Celebrating Southwest Floridians
CRUISE CONTROL It’s been more than two decades since Joe Pledger first helped take over J. C. Cruises, a business started by his father in 1972. Though many years have passed, Pledger still has new experiences while on the job.
“Every day you see something different,” he says. “A bad day on the water beats a good day anywhere else.”
Pledger can usually be found piloting the Capt. J. P., a replica paddleboat J. C. Cruises had built in 1987 that travels along the Caloosahatchee River. “When people see the paddleboat coming down the river, they seem to stop and take notice,” he says. “It’s a different sight.”
Though it looks historic, the boat is actually diesel powered and boasts the latest technology. Departing from the Fort Myers Yacht Basin, it takes guests out for lunch, dinner and sightseeing cruises, heading west along the river toward Sanibel and the Gulf of Mexico or eastward toward Lake Okeechobee. It’s also a popular venue for weddings, fundraisers and other events.
“Many people have never been on a boat this big,” says Pledger. “They love sitting and eating while seeing the scenery change as we cruise down the river.”
J. C. Cruises, 239- 334- 7474, jccruises.com
THE MOVIE MAN Seen any good movies lately? Eric Raddatz definitely has. As the founder and executive director of the Fort Myers Film Festival, he spends his year screening potential entrants, often with help from the community during TGIM ( Thank God for Indie Mondays) events at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.
The fourth annual festival takes place March 19 through 23 at venues like the art center, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall and Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. Attendees will see flicks few others have viewed.
“You don’t have to fly to Park City or New York to get really excellent films,” says Raddatz. “A lot of the films making our programming have not really played anywhere else. We have a film festival that supports local filmmakers and that supports the distribution of edgy films that might ruffle feathers, which other festivals might not take a chance with.”
Raddatz also works on his own and his friends’ film projects shooting in the Fort Myers area. “People are starting to believe that their work is not just being shot here for here, but it’s being shot here for a more global scale,” he says. “And the awareness of it all makes it a great place to film.” Fort Myers Film Festival, fort myersfilmfestival.com
THE NBC- 2 WEATHER TEAM IS CREDITED WITH BEING THE FIRST TO
DETECT THE SUBTLE CHANGE IN CHARLEY’S TRACK, WHICH WOULD BRING THE STORM CRASHING ASHORE JUST NORTH OF FORT MYERS. THIS ALERT GAVE THE RESIDENTS AN EXTRA FEW HOURS TO PREPARE.
hadn’t been here a whole year when one of the most significant weather events to ever occur in Southwest Florida happened: Hurricane Charley! Van Winkle put his Navy forecasting experience to good use. The NBC- 2 Weather Team is credited with being the first to detect the subtle change in Charley’s track, which would bring the storm crashing ashore just north of Fort Myers. This alert gave the residents an extra few hours to prepare.
About a year later in October of 2005, Van Winkle once again helped viewers through a hurricane. He was on the air for 24 straight hours as Hurricane Wilma crossed the coast south of Marco Island.
Van Winkle, who holds the Seal of Approval from the National Weather Association, loves the challenge of weather forecasting. “Different things happen every day,” he says, “The weather is never exactly the same.” As senior chief meteorologist at NBC- 2, he heads a staff of six, which includes chief meteorologist Haley Webb, meteorologist and hurricane expert Jim Reif and meteorologists Jason Dunning, Kira Miner and David Heckard. They utilize the latest technology to provide accurate forecasts and timely weather warnings. The station’s Your First Alert Doppler Zoom customized radar allows them to pinpoint storm locations and give precise short- term forecasts of storm movement.
With outdoor recreation being a major reason to visit Southwest Florida, accurate weather forecasts are essential. Van Winkle and his team are a trusted source of weather information and a major part of the evening newscast. Audrey Stewart of Adventures in Paradise, a 30- year- old touring and fishing business on Sanibel, says, “We actually use their First Alert Doppler Zoom Radar nearly every day, especially during the summer. In the kind of business we are in, when we need to see where the rain is and where it’s going, and in an up- to- date manner, we rely on NBC- 2. We feel it’s the most accurate.”
Before taking people out for fishing, touring or shelling, Capt. Chris Gillespie of Bear Charters on Sanibel turns to NBC2 Weather as well. In terms of severe weather, Gillespie says, “They’re spot on. Their Doppler radar is bar none the best. Not only does it show where storms are but also where they will move to.” Thunderstorm forecasting is tricky, but as for hurricanes, Van Winkle says they are the hardest to forecast. “Charley was a trial by fire,” he recalls. “We had the right radar at the right time.”
As for favorite pastimes, Van Winkle collects and turns old bird houses, cigar boxes and other such items into decorative home accessories. One day in a small shop, he saw an old bird house that had been newly painted as a decoration and thought, “I can do that.” His creations are for sale at The Open Door Shoppes on Hendry Street in Fort Myers. When it comes to enjoying the weather, Van Winkle heads to Sanibel. “I love the beach,” he says, “Tarpon Bay, Bowman Beach, the Lighthouse Beach. They’re all great.”
As for his move to the Sunshine State, Van Winkle sums it up, “I’ve been lucky. Things turned out absolutely great!”