Well... sort of looks like Christmas.  Santa is here in Fort Myers at the Edison Ford Winter Estate and the decorations are beautiful.  We spent a night at the Landings Marina and visited with John Deverell and then anchored at Fort Myers Beach to see the annual Christmas Boat Parade.  Thousands of people show up for this parade (and party) and the boat decorations are very well done. Next time we'll be more prepared and decorate and participate in the parade!  Weather is absolutely perfect as we listen to the Vikings game on Sunday afternoon.  

 After a follow up visit to Cortez , we said goodbye and headed south, ending up at Boca Grand Marina. We made some new friends along the way, a dolphin family,  who traveled with us for a bit.  Boca Grand is part the barrier island of Gasparilla

We were so sad to miss our family for the first time on Thanksgiving but feel so blessed to be able to spend it instead with our dear friends Bill and Jodi Defiel and their long time friends Bob and Lynn Ackerman.  What a fabulous weekend. Weather was 70's and sunny every day and we filled each day with fun activities, great food and tons of laughter. Our home base for the weekend was Pier 77 Safe Harbor Marina, which is brand new, clean and well run. 

Bob and Lynn hosted us for a crab dinner on Thanksgiving and provided toys and a great location to have fun and relax.  We got to experience Sarasota one night at Marina Jack where a friends band  was playing and we dined and danced.  Marina Jack is a great marina, (a Suntex Marina), right in the heart of Sarasota, It's was a great place with lots happening. 

​We are so very thankful for all of these blessings, opportunities, old friends, new friends, and our supportive families.  

While in the area, we were able to meet up with our friends, Bill & Peg Chamberlain for dinner, who we know from our early boating days and trips to Lake City, where Bill used to run the marina.   We had planned to stay the 2-3 weeks at Bill's marina, Riviera Dunes, but only ended up there one night so we could get the boat hauled out and repaired.  Riviera Dunes is a beautiful marina in Bradenton with lots of amenities. We wished we could have spent more time there but at least we got to spend some time with Bill and Peg.  Cortez is right across the Intracoastal from Anna Maria Island so we got to enjoy much of the island and it's great beaches, eateries and sunsets.  

Meeting new friends along this journey is really the best part.  While here in Cortez we got to hang out with what I like to refer to as our Canadian Hallmark friends, Catherine and Chris, and we also got to catch up with Jody and Norman, who we traveled with on the rivers.