" I hope you find happiness in whatever life brings to you.
You are free and you have but one precious life.
I hope you live it with wind in your hair!"
… a 2nd grade teacher I dated
October. The word says it all. Where in the U.S. is October not the best month of the year? I don't have to describe it to you, cause we all know it's true.. the air more crisp, the humidity more less… Summer is leaving it's mark for the transformation that is ahead… hunker down folks and smile as the energy builds, as summer makes way for autumn, and as the daylight and the nighttime
share an equal span of the day.
I returned to Amelia Island in mid October and here's some of the news I found and some of the news I made myself… Namaste.
-- Sat., Oct. 19
Now this little section ain't boat talk, but I thought it was cool…. It seems this little town called Fernandina Beach is always having some type of event, festival, or big local tadoo just about every weekend.
So much to my surprise there was a classic car show in town early this morning... The entire Centre Street was closed off to make way for the display of the shiny beasts... wow, there' must've been at 100 or more top notch, collector cars.... 55 Chevy's, Corvettes, 1933 treasures restored, and lots and lots of chrome....here' some pics.
I was planning a big day of boat projects like installing the fresh water foot pump and/or the new fridge system... but I was easily distracted with my local buddy, Jesse, dropped by and started talking about going fishing... the projects can wait, it's time to go fishin'...
so we got Dazy all ready for blast off... so many things you must remember before leaving the dock in your inflatable boat.... the engine, spare gas, oars, VHF radio, small anchor, life jackets, a throw cushion, fishing rod, fishing lures, fishing license, a few basic tools, sunscreen, water, snacks, and even the little whistle that is required by law. The only thing we forgot was the fish stringer… it turns out we didn't need it.
My fishing luck continued to be basically non existent as we casted lure after lure into "special fishing spots" Jesse had identified... we even casted in what we termed the "honey hole"... it was there that I did snag this one small blue fish tho... too bad they are not very good to eat so we released him. We lost an anchor in the process… it got snagged on something below that just said, "nope, it's mine now."
After that, I took a nap, chatted with Mom, and unpacked the rest of my car just before this huge thunder storm blew in… It came in quick and hard… In the process of rigging a new rain tarp system over the boat, I became completely soaked and soggy in my clothes... lightning bolts all around should have scared me away, but I couldn't get any wetter than I already was, and I didn't know any better to get out of the rain, so I finished the job and then stripped down buck naked in a boat where I had tossed in all the groceries, bags and supplies that were getting wet in the cockpit of they boat. The boat was a total wreck inside… it was sort of like someone shook it all up and let all the stuff land wherever it could… now I can laugh about it.
It made my day to receive this text message from my daughter, Amy, after going through that little mini-crisis with the storm pelting down on me and boat mess ...
One good thing tho, is that I finally completed the installation of the new fresh water foot pump... Man it sure is purty.... It will make water usage more efficient and draw zero power from the precious battery bank...
onward to Sunday... what adventures will it bring... God, I love it here, and thank you so much.
October 20
great morning... up at 8:30 ... that's 9 hours of sleep... (Lord, I just love not setting an alarm anymore) .... 1 cup of java.... 30 mins on guitar to learn Angel From Montgomery... then a bike ride on my Raleigh 10 speed to the beach at Amelia Island... yoga on the sand, 50 push ups, 2 mile run in the course crystals of golden sand.... then back on the bike home,,,, but no, Joey won't stop here... he must enter Fort Clinch State Park because the biking there is truely awesome… they have great level paved roads under the shade of immense live oaks that tower over the road... onward in gear 9... luckily I brought water… surge.
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| Ripples on still water. |
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| This is one of my favorite sun shots. |
Then to the pier where I learned many fishing tips from a veteran fisherman of the jetties… according to him, Monroe, it seems I need to order a product called Bass Kicker and another one called Fish Bites... both are enticements to redfish and trout in that they mimic the odors fish cannot resist…cannot resist? I liked the sound of that…. hey, it's worth a try… then more biking out to the campground, then I walked the bike along the bay side back to the black top highway for the last hoorah home…
what was supposed to be a one hour outing, turned into three and a half hours.... so now back to boat projects, you obsessed deacon of the sea… then there was a nice visit w/ my neighbor Dave V who droped by for a friendly chat… it's busy being a retired boat guy. I hardly have time for a nap anymore…hee hee...
Dinner at the Salty Pelican with an nice sunset, tho not one of our bests.... finally, a trip to winn dixie for those groceries I didn't have time to buy yesterday… hmmm, I think I'll trim my toe nails tomorrow. //sweet dreams great world... I love you love you love you…
Rise.
Drink coffee.
Poke head out of hatch... see cloudy day.
Read instruction manual for new refrigeration unit.
Unpack entire storage locker of the cockpit and plan out the installation of this cooler unit.
Repair the crimped hose from the scupper that was clogged.
Begin work on remodeling the fold out bed. Get hinges.
Search the web for my most recent interest ... an arch… one of those towers that bolts to the stern to hold all your gear like solar panels, dinghy, radar, etc... yep. dreaming'.
yoga class at 5:30.
nice day... overcast most of the day
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| Dreaming of a tower (arch) like this one day… to hold all my "stuff" |
Here are Some Parting Shots From October in Fernandina Beach…
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| My neighbor, Fred, aboard Rhombus anchored at Cumberland Island. |
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| Another boat named Glory Days… funny thing, his name is Joe also. |
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| hmmmm…not sure what to say about this one… the dog eats well tho. |
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| Excellent dock crew at Fernandina Harbor Marina… Roger and Krey on the right. |
Here's some scenes from night life in Fernandina town…. Dog Star Tavern… Actually, there's 4-5 venues that have live music that goes on into the night…. It's nice that's its only a short walk, or crawl, away to get back to Glory Days.
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| Typical sunsets as seen from the marina. |
Daughter, Amy, makes her way back to Glory Days… We enjoyed 5 days of sun and water … with no doctor's appointments this time… 2 nights anchored at Cumberland again and episodes of fishing and wishing … but it seems like the wishes come true … I wish I could say that for the fishing… but we'll never give up trying.
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| Readin' and fishin' … thinkin' and dreamin'…. |
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| After a brief scare to this Captain, Amy got a handle on how to operate little Dazy here. Turn the handle the "opposite" way you want to go dear! |
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| Exploring the south end of Cumberland. |
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| I can DO this! |
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| They'll never know we took the rental bikes on the beach… ...unless they read this blog. |
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Hey, let's go this way! No, I Meant This Way!  
These birds were enjoying their reflection on a Sunday afternoon.
Another submarine passed us on the way to Cumberland again. They reside at the nuclear sub base near St. Mary's… This one was a bit smaller than others we've seen.
 
