BOAT TRIP TO BURNT STORE

 

As it says right up there under the  blog title, our life really is about the voyage itself, not the destination.    This was literally true on our boat trip last week.  The three Captains (otherwise and usually known as  husbands) wanted to figure out a route to Charlotte Harbor which none of them had tried before.   They had to use navigation instruments for this one ... some of the water was so shallow, it would have been a small disaster had we strayed out of the channel.    There was a lot of zig-zagging back and forth to stay in the channels and at the proper depth. 

 

 

 

The brownish water is where it is so shallow you can actually see the oyster bars.  (And the standing birds are a pretty good giveaway too of course).   You can also see the markers that tell the boats where the channel is.     There was a little white-knuckle boating there, but it was a successful voyage.

 

  

 

The destination wasn't bad either though!  Here's a panorama view of Burnt Store Marina basin, just after we docked.   (Taken from the upstairs outdoor bar, where we enjoyed the arrival Bloody Mary that  is part of our boat-trip tradition.) 

 

 

 

 

 The exact origin of the name Burnt Store seems to  have been lost over the years.  Apparently a trading post in the area was burned during the Seminole Indian War, but there seem to be several versions of who did it and why.  Burnt Store is the name of a long road that starts in Lee County, where we live,  and extends on into Charlotte County, where the marina is.   (If you were driving, the nearest town to the marina would be Punta Gorda.)

 The top two pictures in the collage above  are in the open bar area.   There was a real salt water aquarium in Cass Cay, the inside restaurant  -- but I was too busy eating and talking when we were in there to get a picture.   The bottom two pictures are views from the back and front of the restaurant/bar.   

 

 

 

A closer picture of our three boats.   The transient dock was almost empty -- one other boat came in while we were there. (The snowbird season is drawing to a close.)    But there were lots and lots of live-aboard boats and so the marina was busy  and we enjoyed one of all boaters' favorite activities -- looking at other boats.   (The Captains dreaming about newer boats, the first mates silently screaming 'no no no'!!)   We also enjoyed the very nice resort swimming pool -- every Marina where we've ever stayed makes all the resort amenities available to transient boaters.

 

 

 

 A boat-by shot on the way home.  This colorful area is part of  Matlacha on Pine Island (where we went a couple of weeks ago -- by car -- for the painting class.)

 

 

We passed this working barge right out in the middle of Matlacha Pass.  It is really rather odd to see a truck out there in the middle of the big water.  The people are either repairing or laying electric lines.  

 

 

 

When we got home to Upriver at the end of our trip, this Black Vulture was eyeing us from a street lamp.   We were tired, but not dead tired.   So no dinner for him just yet. 

 

 

LINKING to MOSAIC MONDAY (thank you Judith); OUR WORLD on Tuesday (thanks to the team:  Lady Fi, Arija, Gattina, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer); to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (thanks and apologies to Stewart -- these aren't the best wild birds I've ever linked, but it's all I got);  and to WEDNESDAY WATERS (thank you Gemma).   

Comments

[Joe Todd]

A few years ago Linda and I had our morning coffee at Burnt Store Marina every morning for a week. Also cruised to Boca Grande on the Calusa Queen with Captain Will.. There is a great restaurant at the nearby golf course. (Sunday breakfast buffet is excellent)

[Martha Z]

Looks and sounds like a great way to spend the day.
What's this, snowbird season about over, Geogypsy on her way back to the North Rim, where has the winter gone?

[Wally]

That is such a wonderful area to explore! Looks like you had a great time!
Now I'm starting to think about all the terrific spots to bird, fish and eat seafood - time for a road trip!

Hope you have a great weekend Sallie!

[Marie-AZ]

What a wonderful boating excursion! Loved seeing the photos and reading about your adventure. Perhaps my family and I will be able to do something similar once we are in Oregon!

[David Gascoigne]

You had three captains on one boat? It's a wonder you ever made it home!

[Pete]

Great Trip. Glad you did not need a sexton

[Eden Hills]

Sounds like quite the navigational feat! Love all the watery scenes.

[NatureFootstep]

I think the Vulture has the best spot for checking out the place :) Love it all.

