Loop Dreams Adventure with Ken & Barbara: Feb. 21s-23rd, Everglades City

February 21 - 23

We anchored in the Everglades on the Barron River and were surrounded by a maze of 10,000 tiny islands. Enjoyed another beautiful sunset. Working with tides, currents and shoals we slowly made our way to the Rod & Gun Club and docked at their wall.

The Rod and Gun Club was originally built upon a foundation set by the first permanent settler whom founded the historical city in 1864. The atmosphere of the club still exudes from the dark brown wood, the pecky cypress dining room and mounted grouper and other trophies including a gator skin.
Dining at the club was a treat. We toured the Old Laundry Building, built in 1927 by Barron G. Collier as a laundry for his company town. The building was restored to its current condition in 1997 and was opened in 1998 as the Museum of the Everglades. The exhibits chronicle the 2,000 years of the Southwest Florida history from the Calusa Indians through the Collier era and beyond to the present day.

We took a Speedy Air boat ride through the Everglades National Park and enjoyed the Mangrove and
grassy areas. A great way to tour the Everglades. The next day we took our scooters to Chokoloskee and visited the Smallwood Trading Post, a museum tangled deep within the Ten Thousand Islands. Its rich history began in 1906, when Ted Smallwood open the outpost, accessed only by water, for the settlers of this remote region. The store was open until 1982. We happened upon the granddaughter and she shared many historical facts which made the tour fascinating.