Day 1   January 4th
Marco to Ft Myers
Legacy Marina, Ft Myers   54 nm   air temp 43, water temp 63
9:00 Departure from Caxambas Pass – White caps and the pelicans were skating on the water.
We departed on time – Brisk 43* winds out of the NNE 10-15 mph
Group 1 led by Cookin’ (Commodore Brent and first mate Susan Cook) met up at Caxambas Pass with My Turn (Gelfand’s) and Sachmo (Sacher’s).  At R2 we were joined by Too Many Wakes (Mulligan’s) and Sonatella (Hubscher’s)
We started out with 2’ seas which flattened out around Wiggins Pass. Smooth boating the rest of the way.
Once docked we were joined by Therapy III (Brown’s) Tennessee Waltz (Herndon’s with Rapp’s) and Nauti Buoy (Mounts). Lunch was at Joe’s Crab Shack (Cheeseburgers are the best !!!!) 
After many group text messages - we didn’t know if we were in the group or out of the group we went our separate ways .A few Mah Jongg players managed to get in a few games – Joanne, Ginny, Cindy, Linda and Judy.
Docktails were at 6:15. Then early to bed for another fun filled day tomorrow as we leave for Clewiston.

Clewiston, FL
On January 5th 10 boats departed Legacy Harbour Marina at 9 am sharp and after a great day arrived at Roland Martin Marina in Clewiston at 3:30 pm.  When Captain Cook called the dock master he was a little confused because it seems someone in their office had cancelled our reservations.  The dockhand, who goes by "Little Man", was a little flustered not expecting 7 of us to be arriving at the same time.  Once he docked Cookin' and My Turn his animation relaxed some. Sonatella, Too Many Wakes, Ruffin It, and Odiekanobi fueled and then docked in their respective slips.  The larger boats:  Nauti Buoy, TenneSea Waltz and Therapy III passed through the Moore Haven Lock at 4:00 pm and arrived at Clewiston around 5:30 pm.  Everyone was tired and had had a long day so our scheduled Docktails party was postponed until our next stop at Stuart. 
All of us met in the cafe at 6:30 pm for dinner and three birthday celebrations.  After a somewhat chaotic dinner order there was some confusion on who ordered what so Chuck ended up with a strip steak and then a strip steak with 2 lobster tails, how did that happen??????  In the end everyone was hungry and everyone eventually got served.
  Our birthday celebrations was Barry's Birthday that day January 5th:  but wait, we also celebrated Judy Sacher's January 15th birthday and Brent Cook's January 18th Birthday.  Jo Ann Herndon and Ginny Rapp decorated Birthday Hats for all three of them and served a great chocolate and vanilla cake.  Delicious!  Following dinner it was Good Night All!  By Janice Hubscher.

Hutchinson Island, Stuart, FL
We left Clewiston headed for Hutchinson Island on a beautiful crisp sunny morning.  Lake Okeechobee was like a shiny mirror, calm and smooth.
Entering Hutchinson Island Resort was so delightful, looking at all of the beautiful homes and all the wonderful boats and yachts.  Once arrived and all boats washed…the ladies decided to play Mahjong.  Charmaine, Janice and Marianne were new to the game so they were given lessons and now they are hooked!  During the festivities of game playing all the ladies enjoyed a little bite to eat around the pool.
That evening we had docktails, and enjoyed Barry’s Hawaiian music and wonderful appetizers, desserts brought by all cruisers.  Everything was delicious, however, Marianne’s Banana bread was voted best in show, all was eaten; Frank was too late to enjoy all was gone!
Weather was beautiful, and the time spent with everyone was special.

Palm Harbor Marina
What a beautiful marina!!  We were all spoiled by this beautiful facility – floating docks, washers and dryers (no quarters required), big screen TV & boaters lounge, pool table, workout room…. Swirling around our “A” Dock, the current was a little bit “friskie” (just ask Judy and Larry!!)  but, once we were docked, we all knew we had arrived in paradise.  Everyone enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the Breakers on the Atlantic, and we were all amazed at this beautiful historical old Florida resort.  The shopping, great 5-star restaurants and beautiful park-like downtown of West Palm Beach was in walking distance of the marinas.  Everyone was having such a good time that we decided to stay another day. We will definitely put this destination on our list of places to “Come Back Again Soon” for a great getaway.

