Pat is enjoying real-time navigation and "staying found" on the charts. Today we simply navigate by charts and obvious landmarks. We head for an island under the causeway, then follow a coastline until we reach the mouth of a river, and follow it to a bridge and our destination. The high quality charts make it very easy.
All four of us carry charts on our decks. In fact we have four sets of NOAA charts, at least three Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail charts, electronic NOAA charts and topo maps in Backcountry Pro on our tablet and phone, and three Garmin mapping GPSs. When within cell range, there are always Google maps and Google Earth too, though I haven't fired them up. There are sometimes differences between all of these, so consulting each set is useful. For example, Fran's set of NOAA charts is more recent than mine and NOAA has made a surprising number of updates in details, such as changes in the coastline due to storms. The Garmin charts are from Mapsource, which is older but is uses the vector-based NOAA RNC files so is very precise when zoomed way in. Even features as small as 20 feet are often clear. The Backcountry Pro NOAA charts are also RNC and are more recent.
We are staying at a nice RV park. Even though it is crammed full of RVs it is very quiet. A few people are out walking, and some paddling. Every RV and car is spotless and shiny in the bright sun, and the park shows recent renovations. The contrast between that world and our two tents with a mountain of salt-encrusted gear spread out to dry on the ground is stark. Regardless, everyone passing by has a friendly greeting and many stop to chat.
While I would always prefer to boondock with an RV out in the wild somewhere, I have always meet super friendly people at RV parks. On a long distance hike once when I needed some tools for an equipment repair I hiked into an RV park and sure enough the guys were more than willing to help and produced all the tools I need.
Life truly begins at 60 as the tension of earning money and raising a family fades away and the focus shifts to being happy and helping others.
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