working on my tan

St Augustine, FL

I'm so charmed by this town and have great memories from two years ago and my childhood visit(s) on the way to visit my grandparents in Port Charlotte.

Yesterday we finally left Jim King Park around 11:00 a.m. All our buddies left before us as they travel a bit slower. We/David really, secured the aft steering station in case we really wanted to work on our tans and steer from outside. Too windy. David had the helm through the St. John river and into the ICW, under a bridge (I'm beginning to recognize this trail) and I took over...for the skinny water, ugh. How do I manage to get this helms person shift.

Ostentatiously large houses along Roscoe Blvd - not sure if that was the water or the land address. They must have been 20+ rooms in some of these houses. Conference centers? Looked like private homes.

David took the helm again for most of the balance of the day. We met and passed Luke and heard other friends as they hailed the marina. They docked just as we were passing under the Bridge of Lions. Bridge of Lions, how dramatic or romantic. Tickles my fancy either way. We moored. Our friends took slips. Luke moored in a spot we had last trip on the north side of the bridge.  We all met, visited, chatted, planned then David and I took off in search of pizza for our dinner out.

Walked in the St. George  Street tourist section and found great pizza. At 7:30 p.m. we were dinghying back to the boat...without proper navigation lights on the dinghy. The things we forgot to remember. But the dinghy which had not been used in3+ months performed beautifully.

This morning was frustrating. I'm such a morning person and David is so NOT. And we were trying to coordinate car rental ideas with our BBs (boat buddies). By the time David had made the requisite phone calls to everyone I'd packed the laundry up, changed my winter clothes to summer clothes, organized the recycling and got my shower stuff together. Twiddle my thumbs!

I do realize...or after a moment or two of fuming, did realize...there is no hurry. A car will happen. Grocery shopping will happen. It will rain. The bicycles will get oiled and new tires bought for mine. The credit card bill will get paid. The men will get to the boat/sailors consignment stores (roll my eyes again). I might buy funky earrings. Laundry will get done (I'm doing it now.) Life IS VERY GOOD. And it is warm!!!

The men have gone shopping. Car will be delivered around 3:00 pm and we'll all go grocery shopping. Planning dinner out tonight together as two of the buddy boats will leave tomorrow. David and I will stay another day I think.

One of the boaters we met in Oriental, with a 44' Nauticat, is here so that was a bit of reunion. He has sooooo much space on board. What a difference 10' makes. And he has drawers. David salivates. Some other pleasures...refrigerator with separate freezer, two heads (one for pooping and another for peeing he says), a shower, and did I mention drawers?!?

As we left Jim King Park in Jacksonville we doubled back to a buoy to see the baby Great Horned Owl. I'll try to remember to post the pic tomorrow.