Thursday, 15 January 2015 21.2 SM
The sign says the State Park at Cayo Costa is “The Real Florida.”
Live oaks stretch from both sides of Cabin Road to form a natural tunnel nearly the full width of Cayo Costa. A middle-aged couple walks east bound on the white sand road, stops to respond to the question from your correspondent.
“Why, yes. We were there (Fort Myers Beach) about a week and a half ago,” says he, confirming next that, indeed, he had retrieved a boat hook for his neighbor in the anchorage. It turns out Jane and Ben (aka Inflatable Skipper) are anchored for the night just to starboard of Steadfast.
How crazy is that, huh? But not unprecedented, by any means. Just one of many delightful blessings of cruising the coast, making the acquaintance of so many friendly folk, sharing adventurs and misadventures along the way.
The cheeseburger’s a popular item at Cabbage Key.
The way this day again was made under a thick puffy blanket of gloomy gray. It was good, though, to raise sail for a while, there being enough of a nor’east wind to pull Steadfast part the way up Pine Island Sound. But by the time she was abeam of Captiva and South Seas Plantation, it was all up to Red once again. This would’ve been prudent, in any case, the waterway especially narrow along this stretch with shoals on either side.
Carnivores no doubt would’ve turned to port at Cabbage Key to enjoy a “Cheeseburger in Paradise” but Steadfast motored on past Punta Blanca before turning west into Pelican
Steadfast joined less than a dozen boats anchored in Pelican Bay.
Pass. There was an anxious moment or two as the depth readings fell into the 4s. But just for a moment and then she eased into deeper water before the anchor went down in eight feet, just off Cayo Costa park headquarters.
And that’s where she lies tonight, bobbing gently between the islands while the cool northerly pipes up on Pine Island Sound and begins to wail through the mangroves. A few drops of rain tap a random rhythm on the deck above, pause, then drum again.
It’ll be an interesting night, no doubt. And, no doubt, the same for the morrow.
Steadfast out.
At Sea with Steadfast 
We covered all of Pine Island Sound when we rented on Captiva for 4-5 years. Lots of interesting places to explore. How far north are you planning to go? I am enjoying reliving our time there through your great updates.