Regular foll0wers know that Capt. Rick loves his ice cream, preferably soft serve, so it was a banner day when he found the all-you-can-eat machine at the Bradenton Yacht Club. Of course he had two servings. Silly questions.
They also have a popcorn machine, PC Greg Rocque!
This yacht club did a marvy job of displaying the club burgees. Glad to see the columns are only found at the perimeter of the room.
River Dunes Harbor Club and Marina
Bonus sighting – it’s Exhale II – NP 4911 – now known as Above Expectations.
She was docked at River Dunes Marina. It was great to see Dr. Karen and Ron Oldano. Looking forward to your retirement, doc!
Dinner with the Oldano’s at Sofra Kitchen Bar and Bistro was amazing – both Karen and I ate every morsel of the Cacio e Pepe – Mija’s favorite – so great to see you both. Apologies for not snapping a group photo.
The run to Tampa included a little excitement, as we witnessed a training exercise by the Coast Guard.
Zoom in to see the man lifted from the boat into the helicopter – impressive!
Vibrant Tampa
Tonto’s Reward and Exhale docked at the Tampa Convention Center, thanks to a great boater’s tip from Tom and Faye Turke. The city was energized. Our location boasted a live concert from Florence + the Machine. There were a plethora of restaurants nearby, oh, and so much more. Gail’s blog will introduce The Florida Aquarium.
If you are a hockey fan you know Tampa Bay Lightning plays at the Benchmark International Arena, just a short walk from where we docked. Our visit coincided with Game 5 of the playoffs, against the Montreal Canadiens. Yes my editorial friends, Paul and Donna will confirm the official team name is correctly spelled. As of Game 6 – played in Montreal – the teams were tied 3-3. Game 7 is Sunday, May 3, Go Bolts!
A quick Google search revealed that Tampa is the third largest city in Florida, with about 3.4 million people in the broader metro area. With a median age of 35-36 years old – compare that to roughly 106,000 in Fort Myers where the median age is 43, although it feels like it is 65+.
We noticed a significant amount of construction around the city, some of it quite stunning. For example, this eye-catching gem, known as Heron towers, is an Architecture Masterprize winner! It’s marketed as “a luxury apartment community with rooftop pools and a market cafe, set along the Tampa Riverwalk”. Hey Ryan M, the 420-unit complex is not affordable, but it is LEED Gold Certified.
A brief dinghy ride took us to Davis Island Yacht Club, another Florida Council Club, for a nice lunch.
Back in Tampa, an exploration of the riverfront by dinghy revealed more architectural beauties including the “Giant Slinky”, a 21-foot tall sculpture by artist Marc Fornes, founder of The Very Many.
Officially dubbed Form of Wander, apparently the aluminum structure has seven trunks made from 3,123 individual parts that are riveted together. Now that’s a LOT of pieces. Most impressive, this super sturdy hunk of metal withstood category 4 winds of Hurricane Michael. Well made. Here’s a photo from the artist – I think it’s more spectacular in the evening.
We also explored the beautiful walking trails found in Cotanchobee / Fort Brooke Park. David G was amused as he pointed out a hooker, Meroba Hooker Crane to be precise. Fun Fact for Dr. Karen Oldano: Born in Tampa, the 6th of 11 children (ouch), Meroba Crane was the first President of Emergency Hospital, the forerunner of Tampa General Hospotal.
BEST of Tampa included Bern’s Steakhouse, thanks David and Gail for a memorable evening.
More than a meal, Capt. Rick said. “it’s an experience”. Boater’s tip – arrive hungry, and don’t panic at the prices. When you order a steak, the entree includes french onion soup (yum), a generous salad, fresh bread, a loaded baked potato, onion strings and the veggie of the day! You also get a private tour of the kitchen and the chilly (50 degree) wine cellar!
For PC Greg Rocque – Bern’s wine collection contains over half a million bottles and 6500 labels from all over the world – it was overwhelming to see just a small portion of the cellar. If you are curious, click here.
Although we did not finish our meals, we enjoyed a light dessert in the unique ambience upstairs. Delicious!
Tampa Yacht Club (TYC)
We spent just one night at TYC, where the swimming pool was the perfect temperature! There are actually two connected pools, one is for laps, this one is for relaxing. Dinner at the club was 4-star worthy.
Here’s a wall of flowers for my Jasmine. It smelled soooooo good.
St. Petersburg Yacht Club (SPYC)
At St. Pete’s, Tonto’s Reward and Exhale reunited with NP45 Treble in Paradise.
Buttercup was quite content to hang out with Tom Turke!
Yes, Faye made the adorable blue purse, she’s crafty that way!
On Saturday morning, Faye, Tom, Gail and Mary S went to the Farmer’s Market. Look at this produce! Yes, those are kumquats. Sooo good.
Meanwhile Rick G, David B, and Ron Oldano were working on a wide array of boat stuff on Above Expectations. Looking good!
Look at this Loopers – there was a confirmed spotting of Phanthom at River Dunnes! Jim and Susan, Ray and Caryl, here’s to Herb Seaton’s Back Porch – Good memories :-)
Now I am sending happy thoughts for my Kraken fan. Wait, is that cerulean blue? If you know the reference, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is in the theaters now!
Hey Sideways, happy to hear your repairs and upgrades are almost finished, hoping she will be on the water soon!
Closing this entry with an opportunity for more ice cream! Because when life happens, ice cream helps.
Celebrating Milestones
Birthdays: May 2, Celeste Amish; May 8, Danielle Ginsburg
Anniversary: May 7, Ray and Caryl.
Next up: More details from St. Pete’s – chilling for three days.
Exhale on the Water 