[TexWisGirl]

laughed at the last commentary. :) glad the captains are up for challenges. :)

[Patty Hartley]

It was a wonderful trip Sallie, good weather, good friends, and good food!

[fun60]

That marina looks wonderful. Quite surprised there is a swimming pool nearby that you could use.

[lindyloumac]

A voyage and an adventure, so true! Lovely photos as always Sallie.

[JennJilks]

So true, our snowbirds are returning home!

[Lea]

Great photos of your trip!
Really good photo of the Buzzard, too!

[Sara - My Woodland Garden]

What a beautiful, interesting and fun post, Sallie! Thank you for sharing your trip with us. The marina looks lovely, and it's always nice to see blue skies and waters... and people wearing shorts. Here it's too cold yet! :)

[Ruby]

This is a lovely place,beautiful photos too! I like the shot with the pink hut, pink and blue look great together. Quite a feat....three captains successfully coordinating navigation!
Thank you Sallie - enjoy your day!

[Wil]

Thanks for this wonderful voyage! I almost felt as if I was there on the river in the sunshining over the water.
Have a great week.
Wil, ABCW Team

[Indrani]

You got great captures along the way!
Interesting post.

[Abrianna]

Your last comment made me laugh. I am surprised at the number of vultures I see here in a fairly urban area.

[orchid]

Dearest Sallie; Wonderful and Gorgeous boat trip with adventure as usual, Dear Sallie♪ Glad you having had the intelligent captain. Yes, the Black Vulture does look really handsome, doesn't he/she?

Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*

[nancy chan]

What a great boating adventure. Beautiful panorama view of Burnt Store. That lone vulture is waiting for dead meat!

[Al]

What a beautiful area - it must be great to be boating there.

[Gemma Wiseman]

The final vulture on the street lamp is a wonderful way to close this post. And love your comment attached too. So many wonderful views along your watery journey. A great way to travel.

[Debbie]

hehehe, i love the way you ended this one!!! what a great day and a fun adventure. i remember that colorful island where you painted, it looks pretty from the water!!!!

your images are beautiful, telling a great story!!!

[Christian]

A wonderful area and photos.

[DeniseinVA]

What a fun adventure that must have been. Glad the husbands knew how to navigate the boat through the narrow channels. Enjoyed your photos greatly :)

[Linda]

You've had a most amazing adventure! Your photos are rich and full of sea and sky and BLUE! I'm ready for some warm blue here also!

Linda

[Barb]

I love that you weren't "dead tired" when you saw the vulture, Sallie! I remember boat trips on the Chesapeake when we had to navigate in channels or be doomed to sandbars. That panorama is wonderful, giving me a little peek of the boating life there in FL.

[Lowell]

I enjoyed your comments about Publix. It's funny how things change. We lived in Boca back in 1989. At that time the best store by far was Albertson's. It was large, bright, great products and good prices. Publix had a little dark, crummy store down the road which we hated to go to. Then, all of a sudden, things changed. Publix built a new supermarket and it was super! Before long Albertson's couldn't compete and in a few years pretty much went out of business. There was an Albertson's in Ocala in 2004, but that died a year or two later.

[craftygreenpoet]

looks like a great place to go boating

[Colleen@ LOOSELEAFNOTES]

Ah, the boating life. I love the "captains, also known as husbands" part.

[Keith Alfred Wynn]

Looks like the destination AND the journey were amazing...

[Mary Howell Cromer]

It certainly looks like a lovely place to take a boat trip and good to know you hand 3 intelligent captains along. I hope you enjoy this week as well~

[Amy]

wow sounds like they did quite well and the restaurant sounds like something I would enjoy eating a meal at :-)

[Mick]

The boat trip sounds rather exciting and the destination looks beautiful. I wonder what that vulture thought it was going to eat - or would someone take pity on it and provide a feed.

[Penelope Puddlisms]

Awesome adventure! “We were tired, but not dead tired” is a pretty funny line. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the end of this post. One could probably make a movie about how Burnt Store got its name. Whatever happened in the earlier days it certainly looks peaceful now.

