waiting for stars to come out

City Point, FL a little south of Cape Kennedy

But no rocket launches until five days from now so we'll have to miss it. We're anchored near Stat Mile 894 if that helps anyone locate us, next to a double high rise bridge, so traffic noise tonight that almost sounds like the white noise of the ocean...except when a growly muffler goes by.

Such excitement today:

1) we went through Mosquito Lagoon, a broad expanse of very shallow water with a ditch dug through it for boats.

2) then the Haulover Canal with people fishing everywhere. The canal is maybe 1/4 mile long with an opening bridge at the south or west end. Our first trip through this canal had people, literally, shoulder to shoulder fishing along the banks and almost as may on little 12'-16' boats. Packed with people. Much more space this time.

3) passing through Haulover on the way to Titusville our depth sounder quit measuring...twice. Those three dashes ( - - -) rather than numbers is freaky. Then it came back on. What?!? I was in 8.5' of water the first time. Enough water. Similarly the second time but it happened with David at the helm. Not some female witchery. We speculate that we may have crossed a manatee or fish school. Who knows?

4) Islands: this one looks like a white sand beach with sticks. In reality it is barely a sandbar but with dead tree sprouts. The black at each end is lots of cormorants. The white "sand" are tons of white pelicans. White pelicans are about the size of swans or geese but with shorter necks and bigger mouths.

5) On another island we saw pink and white FLAMINGOS!! Most had pink wings and white necks. I've never seen a "wild" pink flamingo or a flamingo of any color, only in zoos.
If only I had a good camera. Several were sitting in the top of palm trees. Too cool!

6) We spied a couple dolphin playing or chasing fish in a small lagoon we passed. Lots of splashing.

Never saw a manatee even though the area around Haulover is known as a place they hang out...if that is what manatees do...hang out.

Clearly Amelia is totally not interested in our efforts to see aquatic wildlife.

Amelia has been on deck tours several days in a row now. Mostly she prefers evenings which tends to freak me out. If she falls overboard at night there is less chance of rescue.  She is very cautious though and not too interested in stuff off the boat. Still, I fear, and I admonish her as I do David to "stay with the boat."

7) And veggies from the Farmers' Market at New Smyrna Beach, acquired this morning and cooked this evening. David made excellent, flavorful rice, rice our neighbors, Sue and Kris Jennings, brought us from visiting their family in...Wisconsin (?), somewhere north and west of Maine. Delicious! and healthy.

8) OH! and we sailed for a bit. The second day in a row. Both days with the motor running; yesterday motor idling, today a little power behind the sail, else we'd be making 2.0 knots.


We're catching up to our boat buddies who out-paced us when we were on the beach. Perhaps to meet them in the next couple of days. I'm wanting to stop at Vero Beach. Friend Nancy Etiner will be there next weekend but I doubt we'll tarry that long but it would be grand to see her there.

Getting excited about seeing Gary and Delaney and cousins, Nancy and Kathryn in the Stuart area.

Blessed and grateful.