Close, really close

Nothing like a very quiet Sunday morning watching "A River Runs Though It" to inspire one's thoughts about what we are about to resume.  By this time next week, we will most likely be on our way back to Why Knot.  We will encounter an entirely different feeling this time since we left.  The southern migration is in full swing as evidenced by the dock cam at Charleston.  I look at it every day, half expecting WK to be crushed between two "ships" but it has not happened.  Some days, the dock is completely full and others almost empty.  This is due to the transient traffic seeking warmer, clearer water south.  The anchorage across from the dock has been busy and at times full.  I would bet it would accommodate a hundred boats easily. 

The go box is ready and all that is left is to load it into the blue toad rental car we have.  Enterprise must have us on some good customer list somewhere as we have, withing the last 10 months rented over 100 days.  Soon that will end and we are ready to get away from tourism ashore, except by dinghy.  The Bear's back thing has prevented us from using the dinghy since leaving the Keys.  We have missed much along the waterway in terms of gunk holing (exploring remote places).  That will change although we  plan to dodge some of the skinny water of the AICW with offshore work.  We are in the state of mind now just to enjoy Thanksgiving with family and a few friends then leave the house as it should have been the first time.  That 35 year old freezer in the dungeon that held an ice berg time capsule will now function as a trunk to hold family stuff.  That pile of brush below the old BBQ deck is now gone as is the old pit.  The air conditioner has been serviced and will be set at 50 degrees to keep the house from freezing should it come to that. 

As we did in January of this year, we will forgo long showers, large fridge, big tv and big spaces to once again live the dream.  We will see some ports of the past and some new ones.  We hope to skip some such as the back water marina in Pensacola where we had to intentionally walk out of sync lest we wobble the dock.  I wonder if the horse flies are still in the marshes of Georgia?  Our time here has been wonderful but we have the call of the sea yet to fulfill.  That window, thought not yet closed, is starting to close and we have much to do before we must tie her up one last time.  Given the volume of pictures we took the first 9 months, I am not sure the old hard drive will keep up.  Just how many beautiful sunsets, or rolly nights at anchor can one remember?  We'll let you know.  Look out troll, it's time to step over dead center.  Very Happy Thanksgiving everyone.