Day 56 - Shore leave
The winds really picked up overnight. Captain had to turn on his makeshift anchor alarm (mapmyride app) and check a few times overnight. Our trusty anchor did us solid though and mostly we enjoyed the breeze that was going through the cabin of Ciara.
Captain and I took Kona to shore before the kids awoke and I enjoyed sitting in the boaters lounge typing up my log and chatting with other boaters. The kids texted saying they wanted showers (the two that didn’t take one the night before) so Captain went to get them while I finished up my me time. He came back with a Bloody Mary and fixings for me. :D
After we were all feeling ready for the day we made a quick trip back to Ciara to collect or things for the day. Cory and Bert were itching to take the complimentary bikes from the marina and go exploring. Cory knows their way around a bit so they were talking Bert on an adventure. They abandoned us and were on there way shortly after we returned to land. Captain, Dani and I went to the Toy Museum which is this cute little overstuffed shop that has old toys hanging on the walls but mostly penny junk toys from my childhood or earlier for sale. She also has lots of local artists works and jewelry for very reasonable prices. Lots of political pins and bumper stickers that I agreed with so I was sure to make sure I dropped some cash her way. Dani found a Lorax painted rock and was excited to find one for themselves.
We then headed to Whiskey Point to see the lighthouse. We showed Dani the Fresnel lens on display and then enjoyed soaking up to our knees in very pleasant water with Kona at the rock beach. The heat has returned in full force and it was magical how the heat just disappeared once your lower legs were wet.
Dani and I both really wanted ice cream at this point so we started to walk back the way came all the way to the other side of town. There are two state operated marinas here. We are anchored over near the north one but as we passed the second marina, we stopped by to chat with Joe and see when a good time for a pump out would be. There had been two boats overnight on the pump out dock and we needed to come in, preferable today or tomorrow before the day that we leave. Joe advised us “now” so instead of making it just a little further for ice cream we found ourselves walking quickly back to Ciara. Dani was great crew helping us quickly get our anchor up and fenders hung before we made it back to the pump out dock. We had a huge weed ball that we just let drag in the water rather than dealing with it right away. While Captain and Joe chatted and took care of shitty business, I took the dinghy to the bow and took care of the weed ball. Joe never saw me and when they were done he called me and said “Look, the weed ball took care of itself!” I had to explain I had magically done all that while they were chitty chatting. The water is so clear you could see the weeds I had pulled sitting in a clump at the bottom.
After we got pumped out and a full tank of fresh water we went back to our same spot and dropped anchor. NOW we could go get that ice cream!
As we walked, again, back towards the ice cream shop I came across Bert and Cory looking just exhausted from their bike ride. I am reminded how Captain and I must have looked after we did the same thing a month ago on lender bikes. They had made it to the campground, to Donegal Beach and almost all the way to the “big rock.” The highlight was a Blue Heron that took off right in front of them as they rode giving them a surprise and a show! We asked if they wanted to join us for ice cream. They were so exhausted they almost said no, but quickly came to their senses and joined us. And the ice cream was spot on what we all needed! Nothing beats that.
The kids all wanted to go sit in the slightly cooler boaters lounge and pirate power and Wi-Fi for awhile so they took Kona while Captain and I found air conditioning in the local Whiskey Point Brewery. We ordered some berry ciders and chips and salsa. Of course we met everyone at the bar who were mostly sailors. A couple came and sat down near the end who had raced the Chicago to Mac race on two different boats but were here by car and staying at a hotel on their return trip home. Big money racing and crew is a totally different kind of sailing then what I am familiar with. We shared stories and good times.
I told Captain it was just too hot to even think of turning on our stove and making dinner and so we texted the kids “want to go out for dinner?” Of course we got a resounding “yes!” We headed to the beachcomber and found outdoor shade seats so Kona could join us. We had a lovely dinner.
The day had quickly turned to evening by that point. The kids again went back to the boat house to sit while Captain and I went back to Ciara to play Last Post and Taps and grab our big battery packs to bring back to shore to pirate some power for just a little.
I played frisbee with Kona until after dark and eventually we all decided to call it a night around 11 and headed back to Ciara. In hindsight we spent the entire day OFF the boat and it was a welcome change. The winds are a bit high tomorrow and the kids are begging to stay another day and go shopping and get more ice cream so that is the plan. I made reservations in Fayette for Tuesday-Thursday so we are all excited that the weather is going to allow us to go back. Dani and Bert have only ever had one quick night there and haven’t really seen, learned or enjoyed the park so we are really looking forward to a day there before our time as a family for the summer comes to an end.
