Oyster Creek at Thanksgiving Offshore to the Miami River

Tuesday 25 November 2003

Bob was up at the bathroom 3 times list night and said it was due to the black bean soup we had in Fernandina - I had similar but less intense problem.

I called Robert about 7 to tell him where we had gotten to and where we were going. Then we cast off nicely. Problem was - the McCormick Bridge only opens on the hour and we had to wait until 8. The current was going through the bridge at a couple of knots and there was a wind. So we called the bridge tender and told him that we would wait in the entrance channel of the marina until he started to open and then go through. As soon as the bascule started up, Bob dove for the opening - we went through when the bridge was barely up.

Looking back at the McCormick bridge

It's overcast and chilly today. We see evidence of another condo on the west bank. We go through Palm Valley and there are huge houses on the east side

House in Palm Valley

but no one around except yard workers and construction crews making more big houses. We did see someone inside one house on the phone. We came by a house with 4 dogs out on the pier and Bob and I bark back at them. The other side is completely wild.

Wild side of the river

The Palm Valley bascule bridge has been replaced with a fixed bridge. I note that the tide board ends at 61 feet, so I guess if your mast is taller than that you have to hope you guess right as to what the clearance actually is.

Palm Valley fixed bridge with truncated tide board

BLUE MARINE the catamaran passes us. PARADOX, one of the multitude of Carvers that were in the marina last night also passes.

I called Oyster Creek and obtained dockage for 3 days. Oyster Creek says we can come if we promise to leave Friday morning before 11 as they will need the dock then. Then I canceled St. Augustine (which I don't like because they charge for the internet access and Oyster Creek doesn't plus it is more expensive overall) and also pushed back Daytona reservation which I made for tomorrow to Friday. I figure no one will be open Thanksgiving, so there's no point in pushing it. We heard folks going through the Bridge of Lions at 1130 and 1230 (they don't open at noon).

We went by the little airport and Vilano Beach

Villano Beach pier

Conch House Marina near the lighthouse

St Augustine lighthouse

and across the St. Augustine Inlet. There were breakers all the way across the mouth of the inlet.

Waves across the inlet

I have seen it that way several times before. There was a presumably local sailboat sailing out near the breakers of the inlet.

A sailboat and breakers across the inlet

Bob was swore that it was NOT the inlet, but he had to admit that it actually WAS, when the place he thought was the inlet was a landlocked dead end.

We approached the Bridge of Lions and found BANDERSNATCH on the green side of the channel.

Bandersnatch and the White Rabbit (dinghy)

The normal anchorage is on the west (red) side. When we saw that White Rabbit (their dinghy) was there, we called on the phone and talked to them, and then also called across between the boats. We had to wait until the 1300 opening for the bridge anyway.

Our friends said that the channel markers had been moved so that the channel was wider and the anchorage was narrower, but there was plenty of room where they were and the holding was good. It would just be a longer dinghy ride to the dinghy dock.

Green light on the Bridge of Lions

When it was time for the bridge to open, there was a sports fish on the other side wanting an opening and Bob thought he'd go through first, because he was upstream. But he hung back and then when we started to go through, he went at the same time.

Following us through the bridge

A large scruffy looking buff-yellowish power boat with a for sale sign on it also followed us through. We'd heard them calling 'the sailboat' for a pass and had no clue who or where they were. Our name is written in letters over a foot high on the stern. Don't know why they couldn't see it.

They went up the San Sebastian River before us and we heard them docking on the radio. The dockmaster was very explicit in his directions - he told us later that as he assisted them to dock, the lines were falling apart in his hands.

SCARLET LADY Trumpy style yacht

We docked on the end of C dock T head about 1400 after a trip of 34.5 sm - maximum speed 11.4 mph, average 5.9 mph. The trip took about 6 hours.

After I checked us in (Boat US discount makes it 97 cents a foot), I used the bathroom and took the computer up to the internet. I looked up phone numbers of places that delivered food in the phone book in the cruiser's lounge, and we ordered pizza from Papa Johns. It was delivered very quickly.

Papa Johns

Wednesday 26 November 2003

Bob walked to the Sailor's Exchange but didn't buy anything. He also walked down to West Marine. They said that the restaurant here (which is closed Mon and Tues) would be open Weds for lunch, so we assumed it would be open Weds night as well. NOT.

Oyster Creek - closed restaurant

It was closed for "Thanksgiving eve". So we walked down to where the restaurant La Pentola used to be. La Pentola had moved downtown, and there was a new restaurant there called La Cocina Restaurant which had just been in operation for eight days. We were the only people there, so the service was excellent.

Inside of the restaurant

I had carrot soup and Bob had French onion soup - both very good.

Bread basket and Bob's onion soup

Then Bob had ravioli appetizer as an entree and I had the ribeye special which was $16.95.

