Merry Not-Christmas

Trip Start Nov 06, 2010

108

Trip End Ongoing

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Where I stayed

On the hook

Flag of United States Fort Pierce, Florida
Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Last night was a record low temperature for the 7th of December. The previous record of 42F was set in 1842, and we stumped that with a whopping 40F. I'm sure my parents in Minnesota, the boys' families and friends in New Hampshire, and the Woods Hole crowd all scoff at that number...but either way, bummer that we came to Florida for some of its record cold temperatures! Luckily, the forecast is looking to improve in the next day or two. We had the anchor up and we were on our way at about 0700 this morning. After yesterday's bridge fiascoes, we were happy to see that today would only bring one drawbridge right at the end of the day - no two-hour delays!

As yesterday marked one month since our departure from Woods Hole, I thought we should have some type of celebration. Before leaving Woods Hole, I had received a little bag of goodies from my friend Mackenzie - delicious homemade gluten-free pumpkin muffins, letters to be opened on specific dates, chocolate, and a Christmas present nicely wrapped for each of us aboard Hejira. Seeing as Connor will be leaving us before Christmas, I had been trying to think all along of a suitable occasion for us to be able to open our presents together. One month into our journey seemed like the perfect opportunity, so we celebrated Not-Christmas.

In my provisioning trips prior to our departure, I kept seeing Christmas decorations at various stores, and it was the first time it occurred to me that we wouldn't be around for the holidays. Not wanting anyone to get homesick when that time came, I picked up some miniature stockings that could serve as one small holiday decoration to give Hejira even the slightest "Christmas feel." I dug them out last night, stuffed them with a few peppermint bark chocolates, hung them up in the cabin, and propped each of our presents up by our stocking. How festive. Around 1000 today, I made a pot of piping hot cocoa, and the three of us enjoyed big mugs of it while opening our presents together. Clearly Mackenzie has some feelings regarding our maturity level: Peter received a package of tiny toy dinosaurs that grow when you put them in warm water, Connor received a little Atlantis LEGO kit, and I received two miniature tubs of Play-Doh. Thanks Mackenzie! It was the merriest not-Christmas ever.

We carried on our motorboat ride another hour or so when Connor, who was steering, realized we would be able to sail. We set the jib and were able to enjoy some peace and quiet for another two hours - it was a welcome silence! But alas, the ICW is narrow and the wind was no longer cooperating, so the jib came in and the incessant noise of the engine resumed.

Not much else to report for the day. Pete made some delicious bean burritos for lunch, and we're told we have some "spicy house fried rice" coming up this evening for dinner (read SPAM fried rice). It'll be a nice hot meal before crawling into bed tonight. We are hoping to get close enough to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow to just have a short day on Thursday - then it will be running around, getting ourselves ready to cross over the Gulf Stream as soon as the weather permits

~Ellie