We're in FLORIDA!

Chris here... I didn't think we'd ever make it here, but we're in Florida! I know - it's not that exciting, but it's a huge accomplishment to us since we started on Lake Champlain in October, not even planning to be cruising. I'm sorry to tell all of you northeners this, but we're wearing shorts, and it's supposed to be in the mid to upper 70's here all week.

Our passage went well. We'll post a few entries about it over the next few days. It definitely had its ups and downs, including accidentally entering the Gulf Stream. It was supposed to be two and a half days, but ended up being four full days and three nights. We left Charleston on Thursday at 8am and arrived at Vero Beach some time around 4pm-ish today. We originally planned to go 358nm (411 miles) but ended up going 445nm (512 miles) due to weather (wind and waves - not storms). It is what it is, and the good news is that we're not against doing it again - people were right when they said you settle into a rhythm, and that short (single overnight) passages are more difficult and exhausting.

Anyway, I'm off to sleep - perhaps for a full 8 hours tonight as opposed to the 3 hours I'd catch at any one time on passage. Our bed is mostly dry again, our sheets have the salt water washed off of them (yes - our V-Berth still leaks like a sieve) and I'm looking forward to some normalcy for a week or two. I'll be sure to share with you what we hope our plans will include over the next week or two.

By the way, our friends on Provence had to turn back after 3 hours out from Charleston. Apparently, they had a small fire/meltdown in their engine room. It wasn't anything overly serious, but they have to replace some parts and will try to get going soon. Our other friends from Evolution are currently out at sea, approximately 60nm off of St. Augustine. We don't know if they plan to come to Vero Beach, or if they are heading to their original destination of Ft. Lauderdale. Their SPOT track has them angling this way, but it may be just to move closer to shore - the winds and waves are supposed to be picking up where they are. I wish them fair winds and following seas, but they'll probably have the same thing we had - winds in their face and steep waves against them. They were supposed to leave the same day we did, but it looks like they didn't leave until yesterday.

Did I say I was going to sleep? Yep - I know - I talk too much. By the way, we met a couple here at Vero Beach that is from Port Henry, NY, a town on Lake Champlain that is close to where we used to keep our boat. Small world...

OK... off to sleep. We'll update y'all (that's southern speak) tomorrow, or the next day, and Kristen has said she'll get back to writing her good blog entries shortly, so you won't have to read my boring droning for much longer :)