Ribeye Special

It was very good - it had a sauce on it, and was presented with rice, a squash corn vegetable dish and cactus. There was also 'garlic bread' which was in a basket of 5 and was replenished 3 times as we ate it. It had a bit of red (tomato maybe) on top.

Reflections at Oyster Creek

Thursday Nov 27, 2003 - Thanksgiving

I wrote up some stuff and went up to send it.

RosalieAnn at Thanksgiving

Bob cooked the turkey breast and we had Thanksgiving dinner about 3 pm. Bob spent most of the afternoon watching an "At Home with the Braithwaites" marathon. Also watched a little bit of football.

Sunset at Oyster Creek

Friday -28 November 2003

We cast off at low tide - the stern swung out so we could turn around.

Leaving Oyster Creek - looking back at B dock and SCARLET LADY

We didn't have much water - depth gauge showed only 5.2. We idled slowly down the creek - me at the wheel and Bob stowing lines and fenders. The sky is a brilliant clear blue. I'm a bit worried about the forecast front going through and showers this afternoon, but there's no sign of it now. We are being given a boost by the tide coming in the St. Augustine inlet. We pass the stern wheeler dinner boat JEAN MARY which has been under renovation by the yard farther down the river.

JEAN MARY - dinner cruise boat

We had to be off the dock today because this boat is coming from there to be docked at the dock we just left at Oyster Creek this morning. We get down the San Sebastian River and go under the fixed bridge there before 0800.

Fixed bridge next to the San Sebastian River

A sports fish called JACKPOT wakes everyone and I hear other folks complaining on the radio. He doesn't know how to give folks an easy pass with little or no wake, or he doesn't care.

House with a cupola which is on the charts

When we got to the Crescent Beach bridge, we go through by ourselves (there is a significant amount of current against us)

Crescent Beach Bridge all the way up

after another boat about a mile ahead called KALUHA. There are two or three boats behind us, and the bridge makes the first two of them wait and we go through together.

Houses on shore south of the Crescent Beach Bridge

A sailboat from Florida with the US flag flying from the spreaders (not correct flag etiquette - should be from the backstay or from a flagpole at the stern - flags that fly from the spreaders are courtesy flags of a country you are visiting, or yacht club pennants etc.) comes north and she makes him wait for the next opening.

We hear a commercial fishing boat reporting to the CG in Mayport that a sportsfish is taking on water and dragging toward the Matanzas Inlet bridge from the ocean side.

Fort Matanzas from the ICW

Since it has be dredged, this inlet hasn't been as troubling for us. People still tend to follow us (even though we are slower than they are) so that if anyone is going to go aground, we will do it first.

Ketch way behind us in Matanzas Inlet

We can't see anything of the inlet itself from the ICW, as we go inland around the delta of shallow water at the entrance of the inlet. We do see kayakers along the shore.

Kayakers near the inlet

It is a nice day, and it is a holiday weekend so a lot of people are out and about. We also see people launching boats along the river,

Launching boats on the ICW

and we pass the inlet without incident.

SEAFOX, a large power boat with a tent/cabana on the top aft deck and a mural below that passed. As we passed the old Marineland about 1000, Bob said that he saw a dolphin jumping in the old stadium. I didn't see it. The stadium and marina closed down before our 2000 trip, but I have heard rumors that they might reopen.

Old Marineland complex and stadium

We actually catch up with KALUHA (from Norfolk with a tan hull) and pass. As we pass them, we see someone standing almost in the channel and the water is only up to their thighs. He's completely captured the attention of the man at the helm of KALUAH.

Man on KALUAH looking back at someone fishing in the channel

This sign on the Palm Coast side of the waterway says:

Sanctuary development sig

"SANCTUARY" (which I think is the name of a development)

"Estate Size
"Homes Sites
"Available"

with a phone number and tacked on the right edge

"Coming Soon"

We pass the north end of the Palm Coast waterways and canals, and look down the canal at all the expensive houses. I guess these are 'estate sized'.

Palm Coast houses on a canal

Palm Coast Marina from the intercoastal

We pass a large area on the east side of the canal which appears to be some kind of construction project for a marina or something. The channel goes all the way in to a basin.

Large cleared area with harbor

On the other side (the Palm Valley side) we see a relatively wild area, but with houses and things visible through the trees.

Couple with a boat

We note that many of the fixed bridges are not 65' at high tide. This bridge doesn't have any numbers on the tide board at all.

Fixed bridge with no numbers on the tide board and fisherman behind the fender

Note the fishermen peering out from the other side of the fenders. It doesn't concern us of course - we are only 58.5' but we hear some questions on the radio about whether the boats behind us will have to wait for low tide. It's low tide for the bridges and high tide for the shoals.

The blue ketch that went through the Crescent Beach bridge on the opening right after ours hangs in behind us for awhile. Their name turns out to be BIGGLES and I hear on the radio that they are from Wrightsville Beach NC but it's not on the boat anywhere. Their anchor is perched on the bobstay, and their outboard is dotted with pink and white polka dots.

