3/31/16        Thursday  - (David here.)
We are underway again!  Today we traveled from Jacksonville, FL to Jekyll Island, GA.
The second, new, injector line fit and did not leak. So we plumbed it in, reattached all the engine parts, cleaned up the work area and pumped the contaminated bilge into containers and painstakingly mopped out all the remnants of diesel from the bilge. Cleanest it has ever been! Thankfully, our guardian angel, Captain Brown helped me bring all the waste to a disposal site. DONE!  

Nancy mentioned that we took Brown and Nancy to supper last evening. Nice opportunity for a thank you. Then they gifted us a hand-made, rope, "door mat" Brown made from old line and gave Nancy a  monkey's fist for Nancy. He loves doing fine rope work and it shows. He is a whiz with cordage. Nancy showed us all the canvas work she has made for their catamaran as well. Good work.

Interesting factoid. I learned that according to canvas workers down here, Black Sunbrella lasts longest, Red is the worst and white sometimes allows UV right through to damage sails covered with white Sunbrella.

We had originally planned to travel outside from Jacksonville for a long day to the north, but with engine issue delays, our weather window was lost. So, today, Grace traveled inside with an East-Southeast wind pushing us. Mostly we were protected but had a lumpy transit across an open bay and around a shoal to enter Jekyll Island, GA.

Anchored at Jekyll Is, we checked the engine. The slightest trace of diesel is showing on the injector pump, (disappointed) but none shows in the bilge nor bilge pads (whew!). Not perfect but good enough. We installed oil absorbent pads under injector and will work on this at next oil change.

The wind persisted this evening, in spite of weather forecast, but the 45# CQR with 100 ft of chain prevailed. We set the anchor to the south, anticipating wind from the south and knowing that the current would switch East and West during tidal changes tonight.

Tomorrow, we will try to gain another 50 statute  miles. (The ICW is measured in Statute Miles, not in Nautucal Miles.)  

Thunderstorms predicted for late afternoon. We will press on but keep an eye on weather and for seeking good anchorages.

Lastly, We have discovered that by adding ethanol to diesel you can double your gallons per hour! OK, just kidding. April Fools!


Nancy here

Two photos from today:

Back in the land of loooonnng piers

White pelicans disguised as swans or geese

Our view of Jekyll Island, the commoner end, water slide

3/30/16        Wednesday              Sister's Creek, Jacksonville, FL


Phew! Injector line installed and NOT leaking!

Doing a sun salute at my favorite studio (see yesterday's photo) with the same view. The park ranger/ security guard happened by, checking on us I suspect. On his way back up the dock we met Randy Russell. We may have stayed so that I could meet him. He's the person who feeds the seagulls each morning on the point a little to the south of us, still in the park.

Clearly a believer in the unity of all life. A believer in God. Probably, though the name was never mentioned, a believer in Jesus the one true pathway to God. Where we were comfortable and connected was talking about the beauty of nature, how it teaches us so much, how everything is connected, how we all have different roles and pathways in life, how we all evolve at own pace. It was a metaphysical conversation (and I'd not had my first cup of coffee!) and it was delightful. Clearly a man grateful for his life and privileges. He's worked here for 20 years. Must be in his 40s. I felt privileged to meet him and have him be soooo delighted with his lot ad the beauty of where he was. Caused me to slow down a bit and stress less about the engine. AND, it was a beautiful morning!

David and I tackled the injector line/connection - the #3 line - again. A little bending and we got it to line up nearly perfectly but when we tightened the nut the line moved aft, out of alignment. Still no leak....until we put it under load (in gear). aaaarrrrghhhh. Drops of pink diesel fluid gathering where no diesel fuel should be seen. Despair David made to calls to mechanic helpers. Both gave good advice and next steps, especially Bob at Brewer's in our home port.

Then angel, Mary, brought our new line and it was so much like the old one we took off the engine we had HOPE. Visited with Nancy (Browne's wife) for a half hour then started our next bout of work on the injector. This one slipped right on. Seated properly. Did not leak, even under load. Even under heavy load a second time! Ta Da! What a relief.

