Above Deck…Days 5 and 6, etc…
Our last full day on the boat, we woke up and motored over to Sandy Spit. Apparently it’s an Instagram famous island, one that Belle inquired about the first day on the boat. Our captain knew exactly what she was talking about. We got there early in hopes of having it to ourselves but that was not to be. Almost, but not quite.
A quick exploration of the island, the kids filmed a short movie…catch it on TikTok here along with Belle’s other travel shorts. Bunny, Belle and I paddle boarded. I, of course, managed to totally face plant once off the paddle board…witnessed but not video-ed, at least. A little swimming and then we were off to Jost Van Dyke and the Soggy Dollar.
We moored around the edge of the harbor. Too crowded for our captain who preferred the quieter spots away from traffic. (bare boaters who may or may not know what they are doing) Our faithful dinghy dropped us at the beach where we headed to the bar to score some of the drinks that had been prepaid for us by a)the charter company and b)a realtor acquaintance of Amazing Son in Law who had just left the area a few days before. What a fun concept. If you know someone will be coming that way, buy them some drinks and it goes on the list above the bar. Once your friend shows up and claims their drinks, their name is crossed off. Basic but it seems to work. We were told our names would be there and they were.
T shirts were procured all the way around. I had a special request to pick up a couple for a friend and had to get a Soggy Dollar T for myself, too, Lunch was grabbed next door at Hendo’s and then I retired to a lounge under the palms.
And then things started going downhill…at least for me.
We stayed too long in the sun maybe. Or maybe I just was coming down with the 24 hour virus the captain had a few days earlier. But my feet were swelling, my head was stopped up, I was just uncomfortable.
A last night dinner on board and then off to bed where I didn’t sleep. Or slept fitfully. Or just had weird dreams. I don’t know, it was a bit of a blur.
Up early on Tuesday, I felt better. Packed and ready to go, the water taxi picked us up about 9:30am. We bid Amber and Raf goodbye…but not before floating the idea that maybe Amber should come cook for us on land.
She said no.
Do you blame us for asking?
After a quick stop at customs, the water taxi dropped us at the marina where we waited for our car transfer. And waited. It was hot, I was fading. Finally he arrived and off to the airport where we quickly got through customs again. Hugs for Bunny who headed back to New Mexico and then onto the plane to Florida for the rest of us.
At that point I was freezing and feeling awful. I picked at dinner when we stopped on the way to Belle’s house. Once at their house, I immediately went to bed where I shivered until my fever broke. Apologies to anyone that might have been exposed to the 24 hour virus but I was fortunate to have empty seats next to me on every flight.
And then, after so many flights going well, I tried to get back to North Carolina. Ha!
Wednesday around noon Belle dropped me at the airport. Checked in and waiting and the flight was delayed an hour. There were storms in Asheville and Charlotte. Another hour delay. Finally our plane arrives and we are ready to board. The gate attendant announces we have 15 minutes to get on the plane and pull away from the gate before our crew times out. Amazingly, everyone did their thing quickly and efficiently and we made it. If only that announcement was made before every flight. Away from the gate, down the tarmac where we got word of a 20 minute delay. That’s OK! We are on the plane!
Such a cheery sign. Don’t remember if this was the first or second attempt at leaving Florida, but I definitely spent my fair share of time at the Palm Beach Airport Wednesday and Thursday.
And then. Another hour delay. We wait a few minutes and then back to the gate. The flight is cancelled. A frantic call to American to confirm I can get a refund. A quick rebook on Allegiant for Thursday. Phone Belle to come back and pick me up and finally retrieve my suitcases from the bowels of baggage services. Another dinner, another night at Belle and ASIL’s house in Florida and another trip back to the airport the next day. After an amazing and fabulous week, such a chore to get home.
Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something? I’ve been getting that feeling. There is something I need to be doing. A change? A move? Maybe I need to sell everything and travel? But wait, there’s still Carlos. Anyway, there is SOMETHING in the air. Haven’t figured out what, yet,
Stay tuned.
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