Yup, it's Thursday, April 15th and almost the end of our part of this trip. I'm more determined than ever to squeeze every second out of these next 2 days aboard For Us. This boat was fast becoming my best friend and playmate. Even more important, she was showing me that there really is a life out of the corporate rush, endless to do lists and playing beat the clock. For those of you unfamiliar with trawlers, playing beat the clock is a sure trip to a company's brokerage site (meaning you have to sell the boat). There is absolutely no way to go full speed ahead (well you can, but that speed is only around 8 knots when you're in a rush)! And guess what? You won't want to go full speed ahead, you want to cruise and take in every sight.
We have another unbelievably sunny, warm day with a bit of a breeze. I think the weather is trying to let us know what a wonderful choice we made to buy this boat and embrace this lifestyle. Since I've been suspiciously absent from the galley (kitchen), Patti decided today's lesson would involve using the stove. My husband's grin said it all since I make sure to give the stove at home wide berth.
Well if you think using a stove is a no-brainer, try using one on a boat! You first have to go on the flybridge and under the bench seat to open the propane tank. Then you run down to the galley and press a bunch of buttons to get the gas flowing. Once that's done, you have to hold down some thingie and pray you don't blow up the boat while waiting for a flame. Exhausting! Much easier to go on OpenTable.com and make a reservation! But Patti insisted I add this talent to my boating skills and how could I refuse such a sane request?
Once that effort was past, we decided to have another early day and tie up in Jacksonville Beach. This was a very quiet marina with virtually nothing going on. I needed to arrange for our flight home on Saturday and had to find a computer pronto. Not so easy. I had to walk a mile to the marina service center, then convince some workers that I needed to make plane reservations and had to use their computer. Much schmoozing later, I was able to log onto to the computer the marina manager used (luckily he was off on a errand of some sort).
Dinner that night was not my favorite. We had to eat at a nearby fish shack. For someone like me who tries to eat nothing that is fried, greasy, carbby or otherwise unhealthy, tonight's dinner was a challenge. So what, I made the most of it - at least the frozen margaritas were top-notch.
Tonight's sunset was incredible - an gorgeous pink/orange sky reflected in absolutely still, mirror-like water. There was virtually no sound other than birds settling in for the night. I named this marina the "lonely marina", but will remember it for its magnificent sunset. Early to bed - tomorrow will be our last full day aboard For Us. Already New York was creeping into my awareness - and I don't like it!
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