Sarasota to Cape Haze - Almost Home!

Home is an interesting concept when you live on a boat full time. So ostensibly, Home is on the boat, and wherever she is, is where home is....following?

That said, we are REALLY happy to be back in Florida and in particular, back on the south west coast.  Home for us will be back on the home dock of our Host family, Len, Stef and Mia (now going on 7 months), in Port Charlotte.

We aren't there yet, though...just thinking of being there, on Saturday morning...around 9am, with the high tide. It is too hard and shallow, mostly, to get into the residential canal where we will tie up.

More on that later....first we have to get from Sarasota to Cape Haze.
We picked up the anchor after enjoying a leisurely coffee while checking our mail. No rush this morning, as we only had 40 something miles to travel. We did know that many of those would be at a slow speed...manatees and wakes being the issue in many places along the ICW.

Looking back at the Ringling Bridge, over Sarasota Bay

 On our right, all the way south, are the Barrier Islands...a series of Keys. The ICW travels inside these ALL the way apart from crossing the various Bays at the major cities, such as Tampa and Sarasota. There are many places to go out through channels into the Gulf of Mexico, however.

Lots of Mangrove islands in the shallows, and when I say shallows...I means...well, shallow shallows. I think you get the picture!
Any more shallow than normal?? No! lol.

 We came up to this bridge and motored under it, while the two yachts behind us had to wait ten mins for it to raise. Lots of yachts doing the same thing, today, and us just motoring on underneath. Nice! I have to admit to standing out back to check on the height between the bottom of the bridge, at it's highest point (the middle) and the top of our anchor light, the tallest part of the boat. We romped home with a couple of feet to spare, for the most part.

Leaving Sarasota behind. It was the most gorgeous morning, as you can see.

Per usual, I took a gazillion photos of the huge, magnificent and not so magnificent homes along the ICW. We said, time and again, that there has to be a little house somewhere in all of this, that would suit us, that doesn't cost three arms, two legs and our five grandchildren as well!!! (not that we have five grandkids!) It is just so lovely in these parts.

 Colorful...must be Florida? or it could be any of the Islands south of here.

 Fascinating styles here...something doesn't quite add up...do you think? I did like the infinity pool, though.

 I remember posting a photo of this home, last year. It is now occupied, it appears, which it wasn't, last year. Fascinating that it is SO public, and out there.

We do like it though! This is the north facing side...

This is the south facing side...

One of the two bridges we had to ask for an opening, was this swing bridge. The channel is narrow, so care is needed going through.

 

 PLENTY of room!

We also remembered this contemporary home, from last year. We like it just as much this year:) Still under construction, though.

 This home on a corner, has much appeal.

WOW!  vacant lot...must have our name on it!

 Unfortunately we couldn't get under this 14ft bridge, so had to wait for the opening Gods...and this large trawler... which happened to be a fast boat that put up a large wake...couldn't he have slowed down for us on the other side going through the narrow gap? Welcome to Florida, where nobody slows for anybody.

What a great idea...place fishing rod in water, put up umbrella, sit and text all your friends back home in the cold parts of the country, that it is 80F today!:) in Florida

Again, we aren't far from the ocean...just a wee ways over theah!

 Hmm...shallows! at Venice Beach. That is a channel going out to the Gulf, on the far right.

The house on the right is for sale. Waz had bought it by the time we had passed it! Well, you know what I mean...just in his dreams!

 Going through the ICW and Venice Beach...which we LOVE!

We saw this 60+footer coming towards us at great speed, in a very narrow part of the channel. She was putting up a huge wake, and didn't seem to be slowing for the Slow Wake Zone. Waz called her on it, and she came off the plane, otherwise we would have been hard pressed to preserve our upright position in her wake.

 This lady was courting death, by moving directly into the path of the same oncoming vessel and ourselves. She didn't look behind her when she sculled out into the busy channel. We wonder where some people's brains are, sometimes. She did manage to get out of the way JUST in time. Sheesh. Two large boats cannot come to a complete stop in the water...she was courting trouble, that's for sure.

  Then...on our right, this Venice Beach Ferry comes straight across the front of us without warning. When you are moving out of a blind space (where you cant see what is coming at you), you need to use your horn or sound device to let others know you are there. This ferry operator didn't do that, and we were not going slow, right here.

We are passing along the ICW (the dashed lines in the bottom of the photo, alongside Manasota Key, which is one of the Barrier Islands.

We had plenty of Dolphin escorts during the day, and this one played in our wake for a good ten mins or so. Some of them were very playful in the shallow water.:)

 

 We are amazed at how fast some of these little boats go. They look so tippy to us!

The car ferry at Lemon Beach was waiting for more cars on the mainland side. Meanwhile, there were vehicles waiting on the island side.

 over here...

 Almost there...to our favorite of all places...the keyhole at Cape Haze.  Just past the red marker, on the left.

 

 Tada! We have arrived:)

Anchored and looking back out to the ICW.  (that is the white channel on the chart above.)

We ate the Kiwi Meat pies with cole slaw for dinner...yum! Although I took most of the pastry off mine, and finished with a cup of coffee.

I had made some muffins for lunch...had a banana that needed to be cooked with, and per usual, it went into blueberry whole wheat, banana muffins. We ate one and a half each with sloppy whipped cream...yum...dessert for lunch!:)

One of the reasons for the muffins??the larder is getting bare, after 5 days at anchor. I also didn't feel like cobbling together a plate of stuff...things that I could find in the pantry or fridge that might look edible, at this stage. I hadn't taken any meat out of the freezer, so we had few other choices.

Sitting in the late afternoon sun with a cup of coffee and a book, is the ultimate luxury for me. I put the deck chair out back on the fly deck and enjoyed the sunshine while it was out and before being driven back inside by the cool wind.

We have been joined by four other boats, tonight. Three yachts and a small fast craft. They will all be gone tomorrow, hopefully, and we can enjoy the bay to ourselves.

Tomorrow, the 14th November, is Waz's birthday (61!). We are going to celebrate with a dinghy exploration over to San Pedro Island, of we can. There are also a lot of residential canals to explore, locally. Lots of incentives there!
Well, his honor is snoring again, and it might only be 9.30pm, but we are pooped.
Another shower off the back is in the works....how we love showering under the stars:) and then to bed. It is supposed to be in the 40's tonight, but another warm day tomorrow. Rest day tomorrow, before we make an early get away to Charlotte Harbor on Saturday morning for the said Homecoming.
We need to be ready to dock right on high tide.

We left Len and Stefi when Mia was just 10 days old, back in April, so we cant wait to see this little pumpkin:) I am also cooking Christmas Dinner this year...going on the record with this!!! I guess Len is going to do Thanksgiving...we will see:)

Ciao for now. I will post again when we are docked 'At Home', in Port Charlotte.
Happy Birthday to the Captain, and my wonderful adventure-mate.