Otherwise, we've had tremendous fun visiting with Dee & Brook Williams aboard GH47 East Passage, dining on BBQ from the local Elk's lodge, Mexican with live music at our favorite spot and endless story sharing.
We'll leave in the early afternoon Monday after UPS delivery for an anchorage just South of Jacksonville. We plan to cruise south to the Lake Okeechobee canal and cross over to Florida’s west coast by the end of February.
Nothing ever happened to the bow.
Passing through Jacksonville was lovely, exactly at sunset. Several dolphin played at our side. South of Jacksonville, at La Vista point, we anchored in near pitch dark. The river is so wide, with moderate depths, that numerous places out of the channel are good anchoring.
THURSDAY – We left around 10:00 AM in light fog. To my surprise and relief, there was little mud on the chain or anchor. Making Green Cove Springs took about two and a half hours. We were confused as to where we should dock at Holland Marine but all ended well. It felt like coming home. Neat friends Dee and Brook Williams greeted us at the dock. Louie savored being on land again, sniffing everything.
It's 71 degrees at 5:00PM and the sun is shining. Florida sure is alluring this time of year. Tonight we watched a great 1948 movie call “A Song is Born”, with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Gene Kruppa and Danny Kaye. What a lineup! Fun story! I've felt tired, with a cold coming on for two days but hope to feel more normal tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning fog is predicted again. We'll see. Tonight is movie night (The Thing!) so I better get the popcorn ready.
Leaving Fernandina. See dolphin in middle of picture.
MONDAY – We all walked Brunswick, pointing out the sights and discussing the 99 Liberty ships built here in the 1940's. Great shrimp dinners from B&J's, accompanied by endless and animated chatter, completed the day.
TUESDAY – I rode back to Beaufort with Julie, Bob & Snickers so Julie & I could sightsee. We spent the afternoon visiting historic Gullah sites and Wednesday morning doing fun girl stuff before finally meeting Mike & Louie in Hilton Head to return to Brunswick. We really enjoyed ourselves!
THURSDAY & FRIDAY – More boat chores preparing to leave and, admittedly, quite a bit of laziness and important socializing. Steven & Linda Sampson visited for dinner Thursday night.... what fun! We love telling/sharing all the live-aboard stories.
Trees on beach at Hunting Island, S.C.
Finally Away, to Fernandina, FL
SATURDAY – With SeaDream resupplied and all systems A-okay, friends shoved us off the dock at 8:15AM into calm waters and warm sunshine. Steve and Linda Sampson heaved our lines then waved and cheered us all down the marina. Dockmaster Sherrie sounded her air horn as we passed so of course we answered; we were misty eyed leaving great friends, but excited underway.
Leaving Saint Simon's Sound we took the 3 to 4 foot waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the port bow. Louis wasn't happy with the extra motion (maybe a pending earthquake?) and I kept my eyes on the horizon. Our trip went smoothly, motoring due south to St. Mary's River entrance at Fernandina Beach. By going “outside” into the ocean, we avoided the I.C.W.'s shallow waters behind Jekyll and Cumberland Islands and the tedium of following the channel. By 2:30PM we were anchored across from Old Fernandina and lowering the dingy for a quick trip into town where Neil , Mike's brother, and wife Kay met us with their new Apricot-colored poodle, Joe, a recent rescue doggy. He's really sweet and loves everyone. We saw a beautiful sunset from their favorite bar then back to their home, as the poodles played; we relaxed and happily visited. Kay prepared a delicious Dungeness crab boil with homemade blueberry cobbler for dessert. Life just doesn’t get any better!
SUNDAY- Awoke to pea-soup fog. Today we'll meet Neil, Kay & “Lil” Joe for lunch and more visiting. It's cloudy, in the 60's. Tomorrow we head for Green Cove Springs, Florida. The Jacksonville railroad bridge is being repaired so it's closed most of the day, only opening before 8:00AM, between 11:30 & 12:30 and after 5:00PM. Timing it will be complicated. If the town dock isn't full, perhaps we can wait there but the current is nasty. This is a challenge for tomorrow. Today is for fun!
WEDNESDAY – Awakening to a gorgeous sun and brisk wind, it took awhile to reorient and get into boat mode. Most of the day we unpacked and organized. A Christmas present, the SodaStream soda-maker is a huge hit. Mike makes his own style fizzy beverage aboard. Much less sugar, cheaper, no lugging heavy cans or bottles onto the boat and NO TRASH.
I found a few pecan nuts from nearby trees on the deck, where birds were cracking and eating. Otherwise the boat was clean. It's pleasantly balmy but a cold front is coming.
THURSDAY – We tackled the clothes dryer's failure-to-heat issue today. Removing it from it's cabinetry, Mike was alarmed at the poorly run vent installation. A terrific local repairman confirmed that a hidden overheat switch had tripped because the hot air flow was restricted. Hurrah! The only damage was a $75 service call; no parts needed, no waiting! All's okay!
FRIDAY - Mike rerouted the dryer vent. It wasn't easy, squirming through a floor-level kitchen drawer; it's his very special style of all-day Yoga! But, the hot moist air now has an easy flow. Sure enough it got cold and the wind is whistling, gusting to 35mph. I cut Louis's walk short because I was freezing. Tonight we'll eat out with our neat friends Linda and Steve. They were very attentive to Sea Dream during our absence, helping us relax, knowing she was in good hands. 
Mike (yoga position)with head and shoulders in drawer opening fixing dryer vent.
