Fort Pierce ~ Week 1~ November 2021

 

     Heavy winds continued while the rain trained through this area all weekend.  Friday, Pete was able to pick up the rental car so we can leave early in the morning for Charleston. It is a 6.5- hour drive without stops. So, if we leave by 7, we should be home by 9 with stops.

     We left Saturday at 7 as planned. Unfortunately, we never anticipated the heavy traffic. It is the weekend before Thanksgiving and traffic was heavy. Of course, there were the required fender-benders and traffic stoppages with no explanations, AND in both directions! We were finally home at midnight! Thankfully, we should be able to sleep in the morning.

     Sunday, when Pete went to walk Bailey, he found a very large spider on the cockpit seat. Well, it wasn’t a spider but a small blue crab, with about a 2-inch body. We have no idea how it wound up on board. He was returned to the water.

     Pete met 2 families who are long term cruisers on our dock. The one family with 3 kids (a 4-, 2-, and 1 -year old aboard a 46-foot sloop. They are just waiting for a window to cross over to the Bahamas. The other family is aboard a 44-foot sailing cat. The 3 kids look to be early teen and pre-teen, active and confident in their lifestyle. There is also the largest motor cat (or sailing cat) I have ever seen.  GATO BLANCO was also on A-Dock last year.  It is 75 feet of very impressive!

   

     I took advantage of the rain: stripped our bed, removed “Christmas’ from the storage area under the bed and remade it. Cleaned then put up the Christmas tree. This is the first time we have ever put up the tree before Thanksgiving.

Pete's new transportation

     There is no slip further from land than our present slip. It’s long walk back and forth for Bailey. Pete measured it and found out it is a ½ mile walk round trip! Then times that by 3 walks a day, and times that by 7 days a week. That’s 10.5 miles a week, 42 miles a month on Pete’s knee that will be replaced in January! We bought Pete an electric scooter. It's so cool! It is just a shame that Bailey doesn't want to ride along with Pete. Thankfully, it can go as slow as Bailey, but it is more fun at faster speeds. After much research, we bought one that can do 18 mph, get 40 miles on a charge, has the bigger wheels for a more comfortable ride, and can fold up to take less room aboard. We know that it will be helpful on our cruises north and south.

    Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving was shared with Ann and Howie. I contributed the Autumn Salad and my Gram’s German Chocolate Long Torte to the Turkey and all the trimmings. Hope you all had a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving, too!

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ K & P