| GYPSY FEET |
| The Chronicles of Moby Who? |
© 2008 Gail Hunter
| Go To Pete's |
| March Logs Page 1 |
| Heading for our first long-term hookup at an Encore Resort on Pine Island, FL for the month of March, 2008 |
Where are we now? At right is a Lee County Florida map
showing Pine Island, just west of Ft. Myers. Click on it to
enlarge. To reach the island, we drove through Cape Coral,
Matlacha, and Little Pine Island. The island is around 20
miles long and 4 miles wide. The Island of Bokeelia is off the
north end and St. James City is on the south end. We are 3
miles north of St. James City.
showing Pine Island, just west of Ft. Myers. Click on it to
enlarge. To reach the island, we drove through Cape Coral,
Matlacha, and Little Pine Island. The island is around 20
miles long and 4 miles wide. The Island of Bokeelia is off the
north end and St. James City is on the south end. We are 3
miles north of St. James City.
It's March 14th and we're not settled yet! Where did the time go? Distances here are
long. A round trip to Home Depot is nearly 30 miles; Ace Hardware a little less. I love
Publix, but shopping at the Winn Dixie five miles away saves $$ in fuel.
Our Errands (with a capital E) have taken us to the Old Rt. 41 Wednesday Fleamarket
looking for a bicycle for Gail (unsuccessful;) Home Depot several times for brass hose
elbows, Quick-Connects, cleaning tools, vinyl coated wire shelving; Walmart for a toaster
and coffee maker; cleaners to have a zipper repair on Cor's white trousers. None of this
sounds like much, but each of these little trips off-island takes about half a day. Traffic
has not thinned out in Florida.
Yesterday, there was an accident on Rt. 78 (the only road out.) We were immobilized at
the intersection of Stringfellow and Pine Island roads for, literally, over 3/4 hour. It made
me think - if I were to live on one of these islands and NOAA weather said a storm was
moving east from Texas, I'd start out right away. :"Evacuation Route" is too late.
long. A round trip to Home Depot is nearly 30 miles; Ace Hardware a little less. I love
Publix, but shopping at the Winn Dixie five miles away saves $$ in fuel.
Our Errands (with a capital E) have taken us to the Old Rt. 41 Wednesday Fleamarket
looking for a bicycle for Gail (unsuccessful;) Home Depot several times for brass hose
elbows, Quick-Connects, cleaning tools, vinyl coated wire shelving; Walmart for a toaster
and coffee maker; cleaners to have a zipper repair on Cor's white trousers. None of this
sounds like much, but each of these little trips off-island takes about half a day. Traffic
has not thinned out in Florida.
Yesterday, there was an accident on Rt. 78 (the only road out.) We were immobilized at
the intersection of Stringfellow and Pine Island roads for, literally, over 3/4 hour. It made
me think - if I were to live on one of these islands and NOAA weather said a storm was
moving east from Texas, I'd start out right away. :"Evacuation Route" is too late.
A word from Kris:
Spent a perfectly lovely day in Bokeelia and St James City with
my friends the Hunters. Got quick instruction on the right way
to adjust a fold out awning, RV style. I live on a boat in the
summer but this baby has more gadgets than a widget!!!!!!
Gypsy Feet is having a good March in Pine Island and I have
been lucky enough to spend some time with them.
Spent a perfectly lovely day in Bokeelia and St James City with
my friends the Hunters. Got quick instruction on the right way
to adjust a fold out awning, RV style. I live on a boat in the
summer but this baby has more gadgets than a widget!!!!!!
Gypsy Feet is having a good March in Pine Island and I have
been lucky enough to spend some time with them.
A wprd from the Dions:
Another perfect Florida day spent with
great friends out on Pine Island. Good
food at The Lazy Flamingo and a lovely
view of the marina and pelicans. We are
here only 2 more weeks...boohoo....
then back to reality in Vermont.
Another perfect Florida day spent with
great friends out on Pine Island. Good
food at The Lazy Flamingo and a lovely
view of the marina and pelicans. We are
here only 2 more weeks...boohoo....
then back to reality in Vermont.
March 15: Drove the length of Pine Island to the north - just touring. Amazed at the
number of nurseries...palmetto and palms alike. It seems that after the devastation of
Hurricane Charlie in 2004, the best path was to clear the debris and plant trees...mile after
mile of them.
number of nurseries...palmetto and palms alike. It seems that after the devastation of
Hurricane Charlie in 2004, the best path was to clear the debris and plant trees...mile after
mile of them.
| Sandpipers |
| Mango Factory ? |
| Ghost Tree |
| Palm Nursery |
Back "home" in time to dress for the "Cheeseburgers in Paradise" Party. Jimmy Buffet
music, Margaritas or Coronas, wild costumes, Hemmingway look alike contest, fun and frolic.
music, Margaritas or Coronas, wild costumes, Hemmingway look alike contest, fun and frolic.
March 16: A morning call from Burlington friends Bob and Norma Dion and Kris Teply -
"Let's meet for lunch at the Pink Flamingo in Bokeelia" - 2 days in a row, Wow. After
swearing at the ignorant GPS again, I went online and found the LAZY Flamingo, a laid-back
fish place at a marina. Good food (mostly fried); Cor and I shared a Caesar salad and an
order of fried oysters - put the two together and it was pretty good. We do that a lot. Great
when you are too indecisive to order.
