Day 8 – Clearwater, FL (Clearwater YC)

Day 8 – Fri 6 Oct 2023
Docked – Clearwater, FL (Clearwater YC)

Sunrise at Carlouel Yacht Club from yesterday

It was a very comfortable night, but Bud was highly insistent on getting me up just before 0500. We had a nice walk in the light breeze and he stayed on lead the entire time. I even had no trouble pointing him back towards the boat and he went without complaint.

The boat was filthy from bird droppings and some stains that I can’t identify and have no clue how they got there. Without access to a good water source, I used a bucket to get the most egregious stuff off the deck and waited until arrival at the Clearwater Yacht Club.

The 2.9 nm ride was slow and pretty, with a mix of low mangrove islets and high-rise condos. There are plenty of places to run aground it you are not careful, but the channels are well marked.

The water pressure at our dock was terrific, so after settling in, I could do a decent job of cleaning the boat. After that, it was straight to the showers and pool. Another surprise for us was the complete remodeling of the lower floor of the clubhouse. Fortunately, the baths and showers were available.

The pool was delightful, and we had it all to ourselves until a lovely woman joined us. She owns the small hotel and marina next door and is a member. We had conversations on numerous interesting topics. We were joined by a marina tenant of hers who just bought a power catamaran, so he and I had a lot to discuss, especially since they want to do some extensive cruising in the next few years.

Onboard Diva Di, we had a delicious salad for lunch because we planned to order some unhealthy food from the club for an early supper. The chicken wings, calamari, and BLT were pretty good, and we took a bit back with us. Diane stayed to socialize at the Tiki Bar for a bit, but I had been socializing nonstop since 1000, so I needed a break.

After the light of the day faded, I though Bud would enjoy a walk, but was not interested. Diane and I wisely avoided going back to the bar and stayed aboard to read until a very early bedtime. We will be here another full day and night and then move south to the Twin Dolphin marina in Bradenton. They are now at $4.25 per foot of boat length. Wow, how marina costs have skyrocketed in the past several years!

If we just wanted to pass the time and enjoy life aboard for those two days, there are plenty of places to anchor. We had not visited the south shore of the Manatee River and its lovely riverwalk in over a decade, so we decided to give it a try.