Next to Last Day...We Hope?!

Sarasota, FL                                 Sarasota Yacht Club                                11/27/2016

We had to hug our looper pals Lynne and Phil on Fins goodbye for now. They are newbie loopers, so they are remaining behind to enjoy Clearwater, Tampa, St Petersburg and Punta Gorda. We should see them again in about a week… I will miss them even if they are cat people...they still love on me!

They helped throw off our lines and push us off…It was another lovely day for traveling but it seemed all the pleasure boats in the world were out there…M & D took turns driving and dodging sailboats…WHEW!  That was a challenge at times as you tried to guess which course they were staying on… 

It was also frustrating because of all the NO WAKE areas in this part of the ICW…when you think 8 knots is slow, try going 4 knots for long periods of time…Wow!!! It’s like waiting for mom to feed me some days…too darn long and slow!!!

M & D said it was nice traveling familiar territory that they knew for a change…

Back to going under or calling bridges...

We use to spend time with my brother, my niece and her boys here at Indian Rocks 

Coming through Tampa Bay area

Lily got chilly along with mom today

We are still praying that this doesn't happen to us...getting towed off a sandbar

Sunshine Bridge with a the barge and tow that passed us

Fun...get off the boat in a shallow area and play with the dogs

Osprey just hanging out...

Love Sarasota! 

We got to Sarasota Yacht Club about 4 pm for a fill up and pump out; so tomorrow we can just dock at Burnt Store at our old dock. Mom told me she plans to pack up the most necessary stuff for us to take off tomorrow night as we are traveling if she can???…the rest can be removed over the next few days… It seems the next bridge we have to go through is down for repairs, meaning we will be traveling on the Atlantic again tomorrow; and if it's too rough, we will duck back onto the ICW around Venice...(Dad finally talked to someone who knew about the bridge and said it was now open...YEAH! Especially since the winds have picked up and may be a bit moderate tomorrow...)

Mom and dad keep telling me that we are home tomorrow, but until I can see it and smell it, I’m not really understanding!!!

Mom and dad just called Berwick, Moondance’s former owner/ looper and friend to see if he and Alexis are here on their new boat, Serendipity. They are keeping it here on Longboat Key. Turns out they are having dinner with him here at the Yacht Club. What a wonderful surprise!!! It’s been almost a year since they last saw him. He and Alexis have been such a valuable source of loop and Moondance information!!! M & D couldn't have done this trip without them!!! They said that they had a wonderful meal and great time with him; but no leftovers for me, so I'm less than impressed!

Even though Sarasota, Siesta Key and St Armand's are among our favorite places, we all just want to get home...If any of you are looking for things to do here, check out:
The Ringling: https://www.ringling.org/
The Marie Selby Gardens: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
St Armand's Circle: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/st-armands-circle-sarasota-3?select=AJ8llht_1Jz9WuKJqWwg_A&utm_medium=reroute&utm_source=apple_maps