Day 190: A Day in Everglades City

Day 190: January 24:  We wanted to enjoy another day in Everglades City so we headed in early before the wind had a chance to get rocking! The sun was out and the it promised to be a beautiful day. 

The dinghy ride was comfortable, especially once we passed by the open area not protected by the small mangrove islands. We arrived at the Everglades Isles Marina and spent a couple of hours chatting with Mona and Frank on Summer Fling. They are docked right across from airboat companies and one of the inlets leading into the mangroves. Engine noise is nonstop; listen long enough and it becomes white noise. The number of airboats passing back and forth is a bit surprising. I never thought so many people would be visiting this small town, never mind booking a tour of the mangroves on a noisy airboat.

We walked the mile or so to the Rod & Gun Club for lunch. It was warm and we enjoyed some of the quirkiness of the town including a couple of palm tree stumps that have been carved to look something like totem poles. Looks like a clever way to add some whimsy to an otherwise unremarkable street corner. 

Everglades first baptist church grabbed my attention, partly because of the stately palm trees forming what looked like an archway leading to the church's front steps. A Baptist mission was established in Everglades in 1955 and met in various places throughout town. This modest building began as a Methodist chapel that served C.J. Jones logging community in Jerome, about 15 miles north of its current spot, The sawmill closed in 1958 and the church was donated to the Baptist community and moved to Everglades City. 

What I found most interesting is the humble church is made of pecky or peggy cypress, a rare wood unique in appearance and character. Pecky cyrpess only occurs in less than 10% of older cypress trees. Its beautiful and unique design is caused by a fungus. Full of character, the wood creates a warm, cozy feeling inside.

The Rod and Gun Club is definitely not to be missed. The site was the home of William Smith Allen who settled in the town in the 1870's. He sold the property to Geroge Storter in 1889 and it was expanded to include a post office and warehouse for the sugar cane syrup trade. After purchasing the town in 1922, Barron Collier converted the building into the Rod & Gun Club; it became well known for its fishing and distinguished guests who frequented the area. 

Lunch was delicious; fried scallops, broiled seafood platter, grouper and frogs legs! The four of us enjoyed every bite and had a fun time poking about the club's numerous rooms. From the dim lighted bar to the river side porch to the nostalgic sitting room, the club stirred our imaginations; leading us to envision times when the club was filled with the rich and famous. 

After lunch we spent a bit more time on Summer Fling. John and I told Frank and Mona that after days of ruminating, we had decided to skip the Keys and the Bahamas. Weather has not been ideal for crossing the Gulf and we have watched the days and weeks pass by at a pretty good clip. Our plans include visiting my parents in Palm Coast and spending a couple of months in Puerto Rico before completing the Loop and heading back to Westport in late June/early July. So, given the forecast and the time we have spent waiting out weather in Gulf, we decided to head back north and travel through Florida via the Okeechobee Waterway. So we said our goodbyes to our travel buddies and headed back to our anchorage just as the sun began to set. What a glorious sight.