Date: February 6, 2014
Day on the Cruise: 230
From: Twin Dolphins Marina, Bradenton, FL
To: Twin Dolphins Marina, Bradenton, FL
Statute Miles: 0.0 SM
Time: 0.0 Hrs
Cumulative Miles: 5,709.7 SM
On Board: Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut
Tonight we are still in Bradenton at Twin Dolphins Marina. The weather was bad again today. Overcast all day long and cool. Not very nice for touring, but we made the best of it.
Steve and Meredith on "Free at Last" pulled out this morning heading South. They will complete their Loop in Fort Myers in the next few days, then will join us at Captiva for a celebration on Tuesday of both our wake crossings. We hope to have several other Loopers there as well.
Soon after "Free at Last" left, Barb and Ross from "Attitude Changer" docked at Twin Dolphins and came by to say Hello. They had anchored out for the last several nights along Longboat Key.
Susan and I set out about 10:30 and walked around Old Town Bradenton. The Marina is on the River Walk that runs along the South side of the Manatee River. The City has done a great job of landscaping and making parks along the River Walk. It was very pretty. We noticed that people really use the River Walk with jogging, dog walking, and family outings.
Downtown Bradenton is the County Seat of Manatee County and the County government buildings are right downtown. There are also several nice museums right downtown. One of the older streets has been turned into a restaurant venue with a great selection of ethnic places to eat, many of them offering outdoor seating. We ate lunch at a local cafe' that was very good. After lunch, we walked about a mile out to a CVS Drugstore to get some prescriptions, then back to the boat via the River Walk.
Rick and Leila picked us up at 3:00 and took us on a tour of the area. We got out to Anna Maria Island and stopped and saw a house that they are going to buy. The entire island is out of the 50's and 60's. No high rise condos. Few strip centers. The Island has maintained a consistent old beachy style of architecture. It is like Old Florida used to be and is very refreshing. We loved the house that Rick and Leila are buying. It is only a block off the Beach and within walking distance of many shops and restaurants. How cool!
Rick and Leila have found a hidden gem on the Beach that is The Moose Lodge. They have joined this Fraternal Order and took us to the Club for drinks. The Club is right on the Beach, just a few feet from the surf. It offers a bar and a restaurant and a place to access and use the Beach. We enjoyed sitting out on tables on the sand, even though the afternoon was cloudy and yucky.
Rick and Leila took us to their son's home that Rick and son Mathew had renovated. It is on one of the main roads to Anna Maria Island, and is in an old historic village called Cortez Village. Mathew and his wife Jenny have opened a boat repair business on the property. He is a fiberglass specialist and she is called the "Stitch Witch" and makes marine canvas products for boats. They are doing very well, and love what they are doing!
Dinner tonight was with Rick and Leila at their local Mexican restaurant. It was very good and had killer Margarita's. Thank you Rick and Leila for a great afternoon!
Tomorrow we are on the move again. This time we travel twenty something miles down to Sarasota, FL where we will stay at Marina Jack right downtown. This is where Bob and Kathy have "Harmony".
Thanks for Reading!
Tonight we are still in Bradenton at Twin Dolphins Marina. The weather was bad again today. Overcast all day long and cool. Not very nice for touring, but we made the best of it.
Steve and Meredith on "Free at Last" pulled out this morning heading South. They will complete their Loop in Fort Myers in the next few days, then will join us at Captiva for a celebration on Tuesday of both our wake crossings. We hope to have several other Loopers there as well.
Soon after "Free at Last" left, Barb and Ross from "Attitude Changer" docked at Twin Dolphins and came by to say Hello. They had anchored out for the last several nights along Longboat Key.
Susan and I set out about 10:30 and walked around Old Town Bradenton. The Marina is on the River Walk that runs along the South side of the Manatee River. The City has done a great job of landscaping and making parks along the River Walk. It was very pretty. We noticed that people really use the River Walk with jogging, dog walking, and family outings.
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| Mother Manatee and Baby at Twin Dolphins Marina on the River Walk |
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| River Walk in Bradenton |
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| River Walk in Bradenton |
Downtown Bradenton is the County Seat of Manatee County and the County government buildings are right downtown. There are also several nice museums right downtown. One of the older streets has been turned into a restaurant venue with a great selection of ethnic places to eat, many of them offering outdoor seating. We ate lunch at a local cafe' that was very good. After lunch, we walked about a mile out to a CVS Drugstore to get some prescriptions, then back to the boat via the River Walk.
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| Downtown Street |
Rick and Leila picked us up at 3:00 and took us on a tour of the area. We got out to Anna Maria Island and stopped and saw a house that they are going to buy. The entire island is out of the 50's and 60's. No high rise condos. Few strip centers. The Island has maintained a consistent old beachy style of architecture. It is like Old Florida used to be and is very refreshing. We loved the house that Rick and Leila are buying. It is only a block off the Beach and within walking distance of many shops and restaurants. How cool!
 |
| Pool at Rick and Leila's House on Anna Maria Island |
Rick and Leila have found a hidden gem on the Beach that is The Moose Lodge. They have joined this Fraternal Order and took us to the Club for drinks. The Club is right on the Beach, just a few feet from the surf. It offers a bar and a restaurant and a place to access and use the Beach. We enjoyed sitting out on tables on the sand, even though the afternoon was cloudy and yucky.
 |
| Drinks at The Moose Lodge on Anna Maria Island |
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| Moose Lodge on Anna Maria Island |
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| An Overcast Day at the Moose Lodge on the Beach |
Rick and Leila took us to their son's home that Rick and son Mathew had renovated. It is on one of the main roads to Anna Maria Island, and is in an old historic village called Cortez Village. Mathew and his wife Jenny have opened a boat repair business on the property. He is a fiberglass specialist and she is called the "Stitch Witch" and makes marine canvas products for boats. They are doing very well, and love what they are doing!
Dinner tonight was with Rick and Leila at their local Mexican restaurant. It was very good and had killer Margarita's. Thank you Rick and Leila for a great afternoon!
Tomorrow we are on the move again. This time we travel twenty something miles down to Sarasota, FL where we will stay at Marina Jack right downtown. This is where Bob and Kathy have "Harmony".
Thanks for Reading!
Hi Chuck & Susan! Just found your blog, and love your posts! We plan on doing the Loop someday soon, and like seeing how other people are doing it and on what boats they are doing it on. You were practically in our backyard last week in Bradenton, we have a house in Palmetto, on Terra Ceia Bay. We will be over at Trawler Fest in Lake Park, FL on the East Coast in a couple of weeks looking for our dream to do the loop. Hope to see you on the water soon. Let us know if you are coming up the East Coast ICW, we have a house in Merritt Island as well, near Cocoa, FL and would be happy to provide transport for groceries or a West Marine run.
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