Bye-Bye Fort Myers

The clock ticked down and before we knew it it was time to leave our boating friends from Fort Myers.  As always, it was a GREAT stop.

Here are a few bits, pieces and highlights from our time in Fort Myers:

Dinghy 'Sploring:

Dinghy 'sploring.  It's one of our favourite things to do...  just take off in the dinghy and see what we can see.  This particular day we tooted over to the next marina, Legacy, to hang out with buddies Dave and Michele (M/V Just Us) 

The Cooking Christmas Dinner Adventure:

 We prepared our contribution to a dockside pot-luck Christmas dinner with other boaters.  With no oven on board Jeff cooked turkey breast on the barbecue while the drumsticks stayed warm on top.
It turned out great!
 I cooked a big pot of yummy mashed potatoes on my one burner hotplate and served them up in a crock pot, with gravy piping hot from a thermos.  Not exactly a fancy fine china affair
but where there's a will, there's a way!

What a beautiful meal we enjoyed with friends.

Russ & Janices Dirt House:

We were very honoured to be included in Russ & Janice's (M/V Dream Chaser) first house warming party.  They just purchased a new "dirt house" after living aboard for five years. A dishwasher is a very much appreciated new novelty!  They will be sorely missed at Fort Myers Yacht Basin.  It is outside their boat where boaters gather daily at "the wall" to share stories, laughs and camaraderie.

New Year's Eve:

The New Year's Eve celebration in downtown Fort Myers is a happening place to be. They close off the street and host several bands, food trucks, street vendors (including beer stands) and a midnight ball drop.  It was very convenient to be docked two blocks from all the action.

"The Wall" 

 At the sound of the conch being blown at sundown "the wall" is where we pull up a chair and gather most days for "docktails", which does not necessarily include an adult beverage, but often does.  Russ and Janice are the informal hosts. They have lived here at Fort Myers Yacht Basin on their boat for about five years and are in the process of selling their boat and moving into a "dirt house". Great friendships have been formed and lots of laughs and stories have been shared at "the wall" over the years.  Fort Myers Yacht basin will feel different once their boat has sold.

Bye-bye Fort Myers

And then the big day came.  Two little Canadian trawlers (M/V Mary Rose and us, M/V Gran Vida)

threw off their lines and cast off, with their bows pointed towards our next adventure.  Bye-bye Fort Myers until next time.  It's been a blast!

Friends gathered to see us off

Ready, set....

And away we go.