after a night of sound sleep aboard our new home, we rose bright and early to begin prepping for our adventure.  girls did some grocery shopping while boys explored the boat, getting accustomed to the ins and outs and getting excited.  we picked out our snorkels and masks, loaded the paddleboards, and sped through the checklist, eager to leave the charter’s marina and get Mardi Gras out into the open!

at about noon, we had successfully completed the checklist and passed the test run and now had our boat, the open ocean, and the rest of the day to ourselves. 

we decided we would spend our first night at Cooper Island.  we made it to Cooper in a little over an hour under power, hooked a mooring, and relaxed. 

the water, so blue, calm, and inviting, pulled us right in.  we took a short dingy ride to a nearby rock and did some snorkeling.  the water felt lovely and being surround by the fish, sea urchins, and even the terrifying barracuda was, of course, incredible.  because it was later in the afternoon and the sun had begun its decent, the light that broke through the surface of the water was simply breathtaking.  we watched, floating above, while parrotfish darted among the rocks, catching the light as they weaved among the purple fanning coral.

before returning to the boat, we decided to take a quick trip to shore and explore the precious boutique, coffee/ice cream shack, and a small bar where we found sailors relaxing from long days of travel.

later, we made a rather divine dinner, considering we are on a boat.  chicken fajitas with grilled vegetables and rice made for a delicious meal and we finished off with some homemade brownies. 

we spent the rest of the evening under the stars, talking of all things within the universe.  we are happy and content.  our first day on the water could not have been better.  so excited to see what tomorrow has in store!

(originally written on December 22, 2014)