Halifax River Yacht Club Tuesday 10th

A lovely warm FL morning. After a perfect breakfast of bacon, mushrooms, eggs and avocado toast Nana and Nandad head for Halifax River Yacht Club.

Cruising was slow due to the multiple homes along the way and being respectful of fishing vessels, kayaking, construction at some of the docks and passing lots of other cruisers. Nana took the helm again today for about two hours and is gaining confidence slowly! A perfect picture of a beautiful snowy egret was missed while he stood right in the middle of a small shoal with the marshes all around - best not get distracted while on the wheel! While cruising passing under multiple bridges , with the roof open , was really pretty cool. NH arrived ay HRYC at 2.15 pm in perfect time for lunch at the bar.

The club just has its parade of lights which means the boats are all dressed up for Christmas and look stunning. This particular sailboat was very creative.

Of course laundry was necessary so while waiting Nana took a wonderful walk and came across this sign right outside the laundry room. Which way to go!

Now we often wonder what really attract us to boating so while walking back to NH after a wonderful shower Nana caught a glimpse of the moon. Pretty sweet. Now don’t get confuse - that boat is not NH.

Tomorrow Nana returns to MA to get ready for Christmas and Nandad continues until the 18th. Hopefully NH will be in Sarasota in her new slip. Merry Christmas to all and blog will begin again in the New Year.

 

Nana and Nandad arrive at St Augustine

Monday 9th of December NH leaves Jekyll Harbor heading for St Augustine FL. Now most of you would know that the best way to get over something is to “ take the bull by the horns” so Nana took “the boat by the helm” . This morning Nana took NH off the dock to get her on the way. Despite being nervous Nana kept the helm for at least two hours. Little Cumberland Island, Cumberland Dividings, Cumberland Sound and Amelia River are just beautiful areas filled with nature at its best. A pack of beautiful white pelican were spotted at Kingsley Creek. 

After reaching Fernandina Beach we officially log our arrival in FL. We opened the sliding roof and had a wonderful cruise along the 8 mile section of Palm ValleyLdg. Arrived in St Augustine at 4pm for a beautiful sunset among the sparkling lights.

Nana catching up with life while relaxing on the cockpit. Take note of the pirate ships on our stern. The next picture is St Augustine’s Ginger Bread House. Trolleys are touring town, horse drawn carriages are taking tourists for rides and boats are all decorated for the holidays. A very fun athmosphere. 

NH is docked at Jekyll Harbor Marina

Sunday Dec 8th after a long day cruising the most beautiful section of the ICW with its miles of winding, curving, and multiple bends NH docks at Jekyll Harbor Marina. Before leaving SYC Nana learned how the dolphins hunt fish by corralling, which means the dolphin forces the fish to shallow waters and then captures them. 

The homes along the ICW as you pass the Isle of Hope are just lovely with the draping of the oak and pines. Skidway Narrows, Hell Gate, Rivers and Creek all brought their challenges. 

Nana made some delicious scones with tea and then gave Nandad a break from the wheel. At 12.08 pm while cruising down the Front River through the Creighton Narrows at the bend of markers 158a and 160, without warning , NH hit a shoal. Looking back Nana should have given the red markers a wider berth! So it goes to show even while being attentive, watching the charts and keeping a watchful eye on the depth, running aground happens. Luckily the tide was rising so by the time sea tow arrived a simple tug pulled us away. Now needless to say Nana did not take the wheel again and was very happy to get tied up to the dock at Jekyll. 

We took the golf cart to the local store and then made the most delicious white pizza for dinner and reviewed the days events. The conclusion again is that boating always brings the unexpected. At least no damage done and preparing for another adventure tomorrow- although Nana will be a little nervous! 

New Horizon arrives at GA Savannah Yacht Club

December 7th Nana and Nandad left Skull Creek Marina for Savannah via the Atlantic Ocean. While playing a treasure hunt on NH we discovered that our holding tank was leaking! Now the good news is it is a contained compartment and of course the bad news is raw waste is not so good hence the need to head out to sea. 

