Trip Diary for December, 2006: St. Simons Island, GA Based

Friday, Dec. 1; ASABE Foundation Board of Trustees: The snow covered ground was beautiful if one wasn't traveling.  The fall Trustees meeting at the O'hara Embassy Suites required the entire day.  The storm closed O'Hara and seriously snarled traffic, so those planning to leave that evening had to reschedule their travel.

Saturday, Dec. 2: Larry's Purdue computer died overnight and produced only the dreaded "blue screen of death" during boot attempts.  By our 1:10 PM scheduled departure O'Hara was returning to normal and our flight was only 1 hr. late.  We made it back to the marina at 7 PM.  The temperature was 15 degrees cooler than when we departed.  We immediately left with Rich and Lee Johnson of Crazy Eights (Golden Isles Marina is their home port) to share a delightful dinner at the Frederica House on the Island.

Dec. 3-9; second week at St. Simons Island, GA: Sunday Rich met us as we walked the dock to leave for church.  He informed us that as he walked their dog, Reggie, he noticed our car had a flat tire and he offered Lee's car for us to drive.  After returning to lunch aboard, we changed the tire and Larry spent the afternoon trying unsuccessfully to get his computer running.  At 4 PM we attended an outstanding Messiah at St. Simons UMC performed by a combined community choir. Monday began by taking the car to have the tire fixed.  Unfortunately, examination discovered sidewall damage (apparently the tire pressure was low on the Saturday drive from Jacksonville); thus, a new tire was purchased.  Larry spent a frustrating day working on his sick computer. We did take time out to enjoy ice cream at our favorite local place, Bruster's.  Tuesday morning, with assistance of e-mail from Purdue's Eng. Computer Network tech support and newly purchased Fix-It Utilities software, he was finally able to restore operation.  The afternoon was devoted to laundry and shopping at Jekyll Island.  We especially enjoyed walking along the island's northern Driftwood Beach. Wednesday morning was spent aboard working.  After a late lunch at Gnat's Landing we enjoyed Happy Feet at the theater.  Thursday was devoted to working aboard and packaging Christmas gifts for shipping.  Larry installed Christmas lights along the bimini. Temperatures dropped 20 degrees (39 degree low) and north winds picked up to 15-20 mph Friday; good conditions to stay aboard to update the web, do accounting tasks and prepare the Christmas card mailing.  Saturday dawned cold (29 degrees) and windy, but beautiful.  We completed addressing Christmas cards and printing letters.  By 4 PM it was time to depart to mail everything and have an early dinner at El Potro.

Dec. 10-16; third week at St. Simons Island, GA: After the 11 AM service at St. Simons UMC Sunday we enjoyed lunch at Gnat's Landing before returning to watch the Colts collapse in their game in nearby Jacksonville.  We then left to shop for Christmas decorations before returning to watch Drew Brees, our favorite NFL QB from Purdue, lead the Saints to a key victory over the Cowboys.  Monday's weather was ideal with a high of 72.  In the afternoon Lola drove to the Island to have her nail refurbished while Larry stayed behind to scrub down the entire exterior of the Lola Marie.  Tuesday was primarily a day aboard to recuperate, Larry with a backache from yesterday's scrubbing and Lola with bronchitis.  Larry spent most of a foggy, rainy Wednesday doing a preliminary workup of our 2006 taxes while Lola prepared an outstanding pork roast dinner.  Thursday was still foggy, but the rain ended and temperatures reached 68.  We finally decided a prescription medicine was needed for the severe bronchitis Lola had struggled with for a week.  We joined Rich and Gale from Circus, docked adjacent to us, for a most enjoyable dinner at Spanky's in Brunswick.  Late Friday morning we launched the dinghy and together cleaned the Lola Marie's Cypress "tea mustache" acquired in the Dismal Swamp region.  That job took until 2:30 PM, when we drove to St. Simons village area to utilize wi-fi hot-spots to download Microsoft's huge "Tuesday patches" onto both computers and have a late lunch at Brogen's Food & Spirits.  Together with about 125 others, at 6 PM we attended Golden Isles Marina's Christmas oyster and barbeque customer appreciation dinner. Saturday was a day of perfect weather, sunny and 73 degrees.  We spent most of the day aboard relaxing.

