We are departing a week after Mother’s Day. That week was rainy, hot and stormy…..why torture ourselves? The marina is paid for until the end of the month. Last year, we left late too, even later than this, I believe. The weather was stormy all the way north. Larry would rather leave around April 1st. I want to spend Mother’s Day with Mom. We already missed all the December holidays this year due to the boat work and leaving the Chesapeake December 1rst. It’s tough for me to leave Mom. I always stress about it because it might be the last time I see her…..I know, silly, and I have been feeling this way for many years…..but she is 94ish……The church records in Galicia, Spain, do not match the civil records. Then, when she fled Cuba in 1961, she took a year off her age in order to find work more easily. The younger the better…..This woman has had to leave two countries because of revolutions. Spain, during their civil war, then Cuba, after the Castro revolution. Anyway, back to our trip….

Monday, departed Hollywood Florida. AICW mile marker 1072.5, according to the Waterway Guide. It’s a tight channel between piers in the Marina…..if windy, we don’t go. Today, it was blowing NNE 5. Easy exit. Beautiful day, we were cruising around 6+ knots against the current and wind. Great start, until…..first glitch of trip: Atlantic Boulevard Bridge stuck in close position…..cars were stuck too, gates were stuck down. Lots of honking…..beyond the usual Florida honking…..Finally, 2:45, it partially opened and we went, we made it! Bridges with technical issues concern me……I made a nice cold fruit smoothie while we waited. Finally, anchored in Lake Worth, AICW mile marker 1014.

Tuesday,Mom went to the hospital last night. That is a record. One day after we left. She took too much laxative and dehydrated badly. Underway by 8:30. We continued on to Vero Beach. Tied up at Suntex Vero. AICW mile marker 949. Today I was stressed over Mom and really couldn’t enjoy some of my favorite areas in Florida, such as Hobe Sound, Peck Lake, etc. I just wanted to push on to Vero.

Wednesday, stayed in Vero. Dealing with Mom issues. We did walk to Davila’s, a favorite Italian restaurant. Good walk too….golf course, tons of bird life…..

Thursday, rental car and we drove back to Mom’s. She is home but I wanted to see her….Larry drove 3 hours down and 4 back. Mom looked fine. On the drive back, I thought I saw a launch from Cape Canaveral. Yep, looked it up and yes, a launch. When we got back to marina, in the dark, we almost couldn’t get back in. It’s a gated community and when we walk, we use a back entrance. Googled it and found the main entrance, miles away. Fish were jumping like crazy as we walked out onto our pier. Splashes sounded like big stuff jumping.

Friday, got up early and sat out in the porch having coffee. Lots of fish and birds….and birds fishing….it’s that time of day. Then we did some errands, such as food shopping, returned the rental car. Departed marina by 10:10….lots of dolphins playing inside marina basin. Another lovely day. Mom sounded fine on phone. Breezy, nice….anchored off Cocoa, marker 897.8. Early to bed, we are still tired.

Saturday, another gorgeous day in Florida. Anchor up at 8 AM. Manatee right in front of us. Then we went thru my favorite cut, Haulover Canal. Lots of manatees playing or mating. Lots of small boats out: we are traveling on Florida waters on Memorial Day weekend. If we were further south, we’d sit for a couple of days. But we also need to be out of Florida by June 1st for insurance purposes……hurricane season begins……today we continued until Daytona Beach. Anchored at AICW mile marker 832. Covered about 240 miles this week.

So ends our first week out.