Cruising cats update May 13

Sorry for the delay in updates. We have been visiting relatives near
Sarasota, Florida, and also saw a man who served with Jim in Vietnam. I
swear they were Energizer bunnies disguised as senior citizens. Although
they are in their 70s ad 80s, they about wore us out.
Anyway, I got to sit in the cockpit of an Angel Flight airplane (while it
was in the hangar).

polonca12000...

Rosie and Cinder were a little peeved that we were not around the whole time
to cater to them, and complained if we were a little late with the food.
I opened a cabinet to get something out of it, and Jim closed the door.
When I returned to put the item back in the cabinet, I opened it, and there
was Cinder inside.

Of course, we also take a cat roll call before we leave the boat, but we
would probably have been frantic looking for her if I had not opened that
cupboard. I guess we foiled that b*st*rd cat trick.

No telling what else they'll have in mind.

Now, we are anchored in Cape Haze. My thrill for the day was seeing fuzzy
baby pelicans in a bird sanctuary and an eagle nest on a navigation marker.
All this is while we pass through areas with mansions on the shore and boats
all around.

Jim spotted a manatee, but I was too busy checking the charts.

We hope in two more days to be ready to enter Lake Okeechobee to cross from
the west coast to the east coast of Florida.

jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt...

I didn't realize you could cross the state entirely on water! How far
is Okeechobee from the southern tip of Florida?

Christine K....

And I didn't realize you could cross the state at that particular point,
as I couldn't spot the waterways leading to and from the lake.

Okeechobee for the city and FL for the state and hit Search. Use the
zoom controls on the left hand side of the map to zoom in or out.

Annie Wxill...

The passage starts in San Carlos Bay and runs from Fort Meyers on the west
coast through Lake Okeechobee to St. Lucie on the east coast of Florida.

jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt...

I checked this out, thanks! Wow, the water route becomes very narrow in
some places (though I guess when you're in it, it doesn't feel that way).
Then suddenly, you're in this huge open lake.

My sister and mother live quite near St. Lucie, just south of it in Stuart.

Annie Wxill...

I think Stuart may be a stopping place for people coming out of the
waterway. It's interesting that your sister and mother live so close and
hadn't mentioned the waterway shortcut to you.

jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt...

Well, they don't have boats, so they wouldn't have any need for it.
My sister's been there for 3 years and my mother just moved there a
few months ago. Maybe my sister mentioned it, but it didn't stick in
my mind, as I've never had a need to cross the state of Florida in a
boat. :)

I looked at the map, and indeed, Stuart is just where the waterway
feeds into the ocean! Well, I'll have to tell my sister and mom about
that.

Hard to say how far it is from the southern tip of Florida by water because
the route is not a straight line, but, I say it is a long way, several
hundred miles at least, for us to go down one side and up the other.
Lake Okeechobee is a big lake in the southern half of the state, so I think
you can find it easily on a map or to web-search it, if you'd like.
Hope this helps,
Annie, crew for Cinder and Rosie

Annie, crew for Rosie & Cinder

polonca12000...

Great update! Thanks.
Best wishes,
Polonca and Soncek

Marina...

Thanks for the update. You are making me long for the island! Can't wait
to go out there this summer (the avian flu scare is over - never arrived
in Finland) and see all the wildlife.

Adrian A...

I'm looking forward to reading about, Caliban's introduction to the island,
I bet he'll love it.

Annie Wxill...

I'm looking forward to that, too. Unfortunately for Rosie and Cinder, the
only trip they've taken off the boat is to the vet when we couldn't find the
Revolution and had to take them in for a check before we could get more;.

When we were at the marina in Houma, LA, Jim picked them fresh grass at the
park there and they loved that. They also like to go outside on the deck
when we are at anchor (someplace where there are no alligators, just in
case). They have adjusted amazingly well to being boat cats, but I'm sure
they would love Marina's island. (So would I).
Annie

Adrian A...

When you finally get back to dry land you'll have to buy the cats a
waterbed. ;-)

Annie Wxill...

LOL! I hadn't thought of that. They are getting pretty good sea legs.

Annie, crew for Cinder and Rosie

Marina...

And I'm looking forward to seeing how he reacts to it. Just have to wait
a couple more months.