Days 217 & 218 - Bradenton (Osprey)/Sarasota (Us)

I dreamed we were being attacked by pirates and awoke to find Osprey bouncing around like she was dodging cannonballs.  But Blackbeard and his band of swashbuckling plunderers was not to blame.  It was only the buffeting of the wind, and it was due to continue until Friday.

Resigned to staying a few more days, on Wednesday we rented a silver PT Cruiser to do some sightseeing.  We spent the day at the Ringling Museum.  Captain Bob, who is an accomplished modeler, was enthralled by the 3,800 square foot, 3/4 inch-to-the-foot replica of the Barnum and Bailey Circus created in intricate detail over 50 years by Howard C. Tibbals.  http://www.ringling.org/CircusMuseum2.aspx?id=632 

We oohed and ahhed over the guided tour of Ca d'Zan, the 36,000 square foot, gothic Venetian mansion built by John and Mabel Ringling on the shores of Sarasota Bay.

Our last stop was at the Museum of Art bequeathed to the State of Florida by John Ringling with his vast collection of masterpieces.  

A replica of Michelangelo's David was in the Garden


















My favorite piece was the Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek by Rubens. 

Bob said he liked a painting that included a dog peeing on a column in a cathedral. 

Thursday we returned to Sarasota where we met our friends Bev and Rich, and walked around the city, shopped at St. Armand's Circle, visited a small art gallery, and bought some produce at Yoder's Amish Market .  Before we left we stopped to photograph The Valentine's Kiss sculpture near the marina.

 

Friday, we charted our course for Venice and planned a leisurely 7-hour day on the Intracoastal Waterway.  Half an hour out we heard the now-familiar and oh so disappointing sound of the engine balking just before it quit.  Bob swung the hatch off the engine room and quickly flicked the switch for the new auxiliary pump, but it was a no go.  We could only run just above idle, so we returned to Twin Dolphins Marina.  

Bob contacted the engine guru, Brian Smith (He's the son of Bob Smith, who was responsible for converting the Ford Lehman from tractor to marine applications).  Brian couldn't recommend a good mechanic in the area, but gave Bob some ideas to help him find the problem.  Bob spent several hours in the engine room, hardly cursing at all, and then ordered a new lift pump.  It should be here by Monday. 

I discovered a Harry Potter gecko.  

 

Let's see what else we can find to do in Bradenton.  

Days 212 - 214 Bradenton, FL

It was a short jaunt under partly cloudy skies from Gulfport, past the five and a half mile long curve of the Sunshine Skyway cable bridge across Tampa Bay.

We turned up the Manatee River passing multi-million dollar homes to Bradenton.

We made several attempts to set the anchor on the south side of the river, following the instructions in the Skipper Bob cruising guide, but it skipped and scraped over the hard bottom without grabbing, so we moved across to the north side.  Hmmm, there were lots of anchored boats over there!

The second night we moved across to the south side of the river again to Twin Dolphins Marina where a manitee statue watches over the boats.

Sunday surprised us with sunshine and warm air.  We walked around the town enjoying the weather and the giant painted geckos crawling on the buildings here and there.

We stopped for coffee at a streetside cafe delighted to be in shirtsleeves and not cold.

We stopped at the Manitee Players theater to check the schedule.  The comedy, mystery, musical play "Curtains" was about to begin.  We spontaneously bought 2 "no show" tickets for the sold-out performance and enjoyed the show.

Monday we got on the bikes and headed for the artist village but were disappointed to find that the brightly-painted galleries and shops are only open Thursday through Saturday.

We then proceeded to try to find a shop owned by the sister of a friend.  Along the way, Bob saw a wrench on the curbside and stopped to add it to his tool collection.  I didn't react soon enough and slammed right into him.  No serious injuries.  Just a scrape or two and a couple of sore spots.  After riding for over an hour, stopping twice, and making a phone call to ask for directions, we abandoned the quest and reversed course back toward the marina.  I decided I needed a rest, laid my bike on the grass and plunked myself down next to it.  A police cruiser squealed to a halt over the curb in front of us and asked if we were okay.  When I said I was just tired, he said we were in a bad area that he would not ride a bike in, and he was surprised we hadn't been robbed yet.  He said, "In fact, there's a guy in room 8 of the hotel behind you who threatens people with broken bottles and knives."  He didn't have to work any harder to encourage us to pedal back to the marina posthaste.  He stayed nearby until we were in neutral territory.  What a fun time that was!

Later on we headed to the Florida museum where we saw a movie about the origins and vastness of the universe in the Bishop Planetarium and watched a presentation featuring Snooty, the world's oldest manatee, and 3 of his manatee peers in the Parker Aquarium.

The South Florida Museum had a special exhibit of Seminole clothing, beading, dolls and other artifacts, which we were allowed to photograph.  Looking closely, we saw that the designs were made from solid colors painstakingly quilted into intricate patterns.

 

For dinner, we used the gift card  from the Marina for the elegant Mattison's Riverside Restaurant and enjoyed every morsel from the tall mojito with a sugar cane stick to the veal chop in beurre blanc to the m-m-m-m creme brulee.  The perfect ending to a day in the ghetto!

