Punta Gorda to Cincinnati

Stats Total days - 72, Travel days 39,  Total mile - 2264

Yes, I know!  It has been over a week since I have updated the Blog.  It has been a busy week and yes you read the title correctly.  We are back in Cincinnati, but let me give you a quick run down over the last week.

Sunday 11/17.

We woke up to 53 degrees, wind and clouds.  Great day to take the boat over to the Punta Gorda Isles Yacht Club and fuel up and pump out.  It was a cool ride, but the Harbour was not rough.  No issue fueling up or pumping out other than you had to be a member.  Thanks Mark for picking up the tab!  (I did reimburse him).  

Boat ride over to Isles Yacht Club

 Isle's Yacht Club - Fuel dock

When we got back to Mark's house, I decided to use his pressure washer and clean off all the non-skid, bridge and cockpit.  It was not the nicest or warmest day to do it, but it needed to be done.  After that was done, we were invited over to Jim and Sarah Sutliff's house to have happy hour with them and Marcia Herzog.  It was nice to take a break.  After HH, we went back to Mark's and just grilled up some hamburgers for dinner.

Monday 11/18

Monday was a nicer day weather wise.  I decided to continue buffing and waxing on the inside of the cockpit.  Marcia ended up going over to Sarah's to do a few loads of laundry.  Marcia Herzog and her friend left to go home, and then we packed up a few things and moved off the boat and into Sarah and Jim's house.  No rest for them as they just said goodbye to Marcia and said hello to us.  We ended up just making dinner with Sarah and Jim.  By that I mean Sarah and Jim made a salad with shrimp.  We then sat out and had drinks until after midnight.   The real midnight (12:00), not Looper midnight (9:00)

Tuesday 11/19

Tuesday was moving day.  We moved the boat from Mark's house over to Joyce and Roger's house.   It will stay there until early February when we go back down.  It was only 5 miles away, but it took a hour to get there as it was all through the canals at idle speed.  After we got the boat tied up, I worked on flushing the engines, generator, and air conditioners.  Marcia worked on packing everything up inside.  After a couple of hours we were enough done that we headed back to Sutliff's house.  While flushing the engines, I did find a split in one of the engine water intake hoses.  Not sure how long it was leaking, if at all.  It might have just been weak and when I put the hose pressure on it started to leak.  Either way we need to get it fixed.  Having a mechanic come to take a look at it next Tuesday.  We went with Jim and Sarah for Italian.

Wednesday 11/20

Wednesday was another work day.  I went back to the boat to finish up a couple of things and to spin the boat around.  I was not happy with the way that it was tied up for the next 2 months.  After that we began happy hour at Jim and Sarah's.  Mark and Debbie came over and we made fresh Mahi Mahi with steak for a little surf and turf.  After dinner we ended playing the card game Golf.  Sarah and Jim have obviously been practicing, that is all I am going to say.  

The boat's new home for the next couple of months.

 Surf and turf

Thursday 11/21

Thursday was a play day.  We started out with a big breakfast and then Jim, Sarah, Mark and us headed off to the Ft. Myers boat show.  It was a good show and nice break.  After 5 hours at the show, we head back home.  We all rested for a bit, then we all went out to dinner at the Crab Shack.  Dinner is served in plastic bags, and was actually really good.  Great way to wrap up the week.

Friday 11/22 & Saturday 11/23

Time to head back to Cincinnati.  I know, completely backwards.  Supposed to stay in Florida for the winter.  Anyway, Jim drove me to the airport to pick up the rental car.  Got a nice car, but there is always a story with it.  I won't bore everyone here with the story, so ask me about it when I see you.  We packed the car to the gills and headed out around 8:15.  Marcia gave the cat her pills (sedative) and she was very friendly during the trip home.

Only downside was driving through Atlanta on a Friday night during rush hour.

We stayed in a hotel about 30 miles north of Atlanta.  Only reason I really mention this is because after our second load of bags to the room the front desk called.  Apparently the cat got out without us knowing it and was roaming the hallway.  Marcia went out and got her.  She was sitting in the window sill.  Early night and then rain all the way back on Saturday.  After unloading at the house, we then had to drive back to the airport to drop the car off.  

