Second Wind on the Great Loop and Beyond

Tuesday, January 26.
After a lumpy ride south in the Gulf about 2-3 miles offshore, we turned to shore at Marco Island Pass. The markings here are really confusing! I remember having to call SeaTow for directions the last time we went through this spot. The few markers we could find served as egret nests. Today we watched the chart plotter and both depth sounders, and we carefully threaded our way past Goodland and on to Everglades City without any trouble.

This is Florida just as it was 50 years ago; there’s nary a condo or high rise building in sight. Everglades City, population around 350 to 750 during “high” season, is a quiet community where men and women depend on the water for their livelihood. A number of Everglades tour boats went by as we approached. We docked in front of the Rod and Gun Club, a charming, rambling wood-frame inn that is a throwback to another era. Lots of famous people have stayed here including Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Hoover, and Nixon. Other notable visitors from the past include Ernest Hemingway, Burl Ives, John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, Shawn Connery, and Mick Jagger. It’s in the Everglades after all, a place for adventurers and manly men.

By late afternoon another cruising boat, a 39-foot Mainship named Magic II, arrived. After a brief chat with the owners, we agreed to have cocktails on our boat, then dinner together at the Rod and Gun Club restaurant. Greg and Judy are a delightful, fun couple from Hampton Roads, Virginia. They are also on their way to Marathon for a month. We all marveled at the beautiful old wood-paneled walls of the Rod and Gun Club, and we had a wonderful time comparing cruising notes. Our seafood portabella dinner was plentiful and delicious. They plan to leave in the morning and cruise straight to the Keys; we will anchor out one night before we get there.