Naples 1

We went back out Matanzas pass and into the gulf on the 19th of February. We cruised down the coast for a few hours to Gordon Pass, which was small but seemed pretty deep. We called TowBoat US before for the latest in local knowledge and it seemed OK.

Other than the traffic going in and out of such a narrow pass it was fine. We has some very large power boats passing us both ways. Between the million dollar power boats, and the multi-million dollars houses on the shore were had clearly entered an even higher tier of big money. Which makes the Naples City Dock that much more unusual. It is a decades old fixed wooden dock surrounded by money. In addition they have a small mooring field that it seemed we could get into.

After a quick trip to the fuel dock we headed over to a slip across a narrow entrance. What made it even more fun was a patio kind of area packed with folks with nothing better to do than watch someone screw up docking.

We were trying to back in, which got a raised eyebrow and a "good luck" from the dockmaster. In we went, past a boat sticking well outside the end of their slip, and a dinghy hanging off the end even further out. We went in and made the turn a little too late. Finally on the third try Heather nailed it, scooting back into the slip. No applause from the peanut gallery, but we were in.

Just saw on the news that the plan to completely tear down the docks and rebuild them had finally been approved, and demo begins May 1. Parts of the dock are supposed to reopen by the end of the year. It will lose a lot of character, but many parts of the old dock are closed and look less than safe.

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