Florida

Ned, Faye, Peggy

Pam and Faye

Daytona Beach

West Palm Beach

I know I am late posting the blog but things need to be done and the Internet is not that reliable unless I sit in the restaurant.

This week saw Ernie return to Campbell River. Words cannot express how grateful I am for all his help, experience and friendship. Ernie joined Ken and I in Colombia and helped us navigate her to Grenada. This involved not so nice weather with lightning, water spouts, waves and pirate invested waters. He was with us when Ken had his heart attack, then flew home for Christmas. He knew Genesis and was able to teach me the things I needed to know. Thank you Ernie.

The arrival of Pam began the week of touring around a little. Pam and I headed out in the rental car towards Daytona beach. We got off the I95 and headed to the A1A. The A1A is the road that runs parallel to the shore. We stopped at a beach that is returning back into the wild. It is a turtle nesting area. We walked down to the beach where we observed fishing poles stuck in the sand. We went up to a couple and started asking questions. They were surf fishing. This couple had been coming here for 35 yrs just to fish. He himself had been coming down since he was 18 for spring break and I would guess to say he is in his 70’s now. It became a very interesting story. The fishing like it seems in all places is no longer what it use to be but they still are out there every morning trying to catch some fish.

 My Aunt Peggy and Uncle Ned rent a trailer for the winter months in Daytona so it was time to begin my journey to see family.  Ned and my grandfather are probably the reason for my love of water, unless in previous lives I was a fisherman or something.  Ned is a retired ferry Captain.  His first vehicle was a boat not a car. He would let me be in the wheelhouse and steer the ferry as a teenager, explained the radar and how with that one piece of equipment you could do so much. Well I am grateful for learning my radar as it has brought us through fog, torrential downpours, through heavy traffic areas, away from land and avoidance of electrical storm cells. A marvellous tool.

Peggy and Ned were great hosts and it was great to be with my favourite aunt and uncle again.

I had visited Daytona in 1997 with my Grandmother and Aunt Lynda but things sure have changed. Daytona is best known for the Daytona Speedway. It is huge and a few cars were practising while we were observing it. Ned and Peggy drove us around the area to observe the sights.

The city is historically known as having a beach where the hard packed sand allows motorized vehicles to drive on the beach in restricted areas. This hard packed sand made Daytona Beach a mecca for motor sports.The city is also the headquarters for NASCAR. A lot of the land has been returned to conservation area and the natural dunes are again taking over. Turtles are now on a rise again.

Pam and I headed out for a day of shopping. For those that know me shopping is NOT on my list of things to do.  However, I seem to do alright. The mall is called Festival Flea Market. It is a unique concept; a very large building with small booths. Similar to a flea market but the booths have designer clothes, jewellery etc.   Originally I thought it would be cheaper than regular stores but that would not be the case.

We then went and visited West Palm Beach. The streets were lined with large palm trees and very large homes. Very wealthy people live here.  Upscale tourist area, not the young things walking around in their bathing suits for all to stare at. (Maybe if I looked like them I would feel differently!) This is a very large contrast to the Daytona and Fort Lauderdale beaches.

We then went on the Jungle Queen tour. This is a tourist attraction that takes you by motorized paddle wheeler through the canals of Ft. Lauderdale past the very expensive houses and multimillion dollar mega yachts. Ft. Lauderdale is considered the Venice of the United States with its carved out canal system.  You are then taken to an island where you have an all you can eat BBQ and entertainment.  It was interesting and well worth going to see.

The car will be returned today and the work will begin. They have postponed the boarding of the ship until May 5 (it still could be even later) so I am trying to arrange to have a Captain come and meet me and go over the boat and leave Genesis in his hands to load her. I am going to use the captains that Yacht Path uses to ensure there are not glitches. Hopefully I will be able to return home this weekend sometime.

It has been incredibly frustrating to deal with the company to get any dates but now things seem to be falling in place.

I now must strip the boat down and secure everything for ocean passage.  A daunting job. I will get it done. I look at Genesis and want to cry. I feel like I have neglected the poor girl not making the stainless shine and keeping up with the teak work. It would be fruitless however until she gets home. I vow to make her look good the first opportunity I have.

So there you have a week in a quick blog.