With a shorter travel day upon us, we delayed departure until the sun was up. This was also the warmest morning we've had in a very long time, requiring only two layers. Most of our anchor chain surfaced with a thick wrap of vegetation clinging tightly to the links. As hard as I tried to remove the grass with the just the washdown, eventually it required hands-on attention to remove large green clumps resembling Sigmund the Sea Monster. Once underway, we enjoyed a pretty day on the water. An interesting sign had us contemplating the optical illusion, much like the classic "Candlestick vs. Silhouette." Do you see stop, slow, or slop? We had our first osprey sightings today. Several were hanging out on daymarkers with no visible nest nearby. Could they be our Rappahannock osprey hanging out in Florida for the winter?
The highlight of the day was one playful dolphin that swam abeam of us. Since our departure from Jacksonville, we've had so many dolphins in our bow wave that their presence has become commonplace. We have been thinking back on last year this time on the west coast of Florida where the dolphin routinely performed alongside us. When standing on our sidedeck, the graceful animals are about three feet away as they leap out of the water. We were treated to a quite a show. The sandbars that gently rose from the water were both delicate and treacherous.
Exquisite homes lined the eastern shore of the ICW. This osprey nest was also quite impressive. I was particularly taken by the addition of the Spanish moss as a soft, cushy top layer. Small mangrove islands dotted the waterway and provided hiding spots for many folks in small boats fishing or just out cruising.
Our only bridge opening was perfectly timed and we eased into Fort Pierce shortly after 3:00. The anchor was dropped in line with eight other boats. I took my book to the bow and enjoyed the afternoon sun before going up to the flybridge to watch the sunset.
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