Finally, after a full day yesterday with
the mechanic working on the engine (at a cost of close to $600.00 – ouch!) – we
filled up with diesel this morning, pumped out and made our way South to St.
Augustine.
It was a lovely 5-hour motor (with the
engine humming at 8.4 knots, with the current J) –
passing many various kinds of boats, gorgeous, palatial homes – some completely
screened-in, pelicans, seagulls, and the occasional very shallow sand bar – one
of which we almost touched with our bottom (1 foot below the keel). It’s a challenging
passage, as the ICW winds around and often becomes very shallow – the helmsperson
really needs to keep watch constantly. Jeff and I took turns steering, so
neither of us got too tired. We also successfully negotiated having a bridge
opened for us - “Sailing vessel Sea
Change requesting passage heading South at fourteen thirty hours” – sounds official,
doesn’t it? I’m learning the lingo!
We took a mooring ball at the St. Augustine
Municipal Marina – after four passes (very windy day, is my excuse), and were
greeted by an arc of three dolphins, welcoming us in! Having just finished our
gins and coconut water in the sunny cockpit, we’re off in our new dinghy to
sign in and have showers, before we bar-b-q a filet of steelhead trout for
dinner. This is more like it!
Coda: As we were signing in, someone
commented on my Mimico jacket – turns out they’re members, too, sailing with
friends at Lakeshore Yacht Club to the Bahamas. Pic below …
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