The Captain at the entrance to the Yacht Club. The picture really doesn’t do it justice but the Avenue is lined with gaslights.

Arrived at our destination by 11.30. SYC is right on the Wilmington River in a lovely secluded spot. Beautiful pool, tennis, and great food. A family of Dolphin swim around our dock but of course shy away as soon as the camera appears. 

Yet another wonderful sunset while I wrote my blog. 

NH is at Skull Creek Marina

NH arrives at Hilton Head on Friday December 6th 2019. Exactly four years ago Ireland’s Eye was on a slip at Shelter Cove. A long cruise along many rivers, creeks, and inlets. The current at Elliott Creek hit 3.7 knots!  NH passed the River Cruiser Independence on the Stono River. It was a very pretty sight with not so much room to spare. 

Now every day we learn different things and today Nana learned what a Slough means! The word is typically used to describe wetlands - who knew! These areas are known as low country with marshlands being the prominent landscape. Nature at its best.  After arriving at Skull Creek we take a welcomed stroll around the plantation to the Olde Fort. 

The map below shows the ICW from Charleston to Ferandina Beach FL. As you can see NH passed by Beaufort SC and is now at mile ICW 555. Tomorrow we plan to head to Savannah Yacht Club for a relaxing short cruise before heading down through the rest of Georgia. 

Dec 5th NH arrives at Charleston City Marina

NH left Georgetown at 9.30 headed for Charleston. After fueling up and pumping out - the essentials - Nana and Nandad start their cruise. Now nana believes that because it was such a beautiful day, and the sunshine felt so good , NH was cruising the Winyah Bay and heading out into the ocean! Now this time of year is the Right Whale Calving and Nursing season so boats have to take a different route so as not to disturb them. Obviously Nandad decided to promptly turn around and take the ICW route. The cruise through the Minim Creek, McClellanville and Andersonville is beautiful but with lots of shoaling and some very scary moments! 

The picture is the entrance to The Creek. Nana and Nandad were very attentive for the rest of the cruise and arrived at Charleston City Marina by 2.30pm. After washing down the boat and a wonderful walk along the Ashley Riverfront we were entertained with another perfect sunset. Dinner onboard was delicious. 

December 4th 2019 NH Adventures Continue

Wednesday 4th Nana and Nandad return to New Horizon to continue the journey to Sarasota. After leaving a very cold and white Franklin the warm sun was very welcoming. Once again provisions were necessary after a wonderful lunch at The Olde Fish House. A sunset walk along the River with another beautiful sunset. The homes are absolutely beautiful 

with amazing front porches and as you can see very festive. 

The entire downtown is a National Historic District. 

Friday Nov 8th Annapolis

1. After a wonderful few days in Miami celebrating the FCIA’s 20th anniversary Nana and Nandad leave for Annapolis to pick up their new boat. By 5pm that evening we became the proud owners of an Elling 49 4E called New Horizon. The plan is to leave Kent Island tomorrow and start the journey south to Stuart. Then cross the Okeechobee to the west side and eventually Sarasota.

1.  

New Horizon Adventures Begin

Nov 9th Nana and Nandad leave Kent Island heading south. They decided to take a short ride to Safe Harbor Zahnisers at Solomon Island - about 48nm. The Chesapeake Bay was very shoot however NH cruised very nicely at 16knts. We had a slight delay but got into Zahnisers by 4pm and were tied up on the dock for the most beautiful sunset and almost full

moon. 

  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here at the Doneski’s for Thanksgiving dinner! 

Harbor Walk Marina Georgetown SC

Our hearts are heavy today as Nana and Nandad heard the news of the passing of Nandad’s oldest brother , yesterday , Monday at 10.30 am. He was surrounded by his loving family. It was a long journey cruising on NH from Southport to Georgetown but it provided Nandad with the opportunity to reflect while meandering up the River Waccaw. Donal was a very significant figure in both our lives and it is because of him that we have taken the adventures of cruising the ICW and it is because of him we own a motor boat. Thank you Donal May you Rest In Peace and we will miss you. 

