Sunrise across Cape Kennedy

The sun is rising over the silent silos of Cape Kennedy or Canaveral for those of us who have been around for awhile....,we spent the night anchored in the reflection of the strobes that announce the grand structures that once supported our space program. I am reminded that two years ago we stopped in Titusville hoping to catch the last flight of Endeavour, unfortunately that liftoff was cancelled. due to mechanical problems.  That was the flight that Mark Kelly was on which reminds me that if you have not read his book, "Gabby" about his wife Gabrielle Giffords, it's a worthwhile read from many prospectives.

During our short overnight stay in Beaufort, SC (pronounced bufort) we (I have to specify that as there is a Beaufort NC(pronounced bowfort, named after the same General)  managed a successful score of "Gullah Luv " whose ingredients are listed as Garlic, Oregano, Peppers, Spices, ' n uddan t'ings.  "Gullah Hot" is similar with Cayenne as second ingredient!  Made by Ultimate Gullah in Conway SC, I find that "Gullah Luv" has become one of my favorite spices, of course the local clerk at the register had never tried the spice.  On the way back from our walk into town we walked down the dock to "look at" a trawler... a 53'Selene..."Kraak." We were invited on board, lovely folks from Holland, Jan and Gert Klazinga who spend 6 months of every year cruising in the US on their boat, many glasses of wine later, we stumbled back to town for dinner  (oysters and Gumbo); my plans to "prepare" for our ocean passage on hold.
 
From Beaufort, the morning brought us through Port Royal Sound ( while I made oatmeal, applesauce, meatloaf, stuffed peppers) into the Atlantic Ocean for a glorious, peaceful 24 hour passage outside to St Augustine Inlet where we reentered to the ICW.
There is nothing like the "feel" of the motion of the ocean, although the wind was calm, there was a two to three foot swell that gave the boat a constant motion/movement that was somehow soothing, womb-like, except you had to hold on:) Seemingly endless pods of bottlenose dolphins entertained us as we journeyed south, we came upon a couple of huge napping turtles, such a wonderful sight. The sun set with a magenta palate over the calm sea and we rolled into an evening passage that brought us  across multiple shipping channels, but thanks to AIS (Automated Identification System) and the billion lights that the behemoth ships sport, finding the ships was not a problem.  While at watch at night those big, big guys are not the ships I worry about, it's the little sail boats that in such calm seas might not show on our radar.  Not all sailors are smart enough to take advantage of those nifty radar reflector thingies....I know.... I sailed with those guys......well... at any rate.... obviously we had an "uneventful" overnight passage....if you can call the brilliant waning moon rising over the horizon with the rays of light shimmering off the black glassy surface of the sea that is already shimmering with dancing star reflections "uneventful!" I was spiritually beautiful, something that only a higher power could create.