KALUAH and BIGGLES

Kayakers about 1130

We are going through a canal known as Fox Cut now which is just a straight cut - no aids to navigation as there's no way to get lost. You just go straight ahead. Two trawlers, RETREAT and BLUE (with a wide blue hull stripe) pass. Finally CLEO a Nonsuch catboat from Dublin NH passes, and a trawler named POLLYANNA passes north of Ormond Beach. We pass an osprey or bald eagle on the top of a palm trunk which has no leaves.

Osprey on a palm trunk

It has gotten quite windy.

We hear a tug on the VHF radio, calling to traffic ahead of him. He is concerned that the wind will blow him into the shallows, or that he won't be able to make the turn ahead without being blown onto the side of the canal. So he wants to stay on the west side of the canal instead of passing oncoming traffic port to port as is normal. We are happy to oblige..

Barge being pushed by a tug

A big power boat named CHARM III passes and wakes us. We hear other folks on the radio complaining about him when he passes them, and he is highly indignant as he has passed far away from them, so what are they complaining about? (Closer is better in this case.)

Blimp

No wake sign on a couple of old boats

House near Ormond Beach

Ormand Beach fixed bridge at 3:15 pm

We see Charlie and Sandy Jackson's boat WINDSTAR (another CSY like ours) is still at Caribbean Jacks.

Windstar between two power boats

We go through the Main Street bridge in Daytona (the first of two opening bridges there). Unbeknownst to us, Charlie was sitting in his truck on the bridge and saw us go through. They ask us our final destination, and I lie and say the Bahamas. I think (although they say it is the CG that wants to know) that this is a ploy to track down boaters who are in FL more than 90 days to collect registration from them. Then we go through the Seabreeze bridge with the mosaic murals on the columns

Seaborne bridge with less than 65 ft clearance

The Seabreeze bridge (both spans) and several other bridges north of it are only 64 feet at high tide. Of course the tide has been unusually high because of the new moon.

Main Street Bridge opening

We go through the Memorial Bridge which is the second opening bridge in Daytona at 1610. I note that there is an 'advertisement' for the municipal marina on the side of the bridge.

Memorial Bridge with advert for municipal marina

It is a green sign that says

Daytona Marina available at
-- Halifax Harbor Marina--
Slips and Fuel at
Marker 39A
500 yards Ahead
Contact on Channel 16

We tie up on the J dock at Halifax Harbor after a trip of 53.6 sm at an average speed of 6.0 mph. Halifax Harbor is now $1.35/ft plus $5.00 for 30 amp. (Our bill for 2 days was $118.80 for 44 feet).

After we tied up, I called Caribbean Jacks to find out Charlie's phone number, and he calls me back right away. He tells me that he saw us go through the Main Street bridge. It starts to get very windy and cold and then starts to rain heavily. I'm happy that the rain held off until after we got docked.

We walked up to the parking lot and Charlie picked us up and we go back to Caribbean Jacks for dinner. Caribbean Jacks costs Charlie more than $800/month. This restaurant has been built since we last stayed at this marina, and it is BIG and popular. They have had to put in reserved parking spaces for the live-aboards - otherwise the restaurant patrons would leave them no place to park in their own marina. Charlie gets free meals for taking care of their salt water fish tank. Charlie figured there wouldn't be as many people here since it was rainy and nasty out - particularly there wouldn't be many motorcyclists out. Even so the restaurant was quite crowded and busy.

The special on the entrance board was Tilapia (fish) for $17.95.

Fishtank collage

The fish tank was at the entrance and you could see through it to the kitchen. There was also a window at the far end looking out onto and across the river.

Bob's half rack of ribs

My Teriyki chicken

Charlie's salmon special

He paid with his free meal card, so I don't know exactly what the total was.

Sandy is currently working in Tampa and living there. Charlie is getting ready to go back to their place in VA and fix the damage that Isobel caused. He said it cost him $5K to have the downed trees removed. $1K to have all but two done, and $4K for those two. He said that all the contractors are salivating to repair the damage and get big bucks.

The rain has more or less ended and Charlie takes us back to the marina. It is quite windy during the night, and it gets cold.

November 29, 2003 Saturday

The temps are about the same as they are in Baltimore today (Saturday).

Bob did a laundry. Washers were $1.25 a load and so were the dryers, and Bob said they were super efficient and dried quicker than most. They actually dry all of a load. Bob liked the West Marine here better (more complete) than in St. Augustine. I sent emails. Not much activity at the marina or on the waterway (we have the VHF on). The charmless CHARM III left early before I had a chance to 'educate' him in how to pass correctly - probably just as well.

Only happening of note - Bob checks the aft holding tank (the new one which he installed before we left) and discovered it is overfull and backed up into the toilet inlet. We tried to pump it out at Fernandina Beach, and they said there was nothing there. So we plan to get a pumpout in the morning before we leave (it's free here). He switches the forward head to the holding tank so we can get that pumped out too.

