January in Sarasota

Today's side trip

We have done a lot of fun things in Sarasota, but we decided not to stop yet.  Today we went to Mote Marine Aquarium and aquatic research center.  Mote has locations all around Florida for research, but the headquarters and Aquarium are here, on Longboat Key, just across Sarasota Bay.

There are a number of beautiful aquariums with exotic fish and sea life.  Outdoors there is a huge shark tank and another deep-water lagoon for dolphins.  There are also exhibits for manatee and sea turtles.  It was a fun way to spend an afternoon.

I have spent many hours visiting Mom at the assisted living center, and going to lunch or out shopping with my sister Mary.  We have also become adept at cooking good healthy meals on board.  We use the grill several times a week, we keep a pantry of easy to cook and canned foods and we stop frequently for produce and dairy goods.  This week I tried baking cookies in the oven – which turned out to be a challenge.  More honestly they turned out burned on the bottom.  Guess we haven’t mastered that oven yet. 

Tomorrow we have a diver coming to inspect the bottom of the boat.  Dennis has been busy with lots of projects such as painting porthole trim and whipping the ends of boat lines.

Carol's iPhone Movie