[KL]

Thank you for sharing all these. It's a great way to see the world through blog because you all know about all the nice places to visit in any local area instead of just all the touristy places. And, I don't blame the captain -- I was also going to compare and see which boat to get with more newer features :-P.

[Lowell]

Thnks for sharing. What a great adventure, with a few scary moments thrown in. I'll bet that Bloody Mary tasted really good. Beautiful photos, too! It's been so long since we've been down thataway...you made me realize how much I've missed it! :)

[Photo Cache]

Black vulture? Wow, I have never seen one before. Great shot.

[artmusedog and carol]

The Captains did well for the photographer ~ photos are magnificent ~ I love the ocean and used enjoy boating ~ so naturally I love your photography ~ Black vulture is great too!

Wishing you a happy and healthy week ~ ^-^

[Daniela L.]

Hooray !!!!

:)

[Daniela L.]

What stunning experiences you always life, my darling Sallie, thank you for sharing your emotions with us !
In the hope that this comment of mine can reach you, I wish you wonderful days to come, sweetie,
sending blessings of joy to you !

Dany

[Donna@Gardens Eye View]

Glad you had a safe journey to a wonderful spot...thanks for taking us along!

Donna@GardensEyeView
and LivingFromHappiness

[Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti]

What an unusual name for a marina! It sounds like the husbands did a good job charting their course through the shallow waters.I think they deserve a new boat ;) I've seen that in North Carolina in the OBX area.

[Judy@CranberryMorning]

What an interesting post - and beautiful photos! I'm sure that one of those boats there must be mine. ;-))

[Karen, Pixel Posts]

What fun you must have baoting! Lovely shots.

[Gaelyn]

I love your boating expeditions. Grew up boating and kind of miss it.

[Rajesh]

Wonderful shots of the place. I like that variety.

[Linda]

Looks like a great time! I love your photos, Sallie, thank you so much for sharing this lovely tour!

[tom the backroads traveller]

A lovely trip, thanks for taking me along.

[Alexa T]

So lovely place to live to and have a good time for activities in nature! It must be a joy to live in a sunny, peaceful and so warm atmosphere, as I can see captured in photo instants! That makes me think, also, to a summer vacation to the shore of the sea... Maybe i'll have the chance this year, although it's not so indicated for my thyroid issue with ... Anyway, I love to travel virtually and your post is so enjoyable and captivating, as always! many thanks for the lovely boat trip!! Have a nice day of Monday and a great week ahead!

[Sondra-SC]

HaHa not dead...good one. How fun to be able to boat to your destination, and I think it was a very worthy destination...since you had a bloody mary waiting!!

[Stewart M]

I think I would find it unnerving being stalked by vultures!

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

[Phil]

That's some adventure Sallie. It all looks so quiet, paceful and most of all, sunny and warm.

Afraid if I was a passenger I would be looking to weigh anchor close to those sandbanks and spend an hour or two birding, delaying the arrival for meals and sundowners.
If you need someone to come along and swab the decks let me know.

[riitta k]

Sea photos are always fun to watch!

[Eileen]

Hello, Sallie! What a great boat trip! I am glad you have a good captain to navigate the waters. I would not mind being greeted with a Bloody Mary. Looks like a nice place to have your meal. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

[Chandra@GreenComotion]

Looks like y'all had boatloads of fun.
I like your photos and your concluding remark - "we were tired, but not dead tired" :)
So what happens if you go into a shallow area and the boat gets stuck? Do you have to push it or ...? I remember getting out of a boat once and pushing it, because we did get stuck in the mud, but this boat had no engine, just oars.

Have a Happy Week, Sallie!
Peace :)

[Penny]

These are wonderful photos, Sallie, and it looks like such nice trip - well, except for the shallow water dangers and tense times. With that beautiful basin - and bloody Mary's - I would have been tempted to stay longer.

[ellen b]

So glad you weren't dead tired. That buzzard looks serious. What an adventure you had. Glad you got there and back!

[Yogi]

What an adventure. I'm glad all three boats made it. The marina looks like a great place to hang out.

[Lois]

Looks like a fun time! That is a great shot of the vulture.