The Everglades

Critters. The Everglades are full of them. We spent one night in Goodland, Florida, south of Marco Island and another night anchored in the Little Shark River. The night sky was incredible. Bright stars and Venus and Jupiter fighting to dominate the western sky. Unfortunately we humans have to share these evenings with little critters, ie the No-Seeum's. You don't spray these guys, you bring a shotgun.

Birds of all kinds fill the Everglades. Carla and Roger Smith would love this place. Pelicans, cranes of all kinds, osprey, and all these little black songbirds. No alligators in these swamps that we could see because there was no land. It was all mangroves for miles and miles. But it was a beautiful couple of days, that were totally different than the more commercial crowded beaches of western Florida. One thing that was hard to get used to for Shelley and I....no cell nor internet coverage. Cold turkey. None. Well, we still had our satellite TV so we could watch our Fox News, and the NCAA Selection show. But other than that....

The wind has been howling. This part of the Loop is so much different than the ICW, Canada, or the rivers. Here the winds make a big difference, and can make passage making splashy and rocky. We crossed 40 miles of Florida Bay today and arrived in Marathon with Rock Chalk covered in salt. Dry salt on every surface and in every nook and cranny. We spent two hours washing the boat down...you know the saying, "A clean boat is a happy boat, and a happy boat is a safe boat".

Two years ago this month we bought Rock Chalk right here in Marathon. She was Chandelle then and she had spent six years in these waters. Charlie and Cait were our first guests and joined us on our first cruise up the ICW to Miami. 6000 miles later, she is back in her home waters. That is quite a circle. And more adventure to follow.