What a day!! what an AMAZING day! We got underway around 10am leaving the Ft. Lauderdale Marina to motor through the canal out to the ocean. I really didn't have a clue as to what i should expect and couldn't have been prepaired for what it was like. The waterway was outstanding, cutting through the "backyards" of some of the most gorgeous homes i have ever seen. Some of the "modest" structures, beautifully manicured lawns, waterfeatures or swimming pool, with their private yard-dock and boat tied to (none of which could have been less than a million dollar estate) but toward the end of the route, closer to the ocean there were homes and private yachts i could only describe as excessively exquisit! {For those of you who may not know, I have a thing for architecture.. i LOVE well designed houses and properties!!} People with lifestyles i can't hardly imagine anyone actually living but there we were, rubbing fenders with them. What really made the day fun though, was sailing past people through the way, everyone waves --pardon the pun-- seeing the cargo ships and 200ft. yachts and feeling the salt water spray misting my face as we passed under that final draw bridge into the Atlantic Ocean.
While we were waiting on deck, Tina and i had great conversation. As we have been getting to know eachother more we talk about our lives, our pasts, and she has started to ask me things about faith. Yesterday sitting on deck she opened up about how she has seen God(or something really coincidental) bringing things about in her youth. I am floored. glad to have an openess that will hopefully be an encouragement to us both and strengthen the kingdom!! (Please be in prayer for our relationships on board and my faithfulness to share Christ)
Finally the wind picked up, we opened our sails, catch, fill, and just like that we take off. Arctic Tern is a streamline sailboat so we just cut through the current and smaller waves but my favorite is when we ketch a large ship's wake or a decently sized rogue wave that sets our bow as gravity quently spikes it back down! Definately not a sport for the fragile-stomached... haha But thankfully i have not experienced any disorientation or queasiness and i can honestly say i have no propensity for sea sickness anyway. Even cooking and eating while rocking up and down and up and down and up.. was fine. :)
After all the under-sail duties had been taken care of, I was so glad to have the sun back on my face that i grabbed a book, posted up on deck, sprawled out and read, got sucked in and ....low and behold, burnt up. hahah It a bonehead move on my part but even though i was toasted last night i've already woken up with nothing but a tan. -->sunblock from here on out Mom, no worries!
After 5.5hours and 30miles of ocean we arrived at our first destination, Biscayne Bay -Just around the bend from Miami. The landscape was beautiful, Lighthouse included, and the sky was warm and delicious. We tried to set anchor in the shoal there but only clear about 1ft. of water under our draft we were unsuccesful 3 seperate times. So we ended up finally "parking" closer to Miami in time to catch the sunset. The lights of the city were multi-colored and bright even being as far offshore as we were which only made it mildly difficult to fall asleep.
SO, after dinner we realized that our generator was not longer working as well as the bildge pump, that wouldn't stop running but wasn't really pumping anything. Heart....Broken.... We may need to go all the way back to Ft. Lauderdale if we can't find a marina around here that is: open to visitors, deep enough, and doesn't have any low bridges (an order that is actually pertty tall in these parts) We'll see what happens. All i know is that there isn't much laughing or conversation today.
Lord, I know that this is in your hands and i believe that you are orchestrating all these things and are working through them for our good and your glory. Thank you for the perfect weather and our safety on board. I ask that through this set back, and the rest of my trip as well, you provide opportunity to share truth about you and your love. Continue to work in our hearts i pray.
-Amen
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