FINALLY !!!!!!

This time it's for real (or as our daughter used to say, "for really". We departed on schedule on time. After a few last minute preps, like putting our car in storage and filling water tanks, and beer cooler with ice (forgot the beer!) we departed Burnt Store marina at 7:30 AM on Friday, Feb 1. We knew we would have some fairly strong winds heading out Charlotte Harbor as we were on the tail end of a pretty strong cold front that made it through here the day before (This was the one that froze the mid-west last week). We got a bit more than we expected----winds out of the north at between 16 and 20 knots with gusts up to 26. Seas were in the 3 to 5 foot range with an occasional 6 footer. Fortunately they were on our starboard beam aft of center, so while it was a rolly ride it was reasonably comfortable even while surfing down one of the big ones at over 8 knots (hull speed on our boat is just 71/2). The bigger issue was---It was COLD---AGAIN---If you followed our blog of our trip over here in 2010-11 you'll remember us describing the coldest winter known to man---well, here we go again. The non-wind chill was in the low forties as we left Burnt Store. But we knew it would warm up during the day--and it did.
At the speed we were sailing (under jib sail only) we made Cayo Costa island in record time, turned south into the ICW (putting the wind directly on our tail for a smoother ride) and continued on down the ICW to FT Myers beach under just 1/3 of our jib (the jib is the head sail--it's on a furling system that allows you to wrap it up around itself. This system also permits you to wrap it up partially, as small as you want). Even with such a small sail and the wind on our stern we still moved along at a brisk 6.5 knots.
The wind began to subside around lunch time and the temp finally rose into the low 70's, but we never got out of our layered garb until arriving at the marina.
WE arrived at the marina (Moss Marine) at around 3 in the afternoon and tucked in for the night--met some nice people--Don and Cindi Petersen, from Lost Wages, Nevada. doing the same thing we are doing except they're headed the other way. They've already been out for several months.
Saturday, we rose a little later than usual to softer weather conditions and a short trip off shore down to Marco Island---It was fabulous---wind at around 13 to 15 off our port beam and sea conditions that would simply rock you to sleep---blue sky and warm enough to take off the wind-breakers. We departed Ft Myers Beach at 8:30, headed off-shore , sailed on down past Estero Beach, Naples, etc. and eventually into Marco Island to a very nice Marina at Factory Bay.
WE had been told by several people that the entrance into Marco Island could be pretty tricky so, as we were headed in the channel we turned back out to sea to wait for another sail boat headed in, hailed him on the radio and determined he was a local and  followed him through the unusual twists and turns at the entrance. We never saw less than 23 feet of water but at one spot the GPS shows you actually going over land--an island that was "moved" during the last big storm. (That's what happens down here--the geography changes constantly with tides, currents and storms so it's always a good idea when in a new area to ask for a little local knowledge and not rely completely on GPS charts (maps) that may have been created 5 or more years ago.)
We've both been a bit rusty with our sail handling and other chores on the boat but it's coming back quickly. It's great to be back on the water in this beautiful place. Just checked in with Scott and he has landed safely after his flight from Beijing and we can't wait to see him in Miami on Friday. The weather looks great for a fun week on the East coast if not over to Bimini or beyond (again--depends on whether we get a good weather window to cross the Gulf stream).
Tomorrow we head for an overnight anchorage at the mouth of the Little Shark River, in the Everglades--check out SPOT-and then on to Marathon, in the Keys. I'm sure I won't have internet at Little Shark so it will be a couple of days before the next post
I know--I know--I promised photos and videos. Hey, it's enough that we've accomplished as much as we have--get off my back!!! We'll start posting some photos in our next post. Till then----Keep living and loving.