Day 205, Year 6 Arrival in the US of A
Date: Monday, May 17, 2011
Weather: Mixed Sun and Clouds, 66 degrees F
Latitude: 33 51.80 N
Longitude: 078 38.31 W
Miles Traveled: 1230.96
Location: Lightkeepers Marina, Little River, South Carolina

Passage Statistics Puerto Rico to South Carolina:
1231 miles in 240 hrs 55 mins (10 days 55 mins)
Sailing Hours-101 hours 25 minutes
Motor Sailing Hours-139 hours 30 minutes
Average Speed-5.1 knots per hour

It was a bit of an emotional day for me. We arrived early this morning and just after passing through the markers at the entrance to the Inland Waterway, we found ourselves motoring with beautiful sand dunes on either side of us that then opened up into vast marshland. Birds were singing, egrets dotted the landscape, and harbor porpoises were swimming by. We have sailed in here before and all of a sudden I was overcome-somewhere familiar that sounds and smells like home. It brought tears to my eyes. We arrived at the entrance of the Lightkeepers Marina and our good friend Leroy called to say that he would be on the dock to catch our lines. Just after arriving I went down to make coffee for Leroy and soon the manager of the marina called and said that there were other people looking for us. My brother-in-law Joe and one of my brother’s best friends, Wade Hickam, were coming down the dock. My sister Patsy, sister-in-law Conda, and Wade’s wife Nora were down by the entrance to the marina waiting for us to arrive. I think they only missed us by minutes. I walked down the dock to find them walking our way. It was so exciting to see everyone, but I was struck by the absence of my brother who died in February 2010. This is the first time I have been home since his death and I think the reality didn’t hit until today. He would have loved to have been there to welcome his little sis home, but I can’t express how much I appreciated having Wade there. I think I’ll start calling him my substitute brother. So thank you Wade and Nora for being there. Thank you Leroy for being a super hero friend and getting the appointment with the urologist and a space in the marina for us. And a very special thank to my sister, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law for always being there for us, especially today.

After my brother-in-law took us out to lunch, we returned to Windbird to clean off some of the salt. We are now at my sister’s house and will spend the night here-on land-in a bed that doesn’t move. Tomorrow morning we head to the urologist and hope to get some answers about Mark’s issues and then we will begin our Carolina adventure. It is truly wonderful to be here. It is not the tropics, but it is a very beautiful place with people who are very special in our lives.

110517 Day 205 The Carolinas, USA–Arrival in Little River

110517 Day 205a Passage from Puerto Rico to The Carolinas