So What Day of our Journey Is This?

Gosh, we're not even a week into this and I don't know the day, the date or most times the TIME!  Ha!  What a switch from our lives of almost 30 years of keeping up with more details than were realistic . . . nor possible!  I thought we were going to take our time heading out this morning.  We only had about an hour to go to arrive in Fernandina Beach, our next anchorage of choice as we wait for better weather to arrive.

Rob started in with his usual puttering around the boat and decided to take in some of the slack on the anchor line and . . . low and behold! . . . he pulled the whole thing up and we were off WELL before we had planned or even before we were ready.  All of a sudden I was watching the surrounding area and realized we were sliding into the shore - definitely not at anchor any longer!  I started the engines and we were off!!!  Oh, to heck with plans anyway!!  

The winds were blustery but it wasn't really bad weather yet and we did have the tide with us so we made it to the mooring field at Fernandina Beach in just over an hour.  Our engine has been having trouble and it worsened as we made our way; we were definitely glad to see the marina come into view.  Rob and I have never used a mooring buoy before so another new experience has been conquered.  I must say, we're even getting good at negotiating these things together!  Who would have guessed?!

We hopped in the dinghy with our shower supplies and headed to the marina to check in and get a hot  much anticipated shower.  That done, we enjoyed wandering around town and finding a few supplies we needed.  We had some luck with our engine analysis and the problem appears to be nearly fixed - all good news. Rob and I have been to Amelia several times and it's still just as cute as ever.  It should be a good couple days if the weather clears enough to make it into town again tomorrow.  Gale force winds and rain are tomorrow's forecast and the temps have dropped as well!

Tonight we enjoyed a GREAT meal of freshly caught St. Mary's shrimp and grits with Kev and Judith aboard their 38' Island Packet named Viagem (Voyage, in Portuguese).  It's so great when you just "click" with new acquaintances which is how we feel in this case.  Lots of good food and laughs and we managed to fight our way back to Moonshadow in the midst of some nasty wind and waves.  Glad to be "home" safe and cozy in our floating adventure.