December 14, 1999-- Fernindina cocktail party

The day started out normal enough, we received an alarm to check our battery water. We dug out the battery water container and filled it. Then I headed into the engine room to start checking the battery water level in 14 batteries. Surprisingly the batteries required no water.

We had expected the battery water checking to take until about 2 p.m., when that did not occur we decided to head out to do some Christmas shopping and to get lunch. We went in the first toy store we found since we had to purchase gifts for my niece and nephew, Mike's grandson and Mike's nephew. Our first cursory run through the toy store showed us many toys that we thoroughly enjoyed, but at first glance, no toys that were appropriate for the kids we needed to purchase for. I did find a really neat Lego set that had a remote-control that could be used to run the vehicles to perform actions in this Lego town. Mike started getting hungry, which loosely translated means he got grumpy.

We decided that we would come back to the toy store later and went in search of lunch. We checked the menus of four places before finally settling on an Irish pub for lunch. Lunch in an Irish pub is about what we expected the food was OK but it hit the spot since we were both hungry. Having satisfied our craving we headed back to the toy store.

This time, we developed a game plan for the toy store. I found gifts for Kimberly, James as well as for little David. Michael went in search of gifts for his nephew Barry Jr. as well as for his grandson little Brian. We rendezvoused at the cash register having found all the gifts we were looking for. Fortunately for us, the toy store shipped all the presents for a minimal fee.

We returned to the boat to get ready for the cocktail party we were hosting that evening. We invited Ehlissia, mutual fun, and Effie. I fixed the salmon pate. We also laid out chips and salsa, the standard food and fair of the cruiser.

The first people to arrive were Ehlissia. Eric and Susan came aboard and immediately received a tour of the boat. While I gave the tour, the folks from Mutual Fun arrived, and we met Bob and Mona. Finally Ian arrived from Effie, and shortly after Paul and Lise arrived as well. We spent the evening sharing cruising stories. Bob and Mona had the most to share since they had made it to within a hundred miles of Bermuda before turning around and coming back to Beaufort. Eric and Susan shared their attempt to make it to the Virgin Gorda. The conversation ranged from what everyone did in previous lives to what their plans were for the cruising season.

I have heard it said that when more than three cruisers get together the conversation devolves to discussions of heads and other such messy details of cruising. Surprisingly this did not happen at this get together. The party finally broke up around 9:30 p.m. EST. It was a fun time and one that we will remember for a long time.


Voyages