The Sandpiper… the busiest bird on the beach… he's got lots of business to tend to it seems… he says, "go here, go there, wait, stop, hurry up, turn around, get back over here!,this way! that way! no! over here!, move it! what's that?! let's go! next!
The short life of a horseshoe crab (s)… No, they don't line up like this on purpose… you have to find their shells and and make art work with them like this.
Hi, I'm on my way out, … do NOT try to save me.
 
Remember, it's called "line", not rope… but we'll work with you on that.
  
The Daily Grind at Cumberland Island… I sure do miss Atlanta traffic… :)
The tide app on my cell phone from Sea Tow is a daily tool… I love the visual look.
Arriving back from Cumberland… Thanks Orie for the photo.
Thanks Orie for changing the light bulb up there!
  Yay Dixon and Patricia! Great Friends from Cordele, Ga. came down for a weekend. It required me to go BACK to Cumberland again… they had to twist my arm to make me do it again… yea right…  
I"ve known this guy since kindergarden folks… are we talking over 50 years?! I lose track after a few hours, much less years… Thanks man, for helping with the home stretch of connecting up the fridge system… we 2 worker bees got it done.
A cold beverage after a hard day… like I said before… somebody's gotta __ __, well you know the rest.
 
So Long October.
You were wonderful tonight.
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