City of Palms

by Ron

We arrived at Ft. Myers Yacht Basin, the municipal marina right in the heart of downtown, and got everyone off to the airport and back home to MN safely. The marina is located on the Caloosahatchee River, and is it the link to the Okeechobee waterway. The Caloosahatchee is actually brackish water and we could actually tell that the boat and air was far less salty than other areas on Gulf and Intercoastal.

This year since there is a lock on the Okeechobee that is under repair, Loopers aren’t able to go that normal route, unless of course, you crossed before the Lock was closed on Jan. 2. So most Loopers will be headed for the Keys which is normally a side trip of the Loop.

Here are ten highlights of Fort Myers that will be fondly remembered.

Visited the FL Butterfly Society and took a photos of the various kinds of native FL butterflies and had tea with another lady looper at the Wisteria Tea Room.
2. Got a Mani/Pedi on a floating houseboat Salon located right at the end of our dock.
3. Went to Bennetts Donuts which serves made from scratch gourmet donuts such as Key Lime Custard, Cookies and Cream, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Strawberry Cream Cheese and oh so many more, makes it hard to pick just one.
4. Had drinks and watched sunset on top of the Luminary Hotel, great views of the Caloosahatchee Riverfront. The view of the Marina from the Hotel.
Living Room in Edison Summer Home.
5. Visited the Summer homes of Edison & Ford, where we saw lovely grounds, well-preserved homes, a model T that still runs and a fanatastic museum showing many of the their inventions. Edison’s most profitable invention: the Edison Battery which paved the way for the alkaline battery.
6. Hung with Looper friends, Chris and Mike at dinner. We also drove to Naples with them for an event called the “MN Breakfast” where over 300 native Minnesotans who now live or winter in the area gathered to hear Gov. DeSantis speak
7. Ron did the first Fying Colors oil change while on the Loop. Grateful we could dispose of the old oil right at the Marina for a $1 a quart. Also replaced an impeller.

Plus:

8. Had Capones Coal Fired Pizza in historic downtown where you can see flapper dresses pin-stripe suits and one of Al Capone’s vaults. Pizza was great, too!

9. Walked through the Park of Palms, a hidden gem located right near the Marina on the riverfront, a winding path which allows you to explore the many different types of palm trees, which are all marked with their names. My favorite: The Royal Palm.

10. Watched the torrential rain and high winds on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. as a tornado touched down in Ft. Myers only a miles away.

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