Venice Anyone....

Well sorry to say it is Tues. the 4th. and another beautiful day.  We started off on what was to be a simple bike ride to the Public's store just a "few block away" so Don said.  Well 30 minutes later we found it.  Picked up just a few quick supplies and off we were again.  The temperature is now getting quite warm and we are lost going back.  Don took a different route and our 30 minute ride was now a 50 + minutes.  I was so glad to get back to the boat and take a shower and cool off. 

We packed up the boat and got ready to head out again.  Doug and Linda were on their boat so we could say good-bye.  I know we say it all the time, but one of the best things about our journey is the people we meet along the way which now become friends.  After a quick photo we were off.  Marina Jack was a nice Marina, and we wished we could stay another day but off we go. 

Water was so calm and the sun so bright.  Made it had to look for crab pots. We only had 15.4 miles to go today but there were 4 bridges to go under. the first Siesta Key at 25' and then Stickney Point Bridge at 18' with 3' more at centre.  Along the way we saw our new winter home.  Just a little something on the water!!!!  What a magnificent house and it is for SALE....

After Don told me "no Freya we are not buying the house" we moved on to the next bridge, the Blackburn Point Swing Bridge at 9'.  We called in and like Skipper Bob said it took him a bit to answer.  As we saw him walk out to the centre of the bridge we could not believe how old he was.  No wonder it took him so long.  After through we continued on to the Albee Bridge at 14'.  There was a lot of boat traffic on the water so we waited our turn, then went through.  We were staying at the Crow's Nest Marina in Venice which was just past the bridge.  Once in and all settled in we walked around and saw other Looper's there.  Northern Lights was there and then Flying Free had just pulled in.  After talking to them we took the Marina's bikes for a ride into town.  They said it was not that far maybe 1 1/2 mile, I don't think so.  I was still recouping from this mornings bike ride, well this one was quite a bit more.  I was not sure if I would make it back but we did.  And guess what, just in time for another sun set!!!!  Don grabbed a quick rum and coke and off we walked to the beach.  What an amazing sunset.  It looked like a lover's lane, with all the cars driving in and parked to watched the sun go down.  We walked back to the boat and relaxed for a bit then went to dinner at the Marina restaurant.  We had a great dinner.  Back to the boat and a nite cap and a little TV and we called it a nite. 

Off to Sarasota

 

Well it is a sad time but it is time for us to move on again.  We have said good bye to Tom and Linda before but as I am sure we will meet up again.  It is always a great time with the two of them and we are lucky to have them in our friends of boaters.  It was also hard to say good bye to Treasure Island Yacht Club.  Great please to stop with friendly staff, great pool and Tiki Bar and great food.            So we bid Linda and Tom good bye and head to another favorite spot, Sarasota.  We have been there by car but am looking forward to staying on our boat there.  We had just another great day to travel.  We left at 9:45AM on Sun the 2nd and the temperature was already 73.  We had a beautiful area to travel through, the remainder of St Joseph Sound and the ICWW to Boca Ciega Bay and then out into the Gulf at the North Channel and came in at the Egmont Channel.  It was a beautifully calm day in the Gulf.  Anyone doing the crossing will be having a wonderful time.  We picked up the ICWW and then down the long Sarasota Bay to Marina Jack Marina in the heart of Sarasota.  It is a very large well equipped and maintained marina.  Another boat pulled in beside use called the _______ Linda.  We helped them with their lines and introduced ourselves to them.  Doug and Linda Cardente      were from Maine but had a home in Palmetto and were out for a few days cruising.  After we were all settled in we went for a walk and then back to the Marina Jack Bart for a drink, listen to the live music and to watch the sun set, again....  Never too many sunsets.  We decided to go to the Italian restaurant we went by earlier for dinner Ca's Antica on Palm Ave.  We sat outside and had one of the best dinners, Don a veal chop and I had veal Marsala.  Five stars in our books.  It was a lovely nite walking back to the boat. We wanted to have a nite cap and listen to the music but it all stopped at 9PM.  Oh well the next time.

 On Mon.the 3rd we had decided to ride our bike across the causeway to St Armand's Circle and the Lido Beach and walk along the beach and look for some shells.  The last time here I found some of the best shell ever but this time they were few and far between. It was a very long ride but the beach was worth it and the water was nice.  We stopped and had a very refreshing cold beer in the circle before heading back across the causeway.  We relaxed for a bit on the boat before we headed off to the Ringling Brothers Museum and the Ringling Mansion "Ca d Zan".  Don and I were amazed at the estate and the Circus Museum.  There was so much to see, we could have spent half a day there.  There was a large section of the Circus Museum were they had built the whole life of the circus all in miniature made all mostly by Howard Tibbal.  You have to be there and see it to believe it, unbelievably amazing.  We walked the exquisite grounds and up to their palatial mansion.  It is a display of decadent wealth. 

Back at the marina we invited Doug and Linda to join us for drink and to see the sun set. It was another beautiful sunset and a perfect way to end a perfect day. We decided to eat at the Marina's up scale restaurant. We had another great dinner in a lovely dining room and a great waiter Gerard. Came back to the boat and had a nite cap and called it a nite. Long day....

