Cayo Hostages

We left Cabbage Key on a wonderful south wind and sailed up the ICW to Pelican Bay.  Pelican Bay is a large anchorage that serves Cayo Costa State Park.  The park occupies the majority of Cayo Costa Key and has miles of beach and trails to walk.  The park also has camp and cottage sites for rent and is a popular day trip for nature lovers.  We enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the boat and tucked in because we knew a stretch of bad weather was coming.  Sure enough it rained a day and has blown hard out of the north for the last two giving me plenty of time to catch the blog up!!!  Interestingly enough we sighted another Victory 35…anchored across the bay!!  I went over and met Bob and Sherrie on Duet.  They live in Port Charlotte and boast Cayo Costa as a second home.  Bob is actively recruiting anchor residents to get a zip code so mail can be delivered here!  Yesterday we met on the beach and walked five miles along the inlet, gulf and island learning about the pluses (there are many) and minuses (there are a few) of living and boating in this area.  It is beautiful!

Beautiful Lagoon

Bob & Sherry Hammond from Duet

Duet in Hammond Bay

Today we are pulling up the hook and heading to Fishermen’s Village Marina, Punta Gorda.  Plan is to stay there a month and boat Charlotte Harbor till we pull Catmandu in mid-April.  As it’s too early to be thinking about that I’ll end here.

Oh, for the boaters reading this…am I LOVING my new 45lb Manson Supreme Anchor!!!  It sets like baamm…and we have been in sustained 20+knt gusting to 30…plus the wind has moved 360 degrees and we haven’t moved an inch!!!  Gets my two thumbs up!!!