Having anchored in the dark, our first adventure of the day was to observe our surroundings. We were somewhat startled by the number of crab pots and amazed that we had missed them all!
It was another breezy day! I have a new found respect for our boat’s inside helm!! Teri and I put significant effort into improving visibility while driving inside and it’s paying big dividends. Previously, I would always operate from the flybridge. Today, I was there less than 20%.
We’ve traveled this leg before and enjoyed remembering the views. Clearwater has an impressive skyline from the water and there are plenty of opulent mansions along the intercoastal waterway to keep our attention.
A notable moment was coming to a bridge which indicated an air gap of 16 feet. We require 18! We called the bridgetender on the radio for advice. He said we could add four feet if we stayed in the center, and then gave us a kudo for good seamanship. That’s one interpretation. Or maybe it’s simply the emergent behavior which stems from a lack of collision insurance 😉
On our previous trip this way we stayed at St. Pete’s City Marina and were hoping to again. It’s super convenient to downtown. But, they were already full so Teri found us a spot at a marina called Harbourage. We were dead dog tired so she booked us two nights. The marina was good, but not quite as convenient as the City Marina.
Also notable, today was the Eclipse. While we were no where near the path, those who were seemed to enjoy the event!
