SUNCOAST GRADY WHITE CLUB’S PALM ISLAND ADVENTURE

February 17th, 2012

We didn’t need our rain gear this weekend.....more precisely, Sunday.  There was a big weather front that was coming in over the entire Southeast part of the United States....we had a 50% chance of showers on Friday in Sarasota with 14 mph winds....and a 30% chance of Thunderstorms and 20 mph winds from the North on Sunday.  

Friday we meet at the North bridge on Siesta Key (where we've met before) at 11:00 am.  We all decided to run outside down to the Venice jetties. Everyone monitored channel 78.  I think we know the names of everybody’s boats, but from memory: Rex and Theresa aboard Hailey II, Tammy and Steve aboard "Tammy", Bob and Anne aboard Bob r Anne, Ford and Scott aboard Charmer, Bill, Laura, and their three dogs aboard Liberty.

The Gulf of Mexico was flat and calm with a minimal breeze.  The sun was bright with a few clouds and the air temperature was nice.  It didn’t take very long before we all made it into the Venice jetties.  We had lunch at Marker 4 restaurant in Venice on our way to PalmIsland. The dockage was very abundant and spacious to say the least.  Everyone really enjoyed their lunch and vowed to return again soon.

We checked in to the Harbor town Condos at 3 pm and then we had Cocktails and appetizers that were hosted in Ford & Scott’s condominium at 6 pm and everyone brought an small appetizer and shared it with the gang and our beverages.

After the cocktail party we ate Dinner at Leverock Restaurant.  We ate outside overlooking the lighted swimming pool.  The air temperature was just perfect with only a slight breeze to keep it nice.

Saturday morning, we had a free breakfast courtesy of the harbor master.  We had wonderful doughnuts and coffee.  But, before breakfast we awoke to a large bang and a fire in the sky!  Wow, fire in the sky?  Yes, there was a large Osprey nest on top of a power pole next to the marina and it caught fire.  Fire engines came, the power company came.  They had to restore power to the restaurant and the marina.

Lunch was at The Green Flash restaurant.  Everyone except Bill and Laura; piled into Rex and Teresa’s boat and headed south to CaptivaIsland.  The weather is very good and CharlotteHarbor was smooth sailing for once.  Bill and Laura sat around the heated swimming pool, and tennis courts where we're staying.  The got some exercise by walking their three Bassett Hounds around the area.  Saturday afternoon we sat by the pool and had free draft beer!  You can’t beat that; again courtesy of the harbor master.

Saturday evening we had a 5:30 reservation on the water-taxi to the RumBay restaurant for our 6:30 dinner reservation.  Ford purposely made it an early trip so that we could walk to the beach for sunset before dinner.  We had the most fantastic sunset I've ever seen are from this beach, but didn’t see the “green flash”.  The water-taxi, $3.00 per person round trip was a nice ride and an adventure in itself.

Sunday

The weather heading home was nice until we reached Sarasota. But, we had a nice ride home for the most part.  “Beggar” the dolphin came up to our boats at the Blackburn point bridge and was looking for a hand out.  All he got was his picture taken.

North of Siesta Key bridge....it looked awful!  It was very windy in Sarasota and then it rained. Fighting the wind to get the boat on the lift was a challenge. The Bassets have slept all afternoon!!