It's interesting that chores seem to fill whatever time is available, usually without a lot of breathing room. Thursday and Friday were busy working our way down the check list - clean everything, winterize the engine and fresh water systems (it's not supposed to freeze in Florida, but better safe than sorry and the boat is not in the water), securely cover the dinghy, the list is long. True to form, everything got done, although after rigging the tarp over the dodger in 20-25kts of wind, we bagged that idea thinking a loose tarp could do more harm than good. What didn't get done was a lot of recreating, just one quick walk on the Greenway, something we both enjoy. The weather was cooperative, a mix of clouds and sun, no rain, and temperatures varying between the mid 60's to 80, a welcome change from last year's persistent fog. Our fingers are crossed that, given the precautions we've taken, mildew won't be a problem when we return in February.
Our Jet Blue flight home was on time and uneventful, always a plus. It never ceases to amaze me that we retrace our track in a matter of hours. Traveling 100X our boat speed has something to say for it, but the tradeoff is you miss the interesting details . Since our flight left after dark and it had been cloudy when we took off, we missed getting a full bird's eye view of our journey. In the past, it has been interesting to pick out details of where we've been while getting a broader perspective of the coastal area. The clouds disappeared by the time we past Charleston, allowing us to look at the twinkling lights on the land, a contrast with the black offshore.
This year we didn't return to a snowy, deep freeze. Taking advantage of the somewhat more temperate temperatures, brushing the 50's and sunny during the day, we switched from boat work to yard work. While we have a friend take care of the leaves, the gardens always have work waiting to be done. I dug the last of the carrots and beets, and we'll pick hardy fall veggies until the ground freezes, but the tender plants that were still growing when we left in October needed to be cleaned up, and the leaves mulched on the garden. Without snow, it feels more like fall than Christmas this year.
Antares log will begin again when we head back to Tiger Point February 10. Until then, we both wish everyone a joyous holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year.
Leonard and Lynnea Rosner
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