Watched a feeding frenzy of pelicans at the fish cleaning dock, then got this shot of a
pelican waiting for his swallowed fish to be digested. (See swelling in neck. Don't worry,
that's what they do until the digestive juices make short order of the fish.)
A few years ago, in our carport in Venice, I saw a great blue heron with a bunny rabbit in his
beak. He threw his head back, tossed the bunny in the air and swallowed it whole. I was
horrified, especially seeing the lump in the heron's neck. Ycch. Again, that's what they do.
"Let's meet for lunch at the Pink Flamingo in Bokeelia" - 2 days in a row, Wow. After
swearing at the ignorant GPS again, I went online and found the LAZY Flamingo, a laid-back
fish place at a marina. Good food (mostly fried); Cor and I shared a Caesar salad and an
order of fried oysters - put the two together and it was pretty good. We do that a lot. Great
when you are too indecisive to order.
Watched a feeding frenzy of pelicans at the fish cleaning dock, then got this shot of a
pelican waiting for his swallowed fish to be digested. (See swelling in neck. Don't worry,
that's what they do until the digestive juices make short order of the fish.)
A few years ago, in our carport in Venice, I saw a great blue heron with a bunny rabbit in his
beak. He threw his head back, tossed the bunny in the air and swallowed it whole. I was
horrified, especially seeing the lump in the heron's neck. Ycch. Again, that's what they do.
| Lazy Pelican Lunch |
| Pelican with a fish - time for a Heimlich or two? |
Fish-Cleaning Station
Cor, Kris & Bob
Norma backs up
for a better shot
and hits her
head on the
lantern. And all
we had was iced
tea; not even
sweetened.
for a better shot
and hits her
head on the
lantern. And all
we had was iced
tea; not even
sweetened.
| Lanes are ready to go. Cara sits between them, all the better to see the road. |
| Our next-site neighbors from SC. left to right: Cara (standard poodle) in carriage, Carol and Dennis Lane |
| Always sad to see new friends leave; Lanes exiting Pine Island with tandem bike on back |
Formerly a KOA campsite, the Pine Island Resort has new owners and is part of the
Encore Resort group. The older part, where we are, has very ample concrete sites with
plenty of green grass between and a good-sized picnic table.
Encore Resort group. The older part, where we are, has very ample concrete sites with
plenty of green grass between and a good-sized picnic table.
No sooner were we here than our friends Gail and Phil Nerber from Essex, VT stopped
by on their way home from a month of at Bonita Beach. Just in time! Just in time to help
with all the set-up that was so new to us. Hook up the sewer, the electric, the TV cable,
and best of all, help us put up the 18' awning which stretches along the starboard side of
Moby Who.As it turned out, it took about three more visits from helping neighbors to get it
stretched out enough to avoid flapping. We're not quite strong enough to do it ourselves.
by on their way home from a month of at Bonita Beach. Just in time! Just in time to help
with all the set-up that was so new to us. Hook up the sewer, the electric, the TV cable,
and best of all, help us put up the 18' awning which stretches along the starboard side of
Moby Who.As it turned out, it took about three more visits from helping neighbors to get it
stretched out enough to avoid flapping. We're not quite strong enough to do it ourselves.
| Phil and Gail wave goodbye as they head back to frosty Vermont. |
| The grey lump on the roof is their collapsed inflatable dinghy |
There is every activity you could want here. We've been too busy getting organized to
take advantage of them. Busy driving back and forth to Cape Coral and Fort Myers for
hardware, software, dinnerware - you name it! (And shorts for Cor to replace the ones still
in New Hampshire - or maybe Connecticut.)
We have gone to the Tuesday night pot luck dinners, followed by Card Bingo - a new game
to us. The second time, we each won three pots (that's 6 out of 20.) We were told
anyone who won three pots would get thrown into the pool! They lied...thank heavens!
take advantage of them. Busy driving back and forth to Cape Coral and Fort Myers for
hardware, software, dinnerware - you name it! (And shorts for Cor to replace the ones still
in New Hampshire - or maybe Connecticut.)
We have gone to the Tuesday night pot luck dinners, followed by Card Bingo - a new game
to us. The second time, we each won three pots (that's 6 out of 20.) We were told
anyone who won three pots would get thrown into the pool! They lied...thank heavens!
| Click photos to enlarge |
That night, we took the Nerbers to a local hangout, the Hogfish Cafe. It
was great! We were late, so there wasn't the usual buzz of happy people,
but it gave us a chance to chat. They specialize in all sorts of seafood, but
our friendly waitress declared their ribs were beyond description.
We hadn't elevated our cholesterol lately, so we gobbled them up. I can't
describe them because when I try, my mouth waters, my stomach grumbles,
my nose twitches and I just can't stand the temptation.
Go try them for yourself! You won't regret it.
was great! We were late, so there wasn't the usual buzz of happy people,
but it gave us a chance to chat. They specialize in all sorts of seafood, but
our friendly waitress declared their ribs were beyond description.
We hadn't elevated our cholesterol lately, so we gobbled them up. I can't
describe them because when I try, my mouth waters, my stomach grumbles,
my nose twitches and I just can't stand the temptation.
Go try them for yourself! You won't regret it.
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