Day 17

Saturday, October 14, 2017

              Clear Water, Florida – Venice Beach, Florida (67 mi)

Today’s run is about five hours.  Four or five hours is the ideal max for running during the day without our generator running to cool the cabin.  Any longer than that my body temperature spikes making the last part of the trip pretty uncomfortable.  The coolest thing I saw in the water today was multiple schools of sting rays.  I have never in my life seen so many sting rays all clustered together at the top of the water.  I saw over 300; they were all together, but in clusters of 50-75.  I wonder if they were migrating or mating or they are usually found in large groups. 

Venice Beach wasn’t initially on our itinerary; however, adding it we were able to go to the beach again.  We pulled into Crow's Nest Marina which offered complementary bicycles for their mariners so we biked to a nearby beach, Jeeno running alongside me.  We arrived to the beach and guess what...more rain clouds in the distance.

Every now and then I need a photo on me

The water was warm and very clear.  Standing in 4 feet of water I could still see my yellow toes

“Yes, Jeeno and I have matching toenail polish”

We hung out in the water watching the dark gray clouds get closer as they poured out rain along the way.  When they reached us the waves slowed, the top of the water smoothed out, and then the rain drops hit the top of the water like a million mini bombs dropping, rippling it in an indescribable way.

  We stayed in the water; it was shockingly warmer in the ocean.  This storm changed the whole dynamic of the waves.  Though it was storming the ocean was almost calm, the waves rolling in rhythmically.  When the rain ceased we notice a school of fish coming closer to the shore.  Jayden excitedly swam towards the school following the shoreline.  He didn’t get very far before he shrieked running out of the water.  At the first sign of his escape we ran out of the water questioning what it was.  He said something slimy rubbed up against his chest.  A little redness and stinging followed shortly, definitely a jellyfish. With as many jelly’s we seen it’s not surprising.  Thankfully, it was mild so I’m sure most of the slime he felt was the top of the jelly. 

I was ready to do more cycling; I love bike rides, but I knew it would be too much for Jeeno.  He injured his knee so I encourage swimming, limit running increasing length accordingly.  We biked back to drop Jeeno at the boat and the kids wanted to stay also.  Jacob and I ventured out for about a mile and a half to downtown Venice expecting to find a flip flop store.

Jacob’s flip flops broke yesterday and the new ones he bought are giving him blisters so he need a new pair.  It was 4 pm on a Saturday and all the shops were already closed!  We didn’t find Jacob new shoes, but we did find a canopied path with huge trees along the way.  One was the perfect climbing tree so I had to induldge my inner child.  In hindsight I wish I would have made my children come with us.