Oh how I wish I was there

Today we went on a boaT trip in Sarasota Bay run by Mote aquarium. It was reallyfun and informative. Highlights were great blue heron and great white egret chicks in their nests, ten feet from the boat. And many roseate spoonbills. Also mother dolphin witH her calf following us for ages.We then went through the aquarium and spent the rest. Of the day at our beach. I took a very long swim in the ever warmer bay, over an hour this time. Now I am watChing about 25 pelicans hunt tougher , diving in perfecta symmetry while a great blue heron stares at me typing from about three feet away.

Last night's dinner at Song of the Mermaid was a really pleasant surprise . We ate many kinds of fish, cobia ourNfavorite, and absolutely the best key lime pie ever.

i thought the key lime pie at the rod and reel was quite tasty.

santamonica, it surely is! but we must try it all, no?

I was in Anna Maria for a vacation last month and I am still having trouble re -entering my world here in Camden, Maine. I am planning my next winter's vacation now and I am thinking of trying the other coast (Vero Beach area). I loved Anna Maria Island! Small friendly community. Any comments or suggestions? I stayed at Bungalow Beach while @Anna Maeia and I would like similar accommodations on the other coast if anyone has a suggestions. Thanks!

Louanne, you will do better to start another thread. IMO, nothing at all like ami on other coast.
Where is Bungalow beach?

Beach day today, swimming, sunning, reading. . I was a tennis widow most of the day.Went out for a truly bad meal at beachouse, owned by the Sandbar folks, ok setting on the gulf but lots of folks smoking cigarettes, cigars and pipes around us and also talking on cell phones loudly.yuck!
But there were lots of dolphins swimming by.

Louanne, you might like st. augustine. it's an interesting area with nearby residential communities at the beach. Maybe you could find a nice cottage on vrbo. I imagine camden is fairly chilly this time of year. Jubilada, don't you think you've been down there long enough now? Surely you're getting tired of all that great food, swimming and exploring and yearn to see frozen ground again?

santamonica, hmmm, not quite yet. Snow at home today, so I think I will go drawing on the dock in Cortez.n

I found the biggest sand dollar I had ever seen on a beach in AMI ....................so big I have it on a plate stand! Our family had a great time there....we now go to Key West! Found a great rental house just outside of town.

So, did you go to Euphemia Haye for jazz?

We did not, for two reasons. First, our local friends discouraged us re both the food and the jazz. Second, we really were not enjoying the longboat vibe. We really wanted to to hear the jazz at the village cafe but they were sold out. Same friends said it was quite good.

Very hot and humid today, should be 86. We hav 3 egrets and a heron on the deck. They are sitting on all the chairs so we are breakfasting indoors. We feel like we are catering to them as we do our cats.
Today is a definite beach day for our last day. Our house is about halfway between the city pier and the old rotten ralphs and I can now swim to the pier, down to rr and back to the house. it takes a little over an hour and there is a blue heron who walks the whole way along side me. I will miss that the most when we leave tomorrow. And wearing sandals. And having the ocean fifteen feet away. And eating fish on a daily basis.

This has been very good reading.

Packing up now for return trip, sad to leave the glittering sea, all the birds, peacefulness and warmth.
But it has been the restful low key time we have needed together and my knee which was really hurting before now feels great from all the swimming and walking on sand.

Thank you for all your postings, enjoyed reading them! Arriving at AMI in 10 days & cannot wait to return to its beauty & peace! DH & I have traveled alot in 8 yrs of marriage but haven't been to AMI together.
Can you tell me if the shelling is good?
Thank you!

The shelling is nothing to write home about; best near Bean Point. Oh, but the sand! mostly quartz, so white white and never ever hot.