Friendsday Wednesday

Southport   

Our final day in Southport was bookended by visits from friends. This morning longtime boating friends Pete and Denise came by the marina for a visit. We have known them through their sailboat and trawler days in Deltaville. While many things have and continue to change, friendship endures. They are now building a new retirement house here in Southport (which we got to tour). It was so good to see them, and dog Gracie. We look forward to keeping in touch and seeing them again soon in either Richmond or on our next stop in Southport. In the afternoon we walked back to the park we visited yesterday. Five large boats had moved into the anchorage. We recognized Puff Card from Virginia Beach as folks we met at the Chat N Chill Pig Roast in George Town.

We found our favorite bench and I enjoyed some quiet time watching the white clouds travel across the deep blue sky. We joked about finding stars in the playground sand. Not quite the sea stars on a Bahamian beach, these were pieces of children's cereal. A pair of cardinals was hopping through the low limbs of the waterfront trees. In the open field, an ibis pranced along unfazed by our presence. The Cape Fear Yacht Club sits outside the marina property. A gray squirrel munched on low hanging seed pods. The final few hours of afternoon were spent preparing Crossroads for tomorrow's early departure. 

At 6:00 we walked up to the parking lot to meet David and Sue. As I waited in the sunshine, a strange looking, short, and squatty palm tree caught my attention. We went to Smoke House for dinner and enjoyed Carolina pork barbecue dinners with the special regional treat of red slaw. Ah, yes, home cookin! David and Sue will be following us by a few days up to our shared home port of Stingray Point marina. They are beginning their Great Loop journey and we shared stories and tips as they make their final preparations for the year-long journey. They were most generous in dropping us by Walmart to pick up a few items. We talked in the marina parking lot for another hour before saying goodbye for now. We'll see them as they pass through Deltaville and I'll return the favor of a provisioning trip to Walmart.