Day One

Sunday 5/3  Longboat to Cabbage Key, Boca Grande 

Thanks for Joann, John, Jeremiah and Linda for their send off early Sunday morning.  I thought we were leaving at 9 and Harry hustles us out at 8, therefore Jackie and Dick missed the send off since i told them 9...  i told the girls to give Jackie a kiss good bye from me.  

It is rare that it's only Harry and I on the boat, but as always it's a wondrous feeling to be on the bow of the boat as it cruises through the morning. 

Bittersweet was the feeling as we passed under the Ringling Bridge and cruised away from Sarasota - leaving all my new marina friends.  I was just getting settled on the fly bridge with guide books, charts, camera,  binoculars when we passed under the second bridge - a  high bridge, maybe 25 ft clearance...and i noticed a woman taking pictures of us....ahh, i said to Harry, she's taking a picture of your boat.   Then all of the sudden as we are directly under the bridge - the woman yells, 'nice jacket'....and i realize it's Jackie (and she and i are wearing the exact same jackets)...  i try to grab my camera to take a picture of her taking a picture of us but was not quick enough...  I was so surprised and taken back at her effort to race down the road to the bridge to say good bye.   And you can only imagine my surprise and tears as she and Dick show up at the next two bridge clearances.  All yelling goodbyes and Jackie sending messages to us via the bridge attendants.  It was the most special thing in the world.  At bridge three Dick said this is the last one but every bridge clearance we looked for and/or thought of them. 

First early dolphin siting occurred while i was in the head - it popped out of the water just outside the head port hole - am i the only one that thinks that is absolutely amazing - that i got to see that when i was down below for just a minute - always a good omen.

5 miles away from Cabbage Key hit winds of 25 knots - creating 3-4 foot waves.  those stats may be an exaggeration from Harry but for about 30 minutes i thought the boat was going to turn over or maybe break in half.  i think i was too stressed and working to hard to feel sick - i never did - and if that scenario was to occur outside of the sight of land - that would be SO scary.  it was kinda fun.  but it’s over and it felt so good once the wind died down.  it did not cease and docking was another fright.  at least we had a dock hand but we were blowing so hard that we had to quickly switch from a starboard dock to a port dockage.  and that turn around plowed us bow first into a piling.  anchor hit and no damage reported.

Cabbage Key is SO darling...exhausted yet took a walk after a quick lunch on the back of the boat.  Pat FLowers’ sunflowers keeping us company on the aft deck.  Dinner at 7:30 - if we can stay awake until then.