 

 

Tee Time in Treasure Island

Well the weekend is upon us again.  It is Fri. the 30th the last day of the month.  Don and I just do not know where the days have gone.  We kind of like that feeling.  We checked our email and I was having a problem with mine.  I could not get into my email account because it said it was already opened somewhere else.  I remembered that Don had asked me to open one email that had come from Bonnie his sister the day before so I did open it the day before and low and behold it had a very nasty virus.  It took me 3 1/2 hours to straighten everything out  but I still can not send emails from my Ipad.  What a way to start the day.  After breakfast Don took Tom's place on the golf course with Jim.  He had been waiting for repairs to be done on his boat and Fri. was the day.  So the ladies were forced to go SHOPPING....  And we did but not without some excitement to start us off.  When we got to the mall there was a PNC bank so I knew Don wanted some money from our account so I thought that I would get some.  So to make a long story short I tried my US card but had the wrong pin # so I put my card back in the case and put the case to try my Canadian card which did not work but to some it up somehow I lost or dropped the case with the cards in them....  I was so upset but could not do anything till I got back to the boat.  Bad thinks go in threes, what could happen next...  It was otherwise a great day shopping with Linda and Sandi.  We went back to the golf course and had some wine and a munchies and waited for the boys.  Don and Jim had a good game of golf, as golf games go.  Weather was not too hot and they had a lite breeze.  Back at the boat Tom had had a long day with the technician's and we were worn out from shopping.  Jim and Sandi went back to their home and we all retreated back to our boats. We went up to the restaurant and had a great dinner then back to the boat.  Great way to end a day that had not started off so great.... 


 It is now Sat. the 1st of Dec.  This morning we lounged on the boat for a bit and got a few things done that needed to get done.  After we went down to the pool and lounged a bit more.  Back at the boat we brought out of few Christmas decoration and put them up.  It made the boat look festive.

Tom and Linda were going to their friend for a BBQ so since we had eaten out the last few nites we decided cooked on board, a great rack of New Zealand lamb for dinner. A definite yum yum.   After dinner there was music coming from the pool area so we went down for a glass of wine. Great music.  Just as we got back to the boat we saw fireworks off in the distance.  They seem to do this every time we come into port....Ha Ha....  After a nite cap it was now after 11:00PM so we called it a nite....

Dolphin Highway to Treasure Island

It is such a great day to travel again. We decided to move on and travel to Treasure Island.  Before we left we went for a long walk down the beautiful soft white sand beach of Clearwater.  The wind had gone and the sun and blue skies were out.  We went on what I call a shell walk, scouting for that perfect shell and a great walk to boot....  We found a couple of great shells for our collection.  Lots and lots of birds everywhere looking for food.  This one found his breakfast.On the way back to the boat we browsed the shops and Don found a shirt. 

We left on Thurs. the 29th to warm temperature's of 73, blue skies everywhere and now much more boat traffic. But the boats were not the only traffic we had.  We were on the dolphin highway and the highway was busy.   They were everywhere.   In front of our boat, behind the boat in our wake and in the right hand lane.  I think he was trying to text us because he kept looking at me and rolling over and spinning in circles and then just flying out of the water as to say "this will surely get her attention". Well it did..  What an amazing site.  I don't think that anyone can get enough of the playful dolphins.

It was a great cruise and coming into Treasure Island you certainly knew that you were in Florida.  The palatial estates and homes along the shore line, one after another after another....  It was impressive to come into the Treasure Island Yacht Club Marina.  The dock master put us next to Tom and Linda on Q's End which was great.  They were waiting for us and after they helped us with the lines they were on their way to the pool.  Sounds good to us so we changed and followed them.  Beautiful pool and grounds.  Don was in the water first and said "come on in, it is not Canadian water anymore".  It was lovely and so refreshing.  After a few hours at the pool we came back to the boat and cleaned up.  Tom and Linda were going to have dinner at the Club so we joined them.  They came over first for cocktails and hors d' oeuvres.  The restaurant was beautiful and they had a great 2 piece band and singer playing.  We had a great dinner with our great friends.  Last time we had dinner with them it was back in Grafton.  We came back to the boat and had a nite cap and called it a nite.

Clearwater

We were sad to say good bye to Tarpon Springs.  Our lovely little Greek escape, opa....  The weather was beautiful, about 72ish and clear blue skies.  It was not a long distance to Clearwater but it took a bit of time to get out of Tarpon Springs.  Lots of boat but this time we did not have to contend with the crab pots, at least not that many only a rouge one here and there.  We had said our good byes to Phil and Carolyn and wished them the best and hope that thing got straightened out with her arm and that we would keep in touch.  It was a nice cruising day again and 20+ miles through St Joseph Sound.  We arrived at Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina in no time.  It was a big marina and they were putting us on the T end of the main dock but when we got there the whole dock was full of pelicans and sea gulls and any bird that wanted to rest and shit.  Everywhere you could see.  After I jumped off and tied up one line Don got off and did the rest.  The marina dock master did come by and had the whole dock washed off with a high pressure washer.  It was much better. 

We went for a walk down to the boardwalk and beach at Pier 60.  It was windy out, but there were people everywhere.  The city certainly takes great care of the beaches.  There were many vendors on the Pier, and they set up 2 hours before and 2 hours after sunset.  I thought that they were going to be blown away. We went for a drink at Hooters and a munchies.  Then came back to the boat and cleaned it down and I worked on this blog for a bit.  Cooked a great dinner and watched TV.   Sunshine like to watch me cook dinner.  Her favorite perch in to lay across the wooden duck, how funny she is to watch.  A nice simple nite.