Bahia Mar – Ft. Lauderdale
Thursday Jan 12th, day 9 of our 15 day Loop Cruise, we left Palm Harbor Marina in West Palm for Fort Lauderdale just before 9am. We arrived at Bahia Mar Marina at 2:30pm after traveling the ICW in mostly no wakes and minimum wake zones. We viewed many gorgeous homes and yachts along this stretch of the ICW. Barry was claiming half of the large yachts that we passed to be his next boat. The whole group went to H2O, a great Italian restaurant, recommended by Bob Herndon that night for an excellent meal.
On Friday the 13th most of the group went on the water taxi “tour” of the IC and Fort Lauderdale. The captain of the water taxi named the owners of many of the extravagant  yachts and  homes that we passed. After lunch at Indigo on Las Olas  Blvd, some returned to the marina and some continued shopping and enjoyed ice cream at Kilwin’s.
On Saturday the 14th the first mates went to the Festival Flea Market on a Mah Jong hunt. The ladies “abandoned” Marianne and Linda at one booth when another shopper whispered “There are better prices at another booth”. The Captains went to breakfast,and then visited the largest West Marine store on the East Coast. Larry got new fenders, Brad and Charmaine got new bikes, Barry , Brent, and Chuck miscellaneous, Bob a VHF speaker, Frank a flag staff, Mike and Dave helped all,  especially  Larry with his fenders when they returned to the marina. It was a little too cool to go swimming, so most watched the NFL play off games in the afternoon.
On Sunday the 15th Ginny rented the Mariners Room at Bahia Mar for Mah Jong and Mexican Train games during the day. In the afternoon several of the guys went for a boat ride in the local canals to marvel at some of the local yachts and homes. In the evening everyone joined in for a Pizza Party after the Captain’s meeting run by Brent and Bob. 
On Monday January 16th (day 13) We left Fort Lauderdale at 8am traveling the ICW to Biscayne Bay. Bob led us down the Bay to the Channel 5 Bridge. Brent took the lead and we proceeded out in the Atlantic Ocean on a gorgeous sunny days with following seas in the two to three foot range. Never saw so many crab pot buoys in the channel. We arrived at Hawk’s Cay on Duck Key eight hours and ninety nine NM later minus Larry and Judy.

Duck Key
At 8:00 am, on a beautiful Monday morning we left Bahia Mar Marina in Fort Lauderdale headed down the intercostal waterway to Duck Key.  Frank Mulligan wanted to know if we always left at such an ungodly hour.  The group consisted of 8 boats since Therapy III and Nauti Buoy took the outside route to Ocean Reef and then went on to Marathon instead of going to Hawk’s Cay Resort on Duck Key. Unfortunately, during the voyage to Duck Key, our only boat incident of the Loop occurred on Sachmo, with Larry, Judy and Schmuele on board.  Sachmo had engine trouble and had to turn in to Jewfish Creek where they also ran aground and damaged both props.  After spending 2 nights (and enjoying them both) they rented a car and drove home leaving the boat to be repaired.  We left our day trip leader Bob and Jo Herndon and Al Rapp on TenneSea Waltz along with Gerry and Linda Odenbach on Odiekanobi at the Channel 5 bridge.  The two of them spent the night on-the-hook at Shark River and went on to Marco from there on Tuesday.  The remaining boats in the group (My Turn, Sonatella, Too Many Wakes and Ruffin It) were led on to Duck Key by Cookin’ without any issues.  Some of us played tennis others went walking and we all went out that evening for a good meal at the Resort and finally turned in early after the 9 hour trip.  The final day was enjoyed lazing around the pool, unwrapping crab pot lines from props and fixing one bent prop.  We ended the day with a fabulous dinner at the Hideaway Cafe.  Our trip back to Marco was one that all mariners dream of, bright blue skies and totally smooth seas.  A great time was had by all!   Barry Gelfand