Life in Punta Gorda Jan. 6 - 15

Best yet. Could live here.

Fisherman's Village is our current candidate for top marina. Tennis club, resort atmosphere. We did not have the car ... Bought a second foldup bike to match Marion's. They are fun to ride and quite a bit more comfortable than the old ten speed rust buckets we had. I used it to tow the dock cart to town for groceries and for West Marine shopping.

Many liveaboards at Fisherman's Village. We got to know three of the many couples who live at  Marina for the winter.

Jack and Betsy Hardy on Antares got us interested in Passagemaker and loaned us a book about the long range cruising trawlers. They have a DeVries 47, all steel cruiser. It's a wide and deep double ended boat with a steady sail on a mast aft.   It's a lot like a large motor sailor with no main mast. We plan to anchor out with them at Usseppa Island for a couple of nights. They too are going to do the Great Loop.
 
The boat next door Front Page is owned by Gene and Kathy Johnson from Minnesota. Guess what business he is in. Their boat was previously named Tarheels when owned by Bill Eubanks.  It's a 48 foot Gulfstar... a very pleasant boat with a large salon aft and an enormous galley and dining room amidships.  We had a great Cheese fondue on their boat the evening before we left.  Remedy, Front Page, Rejoin and Antares

Gene and I both learned how to do a web page using the MacIntosh he has on board. I'm looking forward to surfing in on his page.
 

Ron and Beverly Arbizzani live on Farfetched. They are both tennis players and we had two great doubles matches with them. They are also friends of Barbara and Bill Lowenberg. Beverly is a bridge player so Marion introduced her to Bridge Baron.

Repaired Fresh water pump.. it had been pumping a mixture of air and water.. Actually kind of neat taking a shower in carbonated water. Repaired Genset after it leaked oil.