The aqua blue Fort Myers Beach bridge just shouts 'it's Florida'! I always love seeing it, especially from the boat! These are some pictures from our April trip to the beach.
On our way to the beach, we passed this boat that is powered by those solar panels.
Here is some information about the boat from the website shown on the sign. The boat had just ended its trip over the Intercoastal Waterway.
"ReThink Energy Florida is joining the solar-powered “Ship of Imagination”, the Archimedes in its Cruise Aid for a Sustainable Florida, a grassroots effort to raise public awareness about important energy issues in the Sunshine state. The Archimedes is the world’s largest solar powered concrete boat and a mobile demonstration platform for renewable and sustainable technology. It is on a historic passage, navigating the entire “Intracoastal Waterway” of Florida powered exclusively by solar energy."
There is a lot of good information about ReThink Florida on the website given on the SIGN. Worth a visit.
Below are a few of the more conventional boats we saw:
I always look for unique boat names to add to my "collection." These were the best from this trip. These were all docked at the same marina where we stayed.
(And I think they also kind of count as SIGNS).
There were three boats on this trip and none of the six of us were 'lie around on the beach' people. (Fort Myers beach itself is rather 'touristy' ... and it isn't great for birding or shelling.) So instead of hanging around there we took the free beach trolley up to Lover's Key State Park and walked around -- that was where we saw all the pelicans that I posted about earlier. But before we hopped on the bus, we did walk on the beach for a little while -- and at least I stuck my toes in the Gulf. (Bill and most of the others preferred to look at the water from the pier above or from the boardwalk.)
The two boats on the right are our friends. We were bringing up the rear of our little flotilla as we headed home after a beautiful mid-week getaway.
LINKING TO: SIGNS SIGNS (thank you Lesley); to SKYWATCH FRIDAY (thanks to Yogi, Sylvia, and Sandy); and to SCENIC WEEKENDS (thank you Gemma).
Hello! My name is Diane and I'm the 1st mate on the solar boat Archimedes pictured above. Every so often I do an internet search on our boat to see what's out there and I stumbled on this post. Thanks to everyone for all the nice comments. I always like to respond when I see folks have some questions regarding the boat so if you don't mind, I'll respond to a few of the comments.
Regarding looking top heavy. The hull is 20 tons of concrete so there's a lot of boat under the panels to offset their weight. We built the boat to be "a never ending gas tank" to complete the Great Loop which is mostly inside the Intra-Coastal Waterway and the Mississippi River. We have been in open water as we crossed the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Bay and most of Hawks Channel (the Atlantic side of the Keys).
Our Flap Tracker System - The panels are mounted on linear actuators giving the advantage of tracking the sun. We can move them to face the starboard (right side), port (left side), canopy (flat) or hunker down (t-pee, which is the most stable position in high winds). We have been in gale force winds with no problems with the panels. We do the same as everyone else, find a nice hidey-hole to drop anchor and wait out the storm. And yes, the panels will act as sails with a following wind and we can get additional speed.
Solar boats probably will look very different as technology advances and that is great. Our goal is to get people thinking that it can be done and we feel that we are accomplishing that!
Thanks again for the nice comments!
Posted by: Diane | August 20, 2015 at 08:15 PM
You have SO much fun. I've just spent the past few minutes trying to catch up on your posts and have enjoyed myself immensely. Did you ever read The Jolly Mon by Jimmy Buffett and his daughter, Savannah Jane? It was a favorite of my kids when they were little.
Posted by: Nan | May 31, 2015 at 07:14 PM
It's so much joy in this post... in pictures! Energy, too, for sure... Love the mix of colors (in the last photo)... and the water it must be sooooo good to have a walk in... A good start in week!
Posted by: Alexa T | May 24, 2015 at 06:42 AM
I think my feet would love to walk in sand and water there...not here on the irrigation ditch. Tee Hee
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer
Posted by: Linda | May 21, 2015 at 03:08 PM
That last photo is beautifully captured -- well done!!
it seems a great idea to use solar but those panels seem awfully large for that boat - just thinking out loud..wink!
Posted by: Kristeen | May 18, 2015 at 11:04 AM
Wonderful shots of sky. Interesting to see the solar-powered boat!
Posted by: Susanne | May 18, 2015 at 01:55 AM
Solar panels on a boat..I wonder how heavy they make the boat..
