Rustic And Refined
11 February 2021 | Cabbage Key
Thursday 11 February 2021
Planned destination after Naples, Ft. Myers Beach, was a no go as all marinas and moorings able seven foot draft were chockers with no anchorage reasonably close. Continued on through the "Miserable Mile" (in fact about five miles of prodigious churning by hordes of powerboats, big and small) to St. James city, south end of Pine Island, for two nights where we enjoyed ambiance of a slowly vanishing erstwhile Florida at Ragged Ass Saloon with a cast of characters. Unlike Marco and Naples where waterways are lined with meticulously manicured mansions, small houses and trailers predominate along the many canals.
Speaking of old Florida (a genteel version), currently anchored across from Cabbage Key in Pine Island Sound, home of the "Cheeseburger in Paradise" of Jimmy Buffett fame. Or so they claim. More likely song's inspiration was either somewhere in Roadtown, BVI, or Le Select in Gustavia, St. Barths. Don't think Jimmy's talking, but you could send him a query. Having never been a connoisseur, never tried their burger during any of several visits, but may do tonight when we dink in for dinner. On one trip here experienced sand fleas, no-see-ums, on the beach so thick we could see-um as a fuzzy cloud around our ankles. For such a wee critter, they have a vicious little bite. It's winter, but taking bug spray just in case.
Jack & Jan