Gut check—and a change of plans

Our week in Carrabelle, FL, has been full of reflection and pro-con lists, as we analyze our situation, preferences and uncertainty about what to do next. We’re currently in a nice, safe marina in a nice, safe town, where our needs can be met. Carrabelle is small, yet very walkable and scenic, and we have easy access to groceries, restaurants and decent cell phone service. Our vessel has proven to be reliable and seaworthy, with no major breakdowns so far. Kathleen and I are are in good health and in reasonably good spirits. One of the quips that Loopers like to repeat is that after finishing the trip, plan to enroll in Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous and/or marriage counseling. While it’s not all sunsets and rainbows, and living aboard a 26-foot boat definitely has its challenges, we can proudly state that after almost five months of near-constant togetherness, we don’t feel the need for any of those support services (I know, I know, denial ain’t just a river in Egypt).

The Loop is an amazing adventure, but in all honesty has become less fun as we returned to Dragonfly after the New Year and spent much of January on the Gulf Coast in chillier and stormier conditions than we were expecting. The weather trend as we wait to cross the Gulf of Mexico is not favorable and it looks like we’re going to be here for at least another week and probably longer before conditions are within our comfort zone to tackle open water. That was always a possibility, and even cruisers on much larger vessels spend weeks waiting for a suitable weather window.

When we’re moving every day or so, there is a rhythm and drive to it, with the focus naturally on the short-term goal of where you’re headed next. During this break from that cycle, we’ve really looked at what’s farther ahead and what we truly want out of this voyage and our year of living aboard. What has emerged is that neither of us wants to sit and wait as long as it takes to get across the Gulf, nor are we really that jazzed about spending the next two months cruising the Florida Peninsula. Looking at our route planning spreadsheet—two years in the making—there are are few Florida destinations that we are really excited to see or haven’t been to before. Of course, the unexpected stops and surprises along the way are often the most fun and rewarding, but we can’t be sure. 

Furthermore, we’re already paying 3-4x more for marina slips in the Panhandle than we did on the inland rivers, and all indications are that the supply and demand imbalance gets worse the further south we go. 

Bottom line: Life is short, time and money are finite, and we both feel that sitting in Carrabelle indefinitely, then heading down to cruising grounds we’re lukewarm about just to stay on the standard Great Loop route isn’t the right thing for us to do anymore. 

There is one place in Florida, however, that we really do want to explore—the St. John’s River. One of the few north-flowing rivers in the country, the St. John’s is navigable for about 200 miles from Sanford to Jacksonville in the northeast part of the state. We’ve decided to take a quick trip home to pick up our truck and trailer, drive back to Carrabelle, and haul Dragonfly the 200 road miles to the mouth of the St. John’s. One of the reasons that we selected a MacGregor was its portability, and this is the exact type of situation where we can take advantage of that. 

Will we eventually come back here, cross the Gulf and cruise the rest of Florida? Maybe, we’ll see. For now, we have a plan to keep moving and experience a side trip that is a priority, then reassess. Our Great Loop may end up being completed in segments, we may only visit the U.S. and Canadian waters that we’re really excited about, never “crossing our wake,” and we’re okay with that. We’ve had a remarkable journey so far, with 2,430 miles under our keel, and a plan to add to that. But it needs to be fun and energizing—it is pleasure boating, after all. 

Regardless of how things turn out in life, I often find comfort in a favorite line: “And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.” 

Bonus Question: In what 1927 poem does this appear? (answer after photos)

Dragonfly art at the lighthouse gift shop

Sea turtle sculptures at the public wharf

Bonus Question Answer: “Desiderata,” by Max Ehrmann. Full text:

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.