One more day ‘till Glenny arrives! In a happy coincidence, the marina decided to put a new boarding ladder on our finger pier, which should make it easier to board the boat at low tide. A bit of minor gymnastics has been required to this point. One of the marina hands has been laboring for weeks to make 20 new wooden ladders all by himself. We see him sweating in the sun each day in his small corner of the marina where there is a growing pile of sturdy completed ladders. We’ve been providing him a coke with ice on the hot days and he’s been telling us about all the plans for the marina. The owners are located in England and apparently there is constant back and forth about what the marina staff thinks the marina needs to improve and draw guests. Among the items on the wish list are more showers, more washers and dryers, and more ladders.
Tommy continued exterior boat maintenance and correspondence with another sailing friend about battery charging quandaries. Paula took another long photography ramble, dodging raindrops and trying to get as many representative pictures of plants, insects, and animals as she can. The plan is to look them up at leisure. At least she will be able to learn about what we’ve been seeing, even if it’s after the fact! The featured picture shows Sargasso brown algae, also called Sea Holly or Gulfweed. It floats freely in the ocean here buoyed by its characteristic oxygen-filled “berries.” It often forms large mats that provide safe haven for breeding and juvenile fish, and those that eat them!
On land, it is quite clear that this is mockingbird breeding season. The birds have become very territorial and Paula has seen them carrying nesting material. Several times she was squawked at when she ventured into a bird’s turf. She witnessed one mockingbird attack and harry a much-larger Smooth-Billed Ani (a relative of the cockatoo) and drive it away, screeching. There is such a richness and variety of flora and fauna. It will take many trips before we learn enough to feel we truly know this place.
We took one more produce and treat run to the grocery on foot, and then had ice cream at the marina’s little coffee shop. There is going to be quite the piper to pay when we get back to St. Augustine and step on the scale!
Tonight’s dinner was pan-seared steak, using a new coffee rub that Paula wanted to try out to see if Glennis might like it. We had steamed green beans, Satsumaimo (Japanese) yam, leftover paprika cabbage with bacon, and the last of the Bimini Bread. Paula will bake another loaf in the morning so Glennis can try it.