In Sarasota. Anchored out at Marina Jack’s. Deployed the dinghy for the first time to collect Cita who arrived from PDX. Actually, as it turned out, we weren’t at Marina Jack’s exactly — a swank but *unfriendly* venue that caters to power boaters — but at the free city run anchoring field just outside of Marina Jacks.
This anchoring field, which we picked at for convenience in yet another late-night-early-morning landfall event turned out to be a GREAT spot. The $15 – $30/night marinas of the north and west have started giving way to $50 – $100/night Marinas. The free anchoring field was a welcome change.
Since we are at anchor, we finally had to deploy the yet to be named dinghy. The previous dingy was named Mini Pearl (a great name) but I am not sure that we want the boat name on the dinghy for this one. The theory behind if your boat’s tender is at the dock, you aren’t likely to be on your boat, making it a more interesting target for burglars.
Besides being downtown Sarasota, and walking distance to a groceries (Whole Foods and Publics), banks, boutiques, restaurants, and a GREAT old-time hardware store where I got some cables made, the anchorage comes equipped with a great beach-front tiki bar named O’Learey’s. If you go by the bar, say “Hi!” to Char and Kate, two of the bartenders. They’re great!