12/09/2023 We left Clearwater to an early morning sunrise and birds all over the dock Lots of boats remain abandoned in the waterways on the way to Sarasota. We were going to stay in Punta Gorda but no slips were available. The first place was in Sarasota and on a mooring ball. This is much easier than trying to set an anchor and anchor alarm (to make sure the boat does not drift) Mooring balls themselves are basically large buoys attached to a chain or rope . The chain or rope is secured to concrete or metal (or sometimes a mushroom anchor or screw system) that sits on the bottom of the ocean floor or lake. The ball is the part you attach your boat to, and it will have a ring on the top for you to loop a line through. Lots of sailboat classes going on in Sarasota Rental play toys for the kids We took the dingy into Sarasota for an early dinner at an Italian Rest. There was going to be a boat parade that evening so we wanted to make sur...