Day 148: Decisions

New Smyrna Beach to St. Augustine Municipal Marina, St. Augustine, FL (docked)

June 12, 2o22

Since we have been back from the Bahamas, we have been traveling maybe 30 miles or so each day. That schedule means that we don’t have to get up early and we are not exhausted when we arrive. It’s a nice, casual pace that’s pretty relaxed.

Today we chose to motor twice as far (about 60 miles) because members of our flotilla family, including one member we hadn’t seen since we were in Manjack Cay, were in St. Augustine. This was a longer day on the water for us but so very worth it to spend some time with “our people.” Minutes after we docked they met us at Lailia. This was such a lovely welcome and a sort of reunion for us.

We are also at the time of year when afternoon storms are a daily occurrence. As we approach the rain cells we have to make decisions about the best time to close up the hatches and portlights – the boat gets really, really hot when everything is closed up and the motor is running but we don’t want rain pouring into Lailia. Once we get through the band I have to open them all up again (until the next band).

Heading into that rain band with the hatches up (for now)

Have you ever met someone who seemed really, really familar? We continued our intracoastal brewery tour with our flotilla family at Ancient City Brewery today and the bartender reminded me of someone that I knew, but I wasn’t sure how I knew her or where I had seen her. John had a Charleston hat on and she said that she had lived there at some point – but then she said she grew up in Rock Hill. It turns out that our bartender is one of my former eighth grade students who I taught in 2005! She still has the same beautiful smile.

We spent our evening with our flotilla family walking and talking; we even found a bottle shop that sells Bahamian Kalik Gold. The two other boats are heading north tomorrow on separate journeys and we are staying here for the next few days so I can lead a virtual workshop and John can work on our windlass.

We don’t know when we will see our flotilla family again but we look forward to it and know that we will.