Back to America…after 6 years

We had a perfect 24 hour passage from Great Sale Cay in the Abacos to Port Canaveral, Florida.  The winds were less than 10 knots (many less than 5 knots), calm seas and we arrived on time, 20 minutes before the marina opened at 8:00 AM.  We tied up at the fuel dock and 30 minutes later we were pumping 300 gallons of diesel into the tanks.  This fuel purchase got us 2 free nights at the marina which was hard to pass up.

Although we did have to catch a cab ride to customs and immigration, they did not board us or inspect anything.  The next day we met my cousin Nancy who informed us that she would be loaning us her car for our stay.  That was a very generous offer and we made good use of it over the next week finding and buying parts and provisions.  We now have an AT and T working cell phone and internet for our trip up the coast.  We arrived with almost empty freezers and now they are jammed full.  

We had several dinners with Cousins Barbara and Nancy and Barbara’s daughters’ family.  As they did in 2009, they fed us delicious meals and wanted nothing in return.  Connie and Bob have a daughter, Katherine, almost the same age as Emily.  She is smart as a whip and Emily quickly renewed the friendship started as we passed through in 2008. 

One night we bought take-out Chinese for everyone and we watched photo and video highlights from our trip while we ate.  We were so happy that Cousin Barry also joined us as we thought he would not be traveling north to see us.  Emily wrote a nice thank you note inside a book that Barry had loaned Emily back in 2008 and returned it to him.  It became one of her favorite books and now Barry has a book that has travelled around the world.

We managed to spend an entire day at the Kennedy Space Center and found it very enjoyable.  Emily did not recall much from our earlier visit and they had added several exhibits and well as the chance to see the Space Shuttle Atlantis up close.  Emily really enjoyed the simulators where we experienced the thrust of a shuttle launch and could try our hand at docking with the space station and manipulating the robotic arm.

We even got to drive the rover on the moon.  Really...can't you see the earth behind us?

Despite requests that we stay longer, we have now pushed away from the Marina and are creeping slowly north up the Intra Coastal Waterway.  It is slow since we have to call ahead for bridge openings, or time our arrival to fixed opening times.  It is a refreshing change for us to have such calm waters and to enjoy the sights along the way.  We go through a few locks and some areas require planning for high tide so we do not run aground.  My line handlers also are good at pointing out manatees in the lock!  

We stopped overnight at a free dock in New Smyrna which is certainly in our budget. 

 

Kim is looking forward to stopping in Saint Augustine for a few days since we missed this lovely town on our dash south in 2008.  We were told to expect forts and museums and quaint shops and restaurants.  Come along and share our trip up the coast.

Tom