16 January, 2020 Beautiful smooth crossing of Tampa Bay

30 SM; 4.9 engine hours

Anchorage was pretty good.  Bridge noise died down, wind died down resulting in a peaceful sleep.  We fired up the Yanmar and repositioned Serenity 0.1 mile to the McDonald's day dock at 0700.

Not our McD flag

Once secured we met our good friends Norm and Joyce for breakfast.  After great fellowship, Norm and Joyce joined us for a very short walk to the Publix grocery store and wandered with us while we got a few fresh items.  Shopping complete we all returned to Serenity for pictures and good byes.  Very nice visit.  Great friends.  The best anchorage for groceries and ice so far.  Excellent.

Norm and Joyce

Charts indicated only an hour on the waterway to Tampa bay.  Continued checking of the local marine weather, tides and routes, it appeared it was an excellent day to make the 13 mile course across the bay.  Tomorrow and for the next few days with the approaching cold front would have prevented crossing for several days due to wind and waves.  Set course and began the almost two hour crossing.  It was very smooth, gentle swell with little to no wind chop.

Skyway bridge with fire in distance

Only as we begin to reenter the GICW did the NW sea breeze kick up one foot wind chop.  Back into the waterway we approached our planned anchorage.  It was not good.  Kind of exposed, confined and too many other boats.  We continued southbound about 2 miles and have anchored at Leffis Key in 8 feet of water.  All secure at 1540. (map) Lot of cruising today at min/no-wake speed due to restricted water, housing/private docks and bridges.  Way too many big boats, big wakes and big rolls.
SST 74 degrees.  Grill back out and mounted now that we have finished the ocean crossings.  Nice grilled ground chuck and fresh cottage cheese.  Yum-Yum.

1320.3 Hobbs;  1515 SM elapsed