The weatherman got it right.  The wind is down.  We’re ready to leave, for the Ten Thousand Islands.  Two hours later we complete the run from Little Shark River to Indian Key – the entrance to the Barron River and the route to Everglades City.  We wanted to see the town and we needed gas.

Everglades City is a quiet community which looks to its waters for much of its livelihood.  Commercial fishing, charter boats and tour boats ply the shallow waters.  Here is one of the spots, along the Tamiami Trail (US 41), that you can take an airboat ride.  Providing gas for small cruising boats is not one of their better efforts.  We finally managed to get gas from the “chef” of a restaurant between runs back to the kitchen to flip burgers. 

One of the Everglades National Park Visitor’s Centers can be found just outside of town.  On the way out of the river a park ranger stopped us for a safety Inspection.  I think he was mainly interested in seeing the boat.

We continued to Panther Key and spent the night anchored to the north of it.