Stuff that changes during absence

Twelve days more or less until we point WK's bow to sea.  It depends on what we find when we get aboard again.  Stuff does change.  For instance, we found the wild life really closed in around our house when we left last time.  We now have a really fine looking pair of fox that enjoy leftovers.  Jake is the one that comes closest and he is the first gray fox we have seen here.  His friend stays farther in the woods.  Jake has made it a habit of checking the place where we dump scraps every night.  By morning, the stuff to the  crumb is gone, except the pinto beans.  Methinks we might have made them too spicy for his tastes.  It is entertaining to watch him on the night scope.  We have a very nice buck with an excellent rack also roaming the yard.  The other day might have ended differently if I continued walking his direction. He was not giving up ground.  I thought it best to avert the joust given the state of my running abilities these days.  Then the other night we had a visitor that I did not recognize.  It was low and slinky and black about two feet long.  I don't have any idea what it was other than some one's ferret. The point is that during the time we were gone, wildlife moved in.  I sure hope the same is not true for Why Knot.  We should have left a fumigator aboard in our absence.  We are still looking for one for our resident troll. 

We have been in touch with SV Breezin' currently underway to Florida.  They spent last evening in Offatts Bayou after a 65 mile day in one of the busiest parts of the ICW (south of Galveston).  He encountered 35 knot winds on the nose and lots of tows.  It brought back memories as we hit similar conditions in that stretch of the ICW.  Rain, 50 degrees and high winds make for miserable days underway.  Breezin is about to enter a very boring part of the ICW east of Galveston where the tallest things one sees are cows and High Island.  That island is an ancient salt dome in the middle of the low country.  Otherwise, it is like walking from Van Horn to Sonora- straight and nothing to see.  This time of the year the fronts are frequent and can be nasty.  It is not necessarily a good time to "do the GIWW ditch".  Though we passed that way in early February, the nights are about the same lately.  It is difficult to stay warm when there is a fine 45 degree mist in the breeze.  Then again, as we found, a good double wowzer day happens every now and then so one can warm up.  Breezin is motivated by the destination of St. Petersburg where such days are common. 

We went on line today as we do every day to look at WK on the dock cam.  MV Bacalao is gone.  We had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know the captain of her and it is a bit of sadness to see her leave.  That is the way it goes and we hope to see Bacalao again somewhere.  Along the way, we have met several crews and look forward to seeing them again somewhere.