Excitement!

From:        Englewood Beach, FL MM 43.3

To:        Sarasota Bay, FL MM 78.4

Odometer: 42.2

Latt:         27 23 31N

Long: 82 34 35W

Weather: The cold front went through yesterday. Today's high temp is in the mid 70s and the low should be 55; N wind < 10 knots but picked up after sunset to 15 knots making it lumpy in the anchorage at Longboat Key.

Comment: The trip to Sarasota Bay was interesting but uneventful. Our course took us through back bays, cuts and mangroves with developments peppering both the oceanside as well as the mainland. During the course of our travels we had to pass through several bascule bridges and one swing bridge.

The mud hook was lowered near Longboat Key on the west edge is Sarasota Bay by 1430 hours and it was time for some R&R. As the evening chased the daylight, the wind veered to the east and increased in intensity to 15 knots. SUNSHINE was bouncing in the waves from the two and one-half mile fetch and it was becoming uncomfortable. We are loath to be underway in the dark in unfamiliar waters, but we made the decision to make the 2 1/2 mile trip east across the bay to get in the lee of the eastern shore. The mud hook was up at 2200 hours and we were resecured to the bottom by 1045 hours. It came as no surprise that life is much better on this side of the bay in an east wind.