Delightful Doug!

We have been going like gangbusters since the arrival of Claude's sailing buddy, Doug. We have made it to a little town of some sort called Satellite Beach, half way between Titusville and Vero Beach. We are taking advantage of favorable winds and currents when we can, and so pushed on from Titusville even though there was a space launch scheduled for today. With the goal of Miami firmly in mind, however, it is imperative that we go when the going is good. Doug is the perfect foil to Claude's convivial French flair. He is wonderfully dignified and slightly reserved. Of course if you come from Canada, he speaks like everyone else...however if you come from our neck of the woods his charming Canadien accent appears just when you would expect it...as in "out" and "about", etc. Like "Fargo". It's too cool. We have enjoyed getting to know him and Claude has certainly enjoyed having a helping hand. We are making good progress, and the warmth and sunshine keeps us going with much more enthusiam than the cold swamps of Georgia. The waters are much easier to navigate here as well. While we had to travel a dozen miles sideways just to make six in Georgia, we basically get up every morning and point the boat south. Then we go south for about 30 or 40 miles, and stop. In sum, every mile is STRAIGHT SOUTH!!! This is the first time we can go directly south in a straight line since Norfolk. This aspect, along with the gradually warmer weather, provides encouragement to all. There is only one worrisome spot: we have lost track of some friends. I mentioned the boat Grayling before, with it's Captain Chris, First Mate Nichole and their charming daughter Celeste. They were kind enough to give us something to eat during our worst time, and we were on the same track for Fernandina Beach. The last we saw of them was at the Jekyll Island marina, then they "poofed". They were having some boat troubles, but it would seem logical (since they left just before us from Jekyll Island) that we would have seen them along the way somewhere. I hope that we will run into them soon and be able to report they are well. Any number of things can happen to boats and boaters, and we have learned to look out for eachother.

One of the most uplifting things about this part of the voyage are the dolphins! Our first sighting, as you may recall, was in Mobjack Bay all the way up in the Chesapeake. Now we see them daily. Today as we were sailing under one large bridge, a trio of dolphins appeared off our bow. They swam right up to us, then performed several daring gymnastics in unison just like a group of sychronized swimmers. It was absolutely thrilling! At our little anchorage here at "Dragon Point" we were also greeted with a number of these lovely sea animals. For those wretches like myself that have been taken in by the Illuminatus trilogy, it makes one think of Hagbard Celine and his dolphin allies. They are incredibly smart, playful and fun to watch. Wish we could just talk to them...