Monday, January 11, 2010
11 January - day #40. Stephanie and Pete Peterson, S/V Brilliant are an interesting couple. After he retired as the XO of Rota Naval Base, Spain, they bought a Moody 425 in Greece and for the next five years cruised the Med. To say they loved it is an understatement. A highlight was the Eastern Mediterranean Yacht Rally where some 70 boats cruised from Greece through Turkey, Syria and Israel. Three years ago they crossed the Atlantic in 21 days and have been cruising the US east coast ever since. Now, the grand-kids draw them to Maine in the summer while the promise of warm weather drives them south in the winter. Even with the Peterson's as a good excuse not to push away from the dock, we manage to cast off the lines at noon. Here, some 25nm 'up' river the St. Johns is very wide, mostly shallow and lined with moss covered live oaks. Going ashore in Green Cove Springs the effects of the recent cold snap are obvious. Brown plants are everywhere and even some that have been reduced to pools of cellular Jello. Warm, natural springs feed the St Johns and we finally got to see one close up. I was hoping for a warm bath. That bubble was burst by the prominent sign stating: beware of snakes. Just off the town of Green Cove Springs. 14nm today and 850nm total.
