Dunedin to Englewood Beach

 

It was a beautiful Thanksgiving Day as we passed by the Dunedin City Marina.

While on The Loop, we stopped here with intentions to stay only 2 nights, but wound up staying 1 month.

How fast do we travel?  Spiritus is getting passed by a flock of low flying pelicans.

 

 

 

 

 If you look closely, you can see this osprey has already caught his Thanksgiving meal.

 

 

 

 

Waiting for the scheduled opening of one of many bridges on the ICW.

 

 

 

After dropping anchor in Big McPherson Bayou, the First Mate decides it's time to wine!

 

 

 

 



 

We discovered this anchorage two years ago while on The Loop.

The Hotel Don CeSar provides a wonderful backdrop for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

 



 

Traditional Thanksgiving "steaks" and pumpkin pie were on the menu!

 



 Checking the fuel situation with an expensive precision measuring device:

a four foot long wooden dowel.

 

 

 

 

Another marvelous sunset.  "Who wouldn't want to be me?" 

 

 

 

 

 O.K.  Thanksgiving is over.  Time to decorate for Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

 Cormorants gather for morning coffee as we make our way to our next anchorage at Longboat Key.

 

 

 

 

Spiritus cruises past the Sunshine Skyway Bridge as we cross the west end of Tampa Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

Spiritus has passed under many bridges, but

we've never had a bridge tender raise just ONE span for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Spiritus safely anchored off Longboat Key, it's time to row to shore.

We are in search of a sports bar where we can watch the Iron Bowl and feast, drink and cheer. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 The row TO shore will later seem short compared to the row BACK to the boat!

(darkness & beer have a lot to do with that)

 

 

 

 

Neighboring Anna Maria Island recently held a sand sculpture contest.

We got to enjoy several intricate sand sculptures that were left undisturbed.  

 

 

 

 

 

At The Waterfront Café on Anna Maria Island, Linda proclaims the latest winner of

the coveted "Best Fish Taco" award!

 

 

 

 

 

 If it's there, SHE will come!

Linda finds another ice cream shop that requires investigating.

 

 

 

 

 

Back on Longboat Key the next day, we spotted at least a half dozen peacocks wandering the streets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda walks among the "natives" on Longboat Key!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think she likes me . . . . . . or maybe I just smell like a fish!?

 

 

 

 

 

The Captain rows back to Spiritus after another invigorating, fun-filled day!

 

 

 

 

 

A beautiful sunrise greets us as we prepare to raise the anchor at Longboat Key.

Next stop: Englewood Beach

 

 

 

 

Wonderful downtown Sarasota and the mooring field we stayed at in the past.

 

 

 

 

 

Time to keep a sharp eye out for the slow-moving manatee.

 

 

 

 

Linda calls the area south of Sarasota the "land of the really tall palms".

 

 

 

 

 

 

This swing bridge is unique in that the operator actually goes out onto the bridge in order to open it.

Wonder what he does when it gets stuck open!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bet a lot of fun times are shared at this colorful Tiki Hut.

 

 

 

 

 

The First Mate is apparently ready to go ashore at Englewood Beach.

 

 

 

 

 

Flounders, a tiki bar & restaurant, was a very convenient place to take our dinghy for music, drink, and food.

 

 

 

 

You gotta love a bar stool with a view!

 

 

 

 

The Captain found the winner of "The Best Chicken Wings" award!

 

 

 

 

Stapling dollar bills to the wall is soooooo old school.

 

 

 

 

The Captain is pretty determined to find an olive shell while walking along Englewood Beach.

 

 

 

 

 

Someone found a solution to the absence of snow.

 

 

 

 

Life is good here at Englewood Beach!