Back to the Nomadic Water Bird

We're sending this from 30,000ft in the sky,somewhere between Dallas and Orlando.I guess it,s eairmail.Yukyukyuk.We've spent the last week in Tyler Texas visiting our aunt Shirly who has been very sick and having to deal with the grief of losing her son (cousin Larry) just a few weeks ago.She's being looked after by aunt Beryl and cuz Corrine and of course her good friend Inez and we think she's going to do ok.
Now it's back to Vero Beach to pick up Jabiru and continue south.
Well we're back on the ground,well and truly,and the sky thingy wouldn't upload photos so we had to move on I guess most of you know what we've been up to so this is a brief look at the last couple of hectic (by cruising standards) months.

We spent our time in Oz staying with Geoff and Sue and Amber,Sophie and Jack not forgetting big Dave.Of course we had to help paint their house as payment but they were kind enough to give me a week off to visit daughters Lisa and Lainie and grandkids Laura and Brigit in Sydney.As soon as the house was painted we were told to leave so headed back to New York.
We got to Liberty Landing around midnight and left NY the next afternoon accompanied by the Queen Mary 2.It was cold but we had good strong northerlys to blow us nearly all the way to Norfolk ,where we motored in the last few hours just before the winds turned south again.From there it was an easy 3 days down the beautiful Dismal Swamp and so on to Oriental.We always have a great time there ,catching up with our oldest(most of 'em are young) American friends.It definately wasn't getting any warmer so after a couple of days or so we headed south again this time accompanied by Perry and Susan (and Holly their border collie) on Jabiru's "sister ship " Grace.We jumped straight out at Beaufort in a stiff northerly,20 -30 knts with 8-10 ft waves.Once again we flew south pretty much keeping up 7 knts and after more than 2 days of exhilerating sailing we motored the last few hours into St.Marys inlet and round to Cumberland Island wher we had a luverly couple of days of exploring and thawing out.
I also had a lucky escape from a wild armadillo and we all managed to escape to the Cabo Rico mooring area off shore.


After a night in St Marys we took the inside route to beautiful and fascinating St Augustine where we had an absolutely miserable time!!

Outside again,we beat into a 10-15 SEaster for a couple of days and got to Cape Canaveral a day to late to see alaunch ,but it was cloudy and rainy too so probably wouldn't have seen it anyway.Next day was warm and Floridary and after our nights rest and Dragon Point we left for Vero beach ,where we rafted with Grace and kicked back for Thanksgiving and just enjoyed being down south.We met up with Evan from Anna Livia,who we'd met when we were getting repairs in New Jersey,and he foolishly brought a bottle of excellant Irish Whisky over for a playing session.Even had the hide to leave the empty bottle on Jabiru when he went home.Twas agood nights music,just ask us.
We also had a couple of triffic sessions with Eric from Further.Boy can sing.As usual we met new friends and saw old ones and by the time we got back from Texas it was time to move south again.Every time you get warm and comfy those darn Canadians throw another cold front down.We stopped o'night at Lantana and then on to Ft Lauderdale where we met up with Fred from Casa Mare and went out again the next day to get down to Miami before the next savage cold front.This was accomplished with ease except for nearly running into a giant submarine.That ,of course ,is an exaggeration,could even be called an outright lie.Anyway here we are in Miami and the weather's lovely again and we're going to enjoy that before the next front comes through,in a couple of days and then it's off to the Keys with the Cabo Rico flottila.Looking forward to new territory and maybe water warm enough to swim.