The Gulf Coast
February 6, 2024
1,000 miles of our 6,000 mile loop are complete. Our last leg of the Gulf of Mexico journey ended with a peaceful night anchored near the historic lighthouse at Anclote Key, then we settled in for 7 nights at Caladesi Island. We were previously unaware of this state park which is only accessible by boat (or a difficult walk from Clearwater). The island is a sanctuary for birds, sea turtles, gopher tortoises, armadillos and rattlesnakes. We began each day with a walk down the unspoiled beach or the palm-lined nature trails. Ferries would bring visitors between 10am and 4:30pm on the good weather days; the other times were just for us and the few other boats here. The beach is the most prolific shelling beach we’ve ever seen, and despite our very limited storage on little Novella, we are leaving with a few keepsakes. In between working hours, we spent time in the hammock on the beach, flying a tiny kite, sharing stories with other loopers, doing laundry on the line and watching the weather slowly shape and reshape this fragile island. We are settling into a slower rhythm, a deja vu of daydreams had on the way to here. Tomorrow we take a short trip to the highrise condos and resorts of Clearwater Beach.
February 27, 2024
We never intended to spend 2 full weeks in Clearwater Beach, but we enjoyed riding our bikes to the vibrant town of Dunedin and walking the sponge docks at Tarpon Springs. We decided to rent a car for a day and replace some destroyed jeans and stock up on provisions. We ordered some parts after a wiring component melted, and while waiting for them to arrive we both got sick, which delayed us further. We finally recovered and got moving a few days ago. After a 2-day hop, we ended up at the charming town of Gulfport and did some much-needed laundry, enjoyed real hot water showers, refilled all our fresh water, and enjoyed a BBQ dinner out. We then sailed all the way across Tampa Bay, which ended up being very sporty near the end, made worse by the huge motor yachts churning up waves as they passed. We found an unmanned dinghy in the middle of the rough channel, which led to our first back-and-forth with the Coast Guard. Two days later we arrived here at Cayo Costa and took the dinghy to explore this uninhabited island’s incredible natural beaches and the “Tunnel of Love” formed of lush mangroves that guide you to a pond directly across from the beach. Up next, we’re excited for some lazy tropical vibes and lots of biking at Captiva and Sanibel Island.
March 2, 2024
It’s hard to believe but we have completed the Gulf Coast portion of our journey. After a relaxing couple days at Captiva Island, today we went inland again at Fort Myers and will soon be at Lake Okeechobee, home to more than 30,000 alligators! It won’t take long to cross the State of Florida and begin the Atlantic portion of our adventure.
