As a Home Watch provider, we want each of your return trips to Sarasota to feel as refreshing as the first. Our "Piece of Paradise" newsletters provide a brief glimpse into Florida homeownership, followed by a featured activity for your next visit.

Homeowner Insight

Some people associate flamingos with Florida. Although the native American Flamingos are considered to have disappeared from the U.S. mainland at the turn of the 20th Century, flamingos can occasionally be spotted along Florida's coast. Most sightings occur in the Everglades.

But did you know we've got another pink bird? Miranda likes it even more than a flamingo. The Roseate Spoonbill is the only spoonbill native to the Western Hemisphere. These birds were once hunted for their feathers (currently illegal).Now the bird is an indicator species of the Everglades Restoration Plan. If you see a Roseate Spoonbill with a band on its leg, please report it to help the Florida Audubon study the bird's rebounding population and migratory patterns!

The lead HydroCat heads for the Ringling Bridge

We've been known to rent a boat every so often for a day on the bay - but this month we tried a different water adventure. Carissa and Joel (we think that was his name?) moved to Sarasota this spring from North Carolina. They started operating HydroCats in April. The motored vehicles are a switch from the water bicycle tours they hosted on a lake back home. And they're happy with that switch. We were happy with the "boats," too!

Owner Carissa instructs how to put the watercraft in gear and steer..

The driver's training was quick and simple: a power switch, one joystick for forward/reverse, and one joystick for left/right. That's all it took to maneuver the little catamaran, which is essentially two seats and a motor mounted to two surfboards.

HydroCat tours launch out of Centennial Park.

It was easy to find and access the launch site, too. Parking at Centennial Park is pay-for-the-day. The only disappointment upon our arrival was that the bay waters were still brownish from Hurricane Debby. But our smiles popped back when we saw the cute little cooler of water bottles and fruit cups that had been packed for us with care.

Hydration and renourishment were a thoughtful addition to the tour package.

With that, we were ready to go. Don't be fooled by the plexiglass shied in the photo above - plan to get wet on this adventure. We found it wasn't so much our laps or our stomachs that bore the brunt of the splashes. It was our faces! Our feet stayed cool in the waters that lapped between the boards and the canopy was surprisingly effective at keeping the heat off our torsos.

It's always interesting to compare the architectural preferences among the lavish island homes.

Despite their recent arrival, the owners have successfully mapped a tour route that hits all the major sites lining Sarasota Bay. Our Facebook and Instagram accounts this month will reflect some those sites: the Van Wezel, Marina Jack's and the Sarasota Bay Mooring Field, Bayfront Park, the bridges of Longboat Key, Lido Key, and Siesta Key; Cortez Key Sanctuary, Edwards Islands, Lido Beach, The Salty Dog, and more. There isn't any narration on the tour (yet), but there's plenty for the senses to soak in.

Some of our clients should be very familiar with this property we passed on Longboat Key. (Yep, we could see the roof replacement project!)

As if that wasn't enough to fill our two-hour tour with contentment, we saw not one but TWO different groups of dolphins! If you're looking for an afternoon on the water that's immersive and fun, we definitely recommend checking out HydroCats.