So we helped a couple of boats dock, in front of and behind us. Browne took us to his house for a shower! e took him and wife, Nancy, out to dinner, bought ice and are now planning our trip tomorrow. We'll have a parade of boats leaving here about the same time tomorrow, heading in the same direction.

Friends made and theses feathered friends, too.

  

3/29/16         Tuesday                 Sister's Creek, Jacksonville, FL



My yoga studio this morning:    

Free dock in Sister's Creek, Jacksonville, Jim King Park

The sunrise was so very cool and beautiful. The marsh is already much greener than when we arrived two days ago. Everything is greening up as spring arrives. I've loved the bird calls, similar to birds in NC but not heard in Maine - mocking bird, cat bird, thrush.

David and I took a walk around all the parking lots in the park/marina this morning. Parking lots more crowded this morning with boat trailers. Many out fishing early.

Back at the boat we began a construction project to more securely secure the battery boxes in place. Not too much of a worry but if we ever want to get total coast guard approval we'll need those battery boxes more securely secured. Then, Browne showed up with the ned fuel injector part.

Earlier morning sunrise over marsh

David worked on fitting the fuel injector tube into place with Browne offering helpful hints and me staying out of the way except to find a needed tool. After a couple of hours and turning the engine on......disappointment. Still a leak. We think it is because the tube angle was a bit off so the tube didn't come vertically into the "receiving nut". Aaaarrrrghhhh. So we're here for another day, for sure.
American Diesel is sending another tube and tomorrow we'll try another way to install it, maybe relying on the machine itself to do the small amount of bending necessary to get the seating to vertical.  Roll my eyes. Cross my fingers. Contact my mechanical angels with specific request for help and success.

Meanwhile we're in a beautiful place. We're healthy. Well fed. Good books to read if time allows. Kitty is healthy. My shoulders/neck contractions are on the mend. Browne is attentive to our needs....and we're entertaining him with challenges and conversation.

I am, however, ready to continue our journey. Tomorrow's weather looks like perfect traveling weather but we're not traveling....by boat anyway. At dinner tonight David and I were appreciating our lovely and comfortable Grace. Just now I'm listening to Adagio for Strings and remembering a dance that I think Job Saunders made for students at NCSA when I was there. Beautiful music. Beautiful dance.

Life is good....for me. Hoping it is true, wishing it is true, for so many others.

Beautiful, aren't they?!

3/28/16            Monday (Easter Monday in the South)          Jacksonville, FL  Jim King Marina

Well, what an interestingly gentle (for me) this day has turned out to be. We're on a lovely, though buggy, secure concrete dock in Sister's Creek (not the one we were in waiting for a mooring in Boot Key/Marathon) where the current rips past with two other boats and several fisher-people, a grey heron and a Great Blue heron...and gulls. The "marina" is more a park with picnic tables and grills, green space a couple boat launches and these docks and piers...and a bathroom(!).  Our view to port:

We met, yesterday, Browne Altman, who is designated the Greeter at Jim King Marina. Retired boater with time to help others and pay good deeds forward. So today we were up early to start cleaning the fuel injectors so that when Browne came with his carburetor cleaner we'd be ready. Done. Found the leaky fitting. David took the injector part off the engine - that was a multi-step task but successful - and the men took off to try to find a replacement part. No luck. Order from American Diesel, delivery tomorrow to Browne's address. I took a walk through the marina/park while they were mechanic-ing, did sun salutes for the first time in a couple of weeks.

Okay, let's take Browne to lunch. Great. Lovely lunch for all at the Sand dollar, across the river from where we'd fueled up yesterday. Then Browne took us on a short, 45 min. tour of some back roads of "old" Jacksonville with lots of Spanish moss and resurrection ferns and palmetto plants. Beautiful.
The men dropped me off at the boat so I could complete a small sewing project...and read my new murder mystery and they went off on buying errands. It was a beautiful, sunny and breezy day - not to hot, not too cool, not too many bugs, just right.

David returned w/groceries and other goodies including Easter Monday flowers.

David did a project. Dinner is in our future. Something simple like cold soup. Beer. Close the screens against the bugs. Enjoy the view and each other.

