May 11 – Jacksonville, FL

Lamb's Yacht Center

We had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend. We’ve been working hard all week on redoing some of the teak on the boat, but we took the day off on Saturday. We went to the Riverside Art Market, a large farmers market and art show held under the Fuller Warren Bridge at the end of the Northbank River Walk. The river walk is a two-mile-long pedestrian/cycling path that connects the north end of the Riverside Avondale Historic District with Downtown. The market was one of the best farmers markets we’ve been to, just about anything you’d want, plus entertainment and lots of food choices for lunch…a good place to spend the day. After lunch we walked along the river to downtown…it was a nice break from all the work we’ve been doing.

The kids gave me a gift certificate to Orsay, a French bistro, in Avondale for Mother’s Day. Being away from family is very hard on days like today, but our kids always think of something to make it special. Stan continued his work on the teak today and I even did a little work, but the highlight of our day was the wonderful dinner we had at Orsay. The food was amazing; we started off with a Thai rock shrimp appetizer followed by scallops for me and trout for Stan and Black Forest cake for dessert. We had a magnificent meal...thanks to our amazing kids.

Plenty of shade and cool breeze off the river makes this a great place for a farmers market.

Looking back at the market from the riverwalk 

A view of downtown Jacksonville from the riverwalk 

Part of the riverwalk 

The railroad bridge close to downtown. We had to wait on this bridge to open when we came into Ortega last March. 

A park under the Acosta Bridge 

Thai Rock Shrimp 

Sea Scallops 

Carolina Trout 

Dessert 

May 7 - Jacksonville, FL

Lamb's Yacht Center

“Sand in may shower means I had a great day”

We've been working hard since we arrived at Lamb's on Monday. Stan removed the bimini, we taped off all the teak, sanded it down a little and washed all the dust away...all in preparation for a maintenance coat of Cetol Gloss. Stan did most of that work although I did help between running back and forth doing laundry. After washing down the decks this morning, there was little we could do while everything dried, so we drove to Jacksonville Beach. It was a perfect day for a beach trip...wonderful temperature, clear blue sky and a nice cool breeze off the water. It felt great to have my toes in the sand and even better walking through the water. We spent time walking the beach and then wandered through a few beach shops and by a lot of restaurants...this place is probably a zoo on the weekends. I wanted to do a little shopping in some nicer shops so we drove up to Neptune and Atlantic Beach. They have a beautiful Town Center full of boutiques and restaurants, just steps away from the beach. We did some shopping, walked on the beach a little more and enjoyed some frozen yogurt before heading back to the boat. It was a nice break from the work we've been doing the past two days and the work we still have to do.

Life Guard Station at Jacksonville Beach

Jacksonville Beach 

Entrance to the beach near Atlantic and Neptune Beach 

Part of the Beaches Town Center 

May 5 - Jacksonville, FL

Lamb's Yacht Center

“When my toes are sunk into warm sand and the ocean is lapping my feet, when I breathe in the scent of salt and hear the cry of a seagull, I know that I am returned to a place of restoration. I am home. I can heal here.” ―Toni Sorenson

Our wonderful relaxing river cruise came to an end by lunch today. We spent a quiet morning enjoying the peace and quiet a Monday brings to the water...everyone was back at work. We had a picture perfect day for our cruise into Jacksonville, cool temperatures and light winds. We were fueled up and pumped out and in the shade of our new slip at Lamb's Yacht Center by noon. We'll be here for about five weeks doing a few projects and redoing a little teak and then we'll head back to Texas for the birth of our second grand wonder. Our new temporary home doesn't have much of a view, but we're undercover and that will keep us cooler while we work on projects.

Right after lunch I went to Wal-Mart for groceries and needed supplies, by the time I returned Stan had removed the bimini and stainless rub rails on the handrails…The Pearl looked a little sad, but a new coat of varnish and she'll be looking even better than before. It’s amazing how fast you can go from relaxed cruiser to maintenance crew...oh well, living on a boat can’t always be fun. Even we have to work sometime, but the next few weeks won’t be all work, we will go and have a little fun too.

Our only company today on the water

Coming back into Jacksonville 

Looking back at the Ortega Bridge and Jacksonville 

The Pearl...looking a little sad 

We will have a little morning sun...so we won't be totally in the dark!