Tuesday, April 22, 2014 – 11 PM – Leg 13/Day 23 – 46.5 Miles

Tonight is one of those rare nights when the leg does not end at a marina. It was longer than possible to get to the next one and way too short to stop at the last. It was a long travel day and all inland. There were a couple of rivers that led out to the ocean, but mostly trekking down narrow streams and channels.

The weather was just about perfect. The wind picked up in the afternoon but a scattering of clouds made the sky interesting.

There are channels that head off into every direction and without guidance; I could see how one could get lost. Navigating here before maps had to be a difficult task at best. I'm sure that without dredging these waters would be ever-changing.

I have decided that for the next 3-4 weeks I am going to stick to the 5-day travel schedule so that I get out of the salt water. The boat is holding up well, but the grime that has built up on the sides is really gross. I'm going to have to find something to clean it off. Not sure what it is, but I suspect it's the oils from all the boats and ships. Someone called it the ICW boat tattoo. I'll start asking around and see if someone knows something biodegradable that will clean it off.

Sarah called today and we had a nice chat. Asked her to take some time and come with me for a bit. We talked about her flying out at some later date but didn't set up anything firm. She is going to think about it and let me know later. I think it would be fun to have someone along to enjoy the trip for a while, but I also know she has her own life and uprooting for a month would be hard. 

My thoughts are dwelling upon my kids tonight, I really miss them. They are both doing so well. Katie is talking about taking part of her summer break with me. Lizzie has said she would like to do some too but she loves Corpus Christi too much. I'm so proud of them both. For the crap they went through as kids, I sure am glad how they turned out. Kat and I did our best, but there was a period of time that we screwed up a lot. Through it all, they ended up with good heads and greater hearts.

Peace and joy to all my loves. Thank you Lord, for letting me be a part of their lives and for them being a part of mine.