We sleep in a little then grab breakfast at Krispy Kreme, of course.  Then it is off to Walmart to get supplies for our Houseboat adventure.  Even with the donut stop we are well ahead of schedule, check-in for the boat isn’t until 3PM, so we manage a few stops along the way to check out a couple Everglades favorite stops.

We arrive at the Marina Check-in.  It is a little early but are pleasantly greeted.  Then the bad news comes out.  “The houseboats can’t leave the dock due to high water. You should have received an email”.  Nope, we received no emails prior to leaving cell service in town a couple of hours ago.  They check and they did send an email but it was the we’re looking forward to seeing you email, not the bad news email.  “Would we like to change our reservation to stay in the floating cabin at the dock?”  Nope.  “Even at a discount?” Nope.  The point of the trip is time out in the wilderness, not tied up on a brightly lighted dock all night.  Begrudgingly they eventually come up with a full refund.  That makes twice we have been unsuccessful in our desire to spend nights on the houseboats in the glades.  Probably not up to try again.  Hmm, there might actually be a chickee in my future.  We will see.

For now, we hang in Florida City and explore coastal refuges and parks.

We manage to dodge a big delay (43 minutes per GoogleMap) on I-95 near our intersection with I-26.  It reroutes us on 2-lane for about 30 miles running parallel with I-95.  Works out great and we miss the delay. Then the easy day from Savanaha to Florida City turns into a traffic mess around Miami.  Should have sprung for the tolls and taken the Florida turnpike.  We make our destination a little frustrated, later than planned, and tired but with all our paint intact.  Kent is pretty excited to spot a Krispy Kreme within a mile of tonight’s lodging.

Dinner – a great local place, Farmers Market Restaurant.  They were making their “famous key lime pies” when we arrived, 12 or so cooling on the counter.  Gotta have that.  Dinner first…conch appetizer not my fav but ok to try) then fish with generous portions of yummy sides.  The key lime pie has to go carryout for later.  We head “home” and crash.

Forecast for tomorrow is light snow.  We have some higher elevations to cross getting out of the NC mountains and they have limited snow/slick road treatment capabilities here.  Our original plan was to travel from here to St Augustine Fl one day and then on to Everglades the following day prior to our 3PM check-in.  With that plan we can’t stand a delayed start so we are leaving mid-morning today.  We load up what seems like way too much stuff and get on our way.  By day’s end we have reached Savanaha GA and get a room for the night.  Tomorrow’s drive to Florida City should be a relative breeze.

House tour number one: it is actually the unfinished shell of a Southland Cabin log home.  It is exciting to imagine how we might finish it out.  Unfortunately, it isn’t the right lot and the house not placed as we might have done it.  We access using an easement across a neighbor’s lot and they have a rather unsightly habit of collecting “stuff” all over their yard.  We are going to continue looking!

Nights in the high 20s to low 30s with an unpleasant amount of rain and even a coating of snow. We are scoring realtor pages and hiding as in the warm with the occasional musing that we might not have had a clear mental picture of Tennessee in the winter.  Over a day or so clouds clear and with bright sun this kind of winter feels about right.

With some guidance from friends who moved here a couple years ago, we enlist the help of a realtor and get started with loan pre-approval.  By the 12^th we have our approval and first house tour on Friday.   It is likely not “the one” but it is exciting to get started.