Day 177 & 178: Punta Gorda

Day 177: January 11:  Overcast and chilly again. Pull out the sweatshirts! Maybe yesterday's summer like weather was just a dream; but we persevere!

We pulled up anchor and cruised out of Englewood Beach, making our way into the channel. It was low tide and this meant VERY low tide. We were following Frank and it looked like he was going to run right into the shallows. Fortunately we had enough water to make it to the channel without a problem. Later in the day I found out that another Looper (Thataway) who had anchored a bit further in from us woke up in the morning high and dry, having swung too close to the shoreline (which on our chart-plotter read about 2 to 4 feet) overnight. Nothing to do but wait patiently for high tide! 

We left Manasota Key and traveled to Gasparilla Sound, passing by Cape Haze and Gasparilla. What little sun there was in the morning soon disappeared behind dark clouds. As the sky darkened, the emerald green glowed looked stunning. It's still bewildering to see so many derelict boats left to decay. Not only do they spoil the scenery, they can certainly be a hazard to mariners. 

Pelicans continued to entertain us, gliding effortlessly inches above the water, lofting themselves into the air and dive bombing back down, usually successful at catching their morning meal. We cruised by Stump Pass on Manasota Key. A visit to the beach is often recommended but we were on a mission to get to Punta Gorda so we cruised by. We did catch the view of the Gulf from Stump Pass Inlet; the sun happened to be shining as we motored on by, creating another breathtaking moment. 

Right around Boca Grande we left the channel, turning toward port into Charlotte Harbor, one of the nation's largest natural harbors. Depths were fine; reading anywhere from 8 to 13 feet. The wind was supposed to be blowing around 5 to 10 knots but it seemed like more and pretty good chop kicked up. It grew darker and we could see rain in the distance. Sweatshirts on again! 

I contacted our friend Doug Amaral to let him know we were getting close to Punta Gorda. He has been following our travels since day 1 and was hoping we would be able to stop in and visit one of his Punta Gorda restaurants. Originally from Westport, Doug has never really left home. He visits Westport frequently and welcomes what he calls "Traveling Westporters" to his restaurants, Italia and River City Grill. 

Doug lives in a condo located just before Fisherman's Village on Peace River. As we entered the river, I texted him our ETA. He texted when he spotted us coming around the bend and stood outside his blue, 3rd floor condo waving his Westport shirt. I looked through the binoculars and sure enough saw his white welcome flag waving back and forth. What a sweet welcome to Punta Gorda. 

The name Punta Gorda comes from the Spanish meaning "Fat Point". This historic small town, located between Sarasota and Fort Myers, lies as a Fat Point' jutting out into Charlotte Harbor. In 2004 the town suffered tremendous damage from a direct hit by Hurricane Charley. Many old buildings were so damaged that they were deemed beyond repair and had to be demolished. It has taken time, but the town has undergone reconstruction efforts that have revitalized the area!

We found a great spot to anchor very near Gilchrist Park in about 8 feet of water. There are several boats anchored in the area, but many don't look like anyone is on them; yet we are pretty sure others are live aboards. As soon as we were settled Frank called asking if we wanted to go ashore and meet his friend, Ray, who offered to take us to the grocery store. Always needing something, we joined them. We dinghed to Fisherman's Village Marina where we able to tie up  for a few hours; I was pleasantly surprised because I had read a review that reported that new management no longer welcomed folks looking for a place to leave their dinghy. We later learned that "new" owner is in financial trouble, having been accused of a $35 million  fraud scheme involving misappropriation of funds. It's a shame that this charming and interesting Southwest Florida destinations has to undergo such turmoil. 

Day 178: January 12: It was a very foggy morning, most likely due to the fact that the temperatures shifted quite a bit. The forecast called for temperatures in the high 70's. Although foggy and cloudy, it's warm! I am grateful. 

We went ashore and visited the Military Heritage Museum, a 17,000 sq. ft. facility dedicated to paying homage to our veterans, offering unique experiences to visitors as well as an historical perspective about America's wars. 

The museum's many volunteers provided guidance, a presentation on submarines, virtual reality experiences and my favorite, a flight simulator. John and I were eager to try our hand at flying. The flight simulator was legit; actually used by pilots in training. I have to say I got a bit nervous as I was obviously going to do a crash landing! Lucky for me, my guide was an experienced pilot, having flown for 40 years so I was in good hands. John on the other hand crashed a jet! 

We were looking forward to dinner at Italia which was about a 10 minute stroll from the dinghy dock located behind the Punta Gorda Boat Club. It was a lovely walk to the downtown area; Victorian style lamp posts and palm trees wrapped in glittering white lights line the brick paved street, creating a festive atmosphere. We were surprised to see wreaths and a Christmas tree still on display and some houses adorned with lights and Christmas decorations. 

Doug's two restaurants abut each other on Marion Avenue in charming downtown Punta Gorda. 

Arriving at 5:15, we were immediately seated at a table for 5, the 5th available for Doug to join us! Within a few minutes Doug appeared, greeting us all with a big hug; calling us the "Ultimate Traveling Westporters". 

He presented us with a dish he made at home specially for us. Loaded with little necks, muscles, shrimp, sausage and crab and sitting on a bed of rice, it was delectable. After a hearty plateful, Mona and I could only manage a Caesar salad. John ordered the primi; shrimp parmesan over spaghetti while Frank ordered a pizza. 

We were surprised when another Westport couple approached our table. A former colleague of John's happened to be visiting Punta Gorda also. It's a small world. Other local regulars stopped by our table to ask if we were Westporters; they are obviously accustomed to northern Westporters visiting "Westport South" as Doug calls Punta Gorda. 

In addition, while engaged in great conversation, Doug received a call from "Al Lees", John's cousin. He was well aware that we were in town and called from Westport to buy us a drink. What a hoot that was! Conversation was non-stop, recounting Westport stories about places and people we shared in common. Finally, when lights were being shut off and every other customer had left, we had to say goodnight and thank Doug for his generosity and hospitality.