Thankfully the Marina was able to accommodate NH so she will stay here until early December. It is a beautiful little historical town and we had a wonderful stroll along the boardwalk after a fantastic meal at River Room where we celebrated and reflected on Donal’s amazing time on this world 🌎 and talked together about the meaning of life. Nana and Nandad will return today Tuesday to MA to get together with the family. 

Layday at Southport

Well the forecast was pretty accurate for our area today. You know when the marina closes it means bad weather! A layday for sure but Nana and Nandad were able to take a nice long stroll downtown with the blowing wind but at least no 🌧 until late afternoon. Nana read all about the Purasan EX Type 1 marine sanitation device - which is what we have in our master cabin. Keeping our waters clean is very important and while we have these great options we need to understand how they work. All of the ICW is NDZ - no discharge zone- so for now we will use only the regular head.🚽   

The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to figure out the audiovisual systems. We were successful in working the Fusion through Bluetooth which made for very nice listening however we have a way to go with the TV and DVD😣Nandad is quite content to watch Netflix on his 📱 and Nana has lots of reading material options as well as - should I mention - 🧶 . Not sure what tomorrow will bring whether we stay or keep on cruising. 

NH is at Southport NC ICW 309nm

An early start this rainy morning takes us along a stretch of the ICW that is so close to the Atlantic Ocean  you can 👂 the surf. We cruised past at least 9 inlets! A short delay at the Onslow Swing Bridge which provided the opportunity to have 🍳. The old Surf City swing bridge has been replaced by the new Topsail Island Bridge. Apparently, according to the Waterway Guide , following World War 11, the U.S government seized the island and used it to develop a long-range defense missile for the navy which has now moved to Cape Canaveral.

Approaching Southport Nana and Nandad had to pay attention to details due to multiple markings for the Cape Fear River, the Army’s Military Ocean Terminal, Fishers Island Ferry and ICW. Tied up on the dock by 1.30 in heavy ☔️ means we will have lots of time to play with the Raymarine System. A weather meeting takes place this evening at 6pm. The forecast is for high 💨 with possible gusts! NH may have another layday. 

Thursday Nov 14th Heading for Swansboro NC

Nana and Nandad has a wonderful dinner at the Spoon River. The restaurant decor is extremely unusual and the owner has certainly a flair for design. The food was delicious, the service great, and we loved how the owner sat right down to chat with us👏. 

Our journey to Swansboro brought NH by some beautiful sections of the ICW down the Pungo River, Amlico River, Bay River, and into one of the largest and most open rivers in the country Neuse River. We cruise past Oriental, Beaufort, and Morehead City and find multiple 🐬 happily swimming in the Bogue Sound. We were tied up to the dock by 2pm at Caspers Marina.Surrounded by barrier islands Swansboro is such a quaint waterfront community. Nana and Nandad stayed at Dudleys Marina back in 2015 on IE. 

A walk down to O’Reilly’s auto store to get some lubricant, washer fluid and diesel additive was welcomed after eight hours on the boat. The store did not have what we needed but called another marine supply picked it up for us and delivered it to the boat. Now that’s service - no need for Amazon here! 

On our way back to the marina Nana found Mandala Yoga 🧘‍♀️ so of course I got a yoga mat for the boat and did an amazing restorative class. Yes indeed life is good. Dinner onboard thanks to Nandad, a wonderful glass of red 🍷 and RTÉ reruns of the Late Late Show due to the passing of Gay Byrne. Boating at its best. 

Tomorrow we plan to get to Southport NC - we will see. 

Layday at Belhaven

Wednesday Nov 13th Nana and Nandad did lots of homework 📚 today trying to understand the boats systems. We are making headway👍. A cold 🥶 start to the day with ice on the dock. Both bow trusters now have new fuses so we should be all set and ready to travel another hundred miles tomorrow.  A beautiful sunset is anticipated and our plan is to eat out at The Spoon River downtown Belhaven. What a perfect spot to soak up the serenity of the ICW.

