February 1961 Trip to Boca Grande – Part Four

Part One, Part Two, and Part Three of the story are available in the Members Area in previous issues of Tales of Island Life.

It was the last week of the Condon’s three-week stay on their boat, Bagarre, at Miller’s Marina. The couple still shelled on the beaches at the north and south ends of the island, still met with friends, did boat chores, shopped and frequented the Pink Elephant bar and visited with Forrest, the bartender. Harrison monitored the comings and goings of boats from the marina like the appearance of a boat named Noah’s Ark from Fort Myers. He comments that there has been news of an airline strike but no updates.

The recent diversion for the group of friends – the Ned Jewetts, the Edward Kings and the Mac Millers -has been knot tying which they continue under the supervision of Captain Howard (Bob) Sharp. At the beach, adventurous members strike out for a sand bar but push back to beach before they are swept up to the point.” Back at the boat, he plays skittles with Shawn and Bill, two small children of Mrs. Dwyer who comes from Kansas City. Later he reports that “all behaved quietly at cocktails and dinner. Ned (Jewett) had the wisdom to disengage himself from the expedition to Pink Elephant.” He concludes his report of th day with “beautiful moon and sky full of stars.” A few days later, Condon comments on a “theatrical scene of the fishermen in many-hued shirts unloading the haul of mullet under the glaring lights in the tin shack of the fishing dock.

The next morning, they learn that the airline strike is over. They also see that the Condon’s boat and the Galpo (Bayard Sharp’s) are the only two in the marina. That changes by evening when every slip is full and the “’Lauralia’ has to turn back to Fertilizer Dock.” So it’s off to the Pink – “so many people the pups (the Condon’s dogs always accompanied them to the bar) hide most of the time. Wind up with a walk back in the glowing moon – so bright that foot prints show up in the white path.” The next day, the Condons depart for their flight home in Boston.

Condon sums up the trip. “In retrospect, this has been the most enjoyable of my many invasions of Florida. Three solid weeks of sunshine – great fun in the wide, wild beaches. Best of all were the many gay and happy meetings with the Millers (Mac and Pat) plus fleeting glimpses of ebullient, unpredictable Bayard. Memories of wild rollers, emerald waters, moonlight skies studded with glowing constellations I hope will never be lost.”