Port-A-Gee

We lived on Port-A-Gee 6 of the past 12 months separated by a 6-week break during the holidays.  This also included a month-long stay in Marathon Key.  It has been absolutely fabulous, and we count ourselves very fortunate for having the opportunity.  The places we've seen and the people we've met will be with us forever! WINTER 2021 STATS: 68 days onboard 523  nautical miles 5 Locks:    St. Lucie, Port Mayaca, Moore Haven, Ortona, Franklin 12 Marinas:   Burnt Store; Lighthouse; Naples City Dock; Calusa Island; Black Fin; Marlin Bay; Mangrove; Dania Beach; Old Port; Indiantown; River House; Sweetwater 7 nights on anchor:    Pelican - Punta Gorda; Smokehouse - Marco Island; Shark River - Everglades; Blight - Key Biscayne; University Cove - Oleta State Park; Hollywood Marina - Hollywood;  Gorgeous weather 95% sun, 0 rain! Robbins / Curtis Stokes showing us a Mainship Brian and I began our Loop quest in 2017, averaging approximately 60...

This leg represents the end of the line for our Winter 2021 cruising.  We'll take Port-A-Gee to her home port, Springbrook, Seneca, IL where she will be de-salted along with other maintenance. West Palm Sunrise Wed, 4/7 - West Palm Beach to Indiantown (48.9 nm).  We cut the lines at daybreak to continue our journey on the ICW.  It is not very often that we capture the sunrise, and this morning gifted us a beautiful opportunity. West Palm Country Club Agama Lizard Just before the St. Lucie bridge in Stuart, Port-A-Gee, once again, began going against the "Loop current" as we passed Loopers going the opposite (correct) direction!  We approached the St. Lucie Lock to ascend 14 feet and thankful to begin transitioning from salt to fresh water.  It will be brackish until we get to Okeechobee. Around 3:00 p.m. we decided to call it a day and secured a slip at Indiantown Marina.  We pulled in and fueled up - (which we later discovered may have been bad fuel....

Our month-long stay in Marathon is over, we have enjoyed the hospitality of Marlin Bay and all that the Key had to offer. We will make our way around the tip of Florida and up the West side for the last leg of our Winter trip 2021. Sat, 3/27/21 - Marathon to Tavernier, FL (39 nautical miles).  We casted off from Marlin Bay early for a nice cruise to Mangrove Marina, where we fueled up and made our way to our slip for the next 2 nights.  Mangrove is appropriately named - between the ecology and very shallow water, we were delighted to see lots of exciting marine life from the dock.  We enjoyed daily visits from nurse sharks, manatee, barracuda, jelly fish, live coral - that looked like snowflakes laying on the bottom, and lots of others that we can't name! Amenities include clean showers, laundry facility, pool. There is a strip mall with fast food and grocery within 1/2 mile, just past the Mariner's hospital. Another 1/2 mile over the bridge, we were welcomed t...