These guys were some of the few who really enjoy today.
They are unfazed by this weather and definitely not intimidated by the wind!
Sunday, December 17, 2023
December 7th ~ Hungry Fish Video
December 7th ~Tillie and I heard strange tapping from MV BOLD RASCAL, the boat docked to our starboard. Apparently the fish were not bothered by the weather when it came time to eat!
Thursday, November 30, 2023
2023 - 2024 Cruise ~ Weeks 8 - 9 ~The Remainder of November
The second half of November was busy. . . .
We had a strong weather front stall over Florida for the better part of a week. The winds increasing to 25-28 mph with gusts hitting 40 on occasion. However, it was the rains that were remarkable. Streets were flooded from West Palm Beach down to Ft Lauderdale. The heavy rains here were on and off for 5 days. Georgia had taken the connector for the canvas dodger to the Bimini the week prior. This meant that all that rain was hitting our “front door” and we had little protection from the rain when preparing the dog for a walk. Once the front was gone and the sun returned, we couldn’t sit up in the cockpit without being in the sun. We never realized how great having the connector really is.
There were a number of pre-surgical appointments in Delray Beach for Pete’s surgery.
. . . flowers from a free bouquet from Publix and a very tired Tillie
The weekend prior to the surgery, the Indian River Lagoon Science Fair was right here in River Walk Park. There were lots of information booths covering wave dynamics, the impact on shore and plant life; marine life in the mangroves, lagoons, lakes and ocean; the life and death of coral; archeology, policing, ecology, manatee rescue, as well weather and its impact. There were sculptures made from recovered trash and the opportunity to name a whale. It was well attended, enjoyed and everyone walked away having learned something new. 
Lots of information, exhibits using trash found in the water, and Name the Whale contest.
Ann and Howie visited us here in Fort Piece. He requested dinner with a view and Chuck’s Seafood didn’t disappoint both in view and food. All our selections were delicious.
Sunset's dramatic lighting of clouds over the Gulf Streeam
Pete’s surgery was done on the 20th and everything went well. The nerve block did hold for the full 24 hours. Pain meds were started earlier to avoid the pain peak. He was doing fairly well, but reality caught up with him on Thanksgiving. Sleep was the great escape; so much of the day was spent in bed. We brought back delicious food for him from our Thanksgiving Dinner at the club. They gave him so much, we all enjoyed the great leftovers on Friday. Pete opted to start his PT in Ft. Pierce, so we returned to the boat after 10 days. Even though it was sooner than with the right knee, he was able to get on and off the boat for PT, but it was a bit more challenging this time.
We had a strong weather front stall over Florida for the better part of a week. The winds increasing to 25-28 mph with gusts hitting 40 on occasion. However, it was the rains that were remarkable. Streets were flooded from West Palm Beach down to Ft Lauderdale. The heavy rains here were on and off for 5 days. Georgia had taken the connector for the canvas dodger to the Bimini the week prior. This meant that all that rain was hitting our “front door” and we had little protection from the rain when preparing the dog for a walk. Once the front was gone and the sun returned, we couldn’t sit up in the cockpit without being in the sun. We never realized how great having the connector really is.
Heavy rains accompanied the winds on 11/16/23
There were a number of pre-surgical appointments in Delray Beach for Pete’s surgery.
. . . flowers from a free bouquet from Publix and a very tired Tillie
The weekend prior to the surgery, the Indian River Lagoon Science Fair was right here in River Walk Park. There were lots of information booths covering wave dynamics, the impact on shore and plant life; marine life in the mangroves, lagoons, lakes and ocean; the life and death of coral; archeology, policing, ecology, manatee rescue, as well weather and its impact. There were sculptures made from recovered trash and the opportunity to name a whale. It was well attended, enjoyed and everyone walked away having learned something new.
Lots of information, exhibits using trash found in the water, and Name the Whale contest.
Indian River Science Fair
Ann and Howie visited us here in Fort Piece. He requested dinner with a view and Chuck’s Seafood didn’t disappoint both in view and food. All our selections were delicious.
Sunset's dramatic lighting of clouds over the Gulf Streeam
Pete’s surgery was done on the 20th and everything went well. The nerve block did hold for the full 24 hours. Pain meds were started earlier to avoid the pain peak. He was doing fairly well, but reality caught up with him on Thanksgiving. Sleep was the great escape; so much of the day was spent in bed. We brought back delicious food for him from our Thanksgiving Dinner at the club. They gave him so much, we all enjoyed the great leftovers on Friday. Pete opted to start his PT in Ft. Pierce, so we returned to the boat after 10 days. Even though it was sooner than with the right knee, he was able to get on and off the boat for PT, but it was a bit more challenging this time.
