Heading to Aquapalooza

July 20, 2008

This year we decided to attend the Aquapalooza event at Cayo Costa. Our plan was to run down the intracoastal, spend the day, then come back up on the Gulf side.

I had been working on the hot water heater the previous day, so I had the boat in the water (we keep it on a rack), fueled, and ready to go except for food and ice.



The lines were cast off at about 10:00 for the 2 hour trip to Cayo Costa. Heading south, there is an interesting park just south of Venice. You park on the mainland and ride a pontoon ferry boat over to the beach. It keeps the crowds down, I think.



Continuing to cruise south, here we are approaching the Tom Adams bridge in Englewood. The White Elephant bar and restaurant is under the bridge and to the right. It’s a great place to stop but no time for that today.



Not sure what is going on – looks like a party and we weren’t invited – but there was a line of boats coming out from a marina set back off the waterway. I never even knew there was a marina back there.



The swing bridge to Boca Grande was open when we arrived. When we came this way over the 4th, I almost lost my antenna to that bridge. I had gone under it at the far end, where there was enough clearance for the boat, and completely forgot about the radio antenna until I heard it hit the bridge. No harm, no foul, though.

It was nice of the bridge tender to hold the bridge for me. I think it had been open for about 5 minutes when I got there. I’m sure that the traffic on the road just loved me…



The bridge swinging closed. We don’t have very many swing bridges – I only know of two down here. At least the bridge tender doesn’t have to ride on the swing span, in case it gets stuck open!



We are getting close to Cayo Costa. I wasn’t sure about the channel next to the beach, so I played it safe and went out to the route that I knew. There were a few boats out this weekend trying to catch a few fish.



Boca Grande Lighthouse – letting me know where I am.



There are four of us heading in to the Aquapalooza event, all lined up. The guy in the lead had the deepest draft of all of us. It was very nice of him to lead the way! Johnson Shoals are off to starboard and it doesn’t take long to find yourself in 2 feet of water.