Dear Reader,
This morning was freakin cold. In Florida. In March. There were solid ice droplets on my boat. Miss Pink was not happy.
But I was just happy we didn’t have to paddle far and thus could stay in our tent with the fly doors closed to block the wind while we drank our morning coffee.
We only had a measly 1.8 nm to paddle to the small, quiet fishing town of Carrabelle.
There, Skip, the Innkeeper of The Old Carrabelle Hotel, met us at the public boat launch with his truck, loaded up our boats and gear and drove us the 1/4 mile to his Inn.
Dang, Skip even did our laundry! That’s what I call exceptional service. Thanks Skip! May your business continue to be a great success!
Then it was time for the Corn Beef Blue Plate Special at Carrabelle Junction just two blocks away. They even had sundaes, which we’d been dreaming about for weeks. Until it got cold. Today we weren’t even tempted. But I smiled to myself knowing if I wanted one it was right there for the taking.
Next stop was across the street at the Post Office where we picked up the first of five total resupply boxes we’d packaged up and addressed for our trip, ahead of time, and my Dad and his wife Sara are mailing off to us when we get within two weeks of the destinations. There’s things like the next sections’ charts and maps, and meds, and food we’d bought in bulk and divided up, etc.
Note: The USPS’s General Delivery only holds packages 15 days, not 30 like it says in the Trail Guide.
Tomorrow we’ll open the box, take inventory of the food and then go to the grocery store for eggs, fruit, butter, carrots, avocados, tortillas, etc.
And at noon my brother Rick is showing up. It’ll be great to see him. And he’s delivering some gear we ordered, and taking with him some gear and maps and charts we no longer need. Every item counts when you’re paddling small boats like we are. And when you’re paddling any boat really. Especially for miles and miles and miles. Every ounce has to be justified and absolutely needed. So we’re sending back my Tevas, John’s wetsuit booties, our extra pair of binoculars, our bird book (!!), a non- deet mosquito repellent, and my long underwear bottoms and wool gloves now that my new sleeping bag liner is arriving (and these winter conditions can’t last long, can they?!?).
Speaking of which, I’m glad that tonight we are sleeping inside.
We are alive.
We are healthy.
We are adventurers.
Goodnight!
Cheers, Susana
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