Wed. Jan. 18 – I awake, and have a fresh grapefruit, peeled and sectioned, and check out Tripadvisor for a little excursion to Fort Myers Beach, to which I have not yet been. The beach is very popular with tourists and locals alike, and at the peak of “high season” (like in Feb. and March) can get crazy crowded, so now is a good time to make a "reconnaissance" mission to get the lay of the land while the crowds are still manageable.
Fort Myers Beach is a long narrow “key” with basically one main street running along its length, which is Estero Blvd., which actually begins in Fort Myers, and continues after it goes over a bridge to the key, which is Fort Myers Beach. The term “boulevard” is actually is misnomer, as far as its stretch along the beach is concerned. There is no wide median with palm trees growing. It is two lanes in either direction, with an occasional left turn lane, accessible by traffic in either direction (which I refer to as “death lanes.”) All of the side streets, from what I can tell, dead end to the ocean, so there really is no alternate “through-street” from which to enter/exit the island. Parking is limited to paid lots, and some of the businesses (like hotels) which occasionally open their customer lots to the general public (for fee) when their own hotels are not full. The main public beach is at one end of the key, which means parking ranges in price from $7 to $5 (all day), with the price increasing as you get closer to the public beach. Most of the remainder of the beach, as far as I can tell, is “private beach” associated with clubs and hotels, although it appears the public can walk the entire length of the beach if they wish. It’s just that entry/exit points to Estero Blvd. get a little “dicey” as you leave the public area.
Tripadvisor suggests “Pete’s Time Out” as a favorite beach lunch spot, so I mark that on my GPS unit and head out. The beach is crowded, but not crazy. I find a place to park about 3 blocks from the public beach for $5, mostly out of confusion rather than necessity (I find there is better parking available as I walk toward the beach). I am hungry, so I start my day with lunch at Pete’s. Pete’s is in an area of Estero Boulevard that has been turned into a pedestrian mall with lots of little gift shops and stalls/kiosks. There’s also public restrooms and changing rooms, and faucets to rinse the sand off your feet all in this pedestrian mall area. Petes has patio dining, as well as "covered" dining in an area that reminds me of a big porch. For lunch, I have jerk-seasoned mahi (the more ecologically sound alternative to grouper) sandwich with a mango salsa, served with fries, and I order an iced tea as beverage. It's all excellent, as promised in Tripadvisor, and you have the added ambiance of being serenaded by the Grackles, which hang around and swoop down on any french fries that are dropped on the ground, and also anyone's plate for leftovers once the dining guests have left. In that regard, the busboys and waitresses are very speedy about "bussing" tables, because the Grackles can be a nuisance. I have a very nice (and seasoned) waitress named “Sara” who has a decidedly northeastern accent. We chat a bit about local lore, law, and custom, notably the allowance (or prohibition) of adult beverages on the beach ... prohibited, except for the private parts of the beach associated with the clubs, restaurants, and hotels. Usually these are marked with signs that read “no alcohol beyond this point.” She says the cops are usually pretty forgiving about infractions, depending on to what degree you are an asshole about it and decide to debate the cop about your rights and civil liberties, and whether you appear to be a tourist or a local. If you are friendly, they will usually just ask you to dump it (the alcohol) and the cops are on their way to more pressing matters.
After a nice lunch, I walk up and down the beach shirtless for about a quarter mile, and also walk the big long pier, which takes you out into the ocean for about a hundred feet or so. Several people are fishing on the pier. One of the locals spots what she thinks is a manatee (they hang around here this time of year) but all I see is a gentle wake where the supposed manatee is making its slow lumbering way to wherever it’s going. I’m later told that when you see a manatee in the wild, that this wake is about all you see, because they rarely poke their heads above water, except just far enough to catch a breath of air, then it’s back underwater to continue grazing.
Every once in a while along the beach, there is a kiosk advertising parasailing, or jet ski rental, or boogie boarding. I might try the parasailing some time, but for now do not inquire about pricing because I don’t really want to get hooked into a sales presentation today. When I’m ready (if I’m ready) I’ll simply go. I also notice the almost infinite variety and intricacy to which beachgoers “go” to enjoy their day at the beach, from simple blankets plopped down on the sand, to elaborate beach chairs with built-in shade canaopies, to beach umbrellas with more standard “director’s chairs” and folding chaise lounges, and everything in between. And of course coolers in every six from the “six packers” to full size Coleman varieties. All of this stuff, of course, must be ferried to and from your car, so the more “crap” you have, the more hands you need to carry it, or multiple trips to and from the car. I don’t know that my skin would tolerate a full-blown “day at the beach,” but if I decide to do this, it will definitely require a trip to a Walmart or similar store to buy some “beach gear,” and some thought will have to go in to how elaborate I want to get. For certain, some type of shade will be a necessity, since there is virtually no shade on the beach (like palm trees for example) save for sitting underneath the pier, or heading back to the retail area and sitting under a canopy at some bar’s deck or patio (which, in combination with a beer or fruity rum drink, isn’t the worst idea in the world, by the way!) So we’ll see what happens. For now, I am just enjoying my little “minitrip” to the beach.
I get back to the condo, and decide to watch “Get Smart” on DVD, which Dawn has mailed to me from Wisconsin after I have purchased it on eBay and had Dawn ship it to me from my P.O. Box in Evansville. It’s hilariously funny, and Steve Carrell is so good in the role as Maxwell Smart, and there is good chemistry between him and Anne Hathaway, who plays agent 99. And Dwaye (“The Rock”) Johnson is actually pretty good and funny as Agent 23.
To bed around 10 p.m. With all the fresh air and sunshine today, I am pretty tired!
Expenses today: parking, $5; lunch $15, total $20
Bruce
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