AICW mile 135 Belhaven NC

Nov 12th an early start so the we can get to our destination before the high winds and rain forecast. A wide section of the ICW lies ahead crossing the Albermarle Sound , the Alligator River and the Pungo River Canal . Again NH cruised at 16 knots effortlessly. Our stern bow trustee quit last night so we hope to have that taken care of also. This section is so picturesque with lots of stump and snags to watch for. We did not see black bear, deer or alligator but the scenery is unique. We are 🍀 to get a slip at RiverForest Marina where we were welcomed by a wonderful man Henry. Golf carts are provided to tour the historical town of Belhaven. The marina also owns the beautiful River Forest Manor which has been lovingly restored and is now an event venue. Nana and Nandad were given a private tour. 

NH heads for Coinjock NC

Nov 11th Happy Veterans Day to all. A late start this morning however passed mile zero so are now officially on the AICW. Delays at the Great Bridge 🔒 and also at the Centerville Turnpike swing bridge. A beautiful day so we opened the roof and felt like we were cruising on a convertible. Nana has mastered the oven and Genset so a great brunch was served onboard while we cruised - not bad👍Docked by 4pm - laundry done and pizza served under the light of the moon. 

Nov 10th Heading for Norfolk VA

Sunday we leave early for Norfolk Yachting Country Club approximately 96nm. Adjusting to NH luxury is a little challenging but each day we are becoming more comfortable. We keep wanting to pinch ourselves to make sure we really did take this plunge. 👏After passing the Grey Mile with all the impressive navy boats we were docked by 4pm. NYCC has all amenities so we enjoyed a lovely dinner celebration to toast our New Horizon. Another wonderful sunset over the Elizabeth River. 🌅

October 19th to the 25th Annopolis

Nana and Nandad really enjoyed our trip to Annapolis. We spent the full day Wednesday 23 rd reviewing the boats systems and took a wonderful short cruise out on the bay. We have arranged for a short haul, survey and sea trial Friday Nov 1st after which our final decision will be made. 


We took the time on Thursday to take a walking  tour at the Naval Academy which was truly amazing. To watch the parade of over 4000 midshipmen in formation at lunch time was quite the sight. An amazing facility and well worth the visit.

Friday 25th finds us back on IE and packing things away. She had her decks scrubbed while we were away and the teak looks 👍 . We will take her up to Cortez on Sunday when she will be hauled out to have her bottom 🧽 . Nana and Nandad will return to MA on Monday for 🎃👏

IE 2019 to 2020 adventures begin Oct 9th

Nana and Nandad return to IE at SYC after a wonderful sailing season in RI on Lambay⛵️IE has had some nice detailed work on her topside so is looking pretty good. The engine continues to be an issue with the mechanic working diligently to get it up and running. In the meantime Nana and Nandad are enjoying all that Sarasota has to offer and lots of social gatherings at the club. The weather is perfect 👌 and we are happy that the air conditioning is working however most evenings brings a light gentle breeze.

On Thursday 10th Nana and Nandad went to The Shore over on Longboat Key. It is right on the water beside Mar Vista. It was the perfect evening, with the almost 🌕 full moon visible from our table and a sighting of the International Space Station really capped our evening. I believe it might have been the all female astronauts👏

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent enjoying the new poolside bar & grille at the club, strolling 🚶‍♀️ down St Armand’s circle, riding our bikes and playing Bocce. A wonderful evening and dinner at Jeff/Laurel’s lovely home on Longboat Key.

Monday through Friday mechanic still working on IE. Nana is keeping herself busy with 🧘‍♀️, book club, ⛳️, beach, listening to podcasts and reading. Nandad is learning to be very patient and while being available for the mechanic he is catching up on Brexit. On Tuesday Nana and Nandad finally decided to make reservations to return to Annapolis to take another look at a boat - more to follow! On Friday the difficult decision was made to put IE on the market. 

