Water Like Glass

Finally, on November 18, 2019, our busy land life allowed us to cast off lines from the remnants of Dataw Marina and head south, chugging down the Morgan River and the long St Helena Sound channel. We had hoped to get in a few hours of good sailing. Winds were predicted to drop off late in the afternoon, but alas, the breezes sank quickly and after a single hour of sailing, the engine was required. Traveling south, through gentle breezes and pebbled skies, we moved into darkness and through the night. Daylight brought some blue above and below, but emptiness stretched again through a mottled sky at sunset and a starry night. Into the the dark, with a sea like glass, we moved across endless hours of emptiness. Around Cape Canveral's shores with its vast array of blinking red lights and tall lit buildings, Wind Dancer motored quietly. We arrived at dawn at Fort Pierce,  refueled and continued down the Florida coast to Lake Worth and anchored to rest at last. From Lake Worth, we steamed south again to spend Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd in Fort Lauderdale at the City Docks at Las Olas. Always a pleasure to be in Lauderdale. We stretched our legs and ate turkey that had been cooked and frozen at home and enjoyed the town, amazed by the mushrooming growth of rented scooters that zipped along sidewalks and streets. Friday was light southerly breezes and we motored on to Dinner Key where we moored for 2 days in sight of the lights of Miami.

Sunday and Monday, we continued our course, motoring through mirrored seas from Bimini Bay to Rodriguez and Rodriguez toward Marathon.

As we left Marathon, favorable winds at last! But what's this? The mainsail balks and jams tight into the mast. Despite Herculean efforts by Rick, no mainsail. And so, we finish our long trip to Boca Chica, the first one motoring he entire trip. Hope it is the last.