Wednesday Febr. 19, 2014, Leaving Everglades Isle Marina and RV Park

Woke up early to get out before all the traffic from the fishing boats and tourists, Everglade Swamp airboats started.
9:30-Reluctantly left the Marina!  Marilyn saw a flyer for a Free Wine and Cheese Tasting at the Club House tonight.  This was the best marina so far. Motored out to marker at the Indian Key G"1 then out about a mile off shore. Plotted a course direct to the Everglades border marker outside the Shark River Inlet.  Our proposed anchorage.  Average speed 5.2 kts. ETA around 1700hrs.
12:30 Around Pavillion Point Light
18:00 Arrived at little Shark Rive anchorage
Note: At 14:30 the wind increased to about 15 kts. and the seas were 2-3 ft. with white caps. Changed course 20 degrees to port toward the coast for smoother water. At about 1500 first 6 gal. gas tank ran dry.  Switched to 3 al tank and increased throttle to maintain 5.2 kts.   As we got closer to the Ponce de Leon Bay south shore the seas smoothed a bit and our speed increased to 5.6 kts.  Arriving in the mouth of the Little Shark River, we saw 5 other boats anchored and two more up the river farther.  We chose to go up river farther to have more room to swing on the hook and be out of the wind more.  Curt thought he saw an alligator on the bank, they said bugs were bad and definitely not go swimming here in the Everglades. 

 Leaving our slip above, restaurant across from us

Below the restaurant where we ate last night, good food, interesting way to serve the food,she had an herb garden out front and used everything in her salads, it was very good

 The Gun Club, which made Everglade City famous

 Our breakfast once on the road

 Just got the beef stroganoff done and the wind started beating down on us

 Curt's watching to see if the anchor's going to hold, the other two boats up farther in theriver

 Looking carefully for the big Alligator

 Sunset out of the river area over the Gulf of Mexico