“Wheels up” at 6:20 am.  Not a whole lot different to see today except we went by Cape Canaveral, home of the Kennedy Space Center.  But no rocket launch so all was quiet.  It was warm enough to cruise in a bathing suit today!  Yay Florida!  I had a little excitement when we didn’t request an opening on a 27 foot clearance twin span bascule bridge.  And yes, once again I went up to the fly bridge and video taped the “event.”  It was close but we cruised right under just as Captain Steve knew we would!

So, today is day 13 of our cruise from New Bern, NC to Ft. Lauderdale, and day 18 since I landed in North Carolina from San Diego, moving onto the boat.  I want to say, I AM IN LOVE WITH BOAT LIFE!!!  I LOVE everything about boating:  living on a boat, traveling in your home, navigating the waterways, rules and etiquette on the waterways, boat “lingo” and terminology, docking and getting underway, monitoring the many systems on the boat…LOVE IT!

Steve is an excellent teacher with “the patience of Job.”  No stress and his favorite saying? “It will all become apparent before it becomes critical.”  He is also generous with complements and considerate when it comes to constructive criticism.  I had forgotten some of the boating terminology (and there was a lot I never knew) and when I started by saying something about the “ropes,” Steve would patiently say “lines,” I would repeat “lines.”  A few hours later I would say “ropes” and again, just as patiently, Steve would say “lines,” “lines” I would repeat.  Same thing with the “maps.” Steve, patiently “charts,” I would repeat “charts.”  I am slightly embarrassed to say how often that happened before I finally got it….so I won’t. “WHO CARES” 😉

Steve shows his confidence in me in many ways, and thereby builds my confidence: Leaving me in charge of the helm while he consults the charts or waterway guide, or accepts a phone call; allowing me to navigate through fixed bridges, winding creeks and ocean inlets; trusting my directions when navigating through channel markers; trusting my watch on our depth without trying to sneak a peek in areas of shallow water; leaving me alone in the pilothouse while he attends to something in another part of the boat…  He has checked the engine room several times a day every day for the last 13 days, leaving me alone in the pilothouse to run the boat!  Weeee!!

Did I say I love boat life? !!!  Thank you Captain Steve!!!

The bridge video: