Before making our way to the boatyard to haul and store Prairie Dog for the summer, we stopped at one of our favorite anchorages: Pelican Bay at Cayo Costa Island. Northerly winds were forecast for the next couple of days, building overnight, and we know from experience that we’d be uncomfortable in the main part of the bay. We made our way into “the back bay” where we would find good protection and ended up spending a lovely 3 days, paddling each day, and taking the opportunity on Saturday to visit the State Park.

It’s not been an easy winter. When I left home in December, I never dreamed I would be back one month later, by my father’s bedside as he died. (I have learned SO much about dementia in the past couple of years. Thank you Teepa Snow!) Good friends witnessed the early Sunday morning murder of the director of the Beach Library, one of my favorite spots at FMB. Our winter was free of red tide, but its effects were evident: many fewer dolphins; we saw just one manatee; a dead sea turtle washed ashore on Cayo Costa’s beach. But our winter spent on the mooring ball at Fort Myers Beach, in a boating community of good friends, made it a good winter: early morning walks with my walking buddy, Don, made getting my 10,000 steps per day a piece of cake; Thursday lunch with friends at Bonita Bill’s; visits with our northern boating friends; happy hours; blowing the conch at sunset; BEING ALIVE! Life is good. –jes