A Very Blustery Thanksgiving
26 November 2015
Becky
Up at 5:45 again--- this is getting old!! However, we're both anxious to get "home" for the winter, so up and at 'em!!
We're underway at 6:05. Leaving the dock was uneventful. The wind has decreased to about 13 knots, so we depart before it's back up to 20, and has us pinned against the dock.
As soon as the sun rises, we raise the jib. Making about 6.5 knots.
Mosquito Lagoon is lumpy today!! Wind blowing a steady 18 knots. It rains off and on.
About 1/2 mile before we reach Haulover Canal the wind picks up to 25 knots. Thank God we're not too far from the cut.
We meet two northbound catamarans in the canal. There are a lot of people fishing on the banks. The sun is out again!
As we enter the Indian River, conditions are much better. Wind at 15, much less chop on the water. BUT-- this was short lived. When we got on the wide part of the river, the wind picked back up to 18-20, and the chop is about 3 ft. This lasts for about 2- 2 1/2 hours. Things down below are crashing out of their "nooks". Hence, lunch is peanut butter crackers and a cheese stick.
To top it all off, the Merritt Island drawbridge can only open one side (the east side is stuck in the closed position) . Once again , Robert very calmly drives right thru (with the jib still up) with about 10 ft. between SeaQuell and the fender.
Once we pass thru this bridge, the river begins to narrow, and the chop diminishes to less than a foot.
The wind remains a steady 15 .
We reach the anchorage at the Banana River just a few minutes after 4:00, so we decide to get a few more miles in today.
I pop our turkey breast in the oven to cook while we're underway.
We encounter another quick rain shower, but it doesn't last long.
We make it to our anchorage just after sunset, but there's still a little light.
Our trusty Mantus anchor sets immediately. We put the sail ties on, and I head in to finish dinner prep while Robert makes a final check on everything.
By 6:30, we're sitting down to our Thanksgiving feast-- turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and biscuits. Of course, cocktails to wash it down. Dessert is stewed apples, but neither of us has room for it.
While I wash dishes, Robert puts fuel from the jerry cans into the fuel tank. We still have about a third of a tank, but now seems an opportune time to do it.
Maggie pees on the trampoline, and we all head inside, plop in front of the TV to watch Jeopardy.
We have another 12 hour day under our belt. This should help us to make our "home" for the next few months tomorrow. Get ready, Ft. Pierce; the Nordstroms will be head in' your way tomorrow-- right after some much needed sleep!