DUNEDIN, FL TO INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, FL

Thursday, January 8th to Saturday, January 10th, 2015

Day 157-159
Miles Traveled: 13
Total Miles Traveled: 2494


  Thursday the replacement chart plotter arrived and the installer came to reinstall it only to find out that the problem was not with the chart plotter after all.  After phone calls with West Marine and Raymarine technical support, the concern was that the radar may be what was defective.  Our installer drove back to West Marine to get the new radar, which they had in stock (YEAH!), and came back and installed the new one.  Everything appeared to be working properly and we hoped to be able to continue our cruising journey south.  After a nice walk across the Dunedin Causeway Bridge to the beach, we spent the rest of the day working with the chart plotter and radar to see if either would fail again.  That evening everything was still working properly.  We didn't get much sleep Thursday night, not because we were afraid that the chart plotter and radar would quit working again, but because the wind was so fierce it was jerking Seahorse around in her slip.  Dan got up several times that night to check the dock lines of not only our boat, but our Looper friends' boats as well.

Dunedin Causeway Bridge

   

  
  Friday morning the tide was so low that Angie could not get off the boat.  The wind had blown a lot of water out of the marina and it was also low tide.  We guessed the water was down about 6 feet (two of which was due to the tide).  The boat was just about sitting on the bottom.  Due to the extremely low water and continued wind, we decided not to leave on this day.  John & Kathy on "Serenity" and Mark & Becky on "Mara Beel" returned from their holiday visits home.  We were glad we were there to welcome them back.  We all went to dinner at Cricketeers and enjoyed great fish and chips.  


  
  Saturday we prepared to begin our journey further south.  Although we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Marker 1 Marina, it was finally time to say goodbye.  This marina was a great place to layover for a while.  Check out this marina at http://www.marker1marina.com/

aerial picture of Marker 1 Marina

  Because of the tides and tidal currents we were not able to leave until the afternoon.  In the morning, Angie went for a four mile walk with Kathy and Becky along the bike path, to a park, and along its trails.  Along the way she saw beautiful trees and several birds.  Two were particularly interesting.  One was a wood stork and the other an anhinga, which was drying its wings in a tree.  

wood stork

anhinga

  After lunch we all were underway.  "Mara Beel" was in the lead, "Serenity" followed, and we brought up the rear.  It was a nice cruising day, a little cool with a slight breeze, but lots of Florida sunshine.  We passed by Clearwater, FL and Clearwater Beach, FL.  They have a different view from the water compared to the view we had gotten from land several days prior. 

Clearwater, FL

Clearwater Beach, FL - Hyatt Regency Resort in center

  We saw many other interesting things on this cruising day - birds, boats, homes, and fish. 
  Ospreys like to make their nests on top of the poles for daymarks.  Here are a couple enjoying their abode.  An interesting fact:  ospreys nests are made of sticks, they can be 9 feet in diameter and weigh up to 200 pounds.

2 ospreys in their nest on top of daymark          

   Not all boats traveling the ICW are cruisers, sailboats, or trawlers.  Some are pirate ships.  This one even fired its cannons at us.

"Pirates Ransom"
http://www.captainmemo.com/

  We did some real estate shopping and narrowed it down to two.  There are some beautiful homes along this waterway. 

This one?

Or that one?

Now we just have to win the lottery before we place the down payment.  

  

  We spotted some really big fish swimming along side us and Dan was able to reel these two in with his great fishing skills.

Dan's Catch of the Day

  We arrived at Holiday Inn Harbourside Marina at Indian Rocks Beach, FL just in time to  watch the sunset on the beach.  We joined John & Kathy and Mark & Becky for "docktails" on "Mara Beel".  We retired early to plan our trip for the next day.  It felt good to be back on The Loop.

sunset at Indian Rocks Beach

Glad to be back on The Loop