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| Pete with post-surgical support from Tillie |
The choir welcoming the morning and dew kissed leaf
Full moon rising over Delray Beach
Hopefully, he will do as well with the left knee recuperation as he did with the right.
~ ~ ~ /) K & P ~ ~
Sunday, November 12, 2023
2023 - 2024 Cruise ~ Week 7 / Week 2 Fort Pierce
Tillie doesn’t know Daylight Standard Time yet. She woke at 6:15, with dawn on Sunday morning. Pete took her for a walk around 6:45. It was another beautiful day, temps at 59 going up to 80. The breezes are light once again out of the NNE, but increased during the day.
After breakfast, we headed over to the dog park. As we entered the area, all 4 dogs were sitting at attention by the pavilion, watching the newcomer. She had a blast.
When it was time to leave, we rode down to Jensen Beach, had a quick lunch and came “home” along the scenic drive near the river. As we continued on, over to check out the scenery at the jetty, we saw Joe & Taura’s boat, SV SETTING SUN at anchor.
Once back, we spent the afternoon sitting up above and read before the Phillies/Cowboys game at 4:30. It proved to be an exciting game with a nail-biting ending. Eagles won!!! They are firmly in the lead with 9 & 1.
Wednesday, I was bad and didn’t take Tillie to the dog park. She had her grooming appointment at noon. We dropped her off and continued to Taco Dive. Pete finally tried my favorite: the Taco Salad with steak and their yummy Dive Sauce. We enjoy watching the inlet boat traffic while eating. There is usually interesting boats to see. Today, we saw a strange ship depart. It was an off-shore supply/support ship named AXIS. It was funky and fairly new. We found out that it services a lot of large, private yachts.
We moved over to the parking lot and enjoyed the sights at the inlet until it was time to pick up Tillie.
Before and after. . .and still an attitude!
Thursday brought chores and laundry for me, and more work for Pete. I finally posted Week 6 onto the blog.
Ann & Howie came up to welcome us to Florida. We planned on an early dinner and since Howie wished seafood by the water, we “settled” for Chucks Seafood, which is on the inlet. There was no "settling". Everything we ordered was delicious. Their smoked fish dip is soooo good and their variety of freshly caught, local fish was great. Pete and Howie really enjoyed their special Cajun Crust on the fish. All too soon we had to say good-bys, but we will see them next weekend for a week. We will be staying with them for a while after Pete has his knee replacement surgery next Monday.
All the walking and standing for 6 hours in this heat, and without a breeze, made it feel like 100 degrees. That takes a lot out of you. With a belly full of great food, Pete didn’t stay up very long before calling it a night.
I am looking froward to this coming week. I think it should be less chaotic with most of the appointments done and the major boat chores completed. Hopefully there is more time to relax, read and do what I want.
After breakfast, we headed over to the dog park. As we entered the area, all 4 dogs were sitting at attention by the pavilion, watching the newcomer. She had a blast.
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| SV SETTING SUN |
Once back, we spent the afternoon sitting up above and read before the Phillies/Cowboys game at 4:30. It proved to be an exciting game with a nail-biting ending. Eagles won!!! They are firmly in the lead with 9 & 1.
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| Marina Cat loves Taura & Joe's wagon |
Tillie is still trying to adjust to the time change. She was moving around Monday, at dawn, but didn’t whimper until 30 minutes later, but 6:45 was still early.
Georgia was able to stop by around 9 this moring. She’s going to modify the joiner before making the pattern for the enclosure. We are looking forward to the final product.
The rest of the day, Pete worked on a project while I worked on the blog.
Tuesday’s alarm went off at 5:15 am and we were heading south at 5:45, in order to make Pete’s 8am CAT scan at Boca West Hospital. Tillie & I walked around the perimeter of the hospital while Pete was inside. It was a quick appointment and, since we needed to kill time before my 11 am appointment for my hair in West Palm Beach, we opted to do breakfast at Dunkin. We also checked out Riviera Beach Marina before we needed to head over to the salon.
It was rather eerie when I walked into the salon. My stylist was there alone. For some reason, all the stylists quit simultaneously. (There's gotta be a story there!) Since I was only doing the color, I was out in and out in less than an hour. Then it was back to the Fort Pierce.
Pete worked the afternoon while I went to Walmart for most of the items on my list. While there, Chris called, and we spoke for about a half hour. It took me another 40 minutes to finish my shopping. I did the self-checkout, as usual, and with only 3 items left, the scanner went wonky. I had to completely unpack my canvas bags and redo my entire checkout. Then it was off to Publix for the last few items on my list, I finally made it back to the marina around 5:30; quickly unpacked and put everything away. Thankfully, I picked up a rotisserie chicken and salads which made for a delicious and fast dinner. Needed to chill after dinner.