We are home now and are looking forward to seeing everyone over the next few weeks.  Oh, by the way, we have now had TWO AFD in a row!!!!  Have not had that in quite a while.  Back to a life of health.  :)

Mark's House - Punta Gorda

Stats Saturday 11/16/19:  Total days - 67, Travel days 39,  Miles today - 50, Total mile - 2264

Sorry for the delay in posting, but has been a busy few days.  The night at Venice Yacht Club was one of the worst nights on the boat.  Winds never died down all night, so boat was rocking and bouncing off the piers, and the waves were slapping against the boat all night.  We kind of anticipated that it was going to be a rough night.  We were up early and cast off around 8:00.  Our plan was to go to Boca Grande on Thursday and hit the beach and spend the night, and then go to Mark's house in Punta Gorda on Friday.   Friday's weather was predicted to be thunderstorms all day, and Thursday was not raining, but overcast, windy and about 70.  We decided to skip Boca and just go all the way to Mark's.  Was only a 50 mile day, so not too bad.  Had a lot of wind, but only time it was an issue was waiting for a bridge and crossing Charlotte Harbor.  Waves were about 2-3 foot, but boat took them well.

We arrived at Mark's early afternoon, and he was waiting to catch our lines.  We are tied off to his boat and he is letting us use his power.  Not a bad deal!  It has been about 20 years since Mark and I have had our boats tied off together, so was kind of neat.  I washed the salt off the boat and then we started happy hour.  Jim and Sarah Sutliff came over and joined.  When Debbie got home we went out for pizza and then back to see Jim and Sarah's new house.  Very nice!  

Leaving Venice Yacht Club.   

 Englewood bridge

 Mark's house, and home for the next 5 nights

Scott Culshaw was in town working on his next boat.  Us and Jim and Sarah met him for dinner at the Village Fish Market.

Friday was a work day on the boat.  I buffed and waxed the steps going up to the bridge.  It was raining most of the day, so could not do much outside.  Marcia worked inside.  Saturday was a work day on the boat.  I changed the oil in the engines and Marcia worked inside.  Are you seeing a trend?   We ended up meeting Scott for dinner again, and then went over to see his new boat.  Tomorrow the plan is to fuel up and pump out the holding tanks.  I may try to pressure wash the non-skid and cockpit if it is not too cold.  In the 60's here at night brrrr.  

Plan is to move the boat over to Joyce and Rodger's house on Tuesday.  They are friends of ours who we met on Lake Erie through Mark and Deb.  We will leave the boat at their house for a couple of months while we go back to Cincinnati.

Hope to see everyone soon.

Venice Yacht Club

Stats Monday 11/13/19:  Total days - 64, Travel days 38,  Miles today - 17, Total mile - 2215

We had a great time in Sarasota, and headed out for Venice around 8:30 this morning.  We were able to get under the 1st bridge, but had to have the next 3 raised.  The 1st one only opened on the 1/2 hour, so we had about a 20 minute wait.  Not bad, but seemed longer in the narrow GCIW and the wind.  

 You know your boat has been there a while if you feel the need to put a channel marker on the side!

 Swing bridge heading into Venice

We did pass some nice homes again today.  Can't take pictures of all of them, but some are notable.

 When you feel the need to put your 40 ft boat on a lift. 

 You might have to zoom it to see the Ohio State banner

Some of the day was a slow go, due to the Manatee zones and narrow channel.

We arrived at the Venice Yacht Club.  We were only able to get in due to our membership with Four Seasons Yacht Club.  (Thanks Ernest for the letter of "good standing".  When we arrived, we walked into the club to pay for our slip for the night.  We had not cleaned up, so we were in jeans, tee shirt and hats.  Later we found out that hats are not permitted at any time in the Yacht Club.  Don't think jeans are either.  Soooo, we fit right in.  Felt like we were at Bushwood - think I even saw Judge Smails.  Anyway, we did pay for our slip and then we decided to walk around.  Not a great day, but we did walk on the beach and had a drink at the Crow's Nest.

