Amazingly enough, the forecast for the front that passed through last weekend was accurate. It moved out on Sunday and after the possibility for light showers on Monday morning, the weather cleared and we pulled out of our slip around noon on Monday. With a nice northerly breeze, we motorsailed down to the ICW. The wind died shortly before getting there so we wrapped up the head sail and motored the remaining way to Cape Haze, our favorite anchorage. Except for one small sailboat that came in late that afternoon, we were, once again, the only boat there.
No trip to Cape Haze is complete without a dinghy ride to Don Pedro State Park for a great walk on the beach and the search for sharks’ teeth. This was one of our better days as we came back with at least another 100.
Our original plan was to leave here Thursday morning for two nights at Otter Key, near Sarasota, then a night or two on the Manatee River and then on to St. Pete. However, the weather forecast has changed with significant northerly wind for a day or two during that timeframe. So, now the plan is to leave Cape Haze on Friday for one night at Otter Key. Then on Saturday, we are taking a mooring ball at Marina Jack’s for three nights. This way, we will get to watch the Masters in an air-conditioned lounge. On Tuesday, we go to the Manatee River for one night and then on to St. Pete.
As is par for the course, this is all subject to change, based on the weather.