I’m finishing up my winter stay in South West Florida.  When we left home in November, I had a  bit of anxiety about traveling because of the Covid pandemic.  But all that dissipated once we got to our home in Fort Myers Beach.  We found that the Covid prevalence and precautions were pretty much the same in Florida as they were back home.  We already knew things would be different and adjusted our expectations.

Overall, we were blessed with a great winter in Florida.  We dodged hurricane Eta that first week and from then on the weather was pretty much ideal.  Neither my wife nor I got sick.  We stayed vigilant and cautious each day wearing our masks when needed, washing our hands, and avoiding crowded places.

Masked up and socially distanced at the only indoor event we attended.

Things were different this winter.  Most places were open and running close to normal but we did what was prudent to minimize our exposure risk.

Visiting a less crowded section of Fort Myers Beach at Newton Park.

Here’s a quick summary of things we didn’t do and things we did do over the winter;

What I Didn’t Do

• Play any Pickleball
• Play any Cornhole
• Watch any football on Sunday’s at my favorite sports bar
• Attend music events
• Go dancing at the Moose Lodge
• Attend yoga classes
• Swim in the community pool
• Attend any big gatherings
• Eat any dinners out at area restaurants
• Get sick or get Covid

What I Did Do

• Rode my ebike over 800 miles all over the Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach area
• Took more walks in new places
• My wife and I got smartwatches (Apple watch for her and a Fitbit for me) and started tracking our walks, steps, and bike rides.  It’s a great motivator.
• Learned how to Livestream and record the Sunday services for my church.  Acquired all the technology needed and donated it all to the church.
• Visited Cayo Costa State Park – a beautiful island off the mouth of Port Charlotte harbor.  Click Here to see video.
• Walked and biked a virtual version of Camino de Santiago for 483 miles.  It took me 10 weeks.
• Visited several new less busy beaches that were near by.

My new favorite beach with no crowds – Bunche Beach. Just 2 miles from our house.

• Made 8 videos for my YouTube channel of places I visited.  Click here to see my latest – Best Beaches on Sanibel Island
• Donated over $320 worth of food with 15 weekly trips to a local food pantry
• Got tested for Covid twice and got fully vaccinated
• Participated in a weekly Bible Study via Zoom and read 17 books in the Bible (12 Old Testament and 5 New Testament)
• Read 9 other books.  The best one – The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

On the beach at Cayo Costa State Park

Although the Covid risk was always there, it didn’t prevent us from enjoying life.  It made us adapt, search out new places, and try some new things.  We spent several hours of each day outside.  We rode bikes, walked on the beach, explored new areas, cautiously visited with friends, ate lunches at a couple of favorite places that let us maintain distance, we helped others each in our own way, and we stayed healthy.

Praise God for looking out for us and for all he provides to us.