From our anchorage in West Palm Beach on Thursday we started calling marinas between Fort Lauderdale and Stuart looking for one that would either allow us to moor or tie up dockside until July or put our boat on the hard until January. (For the uninitiated, “on the hard” means on land, preferably tied down, which is the best scenario for hurricane season.) We didn’t want to go too far north because (a) the further we go, the more likely we have to go ashore for provisions (read that as more risk of exposure to coronavirus), and (b) we’d have to retrace those miles before we get to the Bahamas.
One marina in Fort Lauderdale quoted us $36,000 to store her on the hard until January. Uh, thanks, but no thanks. Many marinas were booked and others were just not taking new boats for anything long term because of the pandemic. Then we hit pay dirt, well, at least as good as one can get in a situation like this. We called the Fort Pierce City Marina. They had not been taking anyone other than cruisers passing through who needed a night to rest before continuing on or to wait out weather. On Thursday, however, they had finally gotten the okay from city officials to take “drop-and-go” boats. Show up, secure your boat to the dock, close her up and get off to head home. We were their first such arrangement. Amen! We booked with them through at least July, depending on how this virua plays out. They even allowed us two nights when we called back to tell them we couldn’t get the rental car until Monday morning. We promised to stay on our boat until we leave Monday, other than to sign the requisite paperwork and dump our garbage. The dockmaster met us and helped with a pumpout and showed us to our slip and chatted with us for a bit. Nice folk here.
We started the trek here Friday and finished it yesterday. We settled on our dock by lunch. Then we started the tiring process of getting the boat ready to be closed up for 3+ months. Dave was rational enough to make us stop working by 4pm so we didn’t exhaust ourselves completely and we had fruity rum drinks before dinner. The rum isn’t gone yet, but it’s getting dangerously low. We have enough for fruity rum drinks this afternoon. (I hear rumor the NH liquor stores are still open- yay!) After a yummy pancake breakfast this morning we set about continuing our work, stopping only for lunch. The only reason I’m blogging now is because Dad discovered a leak in the hot water tank that is in their cabin. We’d heard the water pump purr occasionally last night, but Dave couldn’t trace the leak this morning. So he and dad took the tank out and are trouble shooting it as I type. Dave knows he can’t repair it now, but he’s looking for what he may need to fix or replace for when we return. Once he’s done I can finish cleaning the floors in the salon and galley, Then it will be time for showers and drinks, then Easter dinner.
Yes, we will have some semblance of Easter dinner. We have canned ham (for emergency provisions, but this works) pineapple and brown sugar, frozen veggies and stuff for a cheesy risotto. Plus there are homemade chocolate chip cookies for later. Yum!
The scariest part of our journey starts tomorrow when we venture into civilization for the first time in four weeks. We will minimize our contact with other humans, and are prepared to clean surfaces and our hands when necessary, armed with disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and homemade masks (although we only have enough supplies on board for one each). I’m sure Hertz is cleaning their cars, but I’ll wipe it down myself for good measure when I pick it up. We will stop for leg stretching, gas, bathrooms, coffee and maybe a to-go dinner. Other than that, we’re driving straight through to NH and are bringing food for breakfast, lunches and snacks, plus water and juice. We even have a cooler for the remaining fridge and freezer items.
Dave had wanted to get the cooler off the boat anyway. Hopefully we arrive home without contracting the virus en route. Then we will quarantine in our own homes for 14 days. Yeehaw.
Back to cleaning and stowing stuff. Stay safe, stay healthy and take care of each other!
Life on Lady 
Let’s us all know when you have safely landed, please.
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