3/27/16       Sunday           Jacksonville, FL            HAPPY EASTER


Said goodbye to St. Augustine, again, this morning around 8:30. Lined up with 2 other sail boats to go through the Bridge of Lions heading north. David and I had a quick snarl at each other over a misunderstanding about the sighting (or lack thereof) of a red buoy. Amazing how easy it is to misunderstand the question based on what one sees or doesn't see. Okay, quick snarl but clearly I'm still smarting. Not my fault. So there. I think we were both disappointed to be leaving and a little nervous about the next couple of days. And today thunderstorms were predicted along our pathway. A little tension to start the day and no time for our coffee and 5 deep breaths.

The day progressed nicely. Wide ICW through middle Florida. Nature preserves on both sides some of the way. I was helms person much of the way early on. I felt the presence of my ancestors - the close ones...Mother, Dad, the grands, aunties - and some friends who've passed. Everyone close on this day of celebrating another rising. And, I thought of Doug Varone's dance, Rise, which is such a joyous celebration of movement and music. So appreciative of all my leaders and guides and friends and loving how they (their spirits) show up and let me feel them present. Truly, how blessed can an earth-bound human be?!?

An interesting nudge-iness - I might be annoyed to have missed a sunrise service on Easter. I'm not a religious person in the traditional sense but I don't think I've missed Easter Sunrise Service in several decades. It's sort of my touchstone heritage, respect for the family belief. Hmmm.  Anyway, loving all those spirits whether or not we met at the sunrise service this morning.

We're in the land of white herons again. They're beautiful. Elegant. And today we saw a really large Bald Eagle sitting in the top of a dead cypress tree. Magnificent. Dolphins swam beside for a few seconds today.

The travel was ordinary. We stopped in St. John's River (Jacksonville) to get fuel for a possible outside adventure tomorrow. Met Mike and Nancy from MD whose boat was being towed in due to a fuel pump problem. They visited our boat because they'd considered a Nauticat when searching for a cruising boat. They loved Grace.  So do we. Off again to our home - our plot of water - for the evening at the Free City Docks. Stiff current as we were trying to land and appreciated help from men on two boats that were already docked here. I took a nap while David did some engine work.

Alas. the fuel injector leak that we'd thought/hoped David had fixed yesterday was not fixed. Continuing to leak badly, probably under the additional stress of 1600 rpm cruising rather than the 1200 at idle. Bummer! Browne (last name?) who is a "greeter" at this Free Dock Marina came along and offered help and sage advice.

So a hiccup in our plans. We'll stay here tomorrow and do some additional diagnostics on the injector system with Browne's help. Then....stay longer and wait for parts? move over to a marina and wait for parts? move over to a marina and wait for parts and get someone else to do the work while we fly to visit Savannah? (not likely!). Nothing to do, really, until we have more information.

It is REALLY, REALLY raining! Good for sleeping and checking for leaks. REALLY raining.

I think Browne might be one of our angels.

3/26/16          Saturday                 St. Augustine, FL


An exciting day! Sleeping late..well, until 8 AM then a boat repair project that we think David aced, fixing a diesel leak by tightening a connection at the injector pump. TaDa! Hero again. Lunch. Then...we took a tour of the main building of Flagler College which used to be the Ponce deLeon hotel built by Mr. Flagler to accommodate very wealthy patrons who needed a luxurious winter get-away in a warm and delightful climate. Totally a treasure. We stopped and went through the garden last fall when we were hear. Yesterday I saw that one could tour it. Some photos:

dancers

The windows are all Tiffany.

 Beautiful, beautiful display of wealth. So appreciative of being able to enjoy it. And wonder if the college students have similar appreciation or if it just becomes background for them as they study and make their way in the world. There are no-see-ums in the courtyard, of course.

We met Joan Martay and Michael Brennan, friends from Portland, after our tour and a brief walk around town. Great to see them both and we visited for a couple hours They are visiting until Tuesday when they will return, via air, to Portland. Joan and I, and David and Michael worked together a decade ago and, in spite of the geographical proximity rarely see each other in Maine. So, delightful to catch up in St Augustine.

Dinner on Grace and a short visit with Clint and Lori. Expecting to slip the mooring in the morning.

