The Best of Both Worlds

Day 231  |  Palmetto   

The sun was back out today and shining brightly. I got out and did my daily 5k walk. Barry had three more projects he wanted to get done. First up was replacing two more original (18 year old) hoses, these leading from our holding tank to the macerator and then overboard. He disconnected the existing hoses to get proper sizing and length of the new hoses we would still need to get. With my services as sous mechanic (hold this, hand me that) not needed at this point, I moved to Fiberglass Beach and excitedly began a new book. The pages turned quickly, even while assisting Barry on multiple occasions. His second project was to wire up the engine emergency shut off controller that we had purchased before starting the Loop. That required taking down the pilothouse ceiling and disconnecting wires from the master control panel. Barry then moved under the helm for more electrical work and added to the shopping list the connectors we still needed to complete the project.

The final project was to change out and upgrade our horns. The current horns sound like one a clown might use or one which could be found on a child's bike. The new one is much louder and deeper -- more like a foghorn. The new installation requires a waterproof through-deck seal, which we did not have and so it also went on the West Marine shopping list. By mid-afternoon I had finished my book, comforted by the reassuring message that everyone comes into your life for a reason. After several hours of sitting on the Beach, I was also ready to get off the boat and walk around for a while. We crossed the Manatee River to Bradenton and visited Robinson Preserve, 679 acres of coastal grasslands, marsh, and mangroves criss-crossed with walking trails. The sun was dropping quickly and our shadows were long, but we had plenty of time to make it out to the observation tower.

A well-maintained boardwalk led to the 40-foot tower. Bright yellow flowers bloomed off just off the path. It was 72 steps to the top and the view was amazing, highlighted by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge crossing Tampa Bay and glowing on the horizon.

We left the Preserve at 5:00 and headed to West Marine with our shopping list. We returned to Riviera Dunes and watched the final quarter of the Eagles and Bears game on the large screens at the bar with other boaters. After the final clank, we returned to Crossroads as the night air had quickly turned chilly. We should now have all the parts to complete the three projects tomorrow morning and then go exploring a bit more in the afternoon. A little work and a little play. That is truly the best of both worlds.