Posted by: ramblingwoods | May 17, 2015 at 08:44 PM
What a neat idea! You must have so much fun on the boat. I'd love to try the lifestyle. :)
Posted by: Halcyon | May 17, 2015 at 06:10 AM
I like the solar boat!
Posted by: craftygreenpoet | May 17, 2015 at 04:29 AM
A walk on the beach sounds very appealing to me!
Posted by: EG CameraGirl | May 16, 2015 at 04:20 AM
What a lovely way to get away. I'm glad you had a paddle. I like walking in the water but TOH doesn't. Love the names of the boats.
Posted by: diane | May 16, 2015 at 12:45 AM
Beautiful boating shots! Looks like a lot of fun, too.
Posted by: Peter B | May 15, 2015 at 09:57 PM
Blue sky and blue water - not a snow flake in sight! I do love the catchy boat name, too. Looks like a fun trip, Sallie. Have most of the snow birds flown north?
Posted by: Barb | May 15, 2015 at 06:41 PM
Beat photos Sallie they make me feel I was there!
Posted by: Patty Hartley | May 15, 2015 at 05:58 PM
That's a lot of surface area for all those panels. Great for capturing sunlight, but I wonder what happens in a strong wind. Maybe they have a way to fold them down when they are underway. - Margy
Posted by: Margy | May 15, 2015 at 03:29 PM
Hi Sallie - I am always delighted with the blues in your photos - and the boats are a plus - especially the solar powered one. Headed in the right direction power-wise!
Posted by: Hildred Finch | May 15, 2015 at 01:22 PM
Sallie, You make me "yearn" for the ocean and beach. I may just have to schedule a trip to Florida !!! Interesting info on the solar powered boat. I love all the creative boat names. Have a great weekend, my friend. Mickie :)
Posted by: Mickie Brown | May 15, 2015 at 08:39 AM
It's weekend and I am for all the beautiful sceneries.
Posted by: rainfield | May 15, 2015 at 08:38 AM
Never been a boat or water person. Do not know why as I have never had an accident. This looks like a very nice place.
Posted by: LaVoice | May 15, 2015 at 06:50 AM
That is one very neat bridge! I can see why you like it:)
Blessings, Aimee
Posted by: Aimee | May 14, 2015 at 11:04 PM
Good shot.
Posted by: Jim | May 14, 2015 at 10:37 PM
Wonderful shots of sky, sea and I love that solar-powered boat!
Posted by: Lady Fi | May 14, 2015 at 09:37 PM
Great shots of the beach. The bridge looks grand.
Posted by: Rajesh | May 14, 2015 at 08:34 PM
It does look like a great place to be - I'd love to take a boat trip!
Posted by: Al | May 14, 2015 at 06:59 PM
Oh I really like the Goin Coastal name, must be owned by a former postal employee?
Worth a Thousand Words
Posted by: Photo Cache | May 14, 2015 at 03:22 PM
Beautiful captures!
Posted by: Ileana | May 14, 2015 at 02:13 PM
what a beautiful sky with boats shot :-)
Posted by: ak-ut | May 14, 2015 at 12:50 PM
Beautiful captures and a what wonderful place!! I do love the bridge!! Does look as though you had a great time!! Thanks as always for sharing!! Hope you have a beautiful weekend, too!!
Posted by: sylviakirk | May 14, 2015 at 12:50 PM
Love that elegant line of aqua blue on the bridge.
the solar boat looks odd - but maybe it won't in a few years time!
Posted by: VioletSky | May 14, 2015 at 12:32 PM
What a fun time. We've driven that bridge many times in past years...and I love the solar boat. We do need to rethink Florida but it ain't gonna happen with the current governor. Did you see that St. Augustine is rapidly crumbling from rising waters? Water is coming up from under the bricks in streets and buildings. Parts of downtown Miami have 3-4 inches of water at high tide. Nothing is being done. All members of the current administration are forbidden to use the words "global warming," or "climate change." And they're still building high rises in southeast Florida. Aargh!
Posted by: Fotolosopher | May 14, 2015 at 11:06 AM
The last shot is fabulous. Reminds me of the German Impressionist painting, 'Keelwasser.'
Solar is great, and we use it to run our attic fan and power outdoor lights.
Posted by: Dianne | May 14, 2015 at 09:04 AM
Dearest Sallie; Such Bright full of cheerful blue color post♡♡♡ Fort Myers Beach bridge is amazingly long or expanded :-) How interesting to see the solar panels with boat and the great signs. I LOVE your collages and happy for your GREAT trip. Wish I were with you to stick my toes in the Gulf too♪♪♪
Wishing you will have a wonderful rest of the week, Dear friend.