Happy Easter

3/25/16       Friday         At. Augustine, FL


We're back in the land of white pelicans and white egrets - mid to northern FL. The pelicans still segregate by color (racist) and are beautiful and funny anyway. I'm not taking any cues from them regarding social behavior.

I am, and I think David, too, enjoying coming back to places we've been before and the journey seems to be taking less time on the return. The familiarity is comforting or maybe just comfortable. Even the tight and skinny water at R80 which does cause the helms person and the navigator to sweat was way more comfortable south to north than it was north to south a few months ago. The mega houses with lawns that could be small golf courses are still beautiful (well some of them) and ridiculous. The waterway shoreline of vegetation and birds is still so very lovely in its wildness. And all is less grasping of attention with the novelty so lessened.

We contacted John and Darlene when we arrived in St. Augustine. We're moored on the south side of the Bridge of Lions this time. John and Darlene arrived just a few minutes before us. Clearly, they left Daytona Beach area way before we did this morning. They were meeting our friends Dana and Craig for dinner and invited us. We met both couples in Charleston, SC, last fall and hadn't seen them since we were all here together in early December. Fun. Fun. Fun. We walked around the old part of the city after light dinner and ended having a been across from the fort.

But before that, as soon as we moored, a dinghy, dinghyed up to us. Lori and Clint from Sister Creek! So funny because just today I was thinking that I wanted to call Lori and see where they were. They left Marathon just before we got our mooring, maybe 3+ weeks ago, heading up the west coast and across Lake Okeechobee (yikes, have I forgotten how to spell that name). We each had dinner plans but we will check in with them tomorrow. I really like Lori.

We did find out tonight that all the dead fish in the river yesterday are due to the run off and release from Lake Okeechobee, waste products from the sugar plantations which were/are supported (the dam was built to water the plantations) so we wouldn't have to buy sugar from Cuba. So many fish were floating, belly up and bloated, for miles along the waterway.

Expecting rain tonight and tomorrow....and tomorrow night and Sunday. Might take a real tour of Flagler College buildings. Our short adventure into the main building was stunning. We'll see.

Shoulder/neck distress has returned but I'm stretching lots to relieve it. Think it is from computing and steering so being careful to float my head and drop my arms when doing those tasks. Don't know what the wonky knee stuff is from. Sigh.

3/24/16      Thursday                    Seven Seas Marina, Daytona, FL


Another easy day of mostly motoring but we did motor/sail north of New Smyrna. Strong breeze help Grace buck the current flowing against us. Friends John and Darleme in R Dream left Titusville before us and we only caught up and passed them at New Smyrna. They will go beyond us tonight to anchor at Daytona Beach.

We went through Haulover Cut again but this time it was virtually empty of fishing people, those only on the backs rather than in boats going every which way.

Empty Haulover Cut

When we passed through here in the fall/winter it was PACKED with people fishing - on boats of all small sized, on the banks - PACKED. I'm startled that I can't find a photo of that to compare as it was so stunning that such a small cut could have so many people and boats in it. But, not photo. Sigh.

We returned to Seven Seas Marina where we'd hauled out for some reason this past winter - to check the motor shaft stuffing box. Such a sweet little marina with good people and the beach is only 2 blocks away. We got the boat settled and took off for the waves. Spent about 1/2 hour splashing, tumbling, riding and managing to not get pulled out or knocked over by the heavy tide and surf. Delicious! Now this is my kind of beach. I expect to have a wonkie knee and stiff neck tomorrow but the beach and surf is worth it.

Butterfly kite and the shortest person is handling it.

Back at the marina we took showers, did the laundry and met Sheldon and his friend, Jacob, for dinner at Our Deck Down Under (the highway bridge).

Jacob and Sheldon, concentrating

Then a quick trip to the food store (thank you Sheldon) and back to Grace before the thunderstorm. All buttoned up for the evening.

3/23/16            Wednesday            Titusville, FL


We saw the rocket launch last night!!! From 30 miles away it was still impressive. A warm, intense pink/orange/red glow at the horizon then the bright orange ball ascending. We could follow it through some scattered clouds then it was small enough to not follow. Maybe 40 degrees off the horizon before we lost it.  Thrilling.

