Best Life

 We awoke this morning to find we had drifted closer to the boats on their private docks.  Yikes!  We had checked throughout the night but with the dark and the wind shifting us we had no idea our anchor was not holding.  It was so disorienting to be 180 degrees from when we went to bed. Lesson learned.  We had downloaded the app to alert us to anchor moving but of course I did not fully read the instructions.  I did tonight.    We left early this morning and made the bridge opening at 730am.  I am not sure if our neighbors realized the newbies drifted but we left before they even stirred.  It seemed even colder and we wound up with triple layers (I still refused to put anything on my feet!)  The ICW was smooth and traffic free.  We spotted a few manatees and lots of interesting shorelines, We anchored in Pelican Harbor and practiced anchoring and learned to use the anchor app correctly.  We are confident tonight we will n...

 Last night was our first full night on board.  Yahtzee was our choice and although fun we could not beat Rebecca's all time high score.  This morning we witnessed the sunrise and had morning coffee in our special mugs.  Thank you Kathy! And then we left!!  What an absolutely gorgeous morning with calm waters as we left the canal and headed for the ICW.  It was chilly enough for coats but not shoes. We had two bridge openings which went smoothly.  The new radio worked perfectly and Paul sounded like a seasoned captain! We stopped only a few hours later to anchor in Lake Boca Raton.  We wanted to set anchor and celebrate our success.  The problem with the lake is the 4 foot shoal in the middle.  We came close to grounding the boat.  We backed out and proceeded to follow the shoreline to deeper waters.  I figure most people were still asleep and not watching the newbies try to run their boat aground.  The anchor set first ti...

 Yup we are still on land.  The weather has been uncooperative and our captain unavailable.  But we explored the area and moved to an Airbnb in Deerfield. This pelican, who we have named Pete, was posing for pictures for quite awhile until he decided he liked my toes and tried pecking them!  He was super cute and even started to follow us down the pier. We are definitely leaving Tuesday since our host (the seller) has purchased a new boat and there is no longer room on his dock for us.  We will head north via the ICW and practice our motoring skills.  I will miss walking but will not miss the traffic.  

 The last three days have been spent provisioning and finishing minor repairs.  There were morning walks around Pompano.  More trips to Walmart, Harbor Freight and West Marine. The fridge and freezer are full.  The dinghy gas tank is full.  The hope was to leave first thing in the morning.  And then life happened. On the way to drop our car off in Daytona, the car died.  Luckily we were able to limp the 17 miles to the next exit off the turnpike and get to a parking lot.  Thankfully Megan bought us AAA for Christmas and the tow was free.  (Thank you Megan!)  Thankfully the store was Tractor Supply (not Walmart!).  Thankfully the weather was gorgeous as we waited almost three hours for the tow truck.  Thankfully the car dealer was close and we can leave the car there until we are back in the area in mid February.  Thankfully Paul was driving the rental car.  How lucky are we? We were back on schedule but unfortunately ...

 It is very windy and cloudy and chilly!  It is exactly as predicted and I am so glad we are still on the dock.  We have to move out of the Airbnb in the morning and again move temporarily move to another down the street,  Ugh.  Although by this point 80% of our clothes and belongings are on the boat and stored. Our new tentative splash date is Friday, January 26th.  The predicted weather is quieter and our captain is available.  Fingers crossed! 

 We have so much time on our hands! All major repairs are done to the boat and we are waiting for parts to arrive to fix the simpler things while we continue to wait for our weather window.  Thank you Marc for accepting and holding our deliveries!   This morning after Hurkle-durkling (a new favorite word - thank you Donna!)we took a long walk around downtown Pompano and the beach.    

 Slowly we are adapting to a slower pace.  (Yes, I realize the irony.)  We have finished the work on the dinghy, the two engines, and the stove.  We have inspected every storage compartment, categorized and discarded numerous extra parts, tools, and kitchen  paraphernalia.  We have a list of minor repairs that can be completed at our leisure.  We are waiting for Amazon to deliver parts that we either could not get locally or were too expensive.  And we wait for a weather window.   Anxious to leave I still found it hard to complain about the 70- 80 degree weather and the sporadic rain and winds when it's snowing at "home" in RI.  After morning walks I am barefoot most of the day.  Our winter coats are cleaned and stored for when we head north for a visit. We had to switch to a new Airbnb and book for another week.  We are now closer to our boat and the sidewalks are better for quick morning strolls.  I seem to be getti...

 Yesterday was a day successes!  After three days of working on the dinghy she was finally ready to get wet.  The first day was spent removing the old engine.  Somebody was so worried about the motor being stolen the apparatus to prevent the theft had to be cut off with a angle grinder.  Thank you for providing one Leon!  Then there were the logistics of getting rid of it and moving the new one to the boat in my car.  But BoatMax came through.  They not only helped load the new motor in my car but took the old barnacle encased one from us.  Another day to hook the engine up and get her ready.  On the morning of the third day we were ready.  Again a thank you to Leon for helping us get her in the water for her trial run. She stayed afloat and her engine is super quiet.  I love the electric start and power tilt! It was a beautiful day for a ride on the water.  84 degrees and mostly sunny.  We ventured down the various c...

  Goodbye Rhode Island!  Goodbye 24 degrees.  Goodbye snow and ice.   Hello Florida!  Hello 76 degrees.  Hello sunshine and humidity. It took a total of 23 hours to reach our destination by car.  We had to stop after 19 hours to recharge. Sleep and a long walk along the ICW did wonders for our energy levels. Thank you Don for letting us crash (we owe you a toothbrush)!   Music and the memory of music was our major entertainment.  Most songs trigger a memory for me.  Phil Collin's Tarzan - a Disney trip just after the movie came out.  The kids watching in awe as the actors flew from the rafters and skated around the outside arena.  Van Morrison - a trip with the girls where we were invited to "play" cowbells with the band. Rocking Megan to sleep listening to the Eagles. Then there are the songs that remind us of movies and our favorite scenes.  Build me Up Buttercup - Something About Mary. Hell - Blast from the Pa...

 What a beautiful morning for a hike!  Since we leave in two days and the weather may hamper a walk tomorrow, Paul and I decided to hike along the High Rock Preserve and Scott Brook trail.  The trail has special meaning to us since both our boys completed their Eagle Scout projects in this area. Kevin's steps were completed in 2014 and are still sturdy and used to access the beginning of the trail. Scott's bridge is further along the trail and strategically placed to allow passage over the water.  Thank you to the person(s) who constructed the additions on either side so we could still walk across the widening stream.  Thank you to the beavers for reminding us we are not in charge and water is not stagnant but constant changing. How proud we are that our boys have left a positive impact on their community!  We are leaving knowing they are strong, capable and independent.