Meetings Along the Waterway

One of the benefits to traveling as we do is the frequent opportunities to meet others who are also traveling by boat. It appears that we have a built in interest in meeting and talking with other cruisers This common interest of cruising provides an easy opening to conversations. This often leads to learning more about other areas of the country from people who have lived there or spent time there while cruising. On occasion our contacts even go beyond other parts of the country.

On Thanksgiving, we joined more than 150 other cruisers at a Thanksgiving potluck at the Vero Beach Municipal Marina. We didn't really know anyone at the event, so we sat at a table with people we'd never met – always an interesting experience. The couple next to us was from Australia, and they'd come down the East Coast after completing a trans-Atlantic crossing. They'd spent most of the past seven years in the Med. They told us of their travels to countries from Spain to Egypt. What a great experience! One of the surprises was the answer to the question of, “What was your favorite country?” We expected perhaps Italy or Greece. But no, it was Croatia, a country we wouldn't have guessed. They also commented on watching the news of late and seeing places in Syria being bombed that they had visited.

They went on to tell us about their frustration with US customs laws. They could only get a 6-month visa, so they are now forced to make plans to go to the Bahamas by the middle of next month. Other foreigners they know have traveled up to Canada for a brief visit in order to get another 6-month visa upon their return.

They told us of their visits to Maine, Boston, NYC and to Washington DC. They seemed to thoroughly enjoy learning about our country and its history while visiting these places. They now feel somewhat embarrassed that they know more about our history than Australia's. One comment that made us feel good was that they found the US people they met to be very friendly and helpful. People were always inviting them home for a meal, a chance to do laundry or even the offer to borrow their car for shopping. This last offer carried a bit of a risk, since Australians drive on the left side of the road. Apparently they learned to adjust to the change.

So attending this cruisers' event, even though we knew nobody there, proved once again to be an interesting and worthwhile enterprise. We are truly fortunate to be living an adventure that provides us with such built in opportunities to meet and share with different people regularly.

By the way, the weather has warmed a bit. The last couple of days have been beautiful and in the low 70s. But this morning it was 56 degrees inside the boat. That just reminds us that we're not far enough south quite yet.

Carpe Diem

Captain Bob