An Island of Our Own

After the April 18th Tax deadline, the accountant -Roddy McDowell - that has done Jeff's taxes for the past 15 years gave Jeff a call and said he really needed to get away and were we up for some company.

Aren't we always up for more company?

Roddy spent time on the boat back in 2007 when he joined us in Captiva with the intentions of sailing with us to St. Petersburg. Our itinerary did not go according to plan with motor problems preventing us from traveling any further than Venice. The motor died as we limped into a slip at The Crow's Nest - never to start again. Roddy called a friend and abandoned ship while we dealt with mechanics and made arrangements to be towed to a boatyard.

For this trip, Roddy and his traveling companion, Carla, didn't get to do any sailing except around our mooring ball. Jeff went and picked them up at the docks and brought them back to the boat where we had a nice time lounging in the cockpit enjoying the view. After a bit, we set off in the dinghy so they could see Sombrero Beach and then we ventured into the mangroves of Whiskey Creek. Once back on the S/V Thin Line, we had a little snack of brie and summer sausage and made plans to meet for dinner. We decided on The Wreck up on Grassy Key. Dan Sullivan was playing, which always makes for a nice time.

The next day, Roddy and Carla came back to the boat for a bit of relaxing and then they left for Key West to see the sights. The following day, they were back to Fort Lauderdale to catch a flight home...a very quick trip indeed.

In the meantime, friends, Tony and Anne Baker from St. Pete, arrived on the scene. With them came their spotty dogs, Calvin and Chloe, and their 13 ft. Boston Whaler.

We first got to lay eyes on the couple and their adorable pups when they semi-circumnavigated the island and pulled up to the sailboat. With everyone on board, we gave a quick tour of the boat and then spent time catching up over a cocktail.

Then it was time for the Baker's to head back to their hotel and us to dinner @ The Wreck.

The next day, Tony and Anne and the spotty dogs did a bit of exploring the nearby waters. A little before sunset they came to the marina...this time by car. We relaxed on the boat for a bit and then we set off for Dockside for a bit of dinner and some live entertainment.

We had big plans for the next day!

We were going to visit Molasses Key...

Located out in the waters crossed by the Seven Mile Bridge, Molasses Key is a small uninhabited island with a nice, beachy surface on one side.

Although it wasn't the most comfortable ride, the Whaler's 50 horsepower motor got us through the choppy water.

I spotted a giant sea turtle along the way, but there was just no way to fish out the camera for a picture.

Upon our arrival, we had the whole beautiful, little island all to ourselves!
We made quick work of spreading out towels and unloading coolers and then it was time to RELAX!


The dogs caught on quick.

And that's what we did all day long.
We had snacks. We had drinks. We had shade. We had a lovely breeze.
Ahh...paradise.

We didn't have it to ourselves for very long.
A family on jet skis arrived and took up on the other end of the isle. Then a boat here and there. Even so, it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

Eventually, we ventured back to the harbor. The Baker's headed back to their hotel to get cleaned up and then we all met at Castaway's for a bit of dinner.

It was great seeing Tony and Anne and the dogs again. We hope they come back soon and often!