(This is our view at sunset with the sun setting behind the Circus (Ringling) Bridge in Sarasota. It is the end of another terrific day and our stay at Marina Jack’s.)
Sunday morning, we decided to dinghy into the marina and then walk to a diner for brunch. This got us off the boat and enabled us to log some steps on our Vivofits that my son, Austin, sent us last summer. It’s interesting how these things make you keep track of steps, miles walked each day, and calories expended. I’m still waiting for the positive results, but I’m always hopeful.
Whenever you are anchored or on a mooring ball, it is fun to watch other boats anchor or pick up a mooring ball. Sunday afternoon was the best. A 41’ sailboat came in and after locating its assigned ball, which took several passes through the mooring ball field, it tried numerous times to pick up the line floating off the ball and then pass lines through it and secure those to the boat. The husband was at the helm and the wife was on the bow with an extended boat hook. Even with the advantage of a boat hook, they failed. It was a bit breezy, but certainly doable. They then made another pass through the ball field and decided to try to grab the ball behind our boat. After two more attempts and her subsequently dropping the boat hook in the water, I decided to jump in our dinghy and help by grabbing the line off the ball for the and retrieving their only boat hook that was floating away. We all have needed help at times.
Today was our last day here. We did walk back into town to pick up some groceries and get ready to leave tomorrow morning for a short four-hour run to the Manatee River. Hopefully, we will be able to sail across Sarasota Bay and Tampa Bay.