Celebrating Dry Season

We’ve Got Seasons Too!

Who said Florida doesn’t have seasons? Let’s see, we have hurricane season, dry season, peak season, “off season,” etc. With the end of November, we’ve officially exited the Atlantic Hurricane Season (yahoo!) and entered into dry season here, where rain becomes sparse and the snowbirds become plentiful.

We have shut off the AC’s until next Spring, and folks at the marina are starting to mingle outside more often. In fact, we finally met most of our neighbors on “C” dock, when our new friends John & Jackie had a boat christening celebration for their new vessel, Eu Floria 5. We toasted with champaign and shook hands with the familiar faces we had on the docks, but had not yet officially met.

From Dreamers to Vendors

This time of year the Fort Myers Boat Show comes to town, and man, all I can say is how the times have change! The first year we attended the show, we were eager to board all the big fancy yachts, take pictures of them, and dream about owning one someday. I believe this was well before liveaboard life was even a wild thought in our minds!

Fast forward to our second time attending the Fort Myers Boat Show (my third), where we got in for free, skipped past all the big fancy boats and spent time looking at some models that are more functional for our (future) needs. We were impressed with the Beneteau Swift Trawlers, the Aquila 44 Power Catamaran, and the used Navigator 53 Pilothouse offered by another broker in my company. I spent three days working at the booth for my yacht brokerage, and by the end of Day 1, I was already tired of talking about boats.

Giving Thanks

The next weekend we had our second annual Wiffullens Friendsgiving at the Mullens household. We enjoyed an elaborate cheese plate (Christina’s speciality), wine, and an abundance of food, including my family recipe for mac n’ cheese, which Tiff perfected on her first try. She actually did better than I did when we attempted the recipe last Thanksgiving.

While the food was cooking, I was slaving away in the garage, changing the oil in the jet ski. It took me 8 hours over the course of 3 days thanks to a seized up oil filter, but I got it done in time for us the enjoy a weekend of jet ski exploration and leftover mac n’ cheese.

Early Christmas Cheer

With temperatures still reaching the mid-80’s most days, it’s challenging to get into the holiday spirit here in Southwest Florida. I think that’s why the communities host their holiday events so early in the month to force everyone into early Christmas cheer. Tiff spent an entire week decorating her work place for Sanibel’s Luminary Night, where we served wine and mingled with a bounty of drunken snowbirds.

The next day was the Fort Myers Beach Holiday Boat Parade, which happens to start and end at our marina. We finished hanging the lights just in time for the wave of spectators to flood our dock. A number of people marveled at the great seats we had to watch all of the parade boats pass by. Come to think of it, we should have sold tickets to sit on the top deck of Wiffersnapper and watch the parade!

Now that the boat is decorated, it’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas! We shuffle a playlist of traditional and tropical Christmas carols to keep it fresh, and stock egg nog and caramel apple moscow mules for when Santa comes to town.