On the 59th day aboard Shibumi we anchored within 2 miles of the Kennedy Space Center. The day started out mild, turned blustery, then turned mild again at sunset. We will wait here for the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery, which is scheduled to be late Saturday afternoon (May 31st - Shibumi Day 61).

The previous day was our last planned day onshore until we reach home sometime next week. Our plan calls for about six more days aboard Shibumi. We spent our last day ashore at Cocoa, Florida. Click Here for more on Day 58.
	Today, we are anchored in plain sight of the launch pad. However, I am not expecting any great photo opportunities. The two pocket sized cameras that I have do not have the kind of lens that would be necessary for awesome photography. I will have to invest in a real camera with a decent lens kit before the next time we come here for a launch.
The launchpad and Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) were lit all night; a sure sign that the center was alive with activity preparing for Saturday's main event.

Jill and I are both retired air traffic controllers. We took delight in watching the astronauts practise post re-entry landings at the landing facility just three miles off of our bow. They were using re-tooled Gulfstream business jets to simulate the characteristics of the space shuttle. Again, my small camera lens was not up to the task of capturing the maneuvers, but the repeated approaches from a steep high altitude were spectacular to watch. Click Here for more on Day 59

Click Here to see a full pictorial of this trip.