Bushranger is primed to go. She has been provisioned and is ready to cross the Gulf of Mexico. Stores have been replenished; tonight’s dinner has been cooked; the ditch bag has been packed; the route has been analyzed; batteries charged in all devices; safety procedures reinforced; systems checked; and the weather window scrutinized.

We bid farewell to Carabelle, our home for the last five days. Carabelle is a sleepy little river town, which has been devastated by Hurricane Michael. They had a great deal of flood damage. It will take the town a long time to be back up and fully operational.

A couple of insights on Carabelle:

Carabelle is the home of the smallest Police Station in USA.

The citizens take enormous pride in their memorials, which were restored soon after the flooding.

It is home to an old-time cafe/diner, complete with memorabilia from a bygone era. Very entertaining!

The town is so small, the nearest pharmacy and Walmart are a 47 minute drive away.

The Carabelle River is the home of manatees, but none have been sighted since the hurricane.

Now, a kiss for luck and we’re on our way,

Such is Life!