The trip from Bradenton

We left the Manatee River anchorage about 5 in the morning in utter darkness.  The sun doesn't rise here until close to 7:30 and with heavy cloud cover there was no light from the moon or stars.  On top of trying to follow a very long, narrow channel out to the gulf, we bucked a strong incoming tide the entire way.  Not my favorite time to be at the helm.  David stayed on lookout for marks lighting them up with our bright beam since most of them were unlit marks.  Nerve wracking to say the least.  Once in the gulf we escaped the inflow but had little favorable wind so we motored and raised sails hoping to see them eventually fill in.  After about 4 hours the wind did arrive, straight behind us!  At least we were able to cut the engine off and wallow side to side at 8 kts and quiet.  The weather kept building straight out of the north so those seas, so benign at first, became surfers.  This was really ok until we had to start turning to the east and they became slamming and spraying salt water high over the entire boat.  We were truly grateful for the enclosed cockpit!  The pass at Boca Grande looks so nice and wide on the charts but in reality it is very shoal with about a 5 mile ride to the entrance.  By this time the waves were short and choppy as they hit the 2 foot depths much as the wave hit a beach in a storm.  When we finally made it in, a local boater warned us not to risk getting into Pelican Bay and a nice boat anchored on the other side of the pass near Gasparilla Island said their location was doable so that's what we did.  Dropped the hook and marvel at the idea we had done it again!  It wasn't the most comfortable night but it was sure better than those seas we had experienced for the past 14 hours!

The seas were rough but at least it was daylight coming in the pass.

The pictures never show the height of the waves but I try.

It was so much calmer just 24 hours later.

Houses off of Gasparilla Island.  

Sitting much calmer at anchor.