This is the fourth time that we have visited Cumberland Island but it is the only time that we have been here that the wind is as strong as it has been for the last couple of days. Fair takes some of the fun out of it, it does. But is does bring to mind something that we were talking about the other morning over coffee with Alan, Heather and Joseph, namely that the impression that a lot of non cruisers have of the lifestyle is quite idyllic - sunny skies, gentle breezes, white sand beaches, scantily clad nubile members of both sexes prancing about..... The fact is that part of the lifestyle does exist and you can find it if you look for it but the reality is that it only represents about 10% of the time. For the rest you are traveling from point A to point B, doing mostly the same household chores as you do at home, cleaning, doing the dishes, vacuuming and laundry, taking out the trash, plus to that you add all the boat chores and, in some cases, repairs. The 10% is worth all the rest but if you were expecting more what is needed is to stop somewhere that you have found the 10%, anchor, moor, or tie up to a dock and enjoy. You have eliminated the point A to point B stuff. It not the rest, and in fact you are no longer cruising, you are living on your boat somewhere. There are a lot of folks that do this. The 300 +/- transient boats mooring in Marathon during the winter months who really aren't, and there are a number of the more sheltered keys in the Bahamas housing boats that are there more or less for the duration of the winter. These comments are in no way intended to sound judgemental. Indeed, who's to say if we don't find a spot suitable that we won't do the same. We have already decided to stop going back and forth to Canada every summer and to store the boat in the US while we are home so that would be a logical next step.

Today we got a reservation at Titusville Municipal Marina for the period that Kayt will be visiting us. Turns out they have quite a reasonable weekly rate which works out to be less than $1/ft, $0.86/ft to be exact, plus power. Their normal daily rate is $1.66 so it's a good deal for us. Looks like the weather for the next week or so will not be conducive to an offshore jump especially with us requiring work on the transmission. Instead we will be looking at either three long days or four shorter ones to get to the same place.

Moonlight Maid got their outboard running again so when we went ashore with Peri and came back to the dock we found their dingy tied up next to ours. Great! I was hoping that they'd have a chance to walk ashore and look at the place. Most of our suggestions so far haven't turned out so well with all of the development that has taken place over the last few years. Of course that hasn't happened on Cumberland, it being a National Park and all. Our trip ashore was great with some of the wild horses meeting us on one of the roads. I stood aside with Peri but Barb stood fast in the centre of the road and the horses simply parted and flowed around her. This can actually be quite dangerous as they are wild and have been known to bite and kick. They were really interested in Peri with a couple of them stopping to lean down to sniff the strange small furry white horse. In all this place is truly amazing, owned, originally by Thomas Carnegie and his wife Lucy, who bought the place and promptly turned it into a family estate. Some of the island, about ten acres, was owned by families of freed slaves who ended up working for the Carnegie family. Interestingly enough the last surviving member of this black family eventually passed away at the age of 84 with one of the Carnegie family nursing him towards the end. Interesting how things work out, isn't it? I would love to spend a month here. We have discovered that each little trail has a pamphlet describing what is on the trail both historically and biologically. There are even little QR code signs that you can use to download an audio tour of that particular spot on your cell phone. Neat, eh?

Oh poop! We got at the coupling repair started and I managed to get the coupling back almost realigned only to find out that there is one bolt still lodged in the transmission side of the coupling. Unfortunately this is beyond out capabilities with the tools that we have on hand to rectify. Rats! I was able to use a crowbar to brute the whole business back into alignment and I thought that we were away to the races until I noticed that one part of the bolt still stuck there. Thanks to Alan for helping and trying to work us through the problem. His advice has always been first rate. The problem is that there is no room to be able to grab the bolt and turn the nut so it will have to be cut off and I don't have my reciprocating saw aboard. Nuts! It does make the decision as to what to do next a lot easier though. We have space booked at the Amelia Island Yacht Basin and time with their mechanic to help us out. Just wish that it wasn't necessary. We will be towed there by TowBoatUS and I can't recommend enough buying membership in both Boat USA and TowBoatUS for any cruiser coming into American waters. Less than $200 and if I had to pay out of pocket for this it would be close to $1000. Well worth it, I think! You can even call the local the local operator and get Intel on the conditions of the inlets and ICW before you get there. Who else would be more knowledgeable than the fellow who is towing people off who have run aground. Perhaps if there is any delay in them helping out or if they try to tell me that we need to haul out I will try to cut the bolt off with the Dremel tool and get on with it myself. I would really like to confirm the alignment with someone who has done it before, however.

We have been sitting listening on the radio to all of the boats heading past into St Mary's most likely for the Thanksgiving festivities that they have there every year. At least it gets my mind off everything. Part of me would like to celebrate US Thanksgiving at St Mary's but most of me much prefers to be in Titusville to see our daughter.