Decoys...

No, not going duck hunting.

An absolutely beautiful day today here in the Tropical Tip.  We took the scoots out for lunch and when we got home, we switched to boat mode.  Sunny, blue sky, low 70s for the temp, and light breeze (single digits).

We untied the lines and headed out.  This feathered fellow was watching us from a rooftop...

Still wearing jeans from our scooter outing, Joan got barefoot on the boat...

Not much traffic on the water.  Only one crewboat at the commercial docks in the turning basin.  Well, this Coast Guard boat went by...

And, a couple small fishing boats...

Joan made the first dolphin sighting today...

Not an easy catch, because it was in the shadows by the commercial docks...

Speaking of the commercial docks, these pelicans were perched up there...

I didn't get a photo of it, but one of those pelicans hopped off the pier and splashed down into the water, without using his wings to slow the fall.  It reminded me of a kid doing a cannonball jump into a pool!

On with the dolphins...

We headed down towards the ship channel.  This view of SPI in the distance...

If you look really close in that photo above, there is a white dot in the upper center.  That is the new Aerostat...

It wasn't the only thing flying...

This pelican on a marker...

50 bonus points if you can tell me what that sign means.

White pelicans (winter visitors) on the flats...

And, more dolphins (of course)...

"What about the decoys?" you ask.  Thanks for reminding me.  This group of dolphins above was having fun with us: two of them would swim further ahead, and when we would start to head the boat that direction, the rest would pop up close... dolphins can be like that.

Heading for home, some more dolphins...

Captured this puff of spray as we were leaving the scene...

A very nice afternoon out on the water.  :-)