We departed Pelican Bay, again on a rising tide, and had a lovely sail up the Charlotte Harbor bay. We arrived in the anchorage area off Punta Gorda in late afternoon, just in time to get caught in a Florida shower. Fortunately this was a typical Florida thundershower and over in less than an hour. But it did signify the arrival of a breezy cold front which kept us anchored on the northerly shore, outside dinghy range of the Punta Gorda waterfront. Just like New Smyrna, we spent two days onboard waiting for the wind to die down while our friends waited for us at their home ashore.
Sitting at anchor gave us time to check on our anchor washdown pump that wasn't pumping properly. Always something to work on when owning a boat. I think the issue is the plastic vanes on the pump rotor were sticking - we decided to leave the repair until we could order some new parts and, reverted to the manual process of using a bucket on a line to scoop up sea water and wash down the chain. Except for the first bucket (over 10 years old) breaking apart from the weight of the water, our second bucket worked successfully.
Good weather arrived by the third day and we moved over to the anchorage area just off downtown Punta Gorda and jumped in the dinghy to head to shore and check out the waterfront at Fisherman's Village. The dog-friendly Harpoon Harry's looked very inviting but we ended up stopping at the Village Brewhouse which also had outside seating where Rivah could hangout under our feet.
The BrewHouse had great beers and a fantastic outside seating area right over the water. This is the Florida that we were seeking when departing Yorktown in early January. March in Florida, a sunny 75 degrees. We hear it is snowing in Virginia.
Sitting at anchor gave us time to check on our anchor washdown pump that wasn't pumping properly. Always something to work on when owning a boat. I think the issue is the plastic vanes on the pump rotor were sticking - we decided to leave the repair until we could order some new parts and, reverted to the manual process of using a bucket on a line to scoop up sea water and wash down the chain. Except for the first bucket (over 10 years old) breaking apart from the weight of the water, our second bucket worked successfully.
Good weather arrived by the third day and we moved over to the anchorage area just off downtown Punta Gorda and jumped in the dinghy to head to shore and check out the waterfront at Fisherman's Village. The dog-friendly Harpoon Harry's looked very inviting but we ended up stopping at the Village Brewhouse which also had outside seating where Rivah could hangout under our feet.
The BrewHouse had great beers and a fantastic outside seating area right over the water. This is the Florida that we were seeking when departing Yorktown in early January. March in Florida, a sunny 75 degrees. We hear it is snowing in Virginia.
We finally were able to meet up with Sally and Conrad on their turf in Punta Gorda.
We anchored off Fisherman's Village for several days, then it was time to move over to Sally and Conrad's dock where we would leave Tides Inn for a month as we returned to Yorktown to do our taxes and host our visiting grandchildren. Sally and Conrad have a fantastic house on the Punta Gorda canal system where they parked their Island Packet, It's About Time, until they sold it. They graciously let Tides Inn rest at their dock in out absence.
From this snug berth we were able to tour around with Sally and Conrad and take in the sights and pleasures of Punta Gorda. This area has a great deal to offer to boaters (except for the occasional hurricane). The Punta Gorda waterfront has more than just Fisherman's Village wharf. There are other bars and restaurants and a great walking boardwalk along the coastline.
All too soon, it was time to get underway (by rental car) to return to Yorktown. Looking forward to returning to sunny Florida in April once our taxes are completed. A few hours up the road we are already passing New Smyrna (at least 6 days by boat).