Back at the boat, Marcia did some laundry and I worked on waxing on the back of the boat.  I am about 1/2 way done with the back.  We looked at the weather for the next couple of days and decided to change our plans.  We were going to stop at Boca Grande tomorrow, but the wind and weather does not look all the great.  Also, Friday is supposed to be thunderstorms.  We decided to cancel Boca and go all the way to Mark's house.  We will tie off to his boat and spend a few nights there.  Wind is really blowing here today and we are on an end dock.  Wind and waves are bouncing the boat around pretty good.  20 mph wind with 30 mph gusts.  Might be a bumpy night.

We got presentable and walked up to the Yacht Club for dinner.  Dinner was very good.

Cocktails

 Lobster seafood bisque.

 Braised short ribs for me and filet for Marcia.

Here is to hoping that the wind calms down, but it is not predicted to. 

Sarasota - Marina Jacks - Day 2

Stats Monday 11/12/19:  Total days - 63, Travel days 37,  Miles today - 30, Total mile - 2198

We had a fun day today.  We woke up, ate breakfast and showered.  We had arranged for the free shuttle here to take us over to Armand Circle to check out the shops and restaurants.  We were hoping to meet up with Tom Wagner's (friend from work) parents, as they have a condo here in Sarasota.  Timing of when we had to meet the shuttle did not work out for that.  We managed to control ourselves and not buy much at the shops.  Was fun to walk around and look at all the stuff though.  We did find a place to have a beer and some grouper bites.

After the shuttle picked us back up and we got back to the boat, we decided to drop the dinghy in and play around.  Our plan was to go out into the Gulf and find a beach.  It was kind of rough out in the dinghy, but we made it across the bay and into the outlet.  As we neared the Gulf, we started seeing some 3-4 swells.  Decided that my dinghy was not big enough and we turned around.  We stopped at Old Salty Dog for a couple of drinks. 

We got back to the boat, after running around.  Guess the bay gets less than 1 foot deep.  No damage, no issues.  We put the dinghy back up and said hi to a couple of other Looper boats that just came in, who we had not met yet.  We walked the docks looking at some of the mega yachts here.

I know - the name got me too.

 Next center console ??

Took it easy and cooked up dinner on the boat.  I did put the bridge cover on as we had a brief rain shower move through.  Yep, still beats snow.  Weather permitting, we are headed out for Venice tomorrow morning.

Until then.  :)

Oh yeah - Cluck Norris is doing fine.

Sarasota - Marina Jacks

Stats Monday 11/11/19:  Total days - 62, Travel days 37,  Miles today - 30, Total mile - 2198

Left out of Bradenton on a beautiful sunny morning.  It was nice to travel without 20 mph winds.  We cruised the 5 miles down the Manatee river and back into Tampa Bay.  We did not have to go far into the Bay to get back on the GICW and head to Sarasota.  We cruised through Anna Marie island and Longboat Key.  The water and scenery is just incredible.  We actually had dolphins jump out of the water in front of the boat.  They are hard to get pictures of, but I will try to get them at some point.  We were able to get under the 1st bridge, but had to wait about 6 minutes for the 2nd.  

Entering Tamp Bay in "normal" wind and waves.

 Anna Marie Island

 Longboat Key Pass - into the Gulf

 Sarasota skyline

We entered Marina Jack's around 12:00.  It was about a 3 1/2 hour cruise as we did not go over 10 mph.  Nice day, low miles, great fuel mileage.  Some big boats here at Marina Jacks.

After we got settled in, and washed the salt off the boat, and got cleaned up, we walked up into town.  Found some interesting shops.  Thought of soooo many of you - you know who I am talking about.  If you are not sure - it is you!  :)

Nice family car.

We ended up at Owen's Fish camp for dinner.  Very interesting place.  Great menu as I think I ate about half of it.

Not a real dude.

 Yep - had to try the char-grilled oysters. (With jalapeno butter and bacon)

And the gumbo

We walked back to the boat and took it easy watching some TV.  There was nice moon out tonight.

We are going to stay tomorrow as well.