We have been anchored in Smokehouse Bay at Marco Island for 9 days. Nine days! We’ve had strong gusty winds for at least part of the day, every day for the past two weeks now. We have an upscale Winn Dixie with its own dock a short dinghy ride from our anchorage so supplies are no problem. And fellow Great Lakes Cruising Club members have arrived to spend a couple of weeks in their friend’s condo here at Smokehouse Bay, so we have good friends to spend time with when we are comfortable being away from our boat. They have also generously offered shore services when we’ve needed them. We sailors understand each other!

Forecasts show lighter, more variable wind conditions arriving next week (but not Monday!). We are hoping to raise anchor(s) on Tuesday and begin our trek back north.