Ventolines and Crew left Brunswick at the end of February with no clear destination in mind. We know we will be back by mid-summer and that’s it.
We always in enjoy our time in the Brunswick Landing Marina. It is a great community of cruisers and boat owners. They actively plan things to do with one another and have regular pot lucks and parties. Just before we left they initiated a Mardi-Gras party to celebrate the Mardi Gras “season”. Although, as someone from New Orleans I must point out, that it wasn’t fat and definitely wasn’t on a Tuesday…
The marina makes our life a lot easier. While there a dog park provides space for Charlie and Tybee to roam, meet other dogs and you know, do their business. The free laundry is a big draw, as is the free beer… Wyatt spend many days fishing, after school. There weren’t many he did not land a fish, usually a Speckled Trout. But a Flounder or two and Redfish made the mix as well. Finally, the down town with restaurants and shops within easy walking distance, make it easy for us to squander our cruising kitty. But honestly, the food is incredible.
When the time case, we cast off with no fanfare. We just slipped the lines and headed under the Sydney Lanier Bridge and out the Channel. The large car carrier that flipped in the middle of the channel has been cut up and scrapped. Hundreds of BMWs now, most likely, melted down.
As we passed through the narrow channel, we started to feel the familiar rhythmic rise and fall of the bow. Dolphins escorted us and the channel’s bell buoys sung their tunes, letting us know this port would soon be behind us, if only for a few months.
If you haven’t left a port after being their for quite some time, the feelings are mixed. You anticipate new places and new friends. At the same time you are shaking off the known and comfortable to embracing risk. That brings a mild anxiety
That day was slightly rougher than forecast and 3 crew got sick and 3 crew didn’t. One that did not was Charlie, our Bearded Collie. This was his 2nd trip offshore and he could not have cared less that the boat was rocking from a quartering swell. He was just the calm dog he always is.
After that first day, we ducked back inside at Amelia Island and decided to take the ICW for a bit. Mainly because the weather wasn’t favorable and we had the luxury of time.