Now we're in familiar territory and viewing the waterscape from the other direction. Easy motoring day. Light wind on our nose. Not pushing ourselves but steady as she goes. We thought to get beyond Titusville but realized we'd be in the boonies at next good anchorage and I need internet tonight for a Board meeting. So, anchoring at Titusville.

Friends, John and Darlene, pulled in and anchored behind us. We won't see them, in person, for another couple of days probably...St. Augustine, I expect. We travel faster than they and plan to see Sheldon tomorrow night in Daytona Beach. Great that we have preferred stops now. Hope we don't get boring and un-adventuresome.

And friends, Ed and Vicki who had the torn up prop/keel accident in Charleston, phoned to say they had taken a mooring at the Titusville City Marina and recognized our boat. Yea! So good to hear from them and that they are well and continuing their journey south. They'll spend the summer, they think, in Miami near his family, then continue in the fall to Bahamas or Caribbean or...who knows.

Loving these connections. The full moon is beautiful.

3/22/16            Tuesday          Serenity Island, FL  (near Melbourne, not too far from Titusville).
                     WORKING AUTO PILOT!!

Watching the full moon play hide and seek, appearing and disappearing among the scattered clouds as we face east and Serenity Island. We're anchored. Another boat, a trawler, near and a small power boat seems to be ferrying a few young people to the island. We smell wood smoke and assume a camp fire. Calm night. May have to put the screens in to discourage bugs.

Full moon is disappearing into clouds just over the tallest trees

A full day of motoring against the wind. We managed to get ourselves off the Riverside dock around 1100 this morning.  

An amazing backing and forwarding maneuver by Capt. Webster. The two men who'd come to help us were appropriately impressed. Its ordinary stuff to me. I've seen David do it a number of times. Pretty slick, though.

I can't quite get enough of the "scene" at Riverside Marina docks. There must be some old, sense memory that causes my fancy to just be tickled by this walkway and the life that is going on here - newer more transient boats, old boats that are more settled, and boats with live-aboards that probably haven't moved in a decade, more like regular houses. Could be on land except they're on water.          

It is just sooo rich with life, a life that I don't lead. There must be bugs and what do these folks do for money? And how long have they been here? Where were they before? Will they ever move back to land? We know one couple living on a 62' boat (!) is Polish. When did they arrive? What did they do for work? Did they immigrate from Poland, or US born?

Aah, now the moon is reflecting a pathway to our boat. Such beauty. Such good fortune.

Back at riverside marina, a Buddha alter w/horseshoe crab shell and sea sponges and shells.





David did most all the helms work again today. I, the Freeport Players grant proposal. I'll try to finish that tonight since Kathy Shaw told me of a "trick" to make the online system let me save and edit later. If I finish it tonight I'll have another day to figure out any mistakes or "oopses" in the transmission.

We might be able to stay awake to see the Cape Canaveral launch at 11 PM. I'd like to see it. Don't think there is time for a nap between blog, grant and launch.

Today a dolphin raced about 1' from the starboard side of the boat for a brief moment. Oh my. Oh my. I haven't written much lately about the pelicans and dolphins and herons and waves and palm trees (I'm going to miss the palm trees, especially). I've continued to enjoy them all. Watching the pelis dare-devil dive, splat, into the water is still awesome. Tonight a group of 5 flew past the boat. They looked like a roller coaster as the lead one slanted up about 6 feet off the water, followed by her colleagues, then returned to skimming the water, followed by his colleagues.  A bit later a larger flock, maybe 8, white ones which we'd not seen in southern FL, landed on the sandbar that extends from the island in front of us. They were pretty serene, too. And now the moon light reflection zigzags toward me on the gentle water rustlings.

And the autopilot works. And Amelia doesn't have fleas anymore but we'll still put flea killer/prevention drops at her shoulder blades. And we have a home here on the water and a land home to return to. And we have friends from here on the water and land friends to return to.

Feeling my heart expand.

3/21/16           Monday         Riverside Marina, Ft. Pierce, FL


Closing in on a full moon on this brisk evening. Pizza for dinner and probably in bed before 1130 hours (9:30). Overnight low to be in the mid-40s the radio just said.

