Last Day Here

Strangler Fig

It's Easter Sunday, our last day here in Fort Lauderdale, where we've been for the last three and a half months, the longest time we've spent anywhere. It took us a while to settle in here, but we have, and very pleasantly. There will be much that we will miss, not the least of which is the glorious weather we've enjoyed almost all winter. We've become accustomed to the warm days, the touch of coolness in the mornings and evenings and the afternoon breezes. It's been a long time since I wore real shoes and something that worries me about my ability to readjust to winters in New England.

For my part, I will miss my four favorite "walks" in the neighborhood and along the ocean. I continue to be fascinated by the strangler figs, which like the one above, can grow to impressive size along the residential streets. I will miss the yoga studio where I've been going to classes for the last six weeks. It's been a great introduction to yoga, a challenge physically with immediate benefits in reducing my stress level. I'll miss the office secretary and the assistant dock master, always ready to help, find our mail and chat when things are slow. I'll miss the variety of mega yachts, whose bow and stern thrusters signal their comings and goings, and the other passing sights on the ICW, like the fuel barge that hangs in the waterway near our marina, waiting to service the big boats.

Neighborhood Gas Station

Paul has his own list, but on it would be MacDonald's Hardware, our breakfasts out around town, our favorite bakery on Las Olas and his surreptitious lunches at Skyline Chili, the Cincinnati chain which has two outposts in the Fort Lauderdale area. When he heads out to do errands around 11 am, I know now to expect a call, announcing he has too much more to do to get home for lunch. I don't ask questions anymore! Actually I did take the picture below, and I have been known to indulge in the very occasional smaller five-way of my own.

The Pleasure of Skyline Chili

Now we're pretty much ready to leave tomorrow morning for an overnight off shore trip up to Port Canaveral, further if conditions are good and the crew feeling rested enough. We expect to be in Charleston in a week or so, and we'll spend a week there before continuing our journey north.

As Carry On is not sold yet, and we're very happy and comfortable living aboard, we'll continue to do so while we spend the summer in Salem again looking for a place to live on land__  the best of all worlds solution for us right now.

Remember you can watch our progress on the SPOT link at the top of the page, right hand side.