Jan. 5

Today started with the official launch of our fundraiser for Habitat and was marked by a wonderful gathering of folks from the South Brevard Florida Affiliate. At 9:30 we got to Ballard Park in Melbourne where we had arrived yesterday. We unloaded the boat on the grass by the beach. At about 10:00 Joe Gassman and Kim Gabriel arrived with John Buckley, Mayor of Melbourne, a very nice man who has taken a special interest in Habitat. Also arriving were Dale Howlett, chairman of the Board of Directors of the South Brevard Affiliate, Jim Sisserson, a board member, Karen Mitchell, spiritual director and volunteer coordinator, Carol Hamblin, Resource Associate and Arlene Sargent, Family Support Manager all were there. In addition, three Habitat homeowners: Barbara Barone and her daughter Jessica, Rosella Wellmaker, and Lillian Harden, also with her daughter were there. These were all such wonderful and appreciative people we found it difficult to get in our boat and row away from them.

Delinda Karnehm, a nice lady with a very good camera from Florida Today newspaper came and took numerous pictures and notes. A cameraman from Central Florida News 13 television came, interviewed me and took some footage of us rowing in the harbor when we put the boat in and took a short demonstration row.

Sue and Gordon Chase from Vero Beach, friends of Heather’s mother, had driven up for the occasion as well. They have invited us to stay with them when we reach Vero Beach.

At 11:00, after saying good bye to the crowd we rowed out of the inlet to Ballard Park into a very light breeze starting up. In about three miles we approached the second Melbourne bridge where we saw Delinda looking down at us with her camera! We waved and passed below and headed south into a stiffening wind. Finally a point just before the inlet to Palm Bay offered a protected beach and safe landing at Castaways Point Park. We took the boat out and called Joe who had offered to drive me back to fetch my car. I double-checked to see that I had my car keys this time! When leaving me off I said goodbye to the last of the people we would see from this affiliate.

While tying the boat on the car we noticed that the wind from the South East had become very strong with large white caps. We had stopped just in time and early enough to get back and do our laundry and get to bed early for what was predicted as tailwinds tomorrow. It was a short 7 ½ mile day, but with our send off in the morning, a memorable one.