Another head down day of work on our hydraulic pump so that we can get our auto pilot working again. Local cruisers, Michel and Lise (not Leigh as I'd thought I heard) gave us a ride to the store to get the parts we needed. David had previously talked with the RayMarine tech support to learn, as he suspected, that their installation instructions were flawed. Good. David could troubleshoot our trouble BUT that meant we'd lost a day of work and now we had to re-do all that work...lowering the placement of the hydraulic pump, refilling and burping the lines, calibrating the auto-pilot AGAIN.

blue hoses lead to the pump at center

This is a complicated perspective. I'm hanging upside down in the lazarette, looking at the grey bottom of the inside of the boats rear end. Rude, I know, looking at the rear end. The lazarette is about 4' deep so laying on my belly and hanging, maybe dangling is better word. The brown surface is the vertical wall that supports our double berth which is, btw, a wreck due to the two days of construction, deconstruction, reconstruction.  The silver arm is the pump that drives the rudder. All you ever wanted to know about autopilot construction. Not. Now consider that David had to hang upside down to install this little item, holding it in place, drilling the holes to mount it, reconnecting the hoses, reconnecting the electricity, worming his way out of the upside down position. He deserves an adult beverage!! We think we've done it, though, and expect to be on our way again tomorrow, late morning. We'll sleep in the pilot house again tonight rather than try to put the bed together tonight.

Tired humans but, again, with some wonderful people experiences here, and the oddity of the place. One the walk to the office we pass an alter to Buddha, and a concrete "playground" and a boat's front yard of concrete slab with lawn furniture. Van and Cathy on the big boat in front of us are, we think, Vietnamese and helpful and delightful. Michel and Lise are too much fun and we hope to keep their address. Michel talks a mile a minute, mostly in French. I remember VERY little of all the French I've studied.

Riverside sunset

 Joy, privilege and opportunity abound. Grace and Grace and GRACE

3/20/16      Sunday       Riverside Marina, Ft. Pierce, FL    HAPPY   SPRING!!!


Slept a bit late, well not really. Up for coffee. Boat neighbor, Van, took us in his truck - me to grocery store, David to Advance to get some Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) so we could put fresh ATF when we installed the hydraulic pump for the auto pilot. Waiting for the men to return I had a lovely chart with an older Greek woman who was waiting for a ride to her Greek Orthodox church. Fun. We shared tales of Greece. She's pretty much of a world traveler but loves her Greek heritage. I told her about our friends who live in Levos part-time.

Back at the boat David was kidnapped by a clown, really. A French couple just came over to talk to us, probably having seen a new boat in the community. The man - Michel - speaks mostly French so the woman - Leigh - translates for him. However, Michel never stops talking so translating is hard, especially if you have things to say, too. David went off with them to meet Peter who was reputed to be able to advise on the autopilot. Not so much but...And Michel really IS a clown...for the Shriners. Several hours later David returned with an idea of how to mount the pump...and proceeded to do so. Then we loaded that sucker up with ATF, turned the wheel back and forth, and back and forth and back and forth getting all the air bubbles out of the line. And.....one fitting leaked. Bummer!!! And the motor didn't run. So.....we have some more work to do tomorrow. First, check to see that the motor really works. It was a hard day.


And, as if that disappointment wasn't enough I discovered that...........
Our Cat has Fleas. Last night it dawned on me that the grit I'd been seeing in her fur was flea dirt. Gave her some EasySpot (which she does NOT love). Then went to bed......itching. Today no flea dirt and lots of research into how to get them out of the "house".Got some good information and will start that work.  We'll give them a whirl.  Meanwhile, enjoy your days in the sun...and send good autopilot vibes. It was a hard day of reconstruction work. We'll take some steps tomorrow to get the autopilot to work. Ho hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

3/19/16        Saturday       Ft Pierce, FL    Riverside Marina


I've been a bit "kurphlumped" all day, a bit melancholy, a little sad...heavy sighs if I were a person given to heavy sighs. Many reasons: those memories tickled by the sound of ocean breakers on the outer island, the book I finished had the heroin die (duh), parting company w/Wendy and Dan, remembering some special friends who have passed over, leaving the Keys, raining most of the day...another heavy sigh from one not given to heavy sighs. Several moments of tears of gratitude to have so many wonderful memories of so many joys and experiences in my short life so far. Wow. No one can challenge my good fortune.