Saturday 19th lots of wind and rain. All the boats are bouncing around on the slips and all deck hands are diligently keeping a watchful eye on the docks. 

April 14th to April 18th Nana and Nandads last few days on IE

April 14th is the twins 4th birthday so we had to start the day with the Gleeson birthday 🎂 song. Official birthday celebration 🎉 will take place once we get back to Franklin. The Doneski’s first full day and of course we had to start with the Mote Aquarium which is really a wonderful place. We had a wonderful brunch at SYC and afterwards Cillian and Liam played under the shade area quite happily. Late afternoon we went down to the South Park where lots of Boats 🚣‍♀️ and jet shi’s were on the 🏝 with families enjoying the wonderful weather and a variety of music playing. Lots of fun.

April 15th and today we celebrate Chris 🎁- lots happening in April. Aideen and Chris went kayaking and Nana and Nandad took Cillian and Liam over to the Bird Key Park where they could scoop up the sand with their buckets and ♠️ Rivers and holes were built and somehow continued to fill back up again with water from the bay. We went for a short boat ride and were able to see the dolphin from a distance. A great hamburger dinner and a wonderful 🌅 stroll along North Lido Park where we saw and listened to a pair of bald 🦅. What a treat.

April 16th - no birthday to celebrate today. Nana accompanied The Doneski’s to the Myakka River State Park where we took a pontoon ride and saw the most amazing 🐊. Here you can hike a 39 mile hiking 🥾 loop, several miles of bike trails, 🎣, kayaking, tram rides, 🐦 viewing, 🐎 Trails and ⛺️. Certainly if you want to spend the day or night away from the craziness of life this is the place to come. The Pink Gator Cafe really did have the best grilled 🧀 much enjoyed by Cillian. The canopy walk with the 74 foot tower and swing bridge was quite the treat. Late afternoon Nana, Nandad, Cillian and Liam spent some time on Lido Beach once again building and destroying sand castles, making sand 👼 and simply kavorting on the tide and gentle 🌊. 

April 17th Nana and Nandad spent the day preparing IE for our departure and closure of our 4th season , while the Doneski’s went to visit The Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Santuary. Lots of laundry 🧺, vacuum packing clothes, filling with diesel, pumping out, filling water tanks, folding and storing bicycles 🚲, cleaning 🧹 out any food closets, defrosting and emptying the refrigerator, and removing any items that might likely explode!! Covering the dingy is always a challenge but at least it got us to take a dingy ride which is always fun. A great dinner on the Circle ⭕️ at VENEZIA outdoor dining followed by scrumptious 🍦 at Kilwins. One last 🌞 at Lido Beach before heading back to IE.

April 18th will find Nana and Nandad heading to the airport leaving IE behind and hoping to resume our adventures once again in the fall. We have had a wonderful time and feel that SYC is a very good home for IE and also Sarasota now feels like our winter home. We look forward to returning and reconnecting with our new friends and continuing to explore the Florida coast. Maybe next year we will actually cruise to Naples and Tarpon Springs. We are blessed to be returning to family and friends and are excited to spend time in Newport RI Sailing onboard Lambay. 

For those of you who do not know Ireland’s Eye 👁 and Lambay are islands off the coast of Howth Co Dublin Ireland. 

April 7th to April 13th IE heads to the The Field Club

Sunday April 7th is a big day at SYC when The Blessing of the Fleet takes place. Ireland’s Eye and 38 other boats 🛥 left the marina all decorated and festive looking, for the parade, blessing and salute. A fun 🎊 afterwards with lots of mixing and connecting with new friends. 

Monday morning Nana and Nandad decided they would take a long bike ride along Longboat Key with the final destination being Mar Vista Dockside dining.  A long 7.5 mile ride but well worth it and made much easier with those electric 🚲. The restaurant is right on the bay side with a small beach area so you can dine right on the water. We will take IE some day and either dock or anchor. 

