Friday, November 16

"Welcoming committee" - entering South Seas Island Marina

$50,000 of sign $1 bills on Cabbage Key Inn walls & ceiling

Lunch at Cabbage Key Inn

View from Cabbage Key Inn

Today's cruise of the GIWW was liberally dotted with small islands and protected from the open Gulf by a string of barrier islands.  Many of the small islands are part of the Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge and are closed to all public access to protect the wildlife.
Cayo Costa (translated as "Coastal Key") is a six mile long barrier island that is almost-uninhabited and is accessible only by boat.  Normally we would make a stop at the Cayo Costa State Park which has a great bike path & lovely beach, but the day was overcast & cool - instead, we decided to make a lunch stop at the delightful Cabbage Key Inn.
For years, visiting fisherman passing to and from local tarpon-fishing hot spots have taken rest and refreshment here.  The story goes that to guarantee a cold beer on their return, they started the tradition of posting signed dollar bills on the bar and restaurant walls.  The accumulated currency has piled up dollars deep over every square inch of wall and ceiling space, now adding up to more than $50,000.
Opposite Cayo Costa on the GIWW we past the private island of Useppa.  This lovely, 100 acre island, accessible only by water, has a scattering of cottages and the original 1912 mansion now serves as the clubhouse & restaurant.  We had visited the island in 2005 right after it had taken a direct hit from Hurricane Charley - it was so sad to see the devastation.   Thankfully, it now appears to have fully recovered, and is classy enough to deny us landing rights.

We decided that a great way to be ending this amazing journey would be to spend a couple of nights at the South Seas Island Resort & Marina located on Captiva Island.  Considered one of the finest resorts on Florida's West Coast, it is an elegant and elaborate vacation complex with superb facilities for mariners.  We arrived late afternoon just in time for a quick bike ride into the charming village of Captiva, then returned to the marina to savor a superb dockside dinner at the Harbourside Bar & Grill.