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We listened to the TV news at 7 AM and the VHF weather at 7:30 and pulled up
the anchors at 8 AM. The wind was 15-20 Kt NNE and one sailboat was ahead of us
all the way down. It was a good broad reach and we did 5.5-6 Kt at the start.
The wind decreased slightly after noon but we still did 5 Kt and reached the
entrance at 3:15 PM. 2 motorboats pulled in just before we arrived at the
entrance to Little Shark River. The sky was completely overcast and gloomy. It was very cold
but Jill made hot chocolate and soup for lunch and then it was not so bad. Two
pelicans kept landing just in front of us and watching as we passed. Then the
flew ahead of us again. One landed on the foredeck while Jill was on watch and
then jumped into the sea. 3 powerboats and ‘Southern Comfort’ and a small
fishing boat were already in the anchorage. A light rain started to fall as we
entered the river. We continued a ways up the river which is broad and deep with
birds on all sides and a dolphin just where we decided to drop anchor. We put
down both anchors because of the strong tidal current in the river. We had rum
and hot apple juice and crackers and port wine cheese to celebrate the passage,
great pre game festivities. Too bad about those Packers.
Super Bowl Sunday. The wind is right and we're off to Shark River!
1/26/98
MondayAnother front is coming thru and small craft warnings are up so we will sit it out. Thursday is supposed to be good weather. We put up the kite shade and rig it to catch water. We get a couple of quarts during a rain shower but because of the current the boat does not lie with the wind and the wind blows the kite shade inverted and more water does not go in the bucket. Still we get enough for showers on Tuesday and both of us feel much better. The water in the tanks should hold out till Wednesday and we still have 2 emergency gallons. There are lots of dolphin going by near the shore looking for fish and lots of birds wading along the shore. We watch a pelican and a crane almost get in a midair collision 3’ above the ground and 20’ from the boat. Jill sees several turtles going by and after much frustration I get a quick video of one. They just come up for a few seconds every 10 minutes. Later I pop my head up and there is one on the surface 20’ from the boat. He stays there for a long time but dives just as I get the video camera.
Waiting for weather to clear - day or 2. Anchored at Little Shark River - beautiful spot - pelicans, dolphins - shoreline is a tall variety of yellow, white mangroves. (Occasional (rare) fishing boat passes).
Still at Little Shark River Anchorage. Rich is working on lines. He took movies this AM of 3-4 small dolphin feeding near the boat! Not long after I was up front doing some stretches and sighted a huge turtle - loggerhead or (hawksbill ?) It came up 5 or 6 times to look at us! :)
Last night listened to Clinton's State of the Union Address. little Shark River must be a dolphin nursery! Up and down both shores there is a 'parade' of dolphin as Rich described it. 60's / partly sunny. Rich took movies of dolphins and hoards of birds :) and the turtles! :)