Tuesday another layday , morning yoga, relaxing and reading while once again the engine gets attention - you can get the sense that this is a bit of a habit!Nandad rented a mini van once again and we went scouting to find a yard that will haul IE for painting the bottom. We found a good spot Cortez Cove Marina where there is also a wonderful canvas & upholstery spot called Coatal Marina. They repaired the canvas cover and made two canvas covers for the flag poles. Nandad took out his drill and made the perfect 👌 spot at the bow for our SYC burgee. We decided to try the Irish Pub 32 and had delicious Shepard’s pie and bangers and mash ☘️ 

Wednesday a great morning walk over the Sarasota bridge followed by a fun afternoon at the GEM’s fashion show. Dinner 🥘 onboard IE and a wonderful stretch of the legs down St Armand’s Circle to watch the Sunset 🌅 at Lido Beach. A beautiful night.

Thursday morning a great yoga 🧘‍♀️ class, followed by a short bike ride and a wonderful evening at Susan and Jim’s 🏠 Nana and Nandad hosted for the Blessing of the Fleet so they very nicely invited us to their home which is right on the water 💦 with beautiful views. Susan has done an amazing job on creating a beautiful home and Jim made the most delicious meal. Wonderful new friendships begin.

Friday Nana and Nandad decided to take a short cruise 🚢 over to The Field Club where we spent a very quite afternoon by the pool and a great dinner on their patio. It is really a very unique spot.

Saturday April 13th so excited 😆 to have The Doneski’s for the next few days. Today is Liam’s 3rd 🎂 so we will celebrate when they arrive. Early afternoon and The Doneski’s arrive and checked into their VBO home which is the perfect fit for their family. All fenced in both front, side and back patio where the pool 🏊 is. Cilian is like a fish 🐠 right away. 

March 31 st to April 6th Boca Grande and Venice

Sunday March 31st started the day with a FaceTime and birthday song to our daughter Aideen. One of the minuses of cruising is missing some birthdays but FaceTime offers a nice visual. Mass at St Martha’s and provisions on the bikes before MJ and Dave arrive. A beautiful light breezy day and wonderful to eat outside at SYC. 

Monday April fools day and MJ has traditionally fooled her family so this year was no different. She fooled them all into believeing that IE had ran aground but without major damage. Now thankfully We knew that that was not correct. Nana and Nandad took MJ and Dave kayaking along Otter Key and although we did not see a manatee we did see lots of 🦅 Ospreys, American Egrits, and Pelicans. A wonderful stroll along south Lido Beach. We then took the bike to St Armand’s Circle for lunch at the Venezia. Later that evening we had dinner at the Red Classico and wonderful cocktails on the rooftop at The Westin. Quite the complex.

Tuesday was the perfect layday as once again the engine gets some attention. 🌅 sunset dinner at The Beach House restaurant which is right on the beach. 

Wednesday finally we get to cruise 🚢 and IE leaves for Boca Grande on Gasparilla. A wonderful cruise with the perfect 🐬 sighting for MJ and Dave. MJ also spotted a group of Manatees in the distance but too far to photograph. When we arrived at Gasperilla we rented a golf 🚗 and took our visitors for a delicious cocktail 🍹 at the Inn. What a special place. A great ride to the lighthouse, the state park, and the perfect ☀️ sunset while sitting on the wall at the end of 4th street. Of course we had to finish our evening with patio dining at The Pink Elephant. How lucky are we.

Thursday April 4th IE is headed for Venice. A great breakfast at The Outlet before leaving . A little rough ride with high winds to begin with then calmer once we got into the narrow section of the GIWW. IE stayed at the Venice Yacht club and attended their under the stars jazz evening in the company of members Frank and his lovely wife The Bev. Lots of healthy laughter.

Friday IE heads back to SYC for the Sundown Ceremony and Remberance Ceremony which was truest a very moving ceremony. Dinner at the club with live entertainment.

