Lazy Sunday on Longboat Key

Sarasota



Longboat Key Beach
It feels a lot warmer than it looks





Lots of seashells all over the beach





Everywhere

 





Curious heron, just a tad too close for comfort, ya know?





 

The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg



Awesome exhibit



 



Longboat Key Moorings Marina

 

January 20, 2016

Longboat Key Club Mooring Marina

Longboat Key is our first "intended" long stay place.  This is an upscale marina and resort with lots of amenities included: shuttle, pumpout boat, pool, hot tub, gym, cable, bikes.  They have golf and tennis available as well.

Downtown Sarasota is about 9 miles from Longboat Marina. Marina Jack's Marina is right down town, usually a waiting list and 2-3 times the rate of Longboat Key.




Found great seafood at Barnacle Bill's on Main Street, Sarasota


 



Happy Hour at  Bistro

.

The Gulf is raging away with  25+ winds.



Ops!!

 

We went to Bridge St. Bistro in Bradenton Beach.  It's a very nice low-key part of the area north of the marina.



Calm Gulf  in background.



Now this version of the Gulf conditions is more conducive to making the crossing. 



Chris and Janis at fuel dock, on their way out of Longboat. Weather has been hit and miss, but this looked like a good day to cruise.

Marina decided we were too long here so sent us to a bigger berth.

View of Marina from office.

Pelican rookery next to our boat






Salt water catfish caught off Anna Maria Pier
 

See ya on down the coast

1.19.16 Gulfport Marina

Pulled into Gulfport Marina. Met up with Paraiso, Chris and Janis, and Red Eagle, Sax and Sherri, already there.

Pub Grub at O'Malley's

We managed to get our broken dock water pressure regulator replaced with the help of Larry of Larry's Marine Service.
Then, later that night we had what was really a great meal at O'Malley's Pub.
The next day we departed for Longboat Key Club Moorings Marina.

January11-19, 2016

Tarpon Springs, Florida

 

 

Tarpon Springs is a great stop. We docked at Turtle Cove Marina, a block from the "Sponge Docks", a tourist area with lots of good Greek restaurants and shops.  For cyclists there is a 35 mile bike path going clear to St. Petersburg.  This bike path was built over an old railroad bed so while there are no cars to contend with, the path crosses occasional town streets with restaurants. We rode as far as Clearwater, about 1/2 way.
.
Pam flew into Tampa to rejoin the adventure.  A day later Bo flew back to Seattle.  Thank you so much for crewing, Bo!!!

Turtle Cove Mascots

The Spong Docks.

A sponge diver.

The crews from Paraiso, Sea Jamm and India Jayne at Hella's Greek Restaurant.

We have been here a week and are currently waiting for high tide to leave for parts south.

Boat storage in the Marina. They put your boat in and out of the water on demand. Amazing operation to watch.

Happy Captain at Tiki Bar dock

35 mile bike path, Tarpon to St. Pete

Look closely. Rare picture of two eagles in the act!

January 7-12, 2016 

Carrabelle and Gulf Crossing

 

We ran up the Carrabelle River to the Moorings Marina on the "Long Dock", a side tie right next to the Chartroom lounge for berthers, very nice.  Most other berths were pilings with scant finger piers. Ours even had a cable TV hookup. 3' tides.

 

Unfavorable conditions prevented us from crossing Friday night, so we had a few days in Carrabelle.

The 85' Florida Fish and Wildlife boat docked just ahead of us started to cross Friday and turned back from 6-7' seas.





 

 

 

Seaman 1st Class, Bo

Paraiso was already there, along with Clarabelle.
In days to follow we were joined by S/V Dutchess and Palmetto Paradise.

All crews went to dinner at the Fisherman's Wife (John, Chuck, Bo, Kit, Chris, Alan, CC, Janis, Paula & Jim).  Excellent grouper on the menu.

Bo, Don and Joann at the Carrabelle Junction

On Monday Don and Joann arrived on Magic.

We left Monday afternoon, 1/11/16.  They went for a day crossing the next day.

Red Right Returning?

 

The Gulf Crossing begins.  We left Carrabelle at 1611, R "2" close aboard at 1715 with Palmetto Paradise and Paraiso behind us.
Red Eagle and Sea Jamm were coming out from Apalachicola.

The weather looked great!!

 

Calm seas didn't last long. Nineteen hours later, after a long night of 2-3' beam and generally confused seas with no moonlight and no sleep we passed some resident roosting pelicans coming up the Anclote River coming into Turtle Cove Marina in Tarpon Springs. Nice to be in calm water again.

All berths were reserved so we had been offered the side tie at the Tiki (Knotty) Bar. No complaints about this, a cozy, convenient spot with all the comforts of home.
We are a block from the nearest restaurants, not to mention and ice cream parlor.

Tarpon Springs claims to be the Sponge Capitol of the World, probably undisputed.

Knotty Bar side-tie, Turtle Cove Marina

Tuesday, Jan.5, 2016

Day 2 Eastward

0802  Weighed anchor at English Navy Cove.  Passed Navarre,  Ft Walton,  Destin and arrived at Hogtowne Bayou to find a great anchorage there.  Protected and spacious.

Day 3 from Fairhope

0715  Weighed anchor at Hogtowne Bayou in Choctawhatchee Bay and soon entered a manmade canal connecting to West Bay and Panama City, then East Bay and another cut.  We passed the canal to Port St. Jo as we wanted to make the weather window for gulf crossing Friday from Carrabelle. Considered stopping at White City, but it was under water from recent rains.  Apalachicola River was at flood stage, so had to push on to Lake Wimico, not listed in any guides.  Found a nice protected cove on the Lake and dropped anchor. Dawn to sunset ride. Made 92 miles.

Ran at 17 knots for a time.

Hazardous Materials ship with heliport

 Day 4 from Fairhope
Apalachicola River at Flood Stage.  Highest since 1993. Note the nav aids washed to the far bank.

Lots of debris and fast current, location of channel & markers: often unknown.
We saw many flooded houses along the banks. Estimated current at least 3.5 knots based on our increased speed.

 Made it to Carrabelle in time for the weather window, and tied up to something solid. Whew!

Meanwhile, the weather window

was closing.