Lee Iacocca, former CEO and Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation, once said that if you want to
make good use of your time, you've got to know what's most important and then give it all you've
got. Here in the United States, we just don't take enough time off to enjoy life, and when we do,
most of us prefer to lie on a beach somewhere and do nothing for a week. Now, I'm not saying that
there's anything wrong with that every now and then, but doing it every year can get a bit
monotonous - kind of like going to work every day! But seriously, every now and then, you really
should think outside the box when it comes to your vacation. This doesn't mean that you have to try
to scale Mount Everest, or go shark diving in the Bahamas, but try something different just to mix
things up a little. At the very least, you'll have a lot more to talk about around the water cooler
when you get back to the office. If things don't work out, then you can always go back to lying on
the beach next year - don't forget the sunscreen!
This year, our family decided that it was time for a "new and improved" vacation. As you might
guess, it did involve a boat, of course. It also included a house - sort of like one you might rent
if you went to the beach. What we did was combine the best of both worlds and spent a week on a
houseboat in the tropical waters off the coast of Southwest Florida. At first, this may remind you
of "RV" (starring Robin Williams), a comedy about the misadventures of a family on a cross-country
road trip - only on water instead of land. But that wasn't the case at all! Actually, it turned out
to be one of the best trips we've ever done. Sure, we had a few reservations before we embarked,
but they were quickly set aside once we got underway.
Our foremost
concern was having enough room on board, but much to our surprise, the boat was very comfortable
for the crew composed of three adults and four children; given the size boat we were on, optimal
comfort would normally be four to five people, depending on the child-to-adult ratio.
Getting Started
A 44-foot (Classic series) Gibson houseboat from Holiday Cruise Yacht Charters in Fort
Myers, Florida, is the rented boat of choice. It has most of the comforts of a nice beach house,
including, but not limited to, central air conditioning, two bathrooms, pressurized hot and cold
water, a full kitchen, TV/DVD/stereo, two kayaks to explore the surroundings at each of our
different destinations, and some of the best views from the deck that you could ever imagine.
Most charters, like this one, give you the option of having a licensed captain drive the boat or
doing it all yourself. For maximum R&R, the crew chooses Capt. Earl Kegler, a 25-year veteran
with a master captain's license, to command the boat. He's familiar with the local waters, so the
crew doesn't have to worry about the tricky parts of houseboating, like docking in tight spaces
against cross currents or navigating in shallow waters. One of the advantages to having a captain
is that you can take the helm whenever you want - usually in open waters - and then turn it back
over when the going gets tough. Another advantage is that the captain doesn't always stay aboard
the boat. Once the boat arrives at the port-of-call, he can disappear (via water taxi), and then
reappear the next day to take the crew to its next destination.
Setting Out
The trip begins at Cooper's Landing marina on the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers. After
spending the first night at Cooper's Landing, the boat leaves the dock on Memorial Day and heads
south in the Caloosahatchee River and then turns north into Pine Island Sound. The first scheduled
port-of-call is 'Tween Waters Marina on Captiva Island. The cruise up to Captiva is a relaxing 3.5
hours, and the weather is picture-perfect. Most of that time is spent on the top deck, checking out
the beautiful surroundings and working on our tans while Earl (and the kids!) drives the boat.
Dolphins and stingrays are a common sight, and they're not hard to miss; every time one surfaces,
somebody yells "dolphin!" (or stingray) at the top of their lungs. Just watching the
impressive yachts and sportfishers cruising the waterway is enjoyable in its own right, and Earl is
informative about points of interest along the way, being very patient in answering the many
questions from the group. It's a hot day, and the kids are anxious to swim, so after lunch in the
galley, the boat pulls into Tarpon Bay, and everyone gets cool with a quick swim. The water is
clear, almost tropical-like, and it gets even clearer the further north the boat goes into the
Sound. The crew is soon back on the road, and before you know it, the boat is pulling into 'Tween
Waters Marina on Captiva Island again.
Captiva is a
small "strip" of an island that sits between (or "tween") the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound.
As the boat pulls up to the marina, the dockmaster ties up the boat and greets us with valuable
information, such as where to find the ship's store, directions to the bathrooms and showers, and
most importantly - as far as the kids are concerned - where to find the pool! The marina is
accessible to a beautiful little resort that includes the 'Tween Waters Inn, several restaurants
and a few shops. Most of the accommodations are quaint cottages with Gulf front, bayside and
poolside views - a worthwhile destination for a future vacation!
The plan is to stay at 'Tween Waters for two days before heading to the next port-of-call.
