A dolphin and a Pirate

777.8~ St Augustine - WE had a great evening in Daytona with Sami and Barry - cocktails on their boat and then dinner at Carribean Jacks across the river. We lef tour dingy up - Barry was generous enough to dingy us all with their tender as they are dragging theirs.  Great conversation about sailing, where we all came from , where we are all going ( who knows?) . Nice to be with folks who are enjoying the beauty and challenges of the ICW.  It's not just the ditch that some who have never done this think it is.  We have lots of challenges with water depths, navigation - we cross sounds, go up wide rivers, narrow rivers, into creeks, into historic little towns.  It's a challenge that takes patience and concentration. on our boat we are out in the weather as well. It can be cold or occasionally  very hot.  We had a long day from Daytona - we left at 7:30 and had to dilly dally as low tide a the Matanzas inlet was at noon. That is the spot to go aground this year.As the other boats that anchored in Daytona caught up with us we all chatted  we were puttering along palm Coast - had turned off our engine and had the jib out. Ahhhh....love that quiet. We let the 5 sailboats and 2 trwalers go by - after much chat about tide they slowed down as well. Ever After caught up as well and stayed caboose.  We got a call back on the radio from someone who was ahead of our 7 boats - he hit the inlet at dead low and gave us the instructions to go through.  We had to ignore the channel markers and go within 50 feet of the shore to keep enough water to get through. It was very distracting as Tow Boat was right there trying to tow of yet another boat that was in the middle of the marked channel and went aground.  The first boat just krept along and we all tried our best to follow his path.  Ever After was just far enough behind to see the lead boat's line - and ran aground - soft though because he was barely moving. They were able to back off - phew ! The only good news would have been that they would not have had to wait for the tow boat !

After we got through - we powered up and as if in celebration this dolphin came along side and swam with us for 20 minutes. Every time I thought he had gone because it had been too long in between his breaches - up he would pop spraying us and getting Tiller really excited.Tiller would get up on the rail and then when the dolphin popped up he would flatten his ears and his body down while still trying to dare to peek at the dolphin.  This was so much fun and the wind had cranked up that we didn't notice for a little while that we were being followed by a pirate !                    This guy must have come out of the anchorage at the fort and saw our Maine hailing port.  he cranked up his outboard and caught us at an opening bridge we had to slow down for.  He started his trip in Sioux City, Iowa and is on his way to Brooklin , Maine.  yes it that boat.  holly cow - all types  - see that blue flag he is flying - that's the Maine state flag ! Click on the first picture to make it bigger to get a perspective of how this guy is a little exposed to the elements. Our boat is 22,000 lbs and regularly rocked by motor boats passing by - we just can't imagine this young guys bravado or .....