December 18, 2011

Sunday December 18, 2011

I woke up to chatter from neighboring slips here at the Marina and I heard Fred’s voice in the mix.  Boat and weather opinions were being exchanged.  I could already tell the day was going to be beautiful from the blue skies and shining light streaming in from the hatches.  First on the agenda for me...a real shower.  I am talking about letting the warm “fresh” water spray over my entire body without turning it off and on and sitting on the toilet.  Actually, I was able to shampoo my hair twice and I didn’t even want to get out but this was enough luxury for the day.  I really loved the gift of a shower though!

Fred decided to move Casa Mare’ out to swing on the hook and swing we did.  At the marina, it was $30.00 a night, Water was 60 cents a gallon, $10.00 a day for internet access and I have no idea how much electricity was.  It was clearly more economical to swing on a hook just north of the marina.  The wind was strong and we had to set anchor, twice.  The first anchor set well but the winds carried Casa Mare’ on a collision course to merge with a neighboring sailboat.  They had two anchors set to prevent theirs from swinging with the current as well as with the wind.  The harmony of the vessels movements seemed to sync except the one we were moving towards.  Fred started the engine but by then our dinghy prop was over his anchor bow line.  Immediately a neighboring boat was speeding to the rescue in his brand new dinghy and helped us out.  At last...we were free and moved even further north, making us more vulnerable to the elements of wind and current but, nothing to collide with unless the anchor didn’t hold.  Anxious to go ashore, we explored the beaches to the west of the island.  I found my 1st conch and wanted to keep it.  I thought it may be the last one I ever see on a beach.  In Wrightsville beach, mine would be considered a find.  Not here!  Walking a little further they were everywhere, some prettier than mine and some larger, but mine was special.  It was my “first” find.  I picked up a few pieces of sea glass as well as a sponge, a few pieces of coral and a variety of shells to bring back and try to identify.  It was hard not to pick everything up and I had suddenly realized this was not the last beach I would be beach combing.  I collect sea fans and as luck would have it, there it was, waiting to be found.  I claimed it also.  We explored a really old cemetery which was covered with some type of thick mossy grass.  It reminded me of Bermuda grass but Mercy, thick means when walking on it my feet would sink down about 6 inches.   It felt wonderful to step into it. 

The evening was rocking and rolling.  I woke Fred up to tell him there was a strange noise coming from the bow and I thought we were dragging anchor. 

Fred jumped up and said, “the snubber came lose”.  Darn it all, I was the one who set the snubber.  We both ventured on deck with flashlights only to find the snubber was still secure.  A sigh of relief flew through my body.  It was hard to sleep after that.  Like a new house, all the creeks and bumps were something I had to get used to.  I lay there going over the day and during the mess with the first near collision, I could see the anchor at the bottom and right next to it was a huge Star Fish.  I knew this was not the time to shout to Fred with excitement of my discovery, but that darn thing looked to be about 8” and very well fed.  God reveals so many wonderful things to me, even in a crisis!  I thank God for all the gifts he has given me.