ANNA MARIA – More than a dozen relatives, friends and employees of real estate broker Darcie Duncan had to wait a little longer than expected for her to show up on the beach Sunday, but when she did, it was a grand appearance.

Darcie and her instructor, Bo Babovic, jumped from a small airplane and dropped gingerly onto the beach while dangling from a bright yellow parachute.

When she sold a home to the owner of Sun Coast Skydiving last year, he invited her to take a jump for free. She had never thought of skydiving before, but her first jump changed her mind.

"I would do it again," she proclaimed after unbuckling herself from the parachute.

Her mom, Judy Duncan, was unsure of this adventure and she was relieved when all went well. Her dad, Marion, was there with his camera to record the event.

"When you open the door of the plane, you get this rush of wind," she said. "You stick your head out and let go."

The group assembled around 4:30 p.m. and expected to see her around 5 p.m., but with headwinds and traffic at the airport, she was about a half-hour late. She said it opened her eyes to a new world.

"It makes you appreciate what we have," she said. "You can see all of the Island and the dolphins and sting rays in the Gulf."

Hundreds of visitors took advantage of a warm sunny Saturday to take part in the annual Anna Maria Island Heritage Day held at the Island Historical Museum and Belle Haven Cottage on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.

People danced to the music of Gulf Drive and Friends, shopped for antiques and crafts and succumbed to the delights of Three Brothers Barbecue and the grilled hot dogs and spicy boiled peanuts offered by the Historical Society. Privateers roamed the grounds dispensing beads and creating bouhaha.

Betsy Smith had a rapt audience as she wove palm fronds cut from a tree behind Belle Haven, and Sandy Young had people waiting in line to get henna tattoos. Others took tours of the museum and cottage and learned about Island history.

The perfect day ended with a drawing for a gift basket valued at $600. The lucky winner was Mae Foley.