Sarasota.1-31 thro 2-8 2015

It is time for statistics, again:

• Saturday, February 7 marked the start of Month 6 of Tim and Kathy's Great Adventure.
• From leaving Lake City, MN on September 7, 2014 to Sarasota, FL on February 7, 2015, 2106.16 miles have been traveled.
• In the same time, 383 hours have been put on the motor. Some of that time was idling while waiting for barges to lock through, or bridges to be raised or swung.

• 31 marinas have had the pleasure of our company, and 16 anchorages.

While Kathy was in Massachusetts with her family, watching snow predictions, Tim moved the boat to Sarasota on Saturday, the 31st.  It took him about 5 hours which time included navigating through two lift bridges. All by himself...no one to make sandwiches, no one to take the helm for him.  Poor fellow!  Actually, Kathy guesses that he enjoyed being alone for a little bit!  

It amazes us both how long it takes to get to a destination by water as opposed to by car.  Back when we were in Bradenton, our friends picked us up at the marina, and took us to Sarasota for a movie, dinner, and back to our boat.  Our rule of thumb is that any place you can get to in an hour by car will take a day by boat.

The marina is lovely and at the top of our marina hit parade.  It is in downtown Sarasota, a short walk from shops, restaurants...and a cappuccino bar for Tim!  It is surrounded by walking trails through a small park.  Tim walked almost everyday while Kathy was in Massachusetts.

Wow, were there big boats docked there!  Sea Fever was dingy size for most of them.  On Tim's walks, he shot a photo of Sea Fever in its slip next to "The Big Boys" as we call them.

Sea Fever in her slip next to the "Big Boys" at Marina Jack's in Sarasota, with downtown Sarasota in the background.

There have been big boats in other marinas, but usually they are boats of folks that have decided that boating is their way of life.  They have given up their homes in favor of living on their boats. 

 

We did not get that impression in Sarasota.  These are pleasure cruisers.

 

The restaurant at Marina Jack's is excellent, and sported a waterfront dining area, a regular bar and an elegant dining room.  We ate there twice and while we indulged our desire for burgers,  the rest of the menu looked great!  And the food passing by our table enroute to other patrons was perfect!



Bayside seating at Marina Jacks!  The weather was finally cooperating!

 At the end of our dock there was a modest boat parked by the restaurant/marina building. It is bigger than any house in which we have lived.  On the back of the boat was a door to get onto the swim platform.  The name of the boat was on the back of the boat, and it was so fancy that they had the last part of the name also painted on the inside of the door, so that when the door was open, the whole boat name displayed.

BDB...Big Damn Boat next to the Marina Jack's restaurants with condos in the background.

We took a walk up Main Street Sarasota, perused the shops, and that was when we found Tim's cappuccino bar. Kathy found a ring that she coveted and vowed to go back and price it on Sunday.  Alas and alack, the store was closed on Sunday.  Probably just as well!

The Finneys drove down to meet us to pick up the coat and luggage and we went to dinner in St. Armand's Circle at the Columbia Restaurant. It was, as always, a fun night.

Tim makes his black bean soup from the Columbia's recipe.  He, of course, likes his better. But the food was excellent. 

They returned us to our current home away from home.  We will miss the Finney extended family as we continue Tim and Kathy's Great Adventure.

Sunday, we headed south.  In a week we will be in the Fort Meyers Municipal Marina.  Our plan is to make it to Venice, Florida, and a refurbished marina there, then spend four days anchoring out before we get to Fort Myers Municipal Marina.

With regret, we pulled out the of marina, and headed onto more adventures.