Early morning phone calls to try to find a marina dock where we could tie up to and clear customs - as the clock was ticking on our "24 hours"! Rivera Beach Municipal Marina would give us space but were unsure at sufficient depth. Well, we had no choice - so haul the anchor (definitely heavier this time) and motor across the ship turning circle to the marina....we squeezed in - probably pushing through mud and silt at the bottom to get alongside. A nice marina - new floating docks, very well laid out - although another one unfinished as a big waterside development was under construction. Nevertheless, close to the Customs House - which had to be our first priority. Not obvious, but we found the tiny office on the 2nd floor of the building - arrival number, passports and cruising licence handed over...waiting....and then we were in! BUT no cruising licence renewal for another year ... apparently Florida has interpreted the rules that a successive licence cannot be given unless the current one has expired .... a different loop to jump through as our current licence runs to June 6th. It was so much easier in Virginia!! Now we will have to leave again for 15 days at May end/ early June - no matter as were planning to re-visit the Bahamas anyway!! As that took all morning we were too late to leave for the sail to Fort Pierce and arrive at high tide ( amust fro Harbourtown marina), so a night at the marina seemed a nice option - dinner out at a recommendation on Springer Island. Of we set to stroll the 2 miles, over a bridge to the Island (plan to cab back)....we completely mis-judged the weather - in rolled the thunderstorms - down came the deluge whilst we were totally unprotected on the bridge - soaked to the skin we had no choice but to walk back to the boat and cancel the evening out!! (No photos of two drowned rats wil;l be posted on this blog)!! All is well that ends well - a nice curry and movie on the boat once we had dried out settled us for the night.

Phil and Di