It is cold in NC!
Blogging is not easy. If it were not for the readers who reached out to let us know they were readers, we would probably not do this… (Hint, hint)
We had a great time with Ian over the Christmas break, but it came to an end way too soon and events began crowding us again.
Christmas Eve day brought a beautiful calm morning. We took Goose into Peanut Island for a run, and headed back out to the boat with plans to go to the ocean beach on Singer Island. By the time we got there a cold front was beginning to roll in from the NW. A long ago lesson was remembered when we had walked halfway to the beach and begin to notice huge ominous black clouds rolling in. Since it was calm and nice when we left, every hatch and port was left open on Yume. If someone did not shut those and it rained hard, every bed, every settee cushion would be soaking wet.
So back I went, got the dingy and motored out to shut the boat up. Although it ended up not raining I felt much better about leaving this time. The wind had kicked up to 15 knots from the NW and it had become quite choppy in the anchorage.
I found the rest of the family at the beach park. We decided to eat and go on back as it had turned kinda yucky. A nice walk down the beach and back home ended our Palm Beach holiday.
We had been invited to a Christmas Eve party at Kathy and Jeff's house which meant a dingy ride in to be picked up and a dingy ride back in the dark.
In addition, due to previously documented issues with generator and charging problems our batteries were becoming very low, and the refrigeration was not able to keep cold. In the face of a weather forecast of rising winds and dropping temps, we decided to pack it in and find a marina for the night.
Of course finding a marina for dockage 5pm Christmas Eve is not easy! But like other things, the universe watches out for us and we were able to find the lake park municipal marina only a mile into the wind up the bay. By the time we got off the mooring and up to the marina entrance the wind was blowing 25 knots and it was a bit nasty.
The difference between motoring into a cold brisk wind and tied to the dock, plugged into power, with the refrigeration running, hot showers and laundry available made for a very pleasant evening.
We finished getting three loads of laundry into the dryers just in time to find some clothes other than shorts, and to be out on the street for our friend Sue to pick us all up for the party.
The party was loads of fun, with Ian and I having the opportunity to play some music for an appreciative sing along group around a fire! Great food (oh man those shrimp and pot roast sandwiches!), great people and the gift of anchor rode made for a wonderful evening.
It was also really cool to visit with the kids Ian had played with 18 years previously.
Christmas Day we motored before the wind back to Ft Lauderdale to an anchorage for the night. Then up and back on the road again at 9 for the final few miles up the new river again to a private dock on a canal behind a house where a family was kind enough to let us leave Yume safely for a week while we travel to NC for the memorial services.
I jumped on the bike and ran for a bilge pump switch, plus a plug for a shore power connector to make sure we could plug into the house. We got the boat all back together by 4 so we could pick up a rental car (upgraded to a charger!) and go out for a nice final dinner with Ian.
We were off by 830 Friday, dropped Ian at the WPB airport at 10, then drove through to Marion NC to arrive at 9pm.
Lot's of family here and as I write we are getting ready to head to the services then back here to try and make a dent in the food and drink that very kind people have brought.
We will be back on the road early Tuesday, and back on Yume that night.
Next project – haul out and bottom paint and get the repaired generator in the boat.
We would love to get Yume ready for some cruising so a trip to see friends in marathon in the Keys would be a possibility… Stay tuned to hear how that works out.
Everyone have a happy, prosperous and safe New Year!
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