For The Last Time

For the last time, we came back to Selkie after taking a break from the Loop. 

We were about to start our last leg of the Great American Loop.

We have come to enjoy being on the boat, and also taking a break from her. It really is the best of both worlds. 

However, this time was our planned last trip back to Selkie before we finished our loop. 

Did I say this would be our last time?

It sounds melancholy to say that.

Our plans were to go from Melbourne, Florida north with stops along the way.

Libbie had a tennis tournament on Kiawah Island that we are going to make, and I would be flying to Denver for a conference while she was playing tennis. 

Getting Selkie ready for the last time was no different than before. As usual while we were gone I had some work done, this time on the engine and the generator.

I was somewhat confident we were ready to go. 

However, it’s nice to be able to confirm that feeling once we got on the boat.  

Every time we return for the first day or two, it takes some getting used to the noises that Selkie makes again. 

We would look at each other and ask the question, “Does that sound right?”  “What’s that noise?”

Checking the engine room confirmed that everything was ship shape. Still, the self doubt lingered – did I do the right thing?

After finally deciding everything is ok I relaxed.  

After all, we were back in Florida. 

The birds, the dolphins and in particularly the manatees were much more active with it being spring time. There was a lot of water splashing in Florida in Spring!

I guess it’s not just the humans on Spring Break that feel it. 

The weather was beautiful with temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s and the evenings in the 60s. It really was perfect weather. 

We had some friends pick us up in Orlando at the airport and bring us over to Selkie. They lent a hand here and there helping us get Selkie cleaned up and ready to go. 

We then were joined by our other friends who live in the Melbourne area. 

We had a great evening, introducing old friends to new old friends. 

The next morning we cast off our lines and headed out. 

We had made arrangements to meet some other friends who lived north of Melbourne. 

I found an anchorage that was convenient for both of us. We headed two hours north and dropped anchor close by a bridge right across from the Canaveral Barge Canal. 

Our friends showed up in their boat and tied up to us. We had a nice time showing off Selkie.  We visited, had a little nosh and played a quick round of cards before they had to cast off to their other obligation.

Libbie and I looked at each other as it was still mid afternoon and we had plenty of sunlight left.   

We decided to weigh anchor and move another couple hours further north just to be staged for the evening.

Our anchorage for the night was next to the NASA railroad bridge. 

Once settled in, I took a look at the evening sky and did one of my favorite things: count satellites. 

Then I looked across the water at the launch pads and the huge vehicle assembly building and realized that the vast majority of satellites I was counting were launched from RIGHT OVER THERE. 

I started to geek out again. 

Looking across the water brought back a lot of memories for me.

I have fond  memories of visiting NASA once as a young boy in the middle of the Apollo program. I think it was right between the Apollo 13 and Apollo 14 missions. 

I remember being a child and being riveted by the Apollo 13 mission, the accident and the successful recovery of the astronauts. That had a distinct impression on me, as did the entire space program. 

It’s one of the main reasons I was inspired to become an engineer. 

The second time I went was a day trip with Libbie and our girls when they were late elementary or middle school.  They initially were not really interested… until they saw the Cape and its museum displays in person. 

You can’t help but be impressed. 

I don’t feel sad about much these days, but one thing I do feel sad about is that I remember how captivating the Apollo moon program was and how everybody got behind the Apollo program in the early days.

Of course there were folks that said the money could be spent elsewhere for better use for mankind, but if I look at the technology you have today, it would not have happened if it were not for our space program back then. 

Necessity is the mother of invention. 

And wow, did they invent.  

Computer technology, including the software and hardware, the learning from science in general, the studies of human biology as it is impacted by space travel… we’ve learned so much. 

We have to keep investing in Research and Development. There is so much yet to be discovered.

The anchorage by the NASA railroad Bridge was pretty tight by our standards.

One thing we’ve learned though is we know how to handle anchorages.

After 5500 miles of traveling and Selke, we’ve learned a thing or two and I’ve grown in our confidence in terms of where we can drop an anchor and spend the night safely.

This proved to be true even with 25 to 30 knot winds overnight, Selkie held firm and we slept well.

The next morning we were on our way north to continue our adventures and looking forward to seeing friends and making more friends along the way.