Prepare for takeoff

The plan now is to take off tomorrow morning and head North. We must first 'Run the Gauntlet' of drawbridges, 7 bridges in the first 15 miles. All of them opening at different times and intervals, with only a couple of them opening on demand. Slow going, with lots of spinning in circles and idling in the current. Not sure where we'll anchor tomorrow, we have plenty of choices and we'll see how things are going in the afternoon. We want to push on up to Port St. Lucie where we'll meet our good friends that we've hung out with for the last couple of months, say our goodbyes and farewells, and then continue north. We're eager to get North of St. Augustine, where we took off from in February, so we can stop backtracking and cover new ground.

Star walked to the nearby Publix today for ice, fresh meats, and a few other last minute preparations and then hauled them back in her handy-dandy rollerbag. (See photo). While she was shopping I stayed at the dinghy beach with Chief, and had an interesting conversation with Dan, who was ashore walking his yellow labs. He mentioned that he had a friend staying long term in the anchorage on a boat 'Julie Ann'. I said that "I've been staring at the boat, because I swear it looks just like the boat we were anchored next to in Luperon, Dominican Republic back in 1999."

He told me "That was the boat you were next to, he bought it in Luperon, and I helped him sail it back!"

Me, "So I'm not crazy!" At least, only a little crazy. Somehow I can't remember the name of someone I met a few hours ago, but I can remember the sweet lines of a nice sailboat that I saw 10 years ago.

So goodbye North Lake Worth, maybe we'll see you next fall......

Comments

Pine Island to Fernandina

Sunday was spent idling around the boat taking care of small projects, both of us moving a little slowly after a great time Saturday night with Fred and the acrobatic Rick from 'Freedom'. Pine Island has such a snug little anchorage it was a great place to hang out and avoid the Sunday boat traffic and we were able to scrape the waterline of 4 inch long grass and miniature barnacles that have accumulated already. Star made good on her promise of making my favorite dish after we crossed north of our starting point in St. Augustine. Lapin a la moutarde . For those like me who don't ' parlez vous ' very well, that's Rabbit in mustard sauce. Today we were underway at 7:15 heading north with a couple of stopping options available, but we were staying flexible and had no certain destination. We crossed the St. Johns River and transited the Sister's Creek area at low tide and were on a just barely rising tide for the notoriously shoaling Nassau Sound area. To say ...

Chief of the Boat

"Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." Mark Twain We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment. ~George Eliot Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really. ~Agnes Sligh Turnbull I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that. ~W. Dayton Wedgefarth Chief 12/12/95 - 5/8/2010 Rest in peace, little buddy

Melbourne-Titusville-Daytona

Yesterday we sailed up to Titusville , a short 15 miles and were able to anchor by lunch. This is one of the cruisers prime Intracoastal Waterway stops . A fairly well protected anchorage right outside the Titusville Municipal Marina with a public dinghy dock, and walking distance to West Marine, Napa , grocery store, KFC , and Burger King. We took advantage of the Napa and I went ashore to fetch a gallon of anti-freeze because I had used up our onboard supply with the coolant leak . The evenings sunset entertainment was provided by the Bagpipe Guy, who seren aded the anchorage at sunset with an incredible performance. I wish I could name the tune because it was so familiar, but then a lot of bagpipe music sounds the same to my tone deaf ear. That's always one of the great pleasures of cruising, there is such an eclectic group of misfits out here all searching for their own piece of paradise. Today, we got an early jump and were underway at 7:00 under main and iron- genoa . We...

Sail Felix

Search This Blog