Smugglers Run 2007 is Complete

The 2007 Smugglers Run is now complete. We ran in fog all day from Sanibel to Everglade City. A new experience for me. The only way we could keep track of the other boats in our group and the fishing boats around us was by radar. Less than 300 ft visibility made for a tense trip. We arrived in Everglade City just in time for a thunderstorm. Dinner was at the Rod and Gun Club.

Wink and Wilma have a great shot of all the boats docked in front of the club.



We finished the trip with a run down to the Shark River and then to Marathon in the Keys. Canals, lakes, locks, Everglades, open Ocean and the Keys. Fun and instructional for me, just another day on the water for most of the seasoned cruisers.

Special thanks to Ken and Becky Fickett, my boat mates on Semper Fi 3, Brooke and Dee of East Passage, and Wink and Wilma of the boat John Henry. East Passage and John Henry are both Great Harbour 47s and both are great boats.

Smugglers Run Day 6

Sunday was spent at anchor in Pelican Bay. Lunch at Cabbage Key. Fishing. Most of the boats launched their dingys and had fun in the bay. Monday, we moved down to the tip of Sanibel to be in position to run to Everglade City. Had we not moved, we couldn't make it all the way there and still have light to find the marina. 13 Great Harbours are now in our group.

Where are we?

Smugglers Run Day 4

Dolphins, pelicans, alligators - we’ve seen all kinds of wildlife on our trip so far. Speaking of wild life, some of these boaters can amaze with years of boating experience, nautical stories of all kinds, and in rare cases, as shown below, even magic.

Richard shows us the disappearing chocolate cake trick. Never have I encountered such a thing.

Smugglers Run Day 3

After jamming, and I mean inches apart, the fleet into the Roland Martin Marina, we dined at a local inn and called it a night. The next day took us around the lake and back in the canal towards Ft. Myers. We traveled through several locks and made it all the way to Ft. Myers. A long day and again, the weather was perfect.

The start of our day



In the Lock



and then out the other side



Sunset as we enter Ft. Meyers

Smugglers Run Day 2

The canal was quiet. Little traffic. The weather was perfect. Through the locks and into the lake today. This is a big lake. At midway point, no land was visible. A beautiful day on the water with the boats all in formation. There are two 47ft, and seven 37ft boats in our group at this point. We will meet 3 more when we get to Ft. Myers. Dinner at the Clewiston Inn (not bad - grouper) and tied up at Roland Martin’s (look at the belly on that fish) marina.

Smugglers Run Day 1

Feb 20 - most of the Mirage Great Harbour boats have arrived at Stuart Fl and are tied up at the River Forest Yacht Center. My flight from Newark touched down at 4:30pm and I arranged for a car service to drop me off at the marina. Met most of the boaters, ordered pizza (thanks to Google Maps), and chatted until midnight.

I’ll be a guest of the company on Semper Fi 3. A free day followed for me. Lunch with the Becces, several more boats arrived and we ran off the the Publix for supplies. Thursday was a early departure towards the Lake Okeechobee.