Two days and a step back in time on Boca Grande

 

So, we left Cabbage Key on Sunday morning, bound for Charlotte Harbor and the Burnt Store Marina.  The problem was we would have had the wind on our nose pounding into the waves for 10 miles.  We diverted to Boca Grande, also known as Gasparilla Island.  It feels like an island that time forgot.  This is Whidden's Marina, built in 1925.  I don't think it's seen a paint job since the grand opening!  Where in the world are we???

The first marina we called, Boca Grande Marina said they didn't have space for us.  They catered to the rich folks, unlike Whidden's which they described as "quaint".  I'll say it is.  You wouldn't find this beautifully restored Chris Craft at Whidden's, no siree bob.

The old momma Whidden, who's father built this marina in 1925, invited us to look around the place...visit their gift shop and the museum.  This was the gift shop.  No joke.  A few Tshirts and some sea shell trinkets.  Oh, and a grocery cart of books that were 2 for a $1.00.

In and amongst the 'gift shop' were relics from an era long ago.  The whole place was a museum....if you could get past the dog and cat hair and the dust. and the filth.

There were some cool finds in this place, if you looked closely.  I wish I had snapped the picture of her father that was hanging on the wall.  It was of him on the dock in 1925, with a 2500 lb. manta ray!

These are some of the characters (locals) associated with Whidden's- many of whom are related.  They were all gathering on the dock for the big weigh in.  We pulled into the marina about 10 minutes before a whole slew of fisherman returned in their boats from a big redfish tournament they were hosting.  Note the guy in the lazyboy in the red hat...funny story about him later.

I must say it was pretty cool to crash their party and all of the excitement. Just look closely at all of the signs and 'decor' and what not.  Every corner you looked there was another relic to discover!  I felt like this place had been lifted from the hills of Kentucky or Tennessee and dropped off on this gorgeous....W.E.A.L.T.H.Y. island.  It was such a dichotomy.

One of the redfish being taken in for the weigh in...notice that Donnie found someone to talk to. Imagine that!

Here's the guy calling out the official weights and measures, as the fishermen all gathered 'round.

The tournament was an annual event to raise money for the museum...I was a bit confused actually.  The whole marina was a museum.  It literally looked like a time capsule.

One of the 'museum displays'

This was the flyer hanging on the ship's store door...they had lots of prizes for various catches...we saw them in the 'museum'.  One of the prizes was a giant stuffed giraffe.  I couldn't make this stuff up.

Here's the sign in the parking lot...love the spelling.  and the antique something or another overgrown with weeds.

Marquesa looked very out of place in this little fisherman's marina.  Ironically, we would have looked equally out of place amongst the power yachts at the place next door.  They had two slips available, by the way. We saw them when we went next door to have lunch. "We're full" my a**!  Freakin' liars.  We missed the start of the tournament when all of the fishermen headed out.  There must have been some sort of memorial service that morning as there were roses floating in the water. 

We rented a golf cart from the high fa-lootin' marina next door, and decided to take a tour of this island.  It is only about six miles long total.  We saw these people walking down town and I thought, "Wow, time really does stand still here."  And then we asked them what their period dress was all about.  It was a Civil War encampment.  It seems there's a week long Civil War symposium that is going on...a benefit fundraiser for the Historical Society.  Funny story....old momma Whidden (Isabelle Joiner- she's 79, toothless, very obese, and no longer walks) told us that "Oh yeah, they BELONG to the historical society."  The marina is the oldest business on the island that is still under original family ownership. "But we aren't invited to any of the meetings and they never mention us in their newsletter either."  Is that so?  I picked up a Visitor's Guide to Gasparilla Island.  It was 76 pages of detailed information on the history of the island; a story on each of the churches and businesses.  It was interesting reading, really. Wouldn't you know, on page 50, Whidden's Marina garnered all of four sentences, one of which indicates that they are on the National Register of Historic Places.  Now I'm getting a different feel for this place.

