Saturday, February 9, 2013

Vessel Safety Check

Days on cruise:  273

Saturday was a “get ready to go” day. We waited several hours for a guy from the Coast Guard Auxiliary to show up and conduct a Vessel Safety Check. He arrived about noon and was done in less than 20 minutes. He said we “passed with flying colors” as all of the required items were in order and ready for his inspection, having been organized by Bob in advance. We last had an inspection at Fort Pierce in early 2012, so that sticker expired. We’re told  the chances of getting boarded on the water by a Coast Guard or other official (time consuming and inconvenient)are greatly reduced if you have a current VSC sticker displayed on your window. Now we do!

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This is the closest we’ve gotten to an alligator so far. Full disclosure is it is a fake one in a fountain at the marina. Looks real though!

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Saturday afternoon we walked historic downtown Fort Myers. Lots of things commemorating the famous trio of Edison, Ford and Firestone, and this one depicts their frequent camping trips together. In sport coats???

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Restaurants, park names, plaques and statues and more.

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Mid-afternoon a knock on the hull announced the arrival of Anne and Jim from “Wild Goose”, a couple we first met in Canada’s North Channel and haven’t seen since Green Turtle Bay in September. They came for cocktails, and we had a good visit. They’ll close their Loop and cross their wake in the next week or 10 days, returning to their home in eastern Florida and undecided about “what next”.  Bill and Joy from “Proud Lady” were supposed to come too, but got held up on a nearby island visiting an old high school friend so couldn’t make it.

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We had another pretty sunset.

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All is well, and we’re eager to get moving again tomorrow.

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