March 16, 2006: Sanibel to Doctors Pass

Today was the day after and the day -to try to recover from the dinghy disaster. We arose early to wait for the diver, and were rewarded with a glorious sunrise.

The big red TowBoatUSA arrived with the diver just after breakfast. Ed was a retired US Coast Guard fellow with lots of experience. We were not exactly sure where the cradle would be since we think it fell off while we were in church and the boat was swinging on a wide arc as the current changed with the tide. He was courteous and diligent in his search and came up several times to discuss the possible location. He carried a float rope to tie onto it if he could find it. After 45 minutes of crisscrossing the bottom, he surface with good news! He had marked the piece with the rope and came back for another rope to hoist it up. We were delighted to have the recovery and examined it to see if any of it seemed damaged. Apparently the bolts had jolted loose and the wave action of the waterway by the loading ramp, with the cradle left in the water all morning were the final straw. We will try to have it reinstalled when we reach Naples.

We had several hours in the Gulf this afternoon a couple of miles off shore. The surface was very calm and big white puffy clouds decorated the blue sky. We passed dredging equipment as we entered Doctors Pass which was identified as a harbor of refuge in the guide book.

The stone jetty was filled with fishermen, and the emerald green water was a contrast to the white sand on the narrow beach. The bank of the harbor was densely populated with modern 4-9 story condos on one side and elegant mansions on the other. So we watched the sun turn the water pink in our refuge and enjoyed the mirrored stillness into the evening.