On our golf cart tour, we stumbled upon Banyan Street...it was gorgeous, y'all.  The end of the street opened out to the Gulf of Mexico.  The banyan trees were planted in 1914, as ordered by Peter Bradley, the original owner of the Gasparilla Inn and the railway that connected Boca Grande to the mainland.  The inn opened in 1911, and though it has changed many hands and gone through several expansions and renovations, it is a beautiful place.  Really, the Inn is the "Grand Dame" of the island.  It has it's own private marina, an 18 hole golf course, tennis courts, cottages, etc.  Check them out at http://www.the-gasparilla-inn.com/ where you can stay for $1275/night in the Presidential Suite.  The likes of the DuPont's, JP Morgan, Henry Plant, the Cabot's, Drexel's, and others have all vacationed here back in the day.  In fact, JP Morgan died at the Inn.

The whole Gulf side is one continuous strip of beach...though much of it is "privately owned."

Another beautiful sitting spot in front of one of the big, fine homes.

The southern point of the island is landmarked by the Boca Grande lighthouse, marking the Boca Grande pass.  We are 1.8 miles from the pass, which will empty us back into the Gulf.  We are presently on the eastern side of the island, known as the Pine Island Sound side.  We plan to sail past this light house at daybreak on Tuesday morning....wind and weather permitting.

My and my honey being all tourist-y in our snazzy golf cart!

 

Funny story about these three streets...legend has it that back in the day, a tax collector came around looking for a certain individual and his home.  The fisherman who answered the door was none too pleased to see the tax collector.  When asked where Mr. So-and-So lived, his response was "Damn if I know."

When the tax collector then asked, "Well, what street do you live on?"  His response?  "Damn if I care."

The tax collector, realizing he was getting no where, then asked for directions to another individual's home to which he replied, "Damn if I will".  So there you have it.  There are three streets, Damfino, Damficare, and Damfiwill.  Not surprisingly, they are all on the other side of the tracks by Whidden's Marina.  Is the picture becoming even more clear?

One of four little churches on the island...none of them must have a congregation of more than 50 people.

We then carted ourselves to the most northern point of the island to see the old railroad trestle that serviced the island.  The oak timbers were HUGE...like none I have ever seen.  Part of the old trestle has been resurfaced for a public fishing pier.

From the pier, you can see the causeways that now service the island...marked by the two cranes.  They were built in 1952 and completed in 1958.  It includes a swing bridge at the center.  The only 'car traffic' on the island prior to that were cars that were ferried in on ships or on the railway.  The bridges are now undergoing extensive renovations.

We stumbled upon Jose, who just happened to catch a redfish as we walked up.  He was so excited, it was adorable.  He said his momma will be so happy that he was bringing home dinner for a change!  I guess redfish are good to eat?

Saw this pretty blooming cactus growing out of the trestle

Then we delivered our golf cart to the fancy pants marina next door, and walked ourselves back to Whiddens.

I have NEVER been to a marina that had goats.  and pigs.  I seriously cannot make this stuff up.  Wowzer.

Willis was sequestered to the boat during our stay here.  I didn't want a stray animal eating him.  He was content on the boat, to say the least.  Such a sassafras.

Last night it RAINED for hours.  I was up from 3-5:30am as we bounced off the dock, I tended to some random leaks, we lost power, and Cap'n snored through it all.  We had 5 inches of rain, y'all.  The dinghy was half full.

Since it had stormed so, I was anxious to go to the beach for some shellin' this mornin' :)

I love little sandpipers!

We walked through town, window shopping and searching for a place to have lunch.  There was lots to choose from.

love this sign :)

Don't know what it is, but it's another pretty-ful flower.  I need to learn my tropical plants.

We stumbled across this beautiful garden sanctuary, but had no change on us to make a wish in the fountain.

The archway was fragrant with what smelled like orange blossoms.

After our lunch at PJ's SeaGrille, we took an afternoon dinghy ride to see what we could see of the island from the water.  We saw this dolphin up close and real personal!

We saw LOTS of beautiful old boats that have been lovingly restored.