Day 210 & 211 - Gulfport, FL

Osprey and Watercolor, the sailboat we're buddying with, wound their merry way south along the Intracoastal Waterway in the sunshine.  Riley rested his head on the bottom of the door frame catching the breeze.

We passed under one highway bridge, but the 5 or 6 other bridges were bascule (lift) bridges, so we had to have them raised.

Usually this was no problem, but one bridge tender took a bit longer to raise the bridge and Watercolor had to do a last-minute pirouette to avoid colliding with it, so we did a pirouette to avoid colliding with Watercolor.  It must have looked like a carefully choreographed duet to the osprey on the daymark nearby.   You can see by his expression when he saw the boat name that he was thinking,  "That's not an Osprey;  I'm an osprey!"

We anchored in Boca Ciega near Gulfport and tied the dinghy to the town docks to explore the main street, which was filled with shops and restaurants in the old Florida style - meaning the buildings were single-storied with simple architecture.  We met a colorful local resident who raved about the pizza at Roman Gardens. We realized we hadn't had lunch and decided to try the "mini" pizza (which was 12"!) as well as the calzone (also a large portion).   

After Bob delivered Nash back to Watercolor and me back to Osprey, he set out in the dinghy.  The fellow from Yacht Power Products who had the extra part for the generator lives on a canal across the bay, so Bob bounced over the waves to pick it up.  He came back about an hour and a half later, slightly wet, with the part in hand.

While he was gone, the generator quit and obstinately refused to put out another kilowatt.  We spent a chilly night under lots of blankets.

This morning, we released Osprey's anchor from the bottom and moved the boat to the dock at the same house where Bob had picked up the part yesterday.  Within moments of our arrival, two mechanics arrived and began their work.  They replaced a filter and left.  Our test run lasted an hour and a half, but then the machine's stubborn streak returned, and it would no longer function.  The men returned and replaced another filter.  This time our 2 1/2 hour test was successful.  We were offered the use of the dock, with electricity and water, for the night.  Riley seems to like the fenced-in back yard.

Day 209 - Clearwater

Things are looking up!  We have a working generator with a spare part on order - just in case.  The heater needs a new thermostat, but the repairman improved its operation in the meantime.  Bob installed a new fuel pump as a back-up in case the engine gives us any more trouble.  The stove  . . . well, we have heat.  The thermostat in the oven can't be regulated, so we have to use an oven thermometer and adjust the knob until it registers the temperature we want.  We also purchased a baking stone which has been recommended to reduce the problem we've had of everything burning on the bottom.  (Note to all:  Think twice about purchasing a Seaward Princess stove.)  We think it's time to continue on.

Yesterday, we took a quick trip to Rob and Linda's home in Lakeland.  I was sad to hear that all 14 of the fluffy little yellow and brown muscovy chicks that we photographed earlier had been preyed upon, and were no more.  Rob and Linda found a new hatching of 8 chicks earlier in the day, so we went to take pictures of them.  Only 3 remained.  While we were watching them, a great blue heron swooped down and flew off with one of the 3 in his beak.  The mother could do nothing but squawk in anger.
  








Our neighbor, Nash, captain of the sailboat Watercolor, will be buddy boating with us, so we invited him over for Bob's yummy pancakes and debated leaving today.  It would be cold at anchor tonight, but we have a generator and heat. It's supposed to get windy, but not until later this afternoon.  If we leave by 11:00, we should be at anchor at Gulfport in plenty of time.

So we gathered in all the lines and fenders.  The sun was shining, though the air was a chilly 40 degrees.  Less than half a mile out, Nash radioed that his engine was overheating.  We stood by while he tried to isolate and resolve the problem.  He decided to return to the marina, and hire a professional.  We will spend the rest of the day watching the passing of the dinner cruise ship, the fishing boats, the dolphin watch cruises, and the big red pirate ship, and try again tomorrow.

Day 206 - Happy Valentine's Day from Clearwater

Happy Valentine's Day!  

       

We finally have a sunny day.  I have to admit the cold, wind, rain, gray skies, problems getting the stove fixed, the malfunctioning generator . . . were beginning to make me think this isn't fun anymore.  It's time to move on, so I hope everything gets repaired as planned tomorrow and we can make our way further toward Keys.

 The marina and the view of Clearwater from here look so much prettier in the sunshine!

Day 210 - Clearwater

I peeked out the window when it was almost daybreak and the proverb immediately came to mind: Red sky at morning; Sailors take warning.

The weather is cold, high in the forties, but the wind is 10 - 15 mph.  Similar temperature and wind predicted for tomorrow with rain.  That doesn't merit a warning, just warm clothes.

We're still awaiting a repair for the rotten Princess stove.  Lonny at Seaward (the manufacturer) said the part hasn't come in yet.  I put in a call to him to see what he can do to get this situation resolved, but he hasn't called me back.  My ire is up now!

