We docked at Clearwater Harbor Marina and walked to an area with several dinner options so everyone could see what sounded good. It was a Friday night but oddly quiet, kind of eerily so for what should've been a bustling area. We ended up at Downtown Pizza, which was delicious. We came back to the boat with a ton of leftovers, which we normally don't mind, but finding space in the fridge on the boat is always a challenge. For dessert, four of us got cannolis and Moose got a cookie a la mode. Whose kid is that?!
The next day, we met up with my uncle (who I hadn't seen in about 30 years!), his wife, and their youngest son for breakfast. We showed them the boat, ate, and walked around Clearwater together. It was one of those visits that feels both long overdue and like no time had passed at all. Really glad we could make it happen.
After saying goodbye, we cooled off on the boat and got ready for round two of visitors. Our friends from Colorado moved to Florida this year and have made it a point to drive to check out various beaches near their new home, so they were excited to meet us at Clearwater Beach.
We took the ferry over to the beach and played for a while before heading back to shower and go to dinner. Downtown Pizza again, but different meals this time. Back at the boat, the kids fished off the dock and spotted a seahorse and a baby puffer fish, which was a huge hit. Our friends stayed overnight on the boat, and it was so fun to have guests aboard once again.
The next morning, we were up and off the dock by 7. There was no wind, which made the hot feel even hotter. Lots of dolphins to watch, so that was fun for our friends. Some noticeable hurricane damage along the way, which is a good reminder of what this area has been through.
Hattie has officially figured out the dolphin thing, we think. She hears them before we see them and barks to scare them away. Protective? Terrified? Both? We're not sure, but she is very committed to her job. It makes us sad when she scares them away before we can enjoy them, though!
We dropped our friends off at a wall near Sarasota and said our goodbyes after a really nice time together. Then we continued on to anchor off Chino Island at Pine Island Sound Aquatic Preserve in Saint James City. Our last sunset over the Gulf of Mexico for this trip was beyond beautiful and a good one to go out on.
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