Not every day while cruising can be all fun & games. In fact, we chuckle because we have to remind ourselves we're NOT on vacation, this is a lifestyle. Most of the other people here in Marco Island are on vacation for a week.
Vacationers get to just relax and enjoy their week. They don't have to do laundry, get groceries, clean house, make water, do boat maintenance chores and a variety of other stuff.
But taking a day or two out for chores is a small price to pay. And today was forecast to be nasty - windy, NOAA told us tonight on the VHF that it was blowing 35 outside. Inside the bay, the highest gust we saw was 24, but it's enough to make you cautious about leaving the boat.
Vacationers get to just relax and enjoy their week. They don't have to do laundry, get groceries, clean house, make water, do boat maintenance chores and a variety of other stuff.
But taking a day or two out for chores is a small price to pay. And today was forecast to be nasty - windy, NOAA told us tonight on the VHF that it was blowing 35 outside. Inside the bay, the highest gust we saw was 24, but it's enough to make you cautious about leaving the boat.
First we made water - we have one empty tank, so we needed to make 35 gallons. If you look really close at the indicator on the left, you can see we're making between 10 - 15, and the Spectra Catalina 300 is rated for 13 gallons an hour. Not bad for an over 10 year old unit!
Then we did miscellaneous chores around the boat until we were both getting cabin fever and the wind calmed a bit in the late afternoon. Then we dinghied in to the Rose Marina dinghy dock, paid our $5 dinghy dock fee (waived if you buy fuel or anything in the gift store), and walked to Publix for a few supplies just to get off the boat.
Coming back we stumbled upon a place that our boat neighbors that just came in yesterday told us about called the Sand Bar. Despite the fact that we're on foot & lugging $50 of groceries, we decided to stop and see about grabbing dinner. But the place was PACKED. It's a local place filled with mostly charter boat fishermen, local captains and colorful characters. So we decided to come back another night and take our groceries home before the milk spoiled.
Then we did miscellaneous chores around the boat until we were both getting cabin fever and the wind calmed a bit in the late afternoon. Then we dinghied in to the Rose Marina dinghy dock, paid our $5 dinghy dock fee (waived if you buy fuel or anything in the gift store), and walked to Publix for a few supplies just to get off the boat.
Coming back we stumbled upon a place that our boat neighbors that just came in yesterday told us about called the Sand Bar. Despite the fact that we're on foot & lugging $50 of groceries, we decided to stop and see about grabbing dinner. But the place was PACKED. It's a local place filled with mostly charter boat fishermen, local captains and colorful characters. So we decided to come back another night and take our groceries home before the milk spoiled.
Yelp gives it 4 stars and says great fresh seafood and delicious shrimp at good prices. Yum, looking forward to another night!
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