SHIP'S LOG:

Daytona . . . .Still! ! ! ! !

Hey, it could be a lot worse. I could be "rotting" on the hook in Cape May, NJ! At least here it is sunny and bright and WARM. The mornings and evenings have been cool, but the days are hot and sunny . . . . except for those storms, that is.

The Halifax Sailing Club ran another "Learn to Sail" Event for adults today and got a pretty good turn out. There must have been pretty close to 20. They got a morning of instruction and some sailing in before noon, got a lunch and then more sailing afterward. The after lunch part consisted of everyone lining up and sailing in formation - 100 yards this way, everybody tack - 100 yards this way everybody jibe - follow the leader around the marks and don't crash into any anchored boat. This group was better than last week's, less capsizing, fewer T-Boning incidents and crashes. Everyone appeared to have fun.

The anchorage has filled up with big boats, both power and sail. Ia ma beginning to think that the actual bottom bear no resemblance whatever to the charts. Of course, after 7 years of hurricane and other storms, it is doubtful that the charts most people have are anywhere up to date, me included.

More boats passed by today heading north. The great migration northward has begun in earnest. I get the impression from the cruisers I have met, especially those from Canada, that while they might go north, the boats do not. Somewhere between here and home, the boats are put up for the "summer" and will be returned to the water only in the late fall for the run south. Seems quite the reverse of what we do at home. The again, if you are making this trip every year, it saves a lot of wear and tear on the boat if you pick it up half way to your sunny destination. Easier on you as well.

I laid out the courses that will take me out of Florida, well at least to Fernandina Beach which is within spitting distance of Georgia. St. Augustine to Fernandina Beach is 55 miles and that is really a push. I might have to break it in half if I can find some good anchorages. I have a couple mapped out but until you see the "real ground," you never quite know what you have. I am not all that concerned about it though. It will all work out in the end. I still have a couple more "grounding sites" to get by, though I don't expect them to be a problem either . . .unless I find new ones!