THURSDAY
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED TODAY: 33 NM
We ended our illicit night’s stay at Frenchy’s dock with little ado and no fanfare. With the gulls interrupted their morning primping to squawk a shrill adieu, we exited through the narrow maze and found our way into the ICW channel and then for St. Petersburg.
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| MORNING GROOMING |
Today was filled with bridges. We passed under 10 of them with six of them opening for our passage. Most of them opened on request and we had to wait only a short time for those that had a set opening schedule.
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| PARK BOULEVARD BRIDGE |
The dolphins were again joyous companions. They are so funny when they sidle up to the boat, tilt their body so they can see you then begin their performance. If you happen not to be watching at the side of the boat, they will slap their bodies on the water until you come out to watch and then periodically glance up to make sure you are still there.
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| FRISKY DOLPHIN |
It is an eclectic mixture along here with some of the abodes really old school and some of the homes too, too dreamy. I loved the contrast of the old verses the new. Talk about a retirement haven!
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| THESE ARE BOTH REALLY OLD SCHOOL APARTMENTS IN FLORIDA |
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| THESE ARE A LITTLE NEWER BUT STILL KIND OF OUTDATED |
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| OK, HERE WE ARE WITH SOME OF TODAY'S SNAPPY NEWER BUILDING |
OK, how many American Legion Halls do you know that command a view like this one. This is really big time!
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| AMERICAN LEGION HALL RIGHT ON THE WATER |
This working man was out picking up his crab pots in order to keep all of us hungry folks happy. There were a lot of crabbers and commercial fishing boats making their runs.
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| ALL IN A DAY'S WORK |
We continue to see gulls, cormorants and herons by the dozens with a few ospreys thrown in now too.
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| THE TYPICAL CORMORANT STANCE |
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| NESTING HERON HIGH IN THE TREE TOP |
After passing under our last bridge of the day we gazed out on the beautiful Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Now there’s a beauty!
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| SUNSHINE SKYWAY BRIDGE |
Rounding the curve at Point Pinellas we began seeing St. Petersburg landmarks in the distance. The famous inverted triangle alerts you to the St. Petersburg Pier where you can find restaurants, shops and a small aquarium.
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| ST. PETERSBURG SKYLINE |
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| THE PIER'S UNIQUE STRUCTURE |
Dan expertly pulled into the Vinoy Basin and dropped anchor for the night. While visiting Eckerd College with Steven a few years back, we stayed in the pink Renaissance Vinoy Resort and fell in love with St. Petersburg.
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| THE RENAISSANCE VINOY HOTEL |
A call from Jimmy alerted us that he had managed to clear up his schedule and was joining us on the Quest for the evening. When he arrived, Dan picked him up in the dink and we quickly pulled up anchor and headed out into the Tampa Bay to watch the evening’s sunset. When we got far enough out we enjoyed the quiet solitude that accompanied the spectacular day’s end just bobbing around in the bay. Darkness crept in on us then we motored back to our little Vinoy Basin and dropped anchor for the night. After a little dinner on the boat and some more stimulating conversations, Dan ferried Jim back to shore. It was so good to just hang out for an evening with an old friend!
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| JUST A SHORT "DINK" RIDE AWAY |
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JUST HANGING OUT
THE SINKING SUN |
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| 'NIGHT ALL |
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| SKY LIT UP BEHIND ST. PETERSBURG |
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