Karen and Fort Myers

Our next stop along the way south to Marathon is Fort Myers. Really the only reason we stopped here was to see our friend Karen. Karen moved from our home town in Illinois a few years ago. She is the owner of Market Earth. Which is the most fantastic store boasting fair trade, sustainable gifts, in downtown Fort Myers. It was wonderful to spend time with our friend.

Another great ride! 

Crocket is obsessed with dolphin watching!

Docked at Legacy Harbor Marina

Market Earth, my friends store downtown Fort Myers

Karen

Dog Visits...Crocket and Kermit

This here is "the" Marv from Marv's Weather. He provides a service to the boating community with daily buoy and tropical weather reports. 

Lots of statues here, this one of a man peeing on a light is anatomically correct...hehehe!

We enjoyed time hanging at Karen's, touring the Ford/Edison Estates, and eating!

Ben got a present, thank you Karen.

Edison's pool with diving boards

Oh no!

Dog love

Cheeseburger in Paradise!!!

We picked the perfect spot for our dollar!

After staying in one spot for over a month, I was feeling apprehensive about traveling. We were docked at Ben's dad and stepmom's house in Anna Maria with access to a car, pool, hot tub and washer/dryer. We were spoiled by being able to travel further than our bikes or legs can take us. We have family there and friends visiting weekly. It was perfectly glorious! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE traveling, and learning about each neat spot we encounter. But, I enjoy anywhere I go, making me like staying put as well.
 
So, as we were pulling away I was feeling sad but anxious to see what all the talk about this place called Cabbage Key was about. This is our next stop on our way down to Marathon. All I've heard is that there is nothing on Cabbage Key (which is an island)  but a restaurant and that Jimmy Buffet was inspired to write/compose the song Cheeseburger in Paradise. Ok! I like the song (note to self, play song and pay attention to the words), but why are we going to an island just to eat?

Heck, I didn't realize that this place was so cool!! We pulled into our slip, used their showers (I thought they didn't have anything here!) met some pet ducks, saw a tortoise, and walked up to the restaurant. Not just any restaurant either, It is bursting with character (built in the 1920's) on the outside. Inside, every inch of every wall is blanketed with dollar bills. Of course we strategically added a dollar to the restaurant. We were told by a staff member that the estimated total is around $70,000! Jimmy Buffets dollar bill is framed behind the bar. This place even has excellent food. Actually better than most restaurants we have encountered along the nearly 3000 miles we have traveled. We stayed the night and walked the small island the next morning. Most of the staff live on the island, no cars here. The property includes cabins for rent and living quarters for the staff. All things are brought to the island by boat. They even have tour boats that bring people for lunch and a walk around the property.
Just a really cool spot!

We had a great 6 hour ride to Cabbage Key! 

Even Crocket loves watching the dolphin!

The restaurant

Check out all the money on these walls 

Jimmy Buffet's dollar

These ducks were little beggers

View of our boat, Jammin Jane, from the restaurant. This was the morning we left, we waited for the fog to subside.

Happy to be on the move again!! 

Anna Maria and The BEST Resort/Marina EVER!!!

Our marvelous marina!

We have been staying at a 5+ star marina, I mean seriously this place is top notch!!!

The amenities here are high-end and even personalized!

We have a pool, a hot tub, free washer/dryer, hot shower used only by us AND even a car!

Wow!! How did we get so lucky to find this awesome marina?? ...... We asked Ben's dad and stepmom if they had room behind their house. Lucky for us, they had room!!!

Our stay at this top-notch marina has been extravagant!
(please note that this is a condensed list...the amenities were too many to include!)

It came complete with a personal shopper

Hard boiled egg maker

Pillow, lamp and bedding shopper
Access to use a 19ft Scout boat for day trips to get royal red shrimp!

A personal decorator who enjoys helping others spend their money!
Lovely friends right across the street who have helped in many ways, especially tipping drinks back!

This place is dog friendly too, including friends for Crocket to play with!
And a dog sitter!! 

We have been blessed to not only spend time with our family (and friends), but we also have saved  money staying here.
The time spent with family always seems to go so fast. We wish we could stay forever, but it is time for us to make our way south to explore new places and more new faces.
We are so thankful for the opportunity to stay here and spend time with our loved ones.
A HUGE thank you to Ben's dad and stepmom! Thank you for allowing us to intrude on your little paradise you call home!!! We really had a blast, we love you!!

Crocket felt right at home here!

Boat ride on the Scout

Ben doing our first oil change on our new boat

Foggy day

Found a new lamp, thanks for the coupon my personal shopper!

Our last dinner with George and Sue, sushi was great!

This hot tub rocks! It is 5ft deep!

Our little marina

The perfect pool for cooling off!

George and Molly (Crockets crush!)

He is staring at the pool waiting for someone to say "jump in!"

Crocket enjoyed being off leash and visiting his friend, Zane, across the street

Christmas day in the front yard, getting ready to go bug Joy and George

Never a shortage of yummy BBQ

This guy was strolling by our boat one morning!

New bedding! 

We had a wonderful ride on George and Sue's beauty, a 2013 Fleming 55. 

BBQ BBQ BBQ!!!

We are approaching the end of our stay here on Anna Maria, while we have been here over a month, it sure does not feel like it!
We have enjoyed spending the last couple of weeks with Ben's dad, George, and step-mom, Sue. They have a house here and have been extremely gracious, generous and accommodating. We have been docked behind their house since we arrived here the week of Christmas, while they were still back in Illinois. We have been way spoiled with long HOT showers in the house, the use of their washer and dryer (saving me loads of quarters), hot days around the pool and evenings spent in the hot tub, and even a car!!! We feel like we won the lottery, it has been wonderful!
So, before we head out Ben wanted to smoke some meat! Two pork shoulders and a brisket later, we drew a crowd for one of our last dinners with George and Sue, and friends Joy and George and Pam and Chuck.

Thank you George and Sue for your hospitality!!

Friends, Joy and George

Chuck and Pam

We had no idea we were amongst a celebrity! This guy Chuck, invented the peckerhead lure!!
We will be product testing while in the Bahamas!!