This means we can't use the toilet in the aft head next to where we sleep tonight. This is VERY inconvenient, as we normally get up a couple times a night and since it is VERY cold here (down in the lower 40s or upper 30s) that means we have the hatch boards in. So to 'go' we have to put on clothes, take out the hatch boards, put them back (so the other person doesn't freeze) and either go forward or walk up to the marina bathrooms. I decide to sleep in my clothes (with the key to the bathroom in my pocket) in order to eliminate one step.

Bathroom key

The forward head is very cold as we don't have a heater up there.

Sunday 30 November 2003

Bob got up about 0610 and ran the refrigeration. We undocked (I actually managed to flip a line off the cleat!!!) at 0655 and went over to the fuel dock for a pumpout. (It doesn't open until 0700) I did OK at throwing the bow line to the dock guy, but when I went to throw the midships line, a screwed up because I got parts of two different lines from the pinrail.

At the pumpout and gas dock - Marina office on the other side of the fairway

We had a successful pumpout of both tanks and Bob put the forward head back to Lectrasan. I then motored out of the channel while Bob stowed the lines.

Ocean side of the Halifax River in Daytona

For some reason, Bob always switches off autopilot whenever he hands over to me. I have trouble steering a straight line without it. I got into shallow water close to the edge of the channel and panicked but managed not to run aground.

He was finished stowing lines etc. by the time we got to Seven Seas Marina at Port Orange. The bridge in Port Orange is between several islands and the river narrows here. This makes for a Venturi effect at the marinas (like Seven Seas) upstream. Fortunately the bridge is a fixed bridge (even though the tide boards on the bridge show that at high tide it's only 64 feet),

Clearance of the Bridge

so we don't have to wait in the current for the bridge to open or worry about going fast enough to get through before it has to close. Bob pulled out the jib.

Ponce Inlet was our next obstacle, with shoaling reported down to 4'6" in some places. My observations of the tell-tails on the posts led me to think that the tide was going out. However the tide tables said that it was already out and coming in. If we were to go aground, coming in would be better.

In any case we entered the estuary of the inlet (with the red lighthouse on our east side

Ponce Lighthouse

and were passed between marker 1 and marker 3A by a big power boat which stirred up the bottom and made it impossible to tell what the depth actually was. We were passed by ANYTIME and by a Grady-White who didn't come off plane, so they didn't stir up the bottom much. Bob didn't go over behind them - partly I guess not to get out of the channel. If we steer into the wake of a power boat the wake is less. At the G5 we saw 5.5' on the depth gauge. when the power boats were long gone. We draw 5', but we don't actually go aground until the depth sounder says 4.6'. But it is anxiety producing when the thing starts beeping loudly at 7 feet. A power catamaran GADZOOKS came out of the anchorage and passed us.

GADZOOKS coming out of the anchorage

I'm sure they don't have any problem with the shoaling as their draft is probably much less than ours.

Anchored catamaran and lighthouse

Bob pulled in the jib. EXCEPTION passed.

Lighthouse and ATON

Near the Green 19 there was a red floater and the red side got shallower so we stayed closer to the green.

We got to the Coronado Bridge (North Causeway Bridge) in New Smyrna Beach at about 9:35. The New Smyrna bridges are painted pink. As we came into New Smyrna Beach, the sailboat behind us (named as we found later DUSO) which drew 7 feet ran aground briefly. We found that the Coronado bridge which used to be on demand is now on a schedule of every 20 minutes. A trawler passed and went under without an opening.

Pink Bridge clearance when closed

Marina and Riverview Hotel and Restaurant

We went through the 0920 opening with DUSO and a white ketch.

DUSO and ketch going through bridge

We passed the municipal marina.

New Smyrna Municipal marina

A sailboat was docked at the Sea Harvest restaurant which advertises free dockage.

Sea Harvest docks

We saw the red catamaran (with the difficult to pronounce or remember name) from Norway (I think) that we saw getting fuel in Fernandina Beach. They were tied up to what looked like park docks.

Scandinavian catamaran

There are signs on the docks, but I can't read them in the picture.

Pink fixed bridge

After we went under the pink fixed bridge, DUSO passed (I think he is single handing) and called across and asked if this was our normal speed because he never passes anyone. We see a park on the starboard side.

Riverfront Park in New Smyrna Beach

Playground in New Smyrna Beach

There is a children's playground a little farther along. I took this picture of an interesting barge as we passed.

T-Storms barge

Fishing is big here. We go past a bunch of fish camps, parks and trailer parks.

Fisherman's boats on shore

Boat ramp, pontoon boat and egret

Bassy Bay Fish Camp

Indian Mound Fish Camp

Trailer park

Going down through Mosquito Lagoon we met a barge and the tug ALIA from Stuart.

