April 20th and 21st Arrived in Vero Beach FL-rev

We motored and motored and motored all day long. At one point today (around 2:00) we were throwing around the idea of stopping at Peck Lake. Around mile marker 995. Eddie refused to go potty on the bow. I tried several times to put his harness on and walk him out to the bow on the leash. But he would have none of it. By the time we pulled into Vero beach it was about 7 o'clock. Eddie still hasn't gone. That little brain must be sloshing around in there.

I came up with the idea of a sort of stomp code.
Brittany was getting annoyed (understandably) with us stomping on the floor of the flybridge for her attention. It is neccessary however to warn her of getting waked for instance. Or what if we see a shark or a turtle or something. So.....1 stomp= Possible Wake, 2 stomps= come out we have to speak to you, 3 + stomps means your not moving fast enough ......................LOL

Right now we are doing 9 knots with the tide. We'll ride that for as long as we can. The wind is howling across the St Lucie inlet and its out of the East............chilly.

We had called Vero in advance and the dockmaster instructed us to raft up to #19 the Sea Star is the boat we'll be rafted up to. No one was on board so I jumped over to secure the stern and Brittany took care of the bow. What a beautiful boat the Sea Star is too.
France and Ian met us at the boat with warm smiles and an invitation for dinner. Gary started to get the dinghy ready to take poor Eddie to shore and check the lines etc. Eddie couldn't take the anticipation any more and dove over Gary's shoulder into the dinghy. Then he just stood and peed in the dinghy creating a tinkle puddle around Gary's feet. Gary immediately "requested" the hose and the pump. I promptly acquiesced to that request. Gary then took Eddie immediately to shore, and good thing because that wasn't all Eddie had to do!

We went over to the Veritas (France and Ians boat)and enjoyed great company, food and drink! The evening was a very nice way to end a long long day. We headed home and as we approached the VICTORIA in the pitch black we noticed a familiar silhouette on the Sea Star. It was Misty making the rounds. Exhausted, the last thing we wanted to do was deal with the cat. So Brittany set Misty up in the crate and we all hit the sack. We'll deal with it in the morning.

Friday I spent the morning on the shuttle bus to go to Publix. As usual I bought to much for one person to carry, but I'd manage somehow. Well I missed the first available bus and made friends with a lovely woman who was also waiting. There I was outside the market with all my groceries in the blistering heat. The woman told me that the shuttle has recently posted a sign stating that your not supposed to get on and off the bus loading groceries. great. Then I noticed her hands were free! She was very nice and did help me get some stuff on the bus and I only took up 2 seats, and the floor, and I stuffed the rest in my back pack, and held the rest. :)

Gary met me at the bus and all was well with the world. Brittany gathered and organized the laundry which is what we did all afternoon. In between waiting and doing we sat in the lounge. Brittany did some school work and we watched "Island in the sky" and "The High and the Mighty" both John Wayne classics. I started asking the other people in the room if they knew this actor or that one. Pretty soon everyone was involved in the movies. It took a couple of old movies and a couple of questions to turn a room of strangers into a roomful of friends. We were laughing and anylizing etc.

Back at the ranch, Gary was changing the oil in the boat and the generator. Brittany and I returned to the boat at 6 thinking I'd start dinner. Instead I found Gary had started Happy Hour with Pat and Paul on the Sea Star. Wonderful people and their from PAWTUCKET! ! Not only that they like cats!! However I don't want to encourage Misty to visit unanounced on other boats. Not everyone knows how special Misty really is. I can't beleive I said that. Gary even said the other day (when Misty was up on the bridge looking out over the water) "there was a time when I wanted to throw her off and now I'm getting nervous that she's gonna fall."

Then France and Ian dinghied over and we asked them aboard. VIOLA ...........a party.

Keep us in your prayers, your in ours
Victoria's Perspective
XXOO



We'll be here in Vero till Mon or Tues. We have laundry, shopping, and oil changes for the VICTORIA and the generator as well.