Saturday April 6th MJ and Dave’s last day onboard. A wonderful brunch at Boaters breakfast 🥞 followed by the perfect stroll down St Armand’s to get one more glance at the ocean before they return to the cooler temperatures in Franklin MA. Of course we had to have lunch 🥗 at the Cafe L’Europe. A wonderful stay with great company, lots of good food and drinks, and sharing many of Nana and Nandads favorite places with our special friends.

March 30th

Nana and Nandad have enjoyed three days of R/R swimming by the pool, kayaking all around Otter Key, biking 🚴‍♀️ and strolling along the beach. The weather has been a glorious 80 degrees with the perfect breeze during the day and cooler at night. While kayaking Nandad spotted a manatee swimming right beside us minding its own business. It was very cool to witness this big floating elephant in its natural environment. We had a wonderful evening celebrating the Sarasota Yacht Club Cares annual event Under The Seas and once again met some very interesting and welcoming new friends. Today we are ready to entertain our very good friends MJ and Dave and excited to share our new club and take a trip to maybe Venice and Captiva. They will stay until Saturday so next blog likely to be April 6th.

March 27th Nana and Nandad are back on IE

Arrived back onboard to a very nice clean and waxed boat. IE had a nice touch up while we were away. A little messy poop deck as the herons and egrets decided they would leave their waste matter for us to clean! Preparation for our good friends MJ and Dave who arrive on Sunday. In the meantime Nanadad continues to be optimistic that Detroit diesel will come up trumps with the engine. 

March 3rd to March 6th IE heads to Venice and The Field

Sunday IE finally left the dock for a few nights away. Headed for Venice on a beautiful 😎 afternoon and the dolphins obliged once again with a wonderful display of frolic just as we arrive at the Venice Yacht Club. Another magnificent sunset at Venice beach.

Monday afternoon while relaxing at the pool at the yacht club Nandad assisted Hakuna Mayachta ( from SYC ) with tie up so we had wonderful company for a great dinner at The Crows Nest.

Tuesday on our way back both boats tied up at The Field for lunch which was truly a wonderful experience. It is a beautiful club with the most fantastic floral arrangements. Nana wishes she could post the beautiful picture of the ladies in the lobby! 

Wednesday evening Nana and Nandad strolled down to the St Armand’s Circle and had dinner at Venezia which was amazing. Nana is excited to be heading back to Franklin to get her Nana fix while Nandad is planning to explore the Panhandle area. Nana will be back blogging again March 27th and will hopefully have sorted out the problem with being unable to upload pictures. Happy St Patrick’s day to all.  🍀 

February 28th to March 2nd

Nana has lost her voice!! Just in time for Ellie and Richards visit. Not to worry Nandad will come to the rescue. It is always fun to have friends onboard and Ellie and Richard come with lots of delicious goodies. After the tour we sit high top on Ireland’s Eye and take in the wonderful view of Sarasota bridge, Bird Key, Lido Key and Longboat Key. A really beautiful view. Dinner at the club, finally able to enjoy outdoor seating with a little help from the gas heater! Great service and good food as always.

Friday March 1st after a great breakfast onboard we went for a short but really pretty boat ride under the Sarasota Bridge and back up Siesta Key. We admired the many beautiful homes, wonderful mangroves and the scattering of Bird life perched on the mangroves which included the magnificent roseate spoonbill. No dolphin sighting today! A great lunch at The Muse cafe in the Ringling Museum. That evening Nana and Nandad with other new members attended the Cannon Ceremony followed by a wonderful dinner and again a great band to dance to. Richard and Ellie met their friends at Owens Fish Camp downtown Sarasota which sounds like a place we will have to visit also.

Saturday Morning after a great breakfast and lecture at the club about The Red Tide, Ellie and Richard were on their way to Tampa to return to MA. Great to have friends to share special movements with. 