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*
Posted by: orchid | May 14, 2015 at 07:14 AM
I love the boat and it's boast about the world's largest concrete solar powered boat. It is probably also the world's smallest. The engineer in me thinks that with a little modification the big solar panel might be used as a sail also to provide a little bit more power. And I'm thinking "is this a daytime thing only or do they have batteries." And then I'm thinking that they should add a windmill for even a little more power but that would provide drag so I don't know if it would be a net gain or not.
You got me all tied up in knots and the day hasn't even started.
Posted by: Yogi | May 14, 2015 at 04:30 AM
That is a great idea and a great sign "ReThinkEnergy" People won't miss it and it posts a strong suggestion to think about energy consumption.
Posted by: Mari | May 13, 2015 at 11:14 PM
Solar panels are great, and besides the installation producing electricity costs nothing. I wonder why not more solar panels are installed everywhere, probably because the petrol companies would go bankrupt ! Your photos are beautiful !
Posted by: Gattina | May 13, 2015 at 10:43 PM
These are great! I always love to see boats on the water and all the activity at the marina. Love that shot of the bridge.
Posted by: DeniseinVA | May 13, 2015 at 08:19 PM
Great shots.
Posted by: Jim | May 13, 2015 at 07:30 PM
I've been over that bridge! Nice shots. Looks like you had a great time.
Posted by: Lois | May 13, 2015 at 05:54 PM
What fun! Oh how anxious I am for a stretch of more than one or two sunny days! These stormy weeks are starting to wear on my nerves.
Posted by: Coloring Outside the Lines | May 13, 2015 at 05:28 PM
Looks like a great time! Love the boat names.
Posted by: Pat | May 13, 2015 at 03:38 PM
Very interesting, Sallie. I comment ReThinkFloridaEnergy for these early steps. Thanks for the photo, which provided the link.
Posted by: Penny | May 13, 2015 at 03:32 PM
Obviously more needs to be done on making solar power "smaller" Im sure at some point we will look back as these panels as dinosaurs like the BIG clunk radios, TV's and computer screens. In fact I think the solution is Fractals! Consider this a pole Upright solar discs that are shaped like triangles each one is stacked around the pole increasing in size...like a Christmas tree! It would work :o)
Posted by: Sondra-SC | May 13, 2015 at 03:20 PM
I love the “ship of imagination” even though it looks top heavy. Rigged with solar panels, the vessel is a traveling pioneer that gives us a sign of what is to come.
Posted by: Penelope Postcards | May 13, 2015 at 03:09 PM
ah, this is so wonderful. I wish I had a boat too.
Last image, can´t be better :)
Posted by: NatureFootstep | May 13, 2015 at 02:56 PM
Loved your photos and the commentary.
The last beach I was on, I wasn't planning on getting my feet wet (too lazy, perhaps), but nature took care of it.
I am glad you 'got your feet wet' :)
The bridge reminds me of the causeway in South Padre, Texas.
Thanks for visiting my site today.
Have a Beautiful Day!
Peace :)
Posted by: Chandra | May 13, 2015 at 02:54 PM
Love the boat name signs you found. They are great. Got a real laugh out of "Knot Normal".
Posted by: Taken For Granted | May 13, 2015 at 02:40 PM
I love boat signs. Tom The Backroads Traveller
Posted by: Tom The Backroads Traveller | May 13, 2015 at 02:16 PM
really neat bridge expanse in the first shot! glad you got your toes in the water at least. :) love the clever boat names. :)
Posted by: TexWisGirl | May 13, 2015 at 01:51 PM
Hello Sallie, what a fun trip to the beach. It seems odd to to have a solar powered boat. I am sorry I missed the Lover's Key State Park when I was there.. The boat names are cute. Great photos, enjoy the rest of your week!
Posted by: Eileen | May 13, 2015 at 01:48 PM
I've never thought of a solar powered boat - it makes sense though!
Posted by: RedPat | May 13, 2015 at 01:40 PM
I've never seen a boat with solar panels?!? maybe I should get out more, I'm sure there's some out there here in NZ.
Posted by: Amy | May 13, 2015 at 01:32 PM
That must have been a wonderful trip! I like the mix of blue colours in the last photo.
Posted by: Marleen | May 13, 2015 at 12:17 PM