`No dinner jacket

My lovely wife and I woke up to a rainy day in Sarasota harbor. I would be lying if I did not say it dampened our mood. We debated half the morning on what to do. In the end we decided to keep heading south. With rain gear on, we motored into the wind.

We thought we'd wasted precious travel hours, but as luck would have it, that was not the case. Soon after departing we encountered our first bridge of the day. Their first opening was scheduled for 11 a. m.. We got there at 10:53.

As the day wore on, the rain stopped and it warmed up. The cloudy skies discouraged much of the normal weekend traffic. It was a good travel day.

Active Captain showed free day docks in Venice next to an anchorage, so that was our goal. After the budget busting stay in Sarasota, we needed an economy stop.

Venice has a long fixed wooden dock next to a boat ramp. It's main claim to fame is a decent little park next door with clean restrooms. Never discount the value of clean restrooms. Unfortunately, that's all that is there. We were hungry and there was nothing within walking distance -nothing.

We were right next door to the Venice Yacht Club. Their restaurant is reported to be very good. For some strange reason I neglected to bring my dinner jacket. Just as well as that would have probably failed our save money plan.

Instead I cooked up a big batch of beans and rice. It was delicious and filling. We topped it off with a fancy desert of canned peaches. Heaven.

The anchorage is small. Had our boat been much longer or of deeper draft, we'd have been out of luck. Our only option would have been some nice but pricey marinas.

One guy from the yacht club came over to say hi. He was very pleasant. Our little boat reminded him of his younger days. Now he has a huge boat, but only day sails. He misses sleeping on the little boat he had years ago. Maybe he just misses his youth.

After squeezing into the anchorage, we set a couple of anchors and went right to bed -at 6:30. After three hours sleep I finally felt up to writing this blog.

It looks like another day or two of motoring through narrow passages ahead of us.

-Sixbears