Working Hard to have fun

We finally completed the scraping of the old antifouling paint yesterday. We both have really sore muscles so it was a blessing to get a visit from Bruce and Anne so we could take a break.  We went out to the Gator Bait Pub for lunch and had a nice catch up session with them.  We may see them in Myrtle Beach on our way home or on the Rideau Canal so it was farewell for now.
The weather is getting hot again so we are back to happy hour with the folks in the yard.  We gathered around with the folks from Fort Worth Texas last night as well as our Nova Scotia friends on Mint Julep.  It was nice to hear about exploits in Belize.
The Captain is doing some grinding and sanding today so I should be able to start painting tomorrow. I will do the brush work and he will use the roller. We should be in the water on Friday.  I hear a lot of that around here.  Boat jobs always take longer than anticipated.

Frosty mugs with Bruce and Anne

Gator Bait Pub

The Crew is stiff this morning

We spent the day scraping the hull and we are not done yet. We are scraping down to the gel coat and starting from scratch since most of the paint had peeled off. It is much chillier today with a high of 58 predicted.  The heater was on all night and it promises to be a frosty 38 degrees tonight.  With the wind, it is the coldest we have had yet. The cold front moves off tomorrow so we should be able to finish off the scraping. Today, we are doing other chores to let our stiff muscles recuperate.  The crew is not used to hard work, usually only one arm is moving.
We did not even socialize last night since it was cold and we were so tired. A nice fish dinner, a movie and bed was the order of the evening.

The Captain scraping while I try all the tricks to get out of work

On the hard at Glades

North Star is not floating she is on the hard at Glades boat Yard for a much needed bottom job.  While we were busy having fun at Bonita Bill's, all manner of creature were attaching themselves to our boat for a free meal.
We spent yesterday scraping and it looks like today will be much the same. Even the first mate was put to work. 
We are catching up with old friends at happy hour and meeting new ones of course. One lady from Mint Julep spent last year battling breast cancer. She also lost her 55 yer old sister to an aneurysm at the same time. A chap on Rositta underwent radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Life is short and fragile, enjoy every moment that you can.
We are moving some of our load to Hemingway one more time, this is our last chance to unload. Hope there wont be too many more yard sales and flea markets.
We should be here until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Sunrise on the Caloosahatchee river

North Star out of her element

There's some of the rope we have been chewing along the way

Hemingway sleeping at Glades Boat Yard

Leaving LaBelle

We were allowed to stay for 3 days but managed to stretch it to 5 since the dock is not busy.  Watermelon, a 34 foot PDQ, was next to us and two other boats arrived late and left the next day so there was lots of room for others.
We provisioned for the stay in the boat yard which could be as long as a week. We are being hauled out on Friday morning.  North Star will have a pressure wash and then we have to give her a new coat of bottom paint, to keep the barnacles and growth down, for the journey home.
We had many visitors who know us from the boat yard during our stay here. We chatted with our neighbours who are from Boston but they have been cruising for 25 years. Very knowledgeable sailors who are now power boaters.
I was able to pick up some more free books from the library across the street.  I have been reading quite a bit. La Belle has nice quiet side streets that are completely covered by live oak trees.  The branches grow over the street and provide a beautiful shady canopy, perfect for bike riding on hot muggy days. The weather has cooled down considerably so moving on and working in the yard will not be so tedious for the crew.
We went for a four mile dinghy ride to Port La Belle marina yesterday. We know a few people there so we will stay at our other free dock tonight and go in for happy hour at the restaurant on site and most likely stay for dinner. It is only half a mile from our free dock.

Old Man's beard or Spanish Moss

I love the vegetation that grows on live oaks

Live oak in LaBelle

LaBelle Florida

It was a hot and muggy day yesterday at the town dock.  The Captain was crawling around the hot engine room trying to fix the hot water heater.  It was fixed when we left the beach but it is broken down again. The Captain was not happy so the first mate went to town to stay out of the way. I met folks from the boat yard in town who were supposed to have left for the Bahamas by now.  They are still in the boat yard getting their boat ready. Boat work seems to go on and on forever.
We had a very pleasant happy hour with folks fom North Carolina and Ohio as well as a Canadian chap from Ottawa.  It is always intersting to hear some boating bluppers and harrowing experiences.
Randy is leaving us today to carry on towards the east and the Bahamas.  Perhaps we will meet again when we are heading North in the spring.
Jerry is painting today if the rain holds off and I am going into town to do laundry and maybe get a haircut.

North Star and the other 6 boats at the town dock

LaBelle town dock

We  had a nice quiet night at the free dock just west of Port La Belle marina (N26 46.0952 and W081 24.08260. Jerry and Randy walked over to Port La Belle Marina and met up with some old acquaintances of ours from the boat yard.
We had a pot luck dinner on our boat just the three of us and made an early night.
We left early this morning after being awakened by a couple who had come to look for sharks teeth.  I didn't find any here but I usually do at Glades Boat Yard. We tied up at the courtesy dock across the river and rode our bikes to our favourite Mexican flea Market. The same old junk is still for sale but they have good produce. I bought some cactus that will add colour and texture to my stir fry. It is already cleaned and cut, all I need to do is boil it with onions and add it to the rest of the colourful veggies.
We walked back into town with Randy to go on the Nature walk and then for lunch at the Log Cabin.  It specialises in Bar B Q pork but we always have fish there.  It is very good.
We are now tied up at the free town dock that offers three free nights with power and water.  It is noisy but it turns out it is like old home week.  We know the folks at two of the 6 boats here.
We will stay for our allotted stay but I think Randy is moving on as he is anxious to get to the Bahamas.

Quiet dock on the Caloosahatchee River

Interesting vegetation growing out of a Live Oak

La Belle flea market

Nature walk in La Belle

Cactus growing out of a Live Oak

Log Cabin Restaurant

large live oak tree

Hancock Creek- North Fort Myers

We anchored in a quiet little anchorage near Marinatown Marina last night called Hancock Creek (N26 39.3352 and W081 53.7070). We explored the area by dinghy and went to Marinatown docks. There are 3 restaurants here that have the usual outdoor and indoor seating. We went for .50 cent oysters at one place and had dinner at the next one.  Friends from Glades boat yard, Al and Sonia, keep their boat here so we visited with them for a short time.
We went back to the boat so Jerry could fix a leak in our water system. There is always something to fix or adjust.
We watched a comedy and made it an early night.
This morning we set out for La Belle and the city dock.  We arrived at 1;30 but the dock is full.  We tried to anchor but the Caloosahatchee river is deep and it is windy today.  We found an other free dock just a few miles from la Belle so North Star and Black Tickle are both tied up for the night.  We will try La Belle again tomorrow so we can go to the Mexican Flea Market.
Skype is not working again today so I will have to hold off on my phone calls.
We had a bit of rain on the way down today but it is sunny and hot now. The boys have gone for a walk so I will take some much needed time out.

Hancock Creek anchorage

Black Tickle and North Star rafted at Hancock Creek

This little Otter was walking the docks at Marinatown