Mon Nov 18 - In which all good things must come to an end

Morning Star Marina, St Simons-Brunswick Landing Marina

Man, what a peaceful sleep.  In fact, I woke up half way through the night and couldn’t go back to sleep – I think because it was TOO QUIET.  Probably my body doesn’t know what to do now without a certain level of adrenaline…  We had a bike ride, breakfast and a lovely walk with Dottie, and her friend Vicky.  And then Vicky and Jack rode with us the hour from Morningside Marina to our boat’s longer-term home – Brunswick Landing Marina.  (Which is a beast – it has 15 piers of at least 17 boats each.  It’s so far to the shower I have convinced myself that I don’t need one).

There was a tricky extraction from our place between two VERY EXPENSIVE boats at Morningside, then a docking at the pump out station (apparently, we will not need to ‘use the facilities’ for the next 12 hours – huge eye roll), and a final docking at Pier #4.  All flawless.  Man, were our friends impressed!  Dottie, having had her experience on boats, said ‘but there was no yelling’!  How lucky there was no wind or tide so we looked good to our VERY FIRST VISITORS!  I hope there are many more – hint hint…

Tonight, and tomorrow morning we will close up the boat, have dinner at Dottie’s (really what we are doing there is laundry, but she doesn’t need to know that), enjoy a real bed and head back to Atlanta Wed morning. But first – champagne!  We didn’t think we couldn’t do this, exactly…but we didn’t know we could.  If you know what I mean…  So a toast is in order.

And a housekeeping issue:  We forgot to start the Nebo app today, so those of you who are watching us move across a map in REAL TIME at 7 MILES AN HOUR will not see that mesmerizing action today.  Also, WHO is doing that?  Don’t you have lives??? (Not you Rick Dillman – you are the whole reason we found the boat.  XO  Also, hugs to Billie,  our only other devoted reader!!!  Hey - We doubled readership!!  Must.  Have.  More.  Champagne!)

Also – a note from my future self.  I did take a shower.  And I did that because I COULDN’T PEE IN THE TOILET.  > : (   I retaliated by using up all the hot water.  Because that is how mature I am…

And so, my Gentle Reader, our time together has come to an end.  For now.  Rick and I will be returning to Atlanta for Thanksgiving.  And then we will see.  We are ready to embrace our dirt (as the live-aboard community calls homes on land) and to unpack everything that has happened over the last month.  And to take really good showers.  I have a new master bathroom but I haven’t even had time to enjoy it because I’ve been, you know…..on a boat. There is plenty more boating/seabatical to come (we just met some Platinum Loopers who have done the loop twice and even the Down East Loop, whatever that is.  I could see a competitive gleam in Rick’s eye), but for now we have to take time off for the holidays, and our children.  (The same ones who NEVER READ THE BLOG).  In their defense, Claire is busy trying to graduate from college in the next week.  And William is trying to keep up his grades while hoping to earn a place on the National Overwatch team (don’t ask).

If you are lucky, next time I will tell you about Trawler Fest and Looperpalooza (I am not making either of those up)…. Oh, and boat name of the day (a new interactive feature of the blog – just send in your favorites.  Not sure what the interactive part will be, but it sounded good): Catharseas

Sun Nov 17 - In which we are once again warm

Teakettle Creek anchorage –Morning Star Marina, St Simons

I think we had reached the maximum stress that a human body can take because we both just gave up and slept deeply.  (In spite of the fact that the chine makes any water hitting the boat sound like a very diligent and excitable percussion ensemble – the timpani is especially well represented.)  And in the morning, we were right where we were supposed to be.  (Note to self – write letter of appreciation to anchor company, Rocna)

The little boat was chomping at the bit because she/he/they know they are heading for the barn.  We were almost at St Simons, which is basically where we will stop until after Thanksgiving.  And it did seem that the closer we got to St Simons the more fully the sun came in to view.  We had forgotten what that golden orb looked like.

The other thing that came into full focus as we came into the harbor was the GIGANTIC container ship, Golden Ray, that capsized off of St Simons in Sept of this year.  Google it – it’s amazing.  4,000 cars just sitting there.  The pilot was hailed as a hero because he realized what was happening with the ballast and got the ship out of the main shipping lane (which is said to be the second busiest on the Eastern Seaboard).  But wouldn’t you still hate to have that on your resume?…  There is a big use of your tax dollars going on around the clock as they try to figure out what to do next.  It seems they will have to cut it up eventually – and it’s a pretty new boat.

Our friends Dottie and Jack came down to the Morningside Marina, just outside St Simons, to welcome us.  It was so fun to see familiar faces.  And to share our little Weeble Boat. 

 It was Yet.  Another.  Gorgeous.  Sunset.  And so nice to be warm again.

We ordered a pizza, delivered to the marina.  How spoiled are we…

Sat Nov 16 - In which there is Sound and fury

Sunbury Harbor – Teakettle Creek anchorage

We got off the dock quick, at Sunbury Harbor, because the boat was starting to rock and we had mastered that Physics lesson.  It was going to be a  l o v e l y day (I say with all the sarcasm I can muster).  It was another day where driving from inside was required.  Sheets of rain, terrible visibility and, crossing St. Catherine Sound, the wind and waves got big enough that I had to put my head down on the table and let time pass.  I know intellectually that the little Weeble will not tip over, but getting hit from the side by big waves is still very unnerving.  I would have been able to pay better attention to the scary part if I weren’t distracted by the nausea part.  Eventually I got to that interesting place where you don’t know if you are hungry or nauseous.  By then we were in calmer water so it turned out I was hungry.

The rest of the day was winding switch backs following the various rivers and streams.  The marsh all around was so flat that we could see boats parallel to us but several bends ahead.  We found a quiet anchorage and said some prayers to the anchor god.  There’s no shelter out here but marsh grass, all one can do is hope we (by which I mean Rick) read the tides and wind well.

Off to bed – just us and our frenemy The Anchor Alarm…Sigh.  I look forward to sleeping alone with my husband at some point..