Cruising on Last Dance


This blog archives the adventures of Glen and Jill Moore and provides a means of communication for friends and family. Exploration and adventure have been synonymous with boats and water for centuries. The joy of adventures shared while exploring new places and meeting new people has built a strong bond for Glen and Jill. Last Dance is the platform for the exploration.

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." St. Augustine, 354 - 430

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910

"There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats." The Wind in the Willows, 1908, Kenneth Grahame, 1859 - 1932

"I've never believed speed and ease are conductive to living fully, becoming aware, or deepening memory, a tripod of urges to stabilize and lend meaning to life." River Horse: a log book of a boat across America, 1999, William Least Heat-Moon,1939 -

The Great Loop -- The current adventure is a circumnavigation of the Eastern United States, cruising north up the east coast through New York into Canada, across the Great Lakes to Chicago, navigating multiple river systems south to Mobile, along the Gulf coast to the Florida Keys and back to St. Augustine. This trip by boat is commonly referred to as the Great Loop. Progress and current location are indicated by the red line on the map to the right. It was titled the Traceless Path in recognition of a German sailor we met in St. Augustine who published booklets of his travels with hand-drawn, detailed maps describing his travels across the water as the Traceless Path.



Sunday, February 26, 2012

Venice


The Gulf Intracoastal runs through Venice, a small town south of Sarasota.  Venice has become popular with the snowbirds, who have exploded the size of the population in the winter.

As can be seen in the photo below, winter tends to miss Venice.  Early February is not this colorful in most of the county.  The big tree with roots running down from the limbs is a  common Ficus (as in the houseplant) (Ficus benjamina), often mistaken for a Banyan tree (Ficus benghdensis), which has the same characteristic. 

Venice is a great place to stop when cruising the west coast of Florida.  The marinas are near downtown and shopping and the town is beautiful and interesting.










The tall, tall Sabal (Cabbage) palms planted along downtown streets testify to the age of the city center. It remains alive with retail, restaurants, theater, and no empty storefronts.  A lively, fun downtown.




The Venice Archives have saved the Triangle Inn, a 1927 bed and breakfast inn.  The triangle shape matched the pointed lot where it was originally built.  The Archives moved and restored the inn to collect and display the history of Venice.








Venice began its building boom in 1926, which ended a few years later with the Depression.  Those original houses are celebrated with a self-guided walking tour produced by the Archives.  To give an example of the architecture, front doors of some of the houses are represented.












































































































If you are ever feeling old, visit Venice.  At a concert on the beach, the Last Dance crew were the youngest people at the event, including the band.  Median age is 68.




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