Nov 27-29: Brunswick Landing Marina & Visiting Family

     Friday we spent a leisurely morning tidying the boat and doing a little routine housekeeping (boat keeping?)  Close to noon we hauled anchor and motored over to the Ocean Petroleum dock to fill up with fuel - 77 gallons for $150.  Can’t beat the price of fuel in Georgia!  Then we called the nearby Brunswick Landing Marina and asked for a slip for the weekend.

     This marina is about a mile long, and a very popular place for boaters to hole up during hurricane season.  Our slip was directly in front of the office, and we had many chats with Sherry, the dockmaster, who frequented the bench outside her office.  This place offers free laundry, free beer in the lounge every night, and free wine Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  We made good use of the laundry room, enjoyed some wine and beer that night and met several other boaters, as well as members of the family who own the marina.  Among the boaters here were Jeff and Karen from Castine, Maine, the founders of Active Captain.  Boating Celebrities!  Right here at our marina!

     Saturday we packed up an overnight bag, corralled Tommie in her carrier, and set off in our rental car for Evans, Georgia where my sister Betty and her husband Bob live.  I have five siblings, but we are all scattered across the country and I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like.  It was great to spend time with them as well as nephew Kyle and his wife Krystal, and niece Carly.  Kyle and Krystal very recently had a baby - Reid - so I got a good baby fix in too when we went over to their house for a visit and a pizza.  Betty and Bob set us up in the guest room where we let Tommie roam free.  She mostly stayed under the bed and glared at us for this disruption in her life, but she seemed happy enough to snuggle with us that night, and she didn’t mind the car ride at all.  

Krystal and Reid

Bob & Betty

Carly, Kyle, Krystal, Bob, Betty "Mimi" with grandson Reid, Dan peeking, and me.

     Sunday Betty and Bob took us for a little tour of downtown Evans and to a pretty state park on the Savannah River with an historic lock and walking/biking trails along the old tow path.  It was a nice, laid-back weekend. 

Evan's Savannah River lock works

    We said our goodbyes around three-fifteen and set off on the road to get back to Brunswick before it got too dark.  Tommie was very pleased to be back on the boat; we left her to nap and went out for burgers and fries at a small bar and grill that Sherry recommended.  We came back in time to watch Sunday Night Football in the marina clubhouse - Patriots vs Broncos in Denver - and watched the snow fall on the field while the Patriots struggled in vain to maintain their winning streak.  The only other couple watching the game happened to come from Thomaston, Maine.  Small world.  All in all, a great Thanksgiving weekend.