And back to the "other side of town" we saw this guy in his dinghy who looked like relation to the Whidden's or the Robertson's- I'm not sure which.

And there's our Marquesa, who doesn't even fit on the dock!  At only $50 bucks a night, we're not complaining!

And this is the Whidden relation, all sitting out at the marina shootin' the breeze, and smacking noseeums.  Back to the fella in the red hat (that I mentioned earlier)...same clothes, same chair, different day.  The little boy had just let go off one hellacious fart and the old feller says, "Way to let 'er rip, tater chip!"  And the gal in the lawn chair was giving her aunt a lesson on how to start a Hotmail account.  She's explaining how you make up a name and password, and that you then have to answer security questions, like "What is your father's occupation"  And she told her aunt that she typed in "prison".  I swear to you...I am NOT making this stuff up.

I was sitting at the side of the dock, trying to get a better WiFi signal, and this HUGE heron stopped by.

...as did this egret.  I then realized I was by the bait barrels, and they were looking for a handout.  Actually, I had to move my laptop as the shrimp kept jumping out onto the deck.  The birds were on to them.  Each time it happened, I shrieked a little, and then swatted the shrimp back into the canal with my flip flop.  I'm sure the 'tater family thought I was nuts.

My sweet hubby took care of some boat maintenance on the portholes I was having trouble with in the storm last night, then he came to the marina to check on me and buy a cold beer. 

He snapped random pictures of this place.  I don't know what science experiment they had going in that 'aquarium'.

The place is 'decorated' with about 100 pots of dead plants.  And two 800 lb. sows out back, next to the goats.

 

This is the master plumbing to the outdoor shower facility...which I have not used.  Donnie took his morning shower with a hermit crab and goats peeking in through the slats.

It looked respectable enough on the outside...

But it's right next to the 'family laundry facility'- not open to marina guests.

The building has definitely seen better days. 

Nobody closes a door...the cats and dogs can see themselves out to potty that way.

...as I sat working on uploading pictures, next to the random shrimp jumping to safety.  But you know what?  Truthfully?  I LOVED this place...and all of it's "rustic quaintness."  The people here are REAL.  They have hearts, and souls, and values, and families...and they were the nicest people we've met in a long time.  They treated us like family; made us feel welcomed.  There was no pretense to these folks.  In fact, I felt far more at home with these folks over many of the townspeople we passed who wouldn't even respond to a "hello".  What I find so crazy on this little island, is that the filthy rich folks NEED these people here...to do their housekeeping, and landscaping, and to be service workers in the stores and restaurants in the little village.  You'd think they'd treat them a little more kindly, but it is obvious by their gated neighborhoods with 20 ft. tall hedges, that they clearly do not allow themselves to associate with THOSE people.  It's a shame.  Despite being shunned, as I am sure they have been, the Whidden's are mighty fine folks.  You should stop in and see them sometime.  Tell them Donnie and Karyn on Marquesa send our warmest regards. I wish them nothing but the best.

Late in the day, Cap'n suggested we take a final walk on the beach to watch the sunset.  We saw this little fella along the way.  His colors were beautiful.

That sweet husband of mine suggested I spend the last hour of sunlight combing through the seashells.  One of my favorite things to do.  As I did, I was humming every gospel song I knew.

He simply sat and read a book...letting me do my own thing without a rush.

...and then we paused to watch a glorious sunset together...and it was a green flash!  I could not make this stuff up.  It was a perfect end to our little Gulf coast cruise of Florida.  AIS is 7:00am- we'll be casting off the docklines here at Whidden's.  It's about 130+ miles back to Marathon, which looks to be about a 30+ hour sail, depending on the wind and weather.  Conditions look really favorable- we checked again this evening.  I am a little concerned though, as the wind has picked up since I've been writing this.  We are currently bouncing into the dock.  Hmmm...there wasn't any more rain in the forecast.  We'll have to double check the weather again in the morning.  With God's grace, we'll have a safe, uneventful passage back.  We should arrive at Banana Bay sometime Wednesday afternoon.  Until then, G'nite y'all :)