Good Morning Loopers and Floridians,

We are planning a quick trip down the ICW from Clearwater to Sarasota, Florida.  It should be an easy 51 mile day.  It probably will take longer than an easy 5 hour day since we will be traveling on the ICW with homes and no wake zones galore.  It is fine.  We are still recuperating from our all-nighter and an easy day is great with us.  Almost missed by leaving the marina photo!

Leaving Clearwater, FL

What a gorgeous day to be on the water.  Low wind and partly cloudy skies.  Water looks good, too!

Back in the ICW heading south

Low land but not really swamp land along the ICW in this part of Florida.

Scenery along the ICW

Tall Palm trees – you know you are in Florida, for sure

Wayne saw this little boat structure right after Welch Causeway Bridge.  It was anchored out with a number of other sail boats.  There you go, he said, a room, breezeway, and guest quarters all in one.  A house boat!  Goodness, it looks awfully small! Although, I wouldn’t actually call it a houseboat.  More like 2 fishing cabins.

House Boat on the ICW

Into Tampa Bay!!  Pretty quiet out here in the bay.  We didn’t see any other Loopers heading south.  Maybe they are all recuperating from the over-night trip across the Gulf.

Entering Tampa Bay

We had a couple of dolphin pods follow us this morning.  I particularly like this video.  A family.  With a young dolphin nestled between parents who are showing her the way to jump the wake.  Awesome!

Every time we see a particularly large bridge we always think of the Godzilla bridge that was used to capture the misunderstood creature.  Very impressive, none-the-less.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge – 175 ft – across Tampa Bay

Crossing Tampa Bay

Is that Sarasota in the distance?  How exciting!!

Approaching Sarasota, Florida

We crossed our wake near this purple building.  The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.  Do you remember I took pictures of this building a year a go before we left on our adventure?

Purple building is the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

We crossed our wake at approximately 3:47pm.  We are excited to be back home in Sarasota and at Marina Jack.  YEAH!!!!