As the title for today's blog states, this has been a very long day! Poor old Paula Perkins has been slugging it out against 20 knot headwinds and couple of knot currents since 0800 this morning and eleven hours later was finally able to rest when we stopped at the marina here at New Smyrna. What a slog! We started out not too badly, able to maintain even 6.5 knots right up until Titusville, but after that we were lucky to maintain 5.5 and in most cases were even under 5 knots when pushing against the current as well. We obviously made the right decision to stay inside. That had been our plan even before we left Halifax - to get as much offshore time as possible but to use the ICW when the weather wouldn't permit any progress otherwise. All day long we listened to the Coast Guard issue small craft warnings over the VHF and subsequently hear them coordinating rescues or referring distressed boats to Sea Tow or Tow Boat US when one of the boats that didn't listen ran out of gas fighting the seas to try to get back in. I heard one fellow talking to a bridge operator in Port Canaveral about being lucky that he got in as he encountered the Perfect Storm wave. I'm sure he was exaggerating but I am also sure that it was something memorable to him.

Barb had contacted the marina by phone and we were very lucky that she was able to get along with the manager and he not only held a spot without taking a credit card number but also was prepared to allow us to come into the slip after he had gone home and trusted us to pay in the morning before we left.

We noticed that the "snowbirds", of the feathered variety, the ones that had accompanied us down last fall were also leading the way back north again. Kind of neat that the human Canadians are emulating their feathered cohorts, isn't it? Just before we entered the Haulover Canal we noticed some bright pink birds flying past us. We had seen them before, mostly in aquariums or in Busch Gardens, and even once we saw one in Gulfport, but never had we seen so many spoonbills flying about in the open. They are amazingly graceful flyers, but the most striking part of them is the colour - such a vibrant pink! Then, as we passed through the canal itself Barb pointed out three or four cardinals flittering bout in one of the trees on the shore. Although it might have been a bit of a drive from a boating perspective, today was definitely our day for birding.

As we approached New Smyrna there were several small anchorages that were again filled with the live aboard "bums" that give the rest of us boaters a bad name with the local communities. Sure there were also many more regular cruisers that were just stopping for the night and didn't want to or need a marina, but it was the deadbeats that strike your attention.

The marina here is very nice with new floating docks, good power and an excellent social program and they clearly allow people to live aboard their board, but sadly they have no internet availability so this post will have to wait along with yesterday's, but we have already met some great folks including some people from Shelburne, NS. As we were walking Peri Barb decided that we were going to stay here for two days vice just over night. That'll allow us to go to the Farmer's Market and to attend the big dock party here tomorrow.

Yahoo! Par-tay on!