David and I were talking while waiting for dinner to decide to get on the table about how we've begun to enjoy ourselves and each other more, recently. Discussing the change and how/when it happened. For me it had to do with arriving in/being in Marathon. Marathon was not what I expected. I anticipated much more wild and woolly, lawlessness and confusion...not the neat rows of moorings, the communal spaces, the garden, the community. But Marathon was, in my mind, the destination, the place I'd heard about and the place we "have to visit."When we arrived, in the mooring field, then we'd arrived! Reached our goal. Accomplished much through hard and frightening work. And it was work. And it was risky, often frightening work. Not to say that I was frightened all the time, or even much of the time but I'd never done this before. It is/was dangerous. I'd never tested these skills. I didn't even have these skills when we left Maine. I didn't even know about these skills - boating skills, navigation skills, friend-making skills, living in small and floating space skills. But, you know, I'd never lived in NYC either or had the skills to successfully ride the subways when I arrived there. And I/we integrated and became valued and contributing members of the Boot Key Harbor/Marathon community during the short time we were there. I'm pleased. I'm proud. I'm grateful. I'm more relaxed and confident....about many things, thanks to this journey. And, I've had and am having a BLAST. I'm sad to leave. And, I'll be pleased to have returned to our Freeport home and community and family and friends. But for now I'm kurphlumped.

Some photos left over from yesterday before moving onto our overnight accommodations here in Ft. Pierce.          

Lawn chairs in the shallows of the canal

Wendy, Dan, Nan

Breakers

So, parted ways with our Nova Scotia friends at St. Lucie inlet where they turned toward Stuart and we continued to Ft. Pierce. We watched the weather closely as rain and maybe thunder was predicted. We got rain! In a big way, but only rain. I did most of the helms work today while David figured out where and how to get the pump we need. We made our way to Riverside Marina. This place is a trip. Sort of two parts to the marina, due to a divorce we're told. One party got a better deal. Parts of the marina remind me a bit of the movie, The Beast of the Southern Wild, a movie I totally loved, and I'm loving this place, too. Its oddness is compelling and unsettling. Derelict boats next door to quarter million dollar boats, people living aboard used-to-be boats, live aboard people spreading out onto the docks and creating back/front yards and playgrounds. Creative.

Our front walk is a little rickety 

Vertical lines are roots of Red Mangroves growing down twd water

Abandoned

Ditto

other area of marina

Day watch bird

night watch bird

And finally my aunt Betty's favorite lighthouse. Cousin Nancy identified it for me. We passed so many bridges yesterday I couldn't remember where this beauty was. Jupiter, FL

3/18/16           Friday               Peck Lake (north of Jupiter), FL


Another looooonnng, hot day with 21 bridges!!! We averaged a bridge every 1.5 miles, all of them timed to open on the hour/half hour or quarter/three quarter hours. So, if you traveled between 6-7 knots, depending upon the distance between bridges, and didn't get caught in a traffic jam, you could make all the scheduled openings without having to wait too long. At one point we had 4 boats in a parade - Evening Light leading, Grace, Silana, and Footloose. Footloose was the slowest but we kept encouraging her to "come on along". At one bridge the tender didn't know if she could keep the bridge open. As soon as we cleared David got on the bridge channel to thank the tender which we do each time and said "Come on, Footloose. You can do it." to encourage the bridge tender to keep the bridge open. Bridge stayed open. Sweet.

David did all the helms work while I completed the narrative to Freeport Players grant application and negotiated/called some necessary folks to discuss the grant possibility. One more call to make before finalizing and attaching the budget. I was so tired of sitting. David was so tired of standing.

We had some lovely sites today, too, but it really was a head down, do the work kind of day for all of us.            

