Manatee Zone......................from K

I'm beginning to think that the "Manatee Zone - NO WAKE" signs are just a ruse to make boats go slow. We've been seeing these signs for four days, and no sightings of a manatee yet! The dolphin are still plentiful, although we've noticed their tail fins are much smaller than the ones farther north - a different family? We've adjusted to the slower pace - more leisurely breakfasts, longer books, and afternoon naps!
We've been staying on the hook since St. Augustine, which I surprisingly love. There's no stress of making arrangements with marinas and tying dock lines and remembering bathroom codes. P just tosses the anchor and we pray it holds. The evenings are warm so we watch the sunset (around 6 pm!) from our cockpit while playing cards or dominos. We're not seeing familiar boats, which means that they are either way ahead of us, or we have somehow sailed ahead. If that's the case, we'll give them a week to catch up while we hang in Cocoa Beach. We're going to spend some time with my sister, Kathy here. Actually, P may continue this leg of the trip solo as my sister & I drive back to Va. for a quick visit. My Dad's surgery went well, but we're eager to spend some time with him and Mom when he gets home from the hospital. Any available (temporary!) first mates for P?

That's what I call "hard aground."

Around here the water is wide but not very deep. The buildings in the background are part of Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.

We love and appreciate the extra hour of sunlight

we have gained. We noticed a few extra minutes

per week as we moved south.