After spending 6 days training with Bernard and a few days back at Harbour Towne it was time for us to begin moving North. We would just be making our way down to West Palm Beach to complete the installation of our water maker and solar panel array.
This would be our first big solo voyage. Up until this point we had only moved around the waters that we were familiar with. Before we could leave we had to make one final stop by a charts and maps store. $600 bucks later we walked out with everything we needed. The one thing that I have taken away from this experience is you are not leaving a place that is associated with boating with out dropping at least $500.
We made our way to West Palm Beach, first night we anchored off Peanut Island before making our way around to the City Docks at downtown West Palm.
This would be the first time the dogs got to ride in the dinghy to shore. It was also the first time that I drove the dinghy. Needless to say I was not given any type of instruction, not even where the key went. In usual fashion it was just figure it out. I am glad we got the size dinghy that we got because all four of us take up the space!
We had pretty much been going non-stop since we left Arkansas so I was really hoping to get a day off. Our friend Ian was in West Palm and we were hoping to get to see him. As fate would have it would would not get to see him this trip. I was also hoping to get to put my butt in the clear water at Peanut Island and that did not happen either.
At this point I was beginning to get a little annoyed, there were things wrong with the boat and I was second guessing this decision. I had spent the last three weeks sweating my peaches off while having the blood sucked out of my by the no seeums. There was also the pain of getting the dogs to go potty on the grass on the front of the boat and getting them to shore to go potty. I was really looking for all of this to get easier.
The good news is they finally got the going pee on the grass when we moved it to the trampoline area of the boat.