Dec. 17-23; fourth week at St. Simons Island, GA: After enjoying a wonderful "Lessons and Carols" service at St. Simons UMC we followed a recommendation by locals Herb and Louise Henry for a delightful Sunday brunch at Cafe Frederica; food quality was exceptional.  We then took a delightful walking tour of the nearby, beautiful 43-acre Epworth By-the-Sea Methodist Center before returning to watch football.  By Monday we needed a pumpout.  This marina has an uncommon "portable tank" system that comes to a boat, but is too large to pass the fuel pumps along our dock area.  We waited until slack tide at 2 PM to drop lines and drive the boat to a section of the dock where the pumpout could reach.  Later, we enjoyed dinner at Gnat's Landing.  Tuesday was laundry day.  Temperatures reached 77 degrees, about 14 above "normal."   The afternoon was spent visiting numerous shores in both Brunswick and St. Simons.  The idyllic weather of the past several days blew away, with clouds and rain late Wednesday afternoon. We arose earlier than usual to drive 50 mi. to St. Marys, GA to explore prospects for moving there in January; we weren't too impressed with either marina facilities or shops.  While there, we browsed the fine Cumberland Island Visitors Center and purchased a great video about the island's unique history.  We then drove another 30 mi. to Fernandina Beach, FL for similar recognizance.  Shops were both numerous and of impressive quality, but the marina was undergoing renovation and availability is doubtful for our time window.  Lola bought more Christmas from Last Flight Out and The Twisted Sisters. Rain continued Thursday, putting Larry in a mood for boat maintenance.  This included trying to solve intermittent engine sensor problems and changing oil in the starboard engine (inadequate supply for both engines).  Up early Friday so Lola could have nails done.  This marina is vulnerable to south winds.  By noon, 15-20 mph south winds were kicking up 3 ft. cross-waves on the Frederica River running by our dock; we were rocking-n-rolling, but secure.  We left for an early dinner at McGravey's Wee Pub in Brunswick where we ate last April.  By 6 PM, intermittent, intense rains forecast to last 2 days had begun.   The rain stopped for a few hours Saturday morning with sun bringing the temperature up to 76.  We went to the village coffee shop for breakfast before returning to prepare for Christmas travel.  Skipping lunch, we worked up quarterly Exchange Club statements (Lola continues as secretary for the Lafayette club) and enjoyed an early dinner at Gnat's Landing.

Dec. 24-31; fifth week at St. Simons Island, GA: With Lee Johnson's assistance we obtained tickets to Cordova, TN to visit daughter Judy and her family.  After Sunday's early service at St. Simons UMC we flew on Delta from Brunswick's beautiful, 1 yr. old Golden Isles terminal at 12:30 PM.  The Atlanta connection was on schedule and we arrived at the Memphis Airport at 3 PM.  Judy's husband, Glen, picked us up.  Granddaughter Samantha had been kept in the dark about our hastily arranged travel and was delightfully surprised to see us.  Despite rain and temperatures in the 30s, we had a wonderful Christmas day with outstanding meals.  Tuesday's plans changed when there were no available stand-by seats for returning.  Glen went to work, Larry installed shelving for Judy, Lola shopped and then everyone headed for Tunica, MS about 2 PM.  By evening, it was apparent that standby airline seats from Memphis were unlikely to become available before Saturday when we needed to pick up grandson Chris at Jacksonville airport.  Thus, Wednesday morning we rented a vehicle and drove to Nashville airport.  We managed to get seats to Atlanta and then the last two standby seats for the 8:43 PM flight to Brunswick (which was 50 min. late).  Temperatures, in the high 70s when we left, were only 38 when we got back at 10 PM.  After sleeping in Thursday, we enjoyed a late lunch at Cafe Frederica before returning to open mail and packages the arrived during our absence.  Friday, having received oil among yesterday's packages, Larry changed the oil in the port engine and replaced its faulty low oil pressure sensor while Lola took down and packed Christmas decorations.  Too busy to stop for lunch, we acted on local advice to drive 12 mi. north of Brunswick for excellent, early fish dinners at Mudcat Charlie's on the Altamaha River.  We returned to watch Maryland totally dominate Purdue in Orlando's Champs Bowl; NOT a fun way to end the day.  Saturday we drove to Jacksonville airport to pick up grandson Chris before going into town for our early New Year's eve dinner at the Chart House.  After Sunday services and lunch, Chris and Larry watched football before enjoying a wonderful beef stroganoff dinner aboard as east winds changed to southeast and built to 20 mph, causing considerable rocking and pitching.  However, we were still able to enjoy Dick Clark's Times Square Celebration and ring in 2007.  This area is so nice and the marina has such a competent, friendly staff and great facilities we decided to stay based here for another month.

Water miles traveled to date: this month: 0; total, 6,360.

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