3/10/17: Preparing for our next big adventure.

We anticipate throwing off the dock lines around May 1^st for a 5 month, 3000+ mile adventure aboard Twelve Stones.

Russ is busy getting some boat projects completed and we have already started shopping for supplies. Twelve Stones has an amazing amount of storage so we are able to stock up on essential supplies.

Keep checking back to get our up-to-date adventure plans. 

3/1/17: Kitchell Key Anchorage – Ft. Myers Yacht Basin = 12.3 NM

It was another beautiful day on the water. Running through the Miserable Mile on a Wednesday was great, no wakes and little boat traffic.

After 10 days on anchor and over 163 NM we arrived back at Ft. Myers Yacht Basin. Naps were taken, books were read, and we ate like kings every night with our buddy boats. Looking forward to the next adventure.

2/28/17: Marco Island, Fl. Factory Bay Anchorage - Kitchell Key Anchorage = 38 NM

Peaceful Anchorage

2/27/17: Blue Hill Creek Anchorage, Goodland, Fl. - Marco Island, Fl. Factory Bay Anchorage =   6 NM

The weather will be good for a Tuesday Gulf of Mexico run so we staged up at Marco to head out early. 

The passage from Goodland to Marco is a tight and shallow run so we had to do it on high tide which was 1pm today. 

2/25/17: Camp Lulu Key, FL – Blue Hill Creek Anchorage, Goodland, Fl. = 10 NM

When we left Camp Lulu Key we were glad we had waited for this beautiful weather.

It’s a quick run from Camp Lulu Key to Goodland but you have to pay attention and stay in the channel. Best to only run this at slack or high tide.

Goodland is fishing and drinking village of about 200 people. On the weekends the small town is flooded with tourist and those seeking to get away from it all.

The weather once again has caused us to wait before going out into the Gulf of Mexico (no one wants to see 6 ft. waves).  So we decided to stay a couple of days at Goodland since it was an easy dink ride to a marina then a short walk into town.

Lunch at Little Bar Restaurant had a good view.

On Saturday night we were disappointed to find Stan's Idle Hour was dead but oh boy was it rocking on Sunday. We enjoyed the sites.

Yep!

2/21/17: Marco Island, Fl. Factory Bay Anchorage – Everglades City – Camp Lulu Key Anchorage = 47 NM

With good weather we left Marco Island, out into the Gulf of Mexico, around Cape Ramano, up to Everglades City, then to Camp Lulu Key Anchorage.

Our next few days would be spent in the Ten Thousand Island chain. Everglades City and Camp Lulu Key are located in the Ten Thousand Island National Wildlife Refuge which covers 35,000 acres. Because Camp Lulu Key is not located in the Everglades Park we did not need a permit to go onto the Island & we were allowed to take Jake and Ike ashore.

Everglades Rod and Gun Club located along the Barron River in the Everglades. The channel from the Gulf of Mexico to Everglades City can be shallow and is best taken at high tide. Luck for us we only draw 3’ so even leaving at low tide did not cause us any trouble. The Rod & Gun Club transports you back into old Florida. 

Free Docking While We Eat

A Must See Stop

Old Southern Florida Charm

We had stayed at Camp LuLu Key in November 2013 when we started the Great Loop. We enjoyed it so much we put it on our ‘must return to’ list. We are so glad we did because we were not disappointed. 

The weather forecast called for double digit high winds so we tucked in behind Camp Lulu Key. From where we anchored, using our binoculars, we could see the large waves coming in the entrance but our anchorage was well protected. 

We stayed for 4 wonderful days. Jakes first beach experience. Turns out unlike Ike, he is a beach dog. 

We dinked too Lulu Key and to Picnic Island were we all took in some beach sun and fished. Between the 3 boats we ate like Kings! Our new upper deck seating area has turned out to be a great addition to our boat. Great time had by all.

Camp Lulu Key is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. There are approximately 200 species of fish, 189 species of birds and innumerable plant species. The Black & Red mangroves provide wind coverage. We saw a variety of birds; a Bald Eagle, Egrets, & Osprey as well as raccoons and bottlenose dolphins.

2/20/17: Kitchell Key Anchorage to Marco Island, Fl. Factory Bay Anchorage = 38 NM

The weather was perfect resulting in a calm Gulf of Mexico. 

Naples Florida - A Gulf of Mexico View

Dolphins Welcome Us to The Gulf Of Mexico

The entrance to Marco Island was busy but not as bad as the weekends. We anchored at Factory Bay East Channel by the Rose Marina. 

Our maiden voyage in our new Port-A-Boat Dingy was taking Jake & Ike (our dogs) to Rose Marina dingy dock for a walk.

Later all three boats dinked over to the Dolphin Tiki Bar and Café for dinner.

Beautiful View From Our Bow

Kristin Noelle (Tricia & Hoppy) & Attitude Changes (Barb & Ross) 

2/19/17: Ft. Myers Yacht Basin, Ft. Myers, Florida to Kitchell Key Anchorage = 12.3 NM

After a few weeks of weather watching today we finally threw off the dock lines. Calm wind predicted for the next week so we threw off the dock lines. We are headed out to the Gulf of Mexico and turning south.  We have two buddy boats for this trip, Kristin Noelle (Tricia & Hoppy), & Attitude Changes (Barb & Ross).

Our marina, Ft. Myers Yacht Basin (downtown Ft. Myers) is located on the Caloosahatchee River about 11 NM from the Intercostal Waterway. The Caloosahatchee River flows generally SW from its source in Lake Okeechobee and empties into San Carlos Bay at Punta Rassa.

The worst part of the entire trip to the ICW is the “Miserable Mile” located where the Caloosahatchee River Inlet meets the Intercostal Waterway. Named appropriately because the boaters have no regard for each other, you will experience boats throwing rocking wakes, passing & cutting between boaters, and near misses. Just be prepared and lock everything down.

We had a boat run right up behind us at high speed throwing a large wake while going through a bridge and almost hit us. 

We enjoyed a peaceful night on anchor just off Kitchell Key. Lights from the Sanibel Island Causeway Bridge are beautiful at night. We cooked out with our buddy boats and enjoyed our new upper deck seating area. 

2/1/17: Update On Travels

Medical issued kept us at the dock for all of 2016. 

After receiving a clean bill of health in January 2017 we are looking forward to once again cruising aboard Twelve Stones. We have big plans for the summer of 2017 with a 3000+ miles cruising agenda.

We made some modifications to Twelve Stones over the last few weeks. We decided to get rid of our big dingy with the 50 HP motor and purchase a Port-A-Boat & a 6 HP dingy. The new dingy folds up and we store it on the roof. We converted the back upper deck area where the big dingy use to sit into a seating area. New railing was installed making it a perfect cookout and party area. We can’t wait to try it out.