Onto the over and out.

Lots of activity, not much wifi. In the past handful of days we’ve been back to Hopetown for a fun day with Sam and Kayda and a visit to the Hopetown Inn & Marina (it’ll definitely be in our freshwater pool guide as a four star, with an added mention in our supplemental guide: dryers that actually dry, and showers that are too pricey to bother with).

We then made our final crossing back over the Whale, and we’ve been bedded down in Green Turtle since. A front is blowing through, and with our wing keel sailing us back and forth on the mooring for three days, we’re certainly feeling it. We’re in Black Sound now, and it’s been great to employ our newfound knowledge of the island and its public docks to best arrange provisioning jaunts, laundry runs, fuel and water fills and general island romping. We’ve spent time at the Leeward Yacht Club pool, had the kids run to and fro in New Plymouth on its waterfront playspace, lunched, ice creamed and played the bean bag toss game as often as possible (it seems to be everywhere here).

Yesterday Andy and I took the girls on a long Sunday morning walk, which turned into a great exploration and eventual swim on the windward beach with its massive surf. We poked our way back along the hot and dusty road happily looking for treasure on its shoulder, but apparently looked pathetic enough to have a local stop and offer us a ride back. (Turns out we were pathetic enough- we took him up on it.)

 

After joining with Ruach we went to a leeward beach and the kids played together while we lounged on a nearby dock. Martin arranged for an Olympic showcase for Maeve and Lily while Violet made a birthday sign for her friend, and then buried herself on the beach in the sadness of missing birthday time with her bestie in Maine. It was an adorable showcase of Hawaiian sea grape-rimmed sand self-burial, even if its impetus was a blue one.

 

Today we begin our westward march back to Indiantown, starting with a small hop after school to an island a bit up the chain called Powell Cay (okay, I lied, we go westward tomorrow- today is a northbound journey). Tomorrow we plan on an early start for a ~60nm day to get us to Mangrove Cay, where we’ll stay for a night before our next long day (~75nm) to West Palm. The weather and conditions in the Gulf Stream coming up make it a good run for a day trip, and Lily really wants to see the crossing instead of sleep through it this time. Strangely (but completely identifying with their mother), their favorite part of last year’s offshore day and night was the stretch of time that they couldn’t see any land, and they want another go. Also, it’d be nice to catch a fish or two.

Anyhoo, that puts us in West Palm on Wednesday late afternoon/early evening if all goes to plan, and from there we’ll quickly make our way to Indiantown (a night in Peck Lake, and a few nights in the Stuart area to de-rig and start our decommission, which we’ve found to be a nicer setting than the boatyard itself).

I’ll spare you the depressive thoughts about leaving Chickadee that ran so rampant last year toward the end; the sentiments onboard are quite the same, but it’s too much of a bummer to simmer on it. For now we’ll just keep playing Chutes and Ladders until our eyes bleed, sew and bracelet-make like it’s the family business, read and play together as much as possible, and try to stow these moments for later use and comfort in the chaos of another season on MDI.