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Published: November 21st 2013
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Yard Dog Charlie
We've been following this guy for years. He writes his own songs and is as colorful as his picture! Accordion, harmonica, key board, and vocals. Is this really Florida? No high rises, no beach, and not a single traffic light along 14 miles of barrier island! But there are many artists, farmers (palm trees from Pine Island supply much of Florida's landscaping stock), musicians fishermen, authors (we bought books from two local writers on our most recent visit), Chickee Huts, and seafood restaurants (many of which have live entertainment). There is a single causeway and a drawbridge nicknamed the "fishingest bridge in the world" because so many people stand along both sides with their lines in the water.
We stayed back at the Pine Island KOA / Encore RV resort recently and are glad to be here among some snow bird friends from previous visits! The park is fun, funky, friendly and quite affordable. We've explored the island on past visits. On a recent Saturday we found Christmas gifts at a church flea market, got locally grown avocadoes at a Chamber sponsored farmers market and picked up some new duds and a task lamp for my RV desk at a charity thrift shop where they wouldn't let us leave without taking free baked goods donated by Winn Dixie. We traded books at the library at
Artist Leoma Lovegrove's Fish
Leoma prettied up the blank wall on the side of the Matlacha Post Office with her amazing fish! the RV park, loved their pool and listened to the park's "house band" on its debut weekend.
Early on in our visit we sat at the bar and ate pizza at the Ragged Ass Saloon, had great seafood at Reds, shared a Cuban (and picked up a passel of tamales to cook home) at a fruit and vegetable stand run by people originally from Mexico, licked ice cream from Great Licks in Matlacha, listened to Yard Dog Charlie play his accordion and key board at Woody's Waterside, and ventured into the American Legion for $1 Margaritas and $4 taco salad. Later in the week we loved our seafood lunch at Mulletville Waterside where the famous "Jackie" cooks breakfast daily until 11am. Bar snacks at the Low Key Tiki on the Monroe Canal while the FAB Gary & Cary sang and played was a fun way to spend an evening - we nabbed half a table and ran into one of our island artist friend Joanna Bowles. It's homey when you go out and see people you know. The VFW had a FAB filet mignon dinner for $16 on Friday night. Drinks are very inexpensive and one of
Artist Mel Meo's Swinging Door
This is at Mulletville Waterside - the famous Jackie cooks breakfast here until 11 am. Happy Hour starts at 2pm. We had a great late lunch - all seafood - great home made potato chips! our favorite bands "Last Resort" played. The Lazy Flamingo at the Four Winds Marina in Bokeelia deserves its reputation for having the BEST oysters on the island. We met up with friends from home at Three Fishermen in North Fort Myers. We caught up with Yard Dog Charlie and Swamp Box (really a strumable) suitcase Brian playing zydeco and tropical music. We took our annual drive to the Tarpon Lodge, easily the hippest restaurant on the island and listened to Sister Kaite
http://sisterkaite.com/ singing and playing standards and some of her original work. The food at Tarpon Lodge is to die for. We shared Bronzed Shrimp, tried to figure out the "secret ingredient" in Wes's chowder, and shared a salad with avocado / mango dressing. My catch of the day (grouper) tacos and Wes's rib eye were perfect!
On our last night in Pine Island, we returned to Woody's Waterside where Kip Lawrence put together a fun "open mic" night. Dinner at the bar, oysters, for me, were super good. The "talent" was amazing; especially Andrew and Jess, fresh off a sail boat. The marina folks told them about open mic night - they, and the other entertainers, made
Joanne'sOysters
The Lazy Flamingo at the Four Winds Marina in Bokeelia has the BEST oysters on the halfshell! an especially nice way to end our vacation!
Staying more than a week in one spot like Pine Island has its rewards. Wes has been invited to join a golf group and poker club. I'm invited to a book talk and joined a water aerobics group at the community pool near the center of the island for $2 / session. And we are looking forward to beanbag baseball which everyone at the pool raves about. Maybe while home, I'll spiff up my very rusty and never very good bridge game. There are several "party" bridge opportunities listed in The Eagle, PI's weekly news paper.
Sites at the Pine Island KOR range from rustic to 50 AMP electrical service with cable; fees vary - we're here "off season" full service for $280 / week plus tax. It will be more when we return for January and February.
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