Let the Fun Begin
Friday, October 18th, the first extended cruise of the Marco Bay Yacht Club season began with beautiful weather, flat seas and 11 boats heading for Naples Bay Resort. Onboard the vessels were the Mounts (Nauti Buoy), Cooks (Cookin), Herndons (TenneSea Waltz), Johnsons (Tu Eres El Viento), Sachers (Sachmo), Sandlins (Camelot), Skillerns & Kernans (Sea Ya’ll), Gelfands (My Turn), Brinkoetters (Gotta Luvit), Landwaards (Sweet Lips) and Browns (Therapy III).
The afternoon was spent by the ladies either shopping, playing canasta or mah jongg or touring the resort facilities, while the captains cleaned their boats or watched some sports.
Dinner was pre-planned by Judy Sacher at the Mangrove Café on 5th and most of the ladies then made a quick dash to Best of Everything to pick up some “must have” Halloween garb, while some of the men opted for Kilwins ice cream.
We were joined the next day at noon by a group of day boaters and land yachts for an enjoyable lunch for 60 folks at Bonefish Grill on the resort property.
The afternoon was spent once again playing games in the lovely Captains’ Lounge while the men opted for Mexican Train Dominoes out by the pool.
The staff at Naples Bay and the Bonefish were excellent and very accommodating.
Sunday morning we said goodbye to Sea Ya’ll, Camelot and Sachmo as they headed back to Marco, and the rest of the fleet continued north to the Pink Shell Resort and Marina in Fort Myers Beach.
The Geschreis (A-Blast) were already there awaiting our arrival and the Rapps (Rip Rapp) and Mulligans (Too Many Wakes) joined us Sunday as well.
Pink Shell is a great location with wonderful yacht accommodations, exceptionally pleasant staff in the marina as well as throughout the resort, very good food and libations, and excellent accommodations for small boaters and land yachts to join in the fun….just ask the Mulligans who join us for most of our extended cruises.
Heavy hors d’oeuvres were the plan for dinner Sunday evening and we utilized the deck surrounding the marina office to escape from the unusual heat of the evening on the dock. We were joined on Sunday evening by Marji and Bob White and Val and Bob Zammito who stayed in the hotel for the next few days as well. As always we had more than enough delicious food for the group. The highlight of the evening came when the Herndons made the Gelfands honorary Tennesseeans and presented them with coonskin caps after which Bob and Barry did a bit of dancing to “Rocky Top”….for which they are well renowned!!
The following days were filled with sunbathing and swimming, dinghying around, walking to/from town (so we could eat more) playing games, watching sports and relaxing. Dinners were all wonderful at the Matanzas Inn, Nervous Nellie’s (some opted for sushi that night) and a final dinner at the Bayfront Bistro where as well as great food we also enjoyed a wine tasting treat.
This morning, Friday, saw the departure of most of the boats who have reported in with great seas and wind on their backs, while the Johnsons (awaiting Fedex with a needed part), Browns (awaiting favorable tides back at Caxambas Pass) and Mulligans (just hanging out) are still here at Pink Shell enjoying a wonderful, cool morning.
Reports are that a great time was had by all and our first cruise of the season was a great success. Check your calendars and join us by land or sea for our next extended cruise to Key West (and Dry Tortugas for some) in November…..following soon after the Everglades City weekend.