February 21st IE has a permanent slip at SYC

Nana and Nandad return to Sarasota and are officially members of the yacht club with an assigned slip - a nice feeling and looking forward to making new friendships. On the night we arrive back we attend a wonderful performance at the club by Pianist Matthew Graybill and Svetlana Smolina for the first time ever Nana listened to Piano Four Hands which was amazing. The performance was presented by The Chopin Project.

Feb 22nd Jason once again does a diagnosis on the boat and IE needs a new harness for the computer! We move the boat to her slip C5 which will now be her home. Nana and Nandad are settling into the Sarasota lifestyle enjoying the sunshine. 

Feb 24th Nandad rents a pickup truck and we head to Lakewood Ranch to see the most amazing exotic cars - unfortunately Nana is unable to load up pictures on the blog which is very frustrating. We also go to the Circus Sarasota which brought back memories of childhood circus events. The performers from all over the world were simply amazing under The Big Tent .

Feb 25th Nana decided that she would like to repair the extra fold up bike so we take a ride to Pedego Electric Bikes. Now Nandad was in his element and started to ride the electric bikes so we are now the proud owners of a Magnum fold up electric bike with suspension!! Nana  has converted to an ebike rider - much easier to ride over the bridge especially against the wind. We celebrated our purchase with a wonderful dinner at Euphemia Haye which is on Longboat Key and is a very unique converted historic wooden cottage surrounded by tropical greenery and twinkling lights. We ate at the bar upstairs called the Loft where a piano player sang and a couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary got up to dance. 

Feb 26th and 27th Rain, Rain and more Rain which also means lots of leaks!! Hopefully all the rain will come and the sunshine for Richard & Ellie who will visit us for a night or two. 

January 12 to 26th 2019

Jan 12 th after a wonderful Christmas Nana and Nandad returned to IE to prepare for our good friends Jack and Marie who will stay onboard for a week. 

Jan 14th Jack and Marie arrive and of course we have to take them down to St Armand’s Circle for a fantastic dinner at The Columbia.The next day we visit The Ringling Museum which is just an amazing place especially if you have not been before - Nana never gets tired of this wonderful place - Art, Gardens, Mansion, Music and restaurants all make for a great day. We got to celebrate SYC’s going Platinum event that evening which was very special.

Jan 16th, 17th, 18th. IE left for Venice to give Jack and Marie a taste of the ICW. The dolphins on our way down were so entertaining. We secured a slip at the Crows Nest where we had a wonderful dinner. The next day we cruised to South Seas where we joined the SYC cruising event. The weather was finally warm enough to actually sit at the beach and enjoy the amenities SS provides. A very expensive dinner at the Harbourside Bar & Grill ( we are being spoiled at the yacht club) and a lovely evening at the Docksaide with lots of cruisers from SYC. Great dingy ride over to North Captiva where Marie and I find some great shells.

Jan 19th With the weather changing and Jack & Marie’s flight on Sunday we make the decision to return to Sarasota on Saturday. As it turns out due to weather in MA the flight got delayed and they had to stay until Wednesday - more time to explore.

Jan 20th The playoffs between The Patriots and The Chiefs. Now normally Nana and Nandad are not that interested in football - dare I admit that!! However Jack and Marie are avid fans so we got front row seats right at the bar and Jack coached Nandad and Marie coached Nana so we are now expert football fans. A great game for the Patriots.

Jan 21st we took the opportunity of visiting the Mote Aquarium which is a fantastic place and can’t wait for the grandkids to visit some day. The next day we had a wonderful lunch at Cafe’L Europe with a stroll around the circle and the perfect walk on Lido Beach. For our last night we had dinner at the new piano restaurant 15 South which was wonderful- we will go again. We will miss Jack and Marie when they return to Boston. Very much enjoyed sharing our experiences with them. 

Jan 23rd Nana and Nandad had their luncheon orientation at the yacht club and the next night we attended a fantastic Wine Pairing dinner. Southern Australian wines from Leeuwenhoek Estates & d’Arenberg.

Jan 26th time to return to Franklin to celebrate all the February birthdays and catch up with the grandkids.