Tug ALIA and barge

Birds on an ATON in Mosquito Lagoon

Unlike Mosquito Inlet which has been renamed Ponce de Leon Inlet, Mosquito Lagoon has not been renamed. It's pretty quiet and there's very little to look at - Bob considers it boring. We see dolphins playing in the channel and some white pelicans. There's one little sandbar that's so thick with birds that it looks like it is covered with gravel. There's a boat putting out crab pots. Much of the Lagoon (outside of the channel) is very shallow.We are passed by a motor boat named PRUSSIAN PRIDE who asks us on channel 17 if we knew a doctor in Leonardtown who had a compound of 5 houses. I can't think who that can be, and he doesn't remember the name.

DUSO slowed down - I think he wanted us to go first, but we were at the turn into the Haulover Canal. Bob complained that it was a bad place to pass, and I reminded him that he didn't HAVE to pass, he could slow down too.

Fishermen near Haulover Canal

There were a lot of fishermen at the entrance to the canal and I briefly mistook one of them with a red shirt for a red marker on the green side.

Fisherman with a red shirt on the green side of the channel

Fenders of the Haulover Bridge

DUSO went through the Haulover bridge ahead of us

Following DUSO through the Haulover Bridge

and he stayed open for a blue hulled ketch (RHAPSODY?) that was behind us.

Looking back to Haulover Bridge

DUSO keeps looking back at us, and is talking on a phone, and isn't steering very well. He doesn't seem to know about the tanks that you can use as a range on the far bank of the Indian River.

Tanks to use as a range coming out of the Haulover Canal taken when we are closer

The spoil islands right at the exit to the canal have brown and right pelicans, cormorants and a couple of rosette spoonbills.

Pelicans and other birds on a spoil island

Off beyond one of the spoil island sandbars covered with cormorants there's a sign - I take the binoculars to read it - it says "Resume normal safe operation."

We are now crossing the Indian River toward Jay Jay and closing in on Titusville.

Going through the Jay RR bridge

Blue hulled ketch goes through Jay Jay RR bridge

After we go through the Jay Jay Railroad Bridge (followed by the blue hulled ketch), DUSO goes into the anchorage.

Anchorage from the marina

Anchorage from the marina

We come into the marina and get fuel and tie up. I pay for 2 days.

RosalieAnn in Titusville

The rate with Boat US discount is 95 cents a foot, but the fuel is $1.389 which isn't particularly cheap - total trip 812nm Today's trip 48.3 sm

Every time we come to Titusville we walk across the highway and across the parking lot of the shopping center and go to Azteca for dinner. The food is plentiful, and good. It seems to be a family run place. In the daytime the nearby courthouse workers probably come to eat here.

Bob walking in to Azteca

We came here on Nov 30th and it was decorated for Xmas.

Angel on the tree like one we had when I was little

There was a Xmas tree as well as exterior lights. Bob had the taco platter

Bob's taco platter

I had a taco salad. We also each had a frozen ice cream. The service wasn't as good as before and I didn't think the food was as good, but it is still a good restaurant.

Taco salad

After dinner I talked to a guy from a power boat and he told me about the fire in the St. Augustine anchorage. This is what the live-aboard list had to say about it.
It was a brand new trawler on it's maiden run from up north. A retired couple and their little black dog lived on it. When it first caught fire it was tied up (so we heard) to a green floater not more than a hundred yards from us. I only wish I had known. We are very sensitive to the danger signal. There were no whistles. ... But by the time we were aware of the fire the local cops had it towed to the flats north of the anchorage and were letting it burn.

The couple and their dog escaped in their dinghy. They were on TV that night. The skipper said he lifted the engine room hatch and could only see black smoke and no flames to squirt a fire extinguisher at. They couldn't think of anything to do about it but to abandon ship. I suspect it was an electrical fire.

Monday 1 December 2003

Did email. Bob walked to Eckarts and the Box and Save, but only bought lactaid. The weather sounds ominous. Bob says the power plugs for 110 on the forward port side of the boat aren't working.

The second day we were in Titusville, we figured that we'd spring for a cab and someone recommended this place. After we got here, we found that they would have delivered to the boat, which would have been way cheaper as the cab fare was $7.50 each way plus tip.

Kelsey's sign

The place was much better than the chain pizza places, and was nicely decorated with murals on the wall. They had half portions on the menu which is good for us as Bob doesn't want what most places give you as a full portion.

Mural on the wall

Murals on the wall

Garlic bread

Bob had spaghetti, and I had a pasta dish without sauce which I thought had a bit too much garlic. They have a notice on their menu which said that Italian cooking had to have garlic in it, and not to even bother to come in if you didn't want garlic. I also had garlic bread.

Pasta dish without sauce

The bill was $23.22 and we gave the waitress $4.00 tip

Sunset in Marina December 1st

Tuesday 2 December 2003

Sunrise at 0710 from Titusville

No wind this morning. Cast off about 0700. I was at the wheel and Bob managed the lines.

