6 April 2021
Depart: Cayo Costa Anchorage 7:45
Arrive: Venice Crow's Nest Marina 1:55
Distance: 45 nm (includes side trip before docking at marina)
Conditions: Sunny, 70s
Yesterday, a boat anchored to our starboard side that we recognized from meeting the owners at Faro Blanco briefly - "Dakota Lady". We could see the boat out our salon window.
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| Dakota Lady at anchor in Cayo Costa |
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| Cayo Costa |
My college roommate winters in Venice, Florida, so that spot became our next destination. Wanting to have as much time together as possible, we were up and out before 8:00 - our target departure time. While trying to decide what our plans would be for our visit, Clark asked if our friends might like a trip out into the Gulf on our boat for lunch on board. Ginny and Matt readily agreed to this plan and joined us at the marina for our little voyage.
We told the dockmaster we would be doing a "touch and go" to pick up our guests and tie up later after our outing. Ginny brought a side dish and brownies for dessert. I offered up sandwich makings and we had a "make your own" lunch on the upper helm. We wandered around the Gulf for quite a while, so the distance traveled today is skewed by the additional mileage spent roaming before docking.
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| Entrance to the Venice Marina |
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| Busy beach day in Venice, Florida |
After lunch we returned to the marina and tied up. Ginny offered to let me do laundry at her house and I needed to mail something, so I grabbed my laundry and my letter and we jumped in their car. While we waited for my laundry to finish, we had entertainment at Ginny's house - their new kitty.
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| Ivy aka "Imp" |
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| I think I see a rabbit! |
Ginny and Matt's dog, Gracie, is nowhere near as social as the kitten Ivy. She only came out briefly when Beggin Bits were offered as an inducement. I am surprised Clark got a picture of her albeit a bit blurry. She is not a social animal.
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| Gracie making a run for it! |
Clark took several videos of Ivy's antics. She is an amazing source of entertainment!
Later, we went in search of dinner out at a restaurant. We decided on an Italian restaurant.
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| Ristorante San Marco |
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| Dinner outdoors |
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| "Maria's Garden" |
After a thoroughly lovely day together, Ginny and Matt dropped us off at the marina and said goodnight.
7 April 2021
Depart: Venice Crow's Nest Marina 10:00
Arrive: Longboat Key Anchorage 12:45
Distance: 15 nm
Conditions: Calm seas, Sunny, 64 over night going up to 74 during the day
For our next stop, we decided to visit a couple that we met back in 2015 when we did the Great Loop - Betsy and Dave on Frydaze. It has been several years since we last got together, so we were excited to reconnect.
The trip to Longboat Key was slow and tedious compared to yesterday's travels. Yesterday we were out on the Gulf with no slow speed zones and no bridges. Today we had both of those hinderances. It took almost an hour longer than it would have if we could have traveled on open water.
We got a pleasant surprise at one bridge. On the Vhf radio we heard another friend of ours call the bridge for an opening - "Sum Escape". Our boats have crossed paths multiple times over the years including once when we were exploring the Bahamas!
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| Blackburn Swing Bridge |
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| "Sum Escape" waiting for us to clear before entering |
Later, we passed by a lime green building that turned out to be a restaurant. It certainly stands out in a crowd!
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| Boatyard Seafood Restaurant |
We went back and forth on our plans with the Fryes - where we should anchor, where we should bring our dinghy, where we should eat dinner. Ultimately, Betsy offered to cook us dinner on board - an offer we enthusiastically accepted. We dropped anchor just off the channel into their marina and took the dinghy in. They moved their dinghy out of the way, so we tied up to the back of their boat.
Betsy said that Publix was right down the road, so the two of us took a walk over there so I could replenish my fresh produce. Almost as soon as we stepped off the marina property, there was Publix. It could not have been closer! I brought a small trolly / wheeled cart with me to make it easy to drag the goods back to the dinghy.
Betsy made a lovely casserole for dinner and offered up melt-in-your-mouth chocolate that was to die for after dinner.
The day passed quickly. Knowing that we had to motor back to Sunset Delight and store the dinghy which takes time, I prodded Clark to get going before the sun got too low in the sky. Before we left, Clark took a picture of the view from the flybridge on Frydaze.
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| Betsy says the buildings glow at sunset! |
As Clark motored down the channel to get back to our big boat, he passed a bird on a marker. I have no idea why he found the bird so interesting, but he ended up cycling back with the dinghy twice trying to get a picture. Anyone watching us would wonder what he was doing going in circles!!
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| on 2nd loop around, he got this picture |
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| on 3rd loop around, the bird was getting ready to depart and leave the crazy boat driver behind. He flew away as we passed his post the 3rd time. |
We got back to Sunset Delight in time to experience a good sunset tonight.
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| Twilight as seen at Longboat Key anchorage |
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| Sunset at Longboat Key |
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| Sunlight reflecting off windows on buildings on Longboat Key |
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