NOVEMBER!!!/1/15  How did that happen, it getting to be November? I know, one revolution at a time.

Such a lovely time last night on the hook in a curve in the Alligator River just before entering the Alligator River and Pungo River Canal. It was flat calm and the canopy of stars was amazing. I've not seen such a clear and extended view of the Milky Way is a very long time. We spotted 4 shooting stars while we lounged on the aft deck aft-dinner. Such beauty and quiet. Three other boats were in the vicinity with their anchor lights marking their spot in the vastness.

This morning a cloudy sunrise but no less brilliant for the clouds as sun streamed through small openings. A swarm (?) of swallows flitted and glided around our boat, after mosquitos, I suspect. They must of cleaned out the area because they left after about 10 minutes.

The A&G River Canal is deeper and wider than the others we've "enjoyed". I loved it. Well, there were a couple of really big and fast power boats that passed us. One slowed down appropriately but, my oh my, they are SOOOO big and leave such large and potentially destructive wakes. David was bored with the canal but I loved just watching the trees and stumps and birds and water - nature being natural. The sun came and went so that the colors in the vegetation alternated between brilliant colors and washed out colors.

Doesn't look like much but I love nature doing its natural thing.

One of our guide books mentioned taking your time and you might see deer eating or bears swimming across the canal. I'd just complained, "No deer, no bear, no pungos" and not 5 minutes later a Momma Bear and 2 cubs were swimming across the canal! Oh for joy!!! She stood on the bank and looked at us while waiting for the young'uns to get across and then all three disappeared into the shrubs. It happened again another hour or so along the way. David got some not so good photos with his cell phone. But what a gift!

And from David:

While Nancy was reminding me about the beauty (and I agree), I was distracted by the potential deadheads and logs and other things that could damage prop, shaft or hull (especially prop). I simply do not like theses narrow canals where logs can be pulled up off the bottom by the 60 foot plus, power boats that race past and stir up the channel bottom ahead including 100 year old logs. While there was a no wake requirement in the dismal swamp, there appear no restrictions here in the pungo and boats tear past and the banks are filled with waves and the results. I don't get it.

So, again, I was stressing.

I will say that I am completely comfortable, at this point, taking mid-day naps while Nancy is at the helm. She is a very competent navigator and helmsperson, navagating channels and turns and bridges with resolve, and calling me whenever she feels things are getting questionable; the perfect helmsperson/partner - she seems not encumbered by ego, which is a blessing. We continue to weave our way safely south.

0ur Velvet Glide Transmission has now had a change of Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF Type A) and all seems well below the floor. We changed the ATF at anchor last night. We then had to check the fluid level one "it was hot," so stopped after several miles this a.m.. We pulled up the floor and checked the fluid levels. Turns out our refill was spot on, that is, on the line perfectly.

Again, it is wierd to have all the primary propulsion below, where one cannot easily visit and inspect it while underway. This is a flaw in the Nauticat 33 design.

Tonight we set our 35# CQR with 80 feet of chain planning on a North East Wind overnight. We laid out the chain, put Grace in reverse with 80 feet deployed and got a good set (that is, Grace could not move bacwards once the anchor and chain were pulled tight. Not dragging. Good feeling. However, thus far this evening, the wind has been from the Northwest. Good but not ideal.  Go figure! Still, the wind is very mininal. We will sleep well