January 19, Day 208 – In Pelican Bay

After a leisurely morning aboard the boat we decided to take the dinghy to Cabbage Key Inn for lunch. The history of the Inn is quite unique. It was built in 1938 as the home of Alan Rinehart, son of American mystery writer Mary Roberts Rinehart. It is said she wrote many of her stories while visiting her son at Cabbage Key. The house was first opened as an inn in 1942. For years visiting fishermen would sleep and eat here. The story goes that to guarantee a cold beer on their return, they started the tradition of posting signed dollar bills on the bar and restaurant walls. Over the years the accumulated currency has piled up over every square inch of wall and ceiling space and it is estimated there’s now over $50,000 attached to the walls. There is also a rumor that the cheeseburger served here prompted the song “Cheeseburger in Paradise” by Jimmy Buffett. Anyway, we went, we saw and we ate. We had the cheeseburger, margaritas and key lime pie. Yummy!!

We took our time getting back to the boat, exploring some of the coves. Then a bit later we dinghied over to the beach we had passed as we entered from the ICW. Gerry tried fishing while the rest of us walked the beach. As the sun set, we headed back to the boat in the dinghy. Gerry grilled chicken for dinner. We did a little computer stuff and then off to bed. Tomorrow we head out for Sanibel Island.

This was our destination for lunch - Cabbage Key Inn

This is a shot of the dollar bills taped to the walls, ceiling and pillars -- They were everywhere, all with names or some comment written on them.

The Captain and his cheeseburger

... and here's a shot of the two of us

This stately bird was walking the grounds

The view looking down from the Cabbage Key Inn

The outdoor eating area at the restaurant

The view inside a little cove by our anchorage. Unfortunately there were many dead fish in here. The cold weather we had last week killed thousands of fish in the area.

We dinghied to the sandbar and Gerry fished for awhile

Pelicans and seabirds .... The Island of Cayo Costa is a wildlife preserve and well known for its terrain and wildlife

A shot through the trees growing along the shoreline

We found a hermit crab on the beach .... it was huge

Here the crab is taking a peak .... looking out at us. He saw us and promptly went back in

We moved it closer to the water. Here he's hanging out, trying to flip over the shell

Success .... back over so it can scoot along back to the water

The view while walking back to the dinghy

Sunset ... time to head back to the boat