Boat Day

 

We had a boat day with friends planned for this past Thursday and while the rain held off, it was one of those hazy, low cloud, early fall Florida days.  Not your typical boat day where you keep applying sunscreen, but it was actually kind of nice to put on a sweatshirt and enjoy the gulf breezes without worrying about too much sun.  

The low sky was quite amazing with just a hint of blue here and there and the beaches we anchored at were pretty much deserted.  Now that is something to love, because it is very rare to be the only people at a public beach.  We were able to pick up so many pretty seashells and it was by far, the best shelling day I have had since I moved here.  There are always shells, but many times the prettiest and biggest ones are imperfect and broken.  (To find shells go to Don Pedro Island State Park and Stump Pass Sandbar via boat).  

Highlights also included finding our first really big haul of shark’s teeth and seeing a large group of stingrays swimming right off the shoreline where we were standing.

We stopped for lunch at Palm Island which is private, but has a fabulous restaurant open to all.  You can either arrive by private boat or take a short water taxi ride from the mainland.  The drink I had was quite delicious and per our waiter, is where the restaurant gets it’s name.  (Rum Bay’s Smash = light and dark rum, cream of coconut and tropical juices).

Just another day in paradise :-)