It's time to Head toward the USA.

It's finally time to start heading home.. 

to Ft. Pierce, Florida.  (i got an email today from the marina saying they have my slip reserved.)  Cousin Rick flies in tomorrow to George Town and he will help me sail Prodigal up to Marsh Harbor.  Then Cam Prock, the newly retired, will fly out and sail back to the USA with me.   That's two weeks for each of their legs of travel.  This entire transit puts me back at Ft. Pierce City Marina about June 20th.  Give or take travel, weather, mechanical, side trips or diversions...  but I'm feeling pressure to return.  I'm almost out of Ritz crackers and down to my last box of wine.  Oh the horror!

My dear friends Rick and Marianne Molchan on m/v Renaissance Woman arrived in the harbor and we palled around a few days, till they took off again.  One day we went on a hike of the ART WALK TRAIL.  It's a nice meandering path that leads across stocking island from the harbor over to the Atlantic.  Cruisers have placed "art" (art used loosely) along the trail.  The views are quite nice and it was great to be off the boat with friends.

Renaissance Woman

Marianne and Rick on our hike

Marianne making humus

Rick at work charting their course

a beach shack with chairs, hammock & water catchment system up on the roof.

a cute family from Sweden.  (couldnt understand the kids)

 3 brothers we ran into on the trail.  they were going surfing.

It's starting to really thin out now as 'the season' is closing.  From a high of about 300 boats, it's now about a hundred, maybe less.  More leave each day than arrive.  On the morning radio net they mentioned it's time to start looking for hurricanes.  (yikes)  Lots of people i met have taken off.  the two teachers of the Water Aerobics left on Friday, so that's over.  It's time to head home!

the LAST DAY of aerobics and a class photo.  A few weeks prior we had 30ppl for class.  Special thanks to LaVonne and the Big Kahuna for teaching!

One exception.  Today on the morning Radio Net show, Dan the adventure man announced his arrival.  Dan was in Marathon when i passed through there.  He was supposed to be a buddy boat for the crossing to Andros back in early February, but he couldn't get his stuff together in time and didnt go with us.  Anyway, he arrived here today.  He anchored about 300 yards from me.  So, I motored over and visited with him to catch up and hear his story.  He has been single handing and is saying he will seek additional crew here and then try to head north to the Chesapeake for hurricane season.

Well that's my report.  It's time to lash everything to the deck and close the hatches for the big Atlantic Ocean and then head out and see if that patched jib holds.  Maybe day one we will make a short hop and check everything before we get too crazy?

Hope your sails are OK.     xoxox Captain Skip