We have decided to slow down and spend more time in Florida before heading across the stream to the Bahamas. Sometimes it’s hard for me to slow down. The last several weeks have been spent getting lots of boat jobs done. The bilge is cleaned; all the woodwork down below has been cleaned with Murphy’s Oil soap (this is when we wish we didn’t have so many louver doors), port windows cleaned, all light fixtures polished and the cabin ceiling washed (the mold creeps in when your not looking). The boat is mostly ship shape. Most of the shopping for paper and dry goods is done thanks to the friends that are in Titusville that have let us move in their home and use their car for errands. The Stainless Steel could be polished again we’ll save that for another week.

Don’t worry, its not all work. We have managed to get out and do some birding out on Merritt Island with the use of a friend’s car. The birding is just fantastic. It is different every time you go out there.

We decided to rent our own car so we could go to the GAM in Melbourne Florida at the Seven Seas Cruising Association. This event is a gathering for 3 days of cruising sailors to both socialize and learn new things. The highlight of the GAM was meeting up with friends from the past, Al and Fran who we met in Seal cove ME during hurricane Irene in 2011 and also from the not so distant past, Nina and John in the Chesapeake.

Since we decided to slow down we decided to rent a car to give us more mobility. The past several weeks our friends in Titusville have been very generous in lending their car to us when we needed it. Our new wheels have allowed us to make a trip up to Savannah to visit Mike and Carol. With some luck we may get in a round of golf if the weather holds up.

From here we will be back to the boat at which time our friends from ME should be at the marina. They got stuck in MA during hurricane Sandy. We can’t wait to swap stories.

Abe hasn’t made it up to Titusville. He came down with the flu one week then the next his day off was canceled. We are planning to be together for Christmas.

David and Diana would like you all to have a peaceful and joyous holiday with the ones you love. 

Black Belly Whistling Duck

Red Shouldered Hack 

Getting  Your Ducks in a Row Lesser Scop  Duck

Rosette Spoonbills and Great egret

American Widgeon Duck

Osprey

Manatee