The Cinderella Bridge Tower, not really the name

Tree house, check out the tree painted on the middle

We anchored in the crowded Peck Lake. You could hear the ocean waves pounding the barrier island. Powerful, awesome, wondrous! Dan and Wendy dinghyed over to get us and we all went to the beach. JOYFUL! even though the surf was too powerful to swim or even get wet above thigh level. We still had our bathing suits on and we were getting wet and salty. I so love the ocean, could sit and watch or listen or play in it endlessly. David suggested I didn't need much to be happy - ocean front living with garden space. Actually I don't have to live at the ocean, just have easy access to those waves and sound and sand.

Back from ocean we can still hear the breakers. Sound brings all sorts of memories for me, all - I think - joyful. Sadly, sort of, all memories...for now.

Dan and Wendy came to our boat for impromptu dinner of spaghetti. Too much beer for me so I was falling asleep on my feet. It has been a long day. We don't have far to travel tomorrow so I'm expecting to fee the cat around 6:30 am and head back to bed for a couple hours after that.

3/17/16        Thursday     Boca Raton (mouth mouse), FL   Happy St. PATRICK'S Day

Celebrating our heritage w/Miami in the background

Another loooooooonnnnngg day for the boaters, especially us with manual steering. Sea Lark was off and swimming by 8:30 this morning. The lazier boats didn't get off anchor until 8:45. We all chugged along under the William Powell Bridge, in front of Miami,

I liked the sculpture of a lighthouse on the Miami waterfront

past the container ships and Port Miami, out Government Cut and safely out to sea. Another beautiful morning, and day, in beautiful paradise.

Sea Lark, Miami in background

The morning was brilliant and Miami is beautiful from a distance. There was a distress call to the Coast Guard and Fire Dept. An injured ( or sick) passenger on board a power vessel. We listened to the on-going rescue radio conversation, say the fire boat whiz out of the harbor and were very impressed with the coordination and support.

We continued easily. David at our helm. Me working on a grant application on behalf of Freeport Players and some proof reading for Bates Dance Festival. Around noon I took over the helm, just in time to get a little Atlantic Ocean motoring in before turning into the harbor and joining the ICW at Fort Lauderdale. There were two cruise ships docked at the outside edge of the harbor. Turned on end either would have been taller than the condos on the north side of the harbor entrance and up the beach.

The ICW twists and turns through Fort Lauderdale. Lots of traffic here in the well manicured canal. Lots of wealth both on the water (the boats) and on the land (the houses), and a few boaters who are not respectful...of other boaters, of the environment, of the No Wake guidelines/rules. I don't know if No Wake is the law. Even if it is, how to enforce it? The fast boats threw a wake that reverberated off the canal walls and continued to rock the waters for many minutes after boats passed. There was no where for the waves to dissipate, just bounced back and forth from one side of the canal to the other. In spite of the wonderful architecture, I don't ever need to go here again. I may choose to do so on another trip but it won't be from desire to repeat or see Ft. Lauderdale ICW again. But there were a couple of giggles.

Check out the flamingos on top

 LOTS of bascule bridges, all timed so that boats don't have to wait long for an opening and cars don't have to wait long for the closing. A good idea. We traveled much more slowly in the ICW than we were traveling in the open ocean but were not confident of the ease of getting back into the ICW at the next inlet north of Ft. Lauderdale.

Lauderdale and Boca Raton melted into each other. Some real estate options for the wealthy below.

Often, though not pictures, there were statues of Greek goddess types, nymphs frolicking or dolphins leaping. Lots of Italian and Spanish looks. And a number of smaller, beautiful, one-story hold outs against ostentation. My bias. So much could be done with this obvious wealth to benefit others. I'm sure many can say the same for how I use my more modest wealth, but wealth just the same. All relative? Hmmmm.

My favorite. No stairs inside and good trees.

Iguanas are everywhere apparently. The first bridge had 5 on the bridge fenders. This lady was on the second bridge, only about 2' rather than the 3+' ones on the first bridge. On one bridge 3 or 4 were sprawled on beams like photos of leopards sprawled on tree limbs.







We're anchored north end of Boca Raton, in the city (!) with high rise apts/condos all around. David cooked. We're both tired. Planning for the next couple of days before thunderstorms are expected. A bit of a long haul this week.