Leaving Titusville Marina

I forgot to put the external antenna on the charting GPS and it and Bob both complained. It said it wanted an INIT method, but as soon as it got the first satellite, it forgot about that.

TYCO, another sailboat, was waiting for the Titusville Swing bridge's first opening at 0715, but the bridge tender saw a trawler coming out of the marina and waited to open until she saw that the trawler was heading north.

Anchorage in Titusville

Bob pulls out the jib. The bridge finally swings open at 0719, letting the sun shine across the water. The sun turns the bridge into a silhouette.

Sun rises opposite the Titusville bridge

When we go through at 0720, the rising sun shines on the golden tan concrete against purple and pink clouds.

East side of the bridge in the morning sun

After we go through the bridge, Bob pulls out the jib. The Indian River is one of the few places on the ICW where we could actually sail

Titusville bridge closes as cars wait

Cape Canaveral launch building

High tension power lines high over the ICW

We got to the NASA bridge after 0800

NASA bridge opening

TYCO ahead of us at the NASA bridge

and went through with TYCO

NASA bridge restrictions

Do not drag anchor sign

Cormorants on the bridge fenders

and a trawler named SHIRLEE-J.

SHIRLEE-J as the NASA bridge closes about 0820

Traffic was backed up past the end of the very long causeway. Bob said they should have left for work earlier.

Model missile on shore

We went by the Canaveral Barge Canal, which I've never paid much attention to before. This time I watched out for it because we had considered whether it would be a good place to go outside or to come in.

Looking from the ICW to the Barge Canal

Several little power boats turned the corner before the fixed bridge and went down this channel.

There are several power plants on the west shore of the river,

Power plant on the west side of the river

and associated with them are big overhead power lines on very tall concrete poles. Authorized clearance 45 feet, except 85 feet over the channel.

Electric lines framed by lines on our boat

Power lines crossing the river

SEA CAPER, a dark hulled sailboat passed us.

Under fixed bridge

A pair of Pelicans on the bridge fenders

SEA CAPER behind us at the fixed bridge about 1000

About 1015, some big grey dolphins came up and splashed water at us on the windward side. They got water all over Bob's sunglasses and over the curtains on that side. I didn't get any pictures because I was afraid that the camera would get wet. We are coming down by Cocoa with its huge water tower with the American flag on it

Cocoa's water tower

Shore of Cocoa

Leaving Cocoa

. Bob complained that the wind was not as strong as predicted and took down the jib.

Intercoastal Marina sign

Then the wind picked up, and Bob put up the jib. We really sailed along, and reached the Melbourne fixed bridge by a little after 1230.

Going through the fixed bridge

Since we have a strong NE wind now, we need to anchor SW of something for protection. The Melbourne bridge is the last place I know of where we can get this protection. So we anchor after a trip of 40.6 sm by 1300.

In the lee of State Route 516 fixed bridge

Bridge abutments NE of us

There is a sailboat named OMEGA closer to shore,

OMEGA closer to shore

and a little later, there is a fire on shore and fire engines come. Since there is high wind (18-25 knots) and it is dry, there is a significant fire hazard. But the fire is soon out.

Smoke lingers after fire on shore is out

A barge and tug come through the bridge and go south.

Barge pushed by a tug coming through the bridge

There are bad wakes at this anchorage during the day. But they die out during the night. Bob has forgotten to run the refrigeration, so he turns on the engine to do that, and we eat dinner on the boat - very nice tender steak.

The windmill ran hard all night, and we have very good TV reception of several local channels so we don't even bother with the satellite TV. We got the big quilts out of the V-berth, but do not need them as it did not get cold.

Wednesday 3 December 2003

Melbourne at 0638 in the morning

In the morning we were pointed east. I made Bob get up and start pulling the anchor, although he grumbled that he couldn't see the crab pots yet. The GPS said we went 1.2 sm last night (swinging on the anchor).

Indian River about 0900 December 3

Bob said he had trouble getting the snubber off the anchor, and I had to motor up to it in order to get it up off the bottom - trying to keep the boat from swinging too much past where Bob wants it to be headed. Bob said the last 4 feet of chain was caked with black sand and shell.

We see wind gusts from the SE of up to 25 knots although the weather is still saying the wind is east. We run the engine driven refrigeration and it is making a funny noise.

0823 - As we come past an anchorage at the spoil islands, a grey hulled sailboat named ELAN came out and passed us. They pulled out their jib and eventually Bob pulled out the staysail. He says the wind is borderline too strong.

Computer charting program

Spray droplets on the dodger

We are getting too much spray on the windward side of the boat for me to risk the digital camera. ODYSSEY, the power cat that passed us in Bucksport and again after McClellanville passed us again at 0950. We are about halfway to Ft. Pierce now.

