Time: 13:30 local
Lat: 29 43.3′ N
Log: 80 48.3 W
Distance from Hilton Head Is: 145 NM
Distance to Port Everglades Harbor Entrance: 229 NM

It’s not unusual when sailing offshore to have land birds perch on the boat. Blown out to sea, the are exhausted and are looking for any place to perch and rest. I have found warblers, wrens, and sparrows on boats, sometimes great distances from land. I have even had them perch on a fishing rod I was holding in my hand.

But today while about 30 miles off Jacksonville we had a rarer visitor find refuge on the boat. An Eastern Screech Owl. He spent most of the morning moving around to boat trying to find a place he was most comfortable. He seems to have settled on standing on the foredeck as his best option. Fortunately for him, our course is taking us closer to shore. Hopefully he’ll hang out here long enough to get within whatever flight distance he has left in him of shore.

Right now he is just standing on the deck, watching the world go by. I wonder, does he understand that we are moving? Does he know we are getting closer to shore?

If we keep up our current pace we’ll be entering the inlet at Port Everglades on Wednesday morning.