The Worlds of Water and Land

We awoke early yesterday morning to find a dense, heavy fog surrounding Velsignet.  Because we are not equipped to safely maneuver in darkness or fog, our plans for pulling anchor and taking off towards Sarasota would be postponed until visibility was restored.  Our world had become a temporary bubble with about a 56-foot circumference of clarity under a dense dome of fog. 

The first winter we lived in Bemidji, we signed up for a curling class through the Bemidji Parks and Recreation.  It was through this curling class that we met Mike and Erica Ellis and we became fast friends.  Until a few years ago when they moved to Florida, we had a monthly dinner date with Mike and Erica.  This morning, Mike and Erica met us at Marina Jack, downtown Sarasota, and over breakfast and time on Velsignet, we talked diet, movies, family, Florida, pets, boats, Bemidji, Sarasota….and not at anytime, curling!

We are appreciating Florida’s coastline beauty with its cities and towns, wildlife, aqua-colored waters, comfortable temperatures (hi 70s/low 80s), and gentle breezes.  This is Erica and Mike’s world (where fog slows us, traffic slows them!) and we are gaining an understanding for why they love where they live. 

This afternoon, we’re cruising south on the GICW and will anchor this evening south of Venice near Englewood.  Tomorrow, we will continue cruising and hope to reach Fort Myers Beach by the end of the day.

This is looking from Velsignet into the fog yesterday morning.  This is what our world looked like from inside our "bubble." (probably better to describe it as "under the dome"!)

Waters were calm as we crossed Tampa Bay early this afternoon.  This is only a segment of the 4-mile long
"Sunshine Skyway Bridge" which spans across the Tampa Bay.

This photo gives you a sense of the beautiful color of the waters we're cruising through. 
As we travel south, the water is warming!  The water was around 65 degrees in Dunedin, FL and
in Sarasota, it was 75 degrees.

For the first time, we "moored" Velsignet at the Marina Jack mooring field.  Mooring is when we tie onto a anchored ball.  To get to and from shore, we use the dinghy.  The cost is less than a dock, yet we can enjoy all of the marina's services, such as laundry, showers, water, pump-out, dinghy dock, and wi-fi.  In the background is downtown Sarasota.

This is Sarasota.  In the foreground (the lower building with the aqua-greenish windows)
are the offices/restaurants for Marina Jack.

Around us were other vessels in the mooring field.

We woke to a beautiful sunrise over Sarasota.

This is Erica and Mike as we enjoyed breakfast downtown Sarasota at "First Watch."  We learned that it was "National Pancake Day" today.  Guess what 3/4 of us had with our breakfasts?

After breakfast, we went back to Velsignet.

The four of us, together again!