Houses near the ICW near noon 116

Power plant

We had hot dogs for lunch. Ominous clouds are building up. It is still really windy. We pull in the staysail when we get to Wabasso where it is a bit more protected. Bob goes out and washes off the curtains so he can see a bit better.

Bob washing the dodger

1400 - ABOUT TIME, an Albin 40 passed along with GNATLOOP (another trawler). I see a pontoon boat from the Harbor Branch marine studies laboratory on the east.

Pontoon boat

Little barge 1215

We go by Vero Beach and I finally get a picture of the boats rafted on the moorings.

Vero Beach rafted boats on moorings

Vero Marine Center sign

17th Street Causeway

We get to the North Ft. Pierce bridge, which has a barge anchored in front of it - in front of us are two more sailboats and the two trawlers. ABOUT TIME asks about the clearance and the bridge tender says he won't be able to see because of the barge, and just to wait that he is opening. So the bridge opens for the trawlers and the sail boats also eventually get through.

Approaching the North Ft. Pierce bridge

We can't make it so we throttle back. Eventually two more power boats pass us so the bridge opens again.

Barge by the bridge

Workers dangling

We get to our slip (H15) after a certain amount of maneuvering - there are two slips and Bob doesn't know which one to go to - since the dodger (windscreen) is buttoned down he can't hear me. That means that he has to turn the boat sharply in a restricted area to get in the nearer of the two slips (there is a big power boat in the way so he can't see). This causes the sailboat on the other side of the power boat to think that we have bow thrusters!!!

Anyway, the end of the finger pier is right next to the shrouds so we have to go out the gate and walk along outside the lifelines and then step over onto the finger pier.

Rosalieann's deck

We get tied up after a total of 887 nm and a trip this day of 46.9 sm at an average of 5.9 mph. Harbortown in Ft. Pierce is now $1.00/ft with the BoatUS discount and electric is $4.00. They still have the email line outside the office.

ABOUT TIME is here too over on D dock (also leaving tomorrow), and AFTERNOON TEA (we saw in Dowry Creek and Georgetown among other places) is here getting some hoses replaced.

The weather report says that there are going to be strong winds and big waves on Friday, plus possible showers and it will be even worse weather Sat and that a front will go through. We had planned to go to Miami on Friday, getting there on Sat. But I think we will stay here until the wind dies down and the waves subside.

I went up and did email. Bob was upset when I came back because he can't make the 110 refrigeration work. The pump works, but won't turn on. He has fixed the problem with the plugs on the port side though. There was a short brief shower with the sun still up which gave a nice rainbow. I took a film picture of it.

Rainbow in Ft Pierce

Pink clouds

Marina cat

Then we went and ate dinner at the marina restaurant - Since I knew to ask for the early bird specials (4-6 pm), we each ate for $9.95 which included soup or salad, one of four entrees (crab cake, broiled flounder, strip stake or pasta primavera) rice, pasta or baked potato, vegetables and key lime pie. I had crab cake which proved to be fried (which I don't mind at all) and VERY large,

Early Bird Crabcake dinner

and Bob had flounder.

Tree pelicans about sunset

Then I went and got the black Dell it's virus definitions and and took some night pictures of the pelicans in the trees. We watched TV.

Bob watching TV in the aft cabin

Thursday 4 December 2003

Bob is washing the boat, and I am writing emails. The 110 refrigeration is now working again. I'm thinking of going up to use the pool - but I didn't - I did go up and get a shower.

At the dock in Ft. Pierce

When I went up to do email I talked to a guy who said Friday was the best window we'd have for awhile. There are supposed to be light winds from the south and then after midnight to come around to the NE with possible thunderstorms. So I reconsidered, and thought we might get to Miami before the thunderstorms and decided to leave after all. I went up and paid.

We had dinner at the marina restaurant again.

1717 - sun going down

Sunset

Marina cat

Early Bird steak

Night in the marina

Bob found a CSY in the yard - after we had dinner, we walked up there to look at it.

Friday 5 December 2003

Bob ran the refrigeration, and went up to the bathroom and turned in the keys. I let him back in to the dock gate. We cast off about 0715 and went out the inlet.

Leaving the marina

Harbortown Marina entrance

The marina looks very peaceful as we leave and there is very little wind. Bob goes on the wrong side of one of the ICW markers, but there's no problem - just a little shallower than the main channel.

Anchorage outside the marina

The tide is supposed to be high, but is still coming in according to the current.

Coast guard ship

Red and white range marker

We go by the CG station and out between the stone jetties.

Powerboat in the inlet

The inlet is relatively calm with just a little surf on the jetties and some fog over the beaches beyond it.

Fort Pierce through the morning mist

Breakers on the jetties

There are BIG rollers (well 8 ft anyway) from the east, as the wind has been from the east for awhile. Sort of uncomfortable because the wind is from the south and we are going south so we roll a bit.

Bob saw a turtle, but all I saw was the ring in the water where it had been. After awhile of the wind being from the south, the roller smooth out. Big cumulus clouds build up over the land - we are on the outer edge of them.

