When you have A/C you need a generator. We gave Honda $999 plus tax, got some gas, did a test run and got under way around 10 am. Waived good by to the Beemer again and pointed Surona south plying our way down the intracoastal waterway, exploring that slender corrodor of water gently sculpted out of the seaway floor. The weather was a little on the warm side but a nice breeze met us as we passed the mansions with their manicured lawns and their Royal Palms gently swaying. The motor gave us one little pause and then picked up the beat and droned on like there had never been a problem. Dolphins swam in the surrounding waters but few stayed alongside for any length of time. The water in the Gulf Intracoastal Water Way (GIWW) is shallow if you venture out of the dredged channel. We tested this while waiting for one of the 6,778 basquille bridges to open for us. I purposely drove out of the channel to see how deep the water was. Same result as previous tests. The nose went down and the back went up. We were stuck. We wiggled back to the dredged portion and went under the opened bridge. Sometimes I wonder if Cheryl will ever grow up.
We chugged on down the waterway enjoying most of what we saw. I think sometimes in these areas there are boat owners who race around as fast as possible silently sceaming "DEATH TO THE MANATEE". Signs everywhere ask boaters to slow down but still some can't do it. At the same time many boaters are courteous and slow down for us leaving little wake.
The winds were out of the west when we decided to anchor out for the night. We faced her into the wind in Boca Ciega Bay and cinched up bow and stern anchors so she wouldn't swing back and forth in the wind. We were protected from everything but a southeast wind. The winds swung quickly to the southeast. The anchors held like troopers but the waves were hitting us on the side, bouncing us up and down making a lot of noise. I tried to undo the rear anchor line and pay out a little. The stress on the line was so great that I almost lost my anchor while Cheryl tied another line on to the end. After two extra length of lines were tied on we finally let the stern around enough to give us some peace. We watched from a couple of miles to the west as a thunderstorm passed over Largo and Tampa Bay. I fired up the Honda, flicked on the AC and went to sleep.
The next morning we gathered up the anchors and headed south in search of adventure on the high seas. The day was pretty uneventful. Around 4 we thought we needed a shower to get rid of the salt and the heavy humididty of the day so on the advice of Greg and Leslie we pulled up to the dock at The Crowsnest Marina in Venice. The water was clear. we could see sheepshead fish swimming around the boat. The showers were nice and the next morning we borrowed a couple of rickety "loaner" bikes and picked up some breakfast on the beach where a bunch of seniors were doing Yoga. We came back, paid up ($1.75 per foot after Boat US Discount) and headed south. The weather man said a light chop on the inland waters today. I spent quite a bit of time wiping this chop out of my beard and Cheryl was always having to clean her glasses as waves splashed over us in the wind. We hit the worst as we entered Gaspirilla Harbour as the wind peaked out at 28kph and the waves rose to around 4 feet. Uncomfortable for 5 in the afternoon so we went in to Boca Grande Marina and tied up, happy to be out of the rough seas for a while. This place charges $2.75 per foot with no discounts. Welcome to the land of the wealthy in Southwest Florida. No place for a coule of penny pinchers from Wyevale.
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