Up at 3:30 a.m. before the alarm went off, I was still a bit tipsy from last night’s wine pairing dinner. It was dark and lonely on the neighborhood streets during my run. Our pup was at Schnauzerville, so there was no warm-up walk, just the usual sit-ups, push-ups, and stretches to get me going. It was then an hour-and-a-half drive to Ft. Myers Beach to catch the Key West Express. We made one stop for an Egg McMuffin for early morning nourishment.

My wife is asleep in the seat directly across from me. We had arrived early to get a good spot, but I left my wallet it in the parked car, having failed to get it securely in my back pocket. It was a good thing they asked for ID before boarding otherwise I would not have had it for the trip. No credit cards, driver’s license, or cash.

It’s about a 3-hour cruise that should be simple enough, unless you’re Gilligan. It’s about 3 miles from our port to the Marriott Beachside. In the vicinity are the Hemingway Home, Harry Truman’s Little White House, Southernmost Point, the Butterfly Conservatory, and the Mel Fisher Museum, five of our target destinations. I would also like to have breakfast at Blue Heaven and maybe dessert at Better than Sex.