Day 204 - 209 - Clearwater (Osprey) Orlando (Us)

The moon beamed its crescent smile and the stars winked in approval as the dark morning sky brightened in the first phase of Space Shuttle Endeavor's lift-off.  Then a fiery burst and the shuttle was streaking into the sky, a black contrail snaking behind the bright red ball.

This was our second attempt to witness the launch.  We were on the same Banana River Bridge yesterday, fingers poised over the record buttons on our cameras, waiting for lift-off, when the launch was cancelled due to low-lying clouds.  Yesterday, Sunday, the crowd was larger.  Cars were parked on the shoulders of the highway as far back as the mainland and there was much more traffic congestion.  Today, I suppose, many had to go to work.  But there was a crowd none-the-less.  They were huddled against the early morning chill in blankets and in their cars which were jammed in every available space on the shoulders and the median of the highway leading to Cape Canaveral.  Police cars were present, but the "No Parking" signs went unenforced as we awaited the history-making final, night shuttle launch.  When the voice of an announcer squawked from a car radio that the launch was a success, a cheer rose from the assembled masses.  The red fireball slowly shrank in size as it reached across the Atlantic Ocean, and the cars began to disperse.  Another once in a lifetime event to check off on our bucket list.

We're spending some time in Orlando with our dear friends Dolly and Alan.  Today the men are going to a car auction, and the ladies plan to have some girl time.

Days 194 - 196 - Clearwater

Bob and I toasted sunset with a glass of merlot on the bridge, under the watchful eyes of pelicans who were guarding the pilings nearby.  Rain, winds, and cold have suppressed our sunset ritual for awhile, but we had to enjoy the 65 degree, partly cloudy weather, even if I had to wear a hoodie with the hood up and my back to the wind.

The past two days, we were visited by Carl and Judy.  The boys spent a lot of time collaborating about matters of mechanical maintenance in the engine room with Carl and Judy's dog, Darby, and Riley offering their input.

Judy and I walked on the beach and looked in a few gift shops.  During lunch at Crabby's we were trying to take our pictures with the zebra head on the wall when a woman offered in a beautiful, Slavic accent, to take our photo for us.  She had us in stitches with her, "Work it, girls.  Work it!"

The lady at the next table suggested we stop by the imposing new Aqualea condo/hotel which she said was having an open house.  We had vast views of the Gulf, the Intercoastal Waterway, and Clearwater from the pool deck and the terrace.  We thought of many reasons to have a party in one of the cabana rooms that open to the pool and have a living room, kitchen, and bathroom.  They can be rented for a day or afternoon.  We also toured a luxurious hotel suite, with two queen beds, granite counters in the kitchen, large balconies, etc.  These can be purchased for $500,000+, but the owner can get help meeting the mortgage by letting the Hyatt rent it out.  We didn't see the residences, which go for $2,000,000+.  The place is impressive.  I wonder how it will fare in this economy.















Today began with two repairmen taking a look at my non-working Seaward Princess stove, aka Lemon (which we bought for an arm and a leg in Grand Haven, Michigan, in August and hasn't worked properly since).  Bob has been communicating with the seller, West Marine, who didn't want to be involved, and Seaward all along.  Parts were ordered, but never arrived . . . and so on.  We want a replacement, but they only want to repair it.  That's supposed to happen when the parts arrive Monday or Tuesday.  We're skeptical.

Sharon, aboard Stevedore, told us there was a farmer's market in Largo, so Carl drove us over there and we bought farm fresh, produce.  We haven't seen produce markets since Michigan.  I didn't realize what a luxury they are.  I miss Vince and Joe's!

We found a small restaurant, La Pizza Mia, for lunch that was decorated like an Italian Grandma's house with food to match.  The tiramisu was delizioso!

Bob's putting out the big fenders to keep us rocking softly.  Storms are forecast for tonight.

Day 190 - 193 Clearwater

We went to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg on Friday when our friends Chuck and Ann visited.  We arrived just in time to tag on to a tour so our guide could explain the large and varied collection of oils, jewelry, watercolors, sculptures even a hologram.  I learned that Dali was than a melting clock artist.  His work spanned Impressionist and cubist styles,as well as surrealism and was filled with symbolism and optical illusions.  My favorite was Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea.  We stood there  letting our eyes change their focus until the images blurred and came together again as a picture of Lincoln's face. Here's a link so you can see it.  Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea  How did he do that?

Ann and I watched a pelican plop his chubby body down on the piling at our stern quarter and leisurely devour a tasty fish.

For dinner we went to Cesare's at Clearwater Beach and regaled our taste buds with Italian culinary delights.  Bob is making himself an expert on lasagna by ordering it in restaurants all over the country.  He declared this third best after Tony's in Alton, IL and Penna's in Sterling Heights, MI.

Today, Monday, I took care of financial matters after receiving our mail.  Bob polished our 8" brass bell, cleaned the bilge, and lubed our bicycles which are showing the effects of living outdoors.  I would have baked a chocolate cake, but the blasted oven will not even pretend to turn on.   It'll be a crockpot meal tomorrow!