Cape Coral Cruise Club - “Where boaters become friends and memories last forever.”
Each month, the Cape Coral Cruise Club takes a scheduled cruise to a different marina in SW Florida and stays there for several days enjoying the amenities and hospitality of that area. We do that nine times a year along with an extended cruise each Spring and take a break during the summer months of July and August.
For September 2025, our destination of choice was Snook Bight Marina at Fort Myers Beach. Snook Bight is a great boating destination with many amenities, two onsite restaurants, and a Publix grocery store about 10 feet away!
Seven club boats made the trip on Friday, September 19th. After docking safely, club members convened in the late afternoon for ‘docktails’, snacks and conversation. We then converged at the boater’s lounge at the marina where we prepared a massive potluck dinner for all club members. Every boater brought an entrée or dessert and we were all stuffed in no time flat!
After dinner, we played a little game that I dubbed “The Pathetic Ping Pong Passing Game”. Whenever my wife Pati and I host a club cruise, I’ve created some kind of crazy game for members to play and provide prizes for the top finishers.
The object of this game was to transfer 10 ping pong balls from one tray to another without touching the balls. This was accomplished by using a straw. By using suction, a player would lift a ping pong ball from the tray, and while maintaining sufficient suction, transfer the ball to their spouse who would receive the ball by applying said suction to the other side of the ball.
At that point the first player would release their suction and the second player using their suction would place the ball in the empty tray. Easy enough, eh?? The hilarious comments provided by club members while playing this game cannot be reprinted here! Congratulations to Tim and Mary Ann who won the game by passing their 10 balls in just 59 seconds!
Saturday morning, we provided breakfast for all club members consisting of strata, scrambled eggs, sausage links, pastries and juice. After breakfast, club members met at the boaters lounge for our second game - a scavenger hunt! The scavenger hunt consisted of 10 questions where most of the answers can be found on the property of Snook Bight Marina.
Many of the questions consisted of simple math. For example, one of the questions was “How many Adirondack chairs in front of the marina office.” Another question had members find a painting of 4 Hobie Cat boats and provide the sum of all digits on their sails. Our winners of the scavenger hunt were Tad and Jane who were awarded a new Margarita blender!
The rest of Saturday found many club members relaxing in the pool, walking the beach, or replenishing supplies at the nearby Publix. Saturday evening we had a nice group dinner at Fresh Catch Bistro, one of the restaurants at Snook Bight.
Sunday morning was another round of prepared breakfast with eggs, sausage, and pastries. Club members spent the rest of the day enjoying Snook Bight marina amenities, visiting with friends, playing card games, and just plain ol' relaxing. On Sunday afternoon we gathered at Junkanoo’s Restaurant and had dinner outdoors.
Fortunately, Mother Nature was quite cooperative during the time we stayed at the marina and we were truly blessed with great gobs of sunshine and not a drop of rain!
On Monday morning, we pulled up lines and headed home. Much appreciation goes to Snook Bight Marina for their hospitality and special accommodation to the Cape Coral Cruise Club for making our trip a wonderful event to remember.
October Island Cruise & Picnic
Following the Snook Bight cruise, members gathered once again for the Club’s October “Cook Your Own Steak” picnic, hosted by Tad and Jane Vaughn. It was a picture-perfect sunny day on the Island, with 26 members and three prospective member couples in attendance.
Guests grilled their own steaks over the open pit and enjoyed a hearty baked potato bar, fresh salad, and make-your-own sundaes for dessert. Prospective members were treated to tours of the Island and shared in the camaraderie, stories, and long-standing traditions that make the Cape Coral Cruise Club so special.
If you live in SW Florida and are interested in making new friends with fellow boaters, we’d love to hear from you!
The Cape Coral Cruise Club is the club with our own private island! Membership requirements are a boat with overnight sleeping accommodations, and residency in the Cape Coral area. A good sense of humor doesn’t hurt either!
Contact our membership chair Laurie Carlson at (239) 910-5543 or email her at laurie@terryandlaurie.com for more information.
Capt. John Queen
If you have a vessel with full overnight accommodations, and would like more information about joining our Club, please contact our Membership Chairperson, Laurie Carlson, at 239-910-5543! You can also check us out on our Facebook page or our website at: www.CapeCoralCruiseClub.com
