Blue Turtle Cruising

Fort Myers Beach Mooring Field

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Blue Turtle on a mooring ball

We haven’t been off the dock since our New Years Trip to Cayo Costa and Palm Island Marina so we decided to take a very short cruise from Snook Bight Marina to the Matanzas Harbor Mooring Field on Fort Myers Beach. Randy and I have stayed on my parent’s boat Island Time on a ball there, but haven’t taken our own boat, Blue Turtle. My parents decided to meet us at the mooring field on Island Time and this would be our first mooring ball experience on Blue Turtle.

Capt. Steve and Gina (my parents) with their pups heading to Mantanzas Inn to register their mooring ball
Capt. Steve and Gina (my parents) with their pups heading to Mantanzas Inn to register their mooring ball
Friends Tom, Mary Kay and Maddie with Baily arriving by dinghy
Friends Tom, Mary Kay and Maddie with Baily arriving by dinghy
Johnny found a little friend at the Cruisers Appreciation Day
Johnny found a little friend at the Cruisers Appreciation Day

We headed out on Saturday morning and planned to stay two nights leaving to go back to the marina on Monday. Once we figured out how to tie up to a ball, we dropped our dinghy into the water to get ready to go ashore. My parents got a ball next to us and we met them on land by dinghy to register with Mantanzas Inn. After we were registered, our friends from the marina Tom, Mary Kay and Maddie came down from Snook Bight on their dinghy to walk around the beach with us and have some drinks. The Mantanzas Inn happened to be hosting a “Cruisers Appreciation Day” so we decided to stay for a drink and see who won the prizes. Mary Kay and Tom scored big winning several prizes with the grand prize being a 2-nights stay at Lover’s Key Resort. After Mantanzas Inn, we hopped around from place to place on the island and ended up at La Ola’s for a dinner of margarita’s and the biggest platter of nachos (fed 5 adults and 2 kids) we’d ever seen. That evening, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset.

Mary Kay, Tom, Maddie and Johnny at the Mantanzas Inn Cruiser Appreciation Day
Mary Kay, Tom, Maddie and Johnny at the Mantanzas Inn Cruiser Appreciation Day
Corey and Maddie enjoyed some multi-colored ice cream
Corey and Maddie enjoyed some multi-colored ice cream
Johhny and a polynesian dancer at Nervous Nellies
Johhny and a polynesian dancer at Nervous Nellies
Corey and Maddie on the Nervous Nellies giant chair
Corey and Maddie on the Nervous Nellies giant chair
Blue Turtle (in front) with Island Time on mooring balls
Blue Turtle (in front) with Island Time on mooring balls
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Gorgeous Fort Myers Beach sunset
My sister and adorable nephews at Parrot Key
My sister and adorable nephews at Parrot Key

On Sunday, my sister and nephews came to stay with us for a night. Randy and Corey headed to Snook Bight to pick them up by dinghy. Once they arrived, my sister, Ryan and I were taxied by Corey over to my parents boat for a visit while Jack and Corey fished on our boat. In the afternoon, we took the dinghy over to Salty Sam’s Marina and went to the Parrot Key restaurant for dinner and drinks. On Monday, we pulled up the dinghy and headed back to Snook Bight Marina. It was great getting off the dock if even for only a couple of days. We also enjoyed spending time with my parents and my sister and nephews.

My sister and nephews arriving by dinghy
My sister and nephews arriving by dinghy
Corey shuttles us to and from my parent's boat
Corey shuttles us to and from my parent’s boat
Corey and Jack enjoy some fishing
Corey and Jack enjoy some fishing
Waving goodbye to Island Time
Waving goodbye to Island Time who was staying another night
Randy captains the boat back to Snook Bight
Randy captains the boat back to Snook Bight

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