Activities include hanging out on the boat at the marina, relaxing by the pool/cabana, or enjoying
the gorgeous white sandy beaches and clear green waters of the Gulf. Manatees are prevalent
in the waters around Captiva, and they often come close to the boat or docks, which is a treat for
everyone, especially the kids. There's also a small village within biking distance of the marina; a
late afternoon is spent checking out the shops and dining at the casual Key Lime Bistro. Two days
fly by, and before long, Captain Earl reappears to take the crew to the next destination, Cabbage
Key. Leaving the marina, the lushness of the island is on full display, making it hard to believe
that less than two years ago, the area was hit by Hurricane Charley.
Heading to Paradise
The next port-of-call is Cabbage Key. Due north of Captiva, it takes the crew about an hour
and a half to get there. Pulling up to the dock, the crew notices a stark contrast from
'Tween Waters on Captiva - there are no swimming pools, shops or much of a village. Cabbage is a
small, rustic, tropical little island with a few cottages dotting the shoreline primarily used by
fisherman. Tarpon and snook draw visitors to Cabbage Key and are viewable in the clear water around
the docks, especially the snook - they're huge! The kids try diligently to catch one or two with a
small fishing pole. The author's wife swears she hooked a Tarpon off the dock late that night when
she dropped the line in just before going to bed; she said it got away - typical fish story.
The one thing that everyone's looking forward to at Cabbage Key is not the fishing, but a cheeseburger - Cabbage Key's cheeseburger. Locals say that Jimmy Buffet frequents a restaurant on the island where he loves to order cheeseburgers. Rumor has it that the restaurant inspired him to write the song, "Cheeseburger in Paradise," after dining here many years ago. The crew asks the owner of the island, Rob Wells (a champion tarpon/snook fisherman), if the Jimmy Buffet story is true, but he neither confirms nor denies it. It doesn't matter; the burgers are delicious, and everyone believes that it's true. Overall, the stay on Cabbage Key is thoroughly enjoyed not only by exploring the beauty of the island on foot, but also by kayaking. However, the kids are ready to get back to civilization by the time the crew leaves.
On the last leg of the trip, the crew departs Cabbage Key on Friday and heads south in the Pine Island Sound back towards Fort Myers. It's about a four-hour cruise, and with Earl at the helm, everyone relaxes on the top deck and checks out all the dolphins, stingrays and the passing yachts. It's everyone's favorite place to be while underway, taking in all the sights as the adventurous trip comes to a close and the boat heads home.
Holiday Cruise
Yacht Charters
Holiday Cruise has been operating houseboat rentals in Florida since 1997. The boats are fully
equipped with new equipment, and everything is maintained in spotless condition. They employ
licensed captains to instruct you on driving the boat, so you can have a safe and relaxing
vacation. The marina is located directly on the Caloosahatchee River in downtown Ft. Myers.
On this trip, Holiday Cruise did a great job of taking care of many of the details necessary to
make the trip a pleasant experience. Two weeks prior to our arrival, the crew sent the owner of
Holiday Cruise, Dave Manno, a weeklong grocery list of food needed for the trip. Prior to
departure, Dave graciously stocked and fully provisioned the boat with everything on the list.
Towels, sheets and blankets were also included. All the crew had to do upon arrival was step aboard
and start enjoying the trip.
Another very important detail that Holiday Cruise took care of was putting together the "float
plan" for the entire trip. This included planning all of the port-of-call stops and reserving
dockage at each marina. Being that the crew was unfamiliar with the area and where to go, this
assistance was invaluable.
www.holidaycruisehouseboats.com. -
S.N.
When you go
'Tween Waters Inn & Marina
Dating back to 1931, the legendary 'Tween Waters Inn, Day Spa and Marina spans 13 gorgeous
acres, located on the tropical Captiva Island. Daytime activities include the marina, spa services,
championship golf and fine dining. Accommodations include guest cottages, rooms and suites located
on either the Gulf or the bay.
www.tween-waters.com.
The Mucky Duck Restaurant
This neighborhood pub is in the heart of downtown Captiva. The founders used to frequent an
old English pub that was known to the locals as "The Mucky Duck," hence came the name of the
Captiva Mucky Duck. It's an island tradition and serves everything from traditional seafood to
various duck dishes.
www.muckyduck.com.
YOLO Watersports Inc.
From waverunners, motor scooters, sailboards, bicycles and surfboards to your basic beach
chairs and umbrellas - whatever you may need for your outdoor activities, Yolo has it. The store is
open seven days a week, weather permitting.
www.yolo-jims.com.
Cabbage Key
Cabbage Key encompasses 100 acres of tropical vegetation on Pine Island Sound, Florida,
accessible only by boat, helicopter or seaplane. Regularly scheduled boats run every day from Pine
Island, Captiva Island and Punta Gorda. The restaurant, inn and cottages have styles
reminiscent of the nearly extinct old Florida. Many visitors stop in for their famous
cheeseburgers.
www.cabbagekey.com. -
Sarah Pelot