By noon, we've gone 30 sm and are past the St. Lucie inlet. We can hear people calling the bridges as we pass. We are going 6.6 mph and are being helped a little bit by a current flowing south. We have lunch (tuna sandwiches). We pass a tug pushing a barge north.

Tug and barge

We see a big ship with the name CROWLEY on the side in big white letters. We also see a green oil ship going north. At 1618 there is a current against us of about a knot, but the water temperature is only 73 degrees, so it's not in the Gulf Stream - it's probably the tide going in or out Lake Worth inlet.

Rain in the distance

We see a small cruise ship (too far away to make out the name - the Palm Beach Princess maybe?)

Small cruise ship

going into Lake Worth.

Sailboats

Bob asks what the line of buoys east of us is. We are passed by some racing boats which appear to also be headed from the inlet. Eventually we get close enough for me to tell that the line of buoys is in fact a line of sailboats. There must have been a race somewhere, or there is going to be a race off Lake Worth inlet. We speculate where they could be coming from. I think the Bahamas is unlikely given the reporting requirements, so I think they must be coming north from Miami.

Lowering skies

Coast at about 1700 (5 pm)

We had dinner - I ate my beef from last night. There was a brief shower. I went to lie down, but Bob called me up because there was a torrential thunderstorm (with lightening) and the bimini appears to have stretched a bit and is funneling water between the gap in the side curtains right onto the computer box. I bring up towels, but soon all of them are soaked. Eventually, I sit on the top of the computer box with an old throwable cushion on my head to push the bimini up. We kept going south and eventually the shower passed.

About 2100, Bob decided on his own to go down for a nap and left me with the main and jib up. I listened to the VHF and spent my time avoiding ships. I also tried to take a picture of the skyline at night. Fortunately, most of the inlets between Lake Worth and Ft. Lauderdale are 'local knowledge' only, so no big ships going in or out.

I heard a (presumably) big ship talking to the harbor pilot - he was asked if he needed a tug and his answer was "I don't know, I've never been to your harbor before." Also heard the tow boat people in Miami and Ft. Pierce talking about a boater who was near Dodge Island in Miami and wanted help.

Shoreline at night

The most exciting drama was passing Ft. Lauderdale when a guy called to say that he'd lost his rudder about 3 miles off shore (44 ft sailboat) and that a cruise ship was running down on him.

Saturday, 6 December 2003

Eventually, the wind was shifting around to the NW, and I was concerned that I'd gybe the jib, so I waked Bob up about 1230. I then went down and slept until about 0230. We were approaching Miami, and Bob still had the sails up, and needed help pulling them in as the wind was now gusting to 25 knots. I don't know why he insists on keeping the sails up like that. Eventually he had to use the winch to get the jib in and it is now wrapped REALLY tight.

We came in the inlet without a problem - passing the Fisher Island ferry. Bob refused to try to get into our slip in the marina at night although I knew it would be marked. But I also knew it would be hard with the wind without someone to help. We could not find the little floaters that used to be at the west end of the channel, but we did revisit the unlighted day marks going south along the ICW - not as close as the other time we'd done it though.

We anchored on the SE side of the Rickenbacker Causeway at about 0400 after a trip of 134 sm at an average speed of 6.4 mph. It took us almost 21 hours. Our total trip is 1004 nm.

We slept until we could get into the marina. Holding was good and there was protection from the north wind. The anchor came up with a white clay type substance on it which didn't wash off very well (still on there). After we got settled, we went to sleep. I woke up a couple of times as the wind generator was running and went up to check on our position.

At 0730, I waked Bob up and insisted that we get up and pull the anchor and go into the marina. We actually went back under the Rickenbacker Causeway about 8. It was about 3 nm back to the marina,

Dec 6 0803 Approaching Miami from anchorage

Approaching Miami from anchorage

Miami from the water

Statue on the waterfront

and we were there by about 0845, and got tied up. The dinghy was battered by the downwind piling and no matter what we did, we couldn't get the boat over to the upwind piling to put a line on it.

RosalieAnn in the marina

Also the marina rates have really gone up - now $1.85/ft. Lots of empty slips. There are no other charges except of course for tax. It is $25/ft/month and they will kick you out during the boat show which I think is in Feb. They have instructions for how to call customs and go to immigration at the south FL ports. One of the showers in the ladies is plumbed backward which makes it confusing to get hot water.

The boat next to us is a brand new SeaRay and the owner has absolutely no idea how to handle it - it was brought in by a delivery skipper.

After we logged into the marina, Bob wasn't going to take a nap, so I called to see if we could pick up the car and he walked over across the Miami River drawbridge and got it.

Drawbridge over the Miami River

Hotel where we rented a car

Then we went out to our daughter B's house.

They had a bunch of people there and were making deer meat chili. We were pretty tired, so we just ate a venison chili potato at her house and drove back to the boat.