet astern and six feet in front, Captain Wayne somehow slid our boat sideways up to the dock without touching either of the neighbors. The sailboat couple was presented with a bottle of shiraz for their generosity of spirit.

Wednesday Feb. 29th (Leap Day): Moore Haven to Stuart

We decided that we wanted to push our range limit (within fuel sensibilities) and make it all the way to Stuart, a distance of 78 miles. We left the dock at 7:15 AM and immediately entered Moore Haven Lock for a rise of 3 feet. Then off we were around the south shore route of Lake Okeechobee at the high speed of 9 mph and later 10 mph. We travelled the first 20 miles on one engine, but when we advanced to 10 mph the steering effort became too much as we fought the high winds that developed during the morning. We ran on two engines from that point on. Several times during the day we encountered sugar ash rain from fires set in the sugar cane fields. We are told the growers burn the sugar cane just before harvesting to remove much if the leafy husk. The leaves are carried high into the air and then rained down on us like small butterflies as they wafted in the winds. They are black and sticky and fall apart when touched. They have to be washed away or carefully blotted off a surface with a damp paper towel. We had a real rain shower just before getting to the east side of the lake and the Port Mayaca lock. We were lowered about 3 feet and then entered the St. Lucie River. 28 miles later we entered the St. Lucie lock and were lowered 13 FEET! From that point on we were at sea level and just 4 miles from Stuart. We had met another NC couple at Ft. Myers, Jack and Pat aboard Another Chapter, a 38 foot Marine Trader trawler. They had also been tied up at Moore Haven dock. Jack had taken the route straight across Lake O and shaved off 11 miles. He and Pat decided to also take a mooring ball in Stuart. Jack very graciously came out in his dinghy to help us get hooked up to the mooting ball. This is one of Colleen's least favorite boat tasks and she is greatly beholden to Jack for his efforts.

We have not decided whether to head on to Vero Beach tomorrow or stay here in Stuart another night.