Today, Sunday, was our day off from rowing which allowed us to reposition to our final accommodations in Fort Myers. We left Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina in Clewiston this morning and headed west, a drive of about 65 miles.
We all seemed to want to get some provisions on the way, consequently we made the obligatory stop at the local WalMart where we did our best to stimulate the local economy! After loading up on critical "necessities" (beach chairs, magazines, beverages, etc.) we again hit the road, stopping at Darla's Restaurant about 20 minutes east of Fort Myers. While some of us enjoyed the culinary excellence of the buffet, others decided on a la carte selections which, unfortunately, never arrived. After a lengthy wait and culminating in no edible sustenance for some (not Bob and Chrissy!!) we left.
We arrived at the Best Western Waterfront hotel in the early afternoon - clearly our nicest hotel with a great view and ideal location relative to our rowing route.
The gang was anxious to get to the beach so after unpacking we hopped in the car and headed to Fort Myers Beach- the recommended destination. The combination of today being the culmination of the Annual Shrimp Festival and the fact it was a weekend day made the trip a long one - 2 hours to go about 20 miles! The drive was worth it as the sun was plentiful, the gulf water bath-like and the camaraderie unparalleled. The Braim's proved to be our daily heroes as, after they had left for a walk down the beach, arrived back at the sunbathers with pepperoni pizza in hand!! After charbroiling ourselves well into the late afternoon we headed back to the hotel for a relaxing dinner at Pincher's Crab Shack. Joan Nichols, from OARS in Orlando, joined us today - great gal and she fit right in without skipping a beat - not an easy task with this group!!!
Our dinner was highlighted by the joke telling of Vinny, a 4'11" older Italian leprechaun from New Jersey sitting next to us, who had us rolling on the ground!