Georgia was able to stop by around 9 this moring. She’s going to modify the joiner before making the pattern for the enclosure. We are looking forward to the final product.
The rest of the day, Pete worked on a project while I worked on the blog.
Tuesday’s alarm went off at 5:15 am and we were heading south at 5:45, in order to make Pete’s 8am CAT scan at Boca West Hospital. Tillie & I walked around the perimeter of the hospital while Pete was inside. It was a quick appointment and, since we needed to kill time before my 11 am appointment for my hair in West Palm Beach, we opted to do breakfast at Dunkin. We also checked out Riviera Beach Marina before we needed to head over to the salon.
It was rather eerie when I walked into the salon. My stylist was there alone. For some reason, all the stylists quit simultaneously. (There's gotta be a story there!) Since I was only doing the color, I was out in and out in less than an hour. Then it was back to the Fort Pierce.
Pete worked the afternoon while I went to Walmart for most of the items on my list. While there, Chris called, and we spoke for about a half hour. It took me another 40 minutes to finish my shopping. I did the self-checkout, as usual, and with only 3 items left, the scanner went wonky. I had to completely unpack my canvas bags and redo my entire checkout. Then it was off to Publix for the last few items on my list, I finally made it back to the marina around 5:30; quickly unpacked and put everything away. Thankfully, I picked up a rotisserie chicken and salads which made for a delicious and fast dinner. Needed to chill after dinner.
Wednesday, I was bad and didn’t take Tillie to the dog park. She had her grooming appointment at noon. We dropped her off and continued to Taco Dive. Pete finally tried my favorite: the Taco Salad with steak and their yummy Dive Sauce. We enjoy watching the inlet boat traffic while eating. There is usually interesting boats to see. Today, we saw a strange ship depart. It was an off-shore supply/support ship named AXIS. It was funky and fairly new. We found out that it services a lot of large, private yachts.
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| Support Ship AXIS |
We moved over to the parking lot and enjoyed the sights at the inlet until it was time to pick up Tillie.
Apparently, today Tillie was a totally spoiled brat. She carried on terribly, wanting to play with the other dogs, who free-range in the space. She was loud, with her high pitched, excited bark and constantly on the move. It was very difficult for the staff to work.
Before and after. . .and still an attitude!
Thursday brought chores and laundry for me, and more work for Pete. I finally posted Week 6 onto the blog.
I had my eye appointment on Friday in Stuart. I just love having my eyes burned by the solutions and icky from the yellow dialation solution, not to mention my eye makeup half gone. (NOT!!!) On our way back, we stopped by to pick up a new vest for Pete as I shrank his original one when I washed it yesterday. He needs it for the competition tomorrow.
Mike and Barbara, SV ELAN, returned to I-dock today. It was so good to welcome them. Plans are in the works for a Taco Tuesday this coming week! Diane and Dave, MV ARGONAUT, we are waiting for you!
Pete was up and out by 6 am for the competition on Saturday. It was a beautiful, warm and calm day. It was great for walking Tillie through the downtown market, with all the people, dogs, as well as the food and craft stalls. She walked and behaved perfectly. For Pete, the sun and heat was a drain. He came back dirty and overheated. He couldn’t wait for a shower.
Pete was up and out by 6 am for the competition on Saturday. It was a beautiful, warm and calm day. It was great for walking Tillie through the downtown market, with all the people, dogs, as well as the food and craft stalls. She walked and behaved perfectly. For Pete, the sun and heat was a drain. He came back dirty and overheated. He couldn’t wait for a shower.
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| Water Lillies by the Manatee Center this morning |
Ann & Howie came up to welcome us to Florida. We planned on an early dinner and since Howie wished seafood by the water, we “settled” for Chucks Seafood, which is on the inlet. There was no "settling". Everything we ordered was delicious. Their smoked fish dip is soooo good and their variety of freshly caught, local fish was great. Pete and Howie really enjoyed their special Cajun Crust on the fish. All too soon we had to say good-bys, but we will see them next weekend for a week. We will be staying with them for a while after Pete has his knee replacement surgery next Monday.
All the walking and standing for 6 hours in this heat, and without a breeze, made it feel like 100 degrees. That takes a lot out of you. With a belly full of great food, Pete didn’t stay up very long before calling it a night.
I am looking froward to this coming week. I think it should be less chaotic with most of the appointments done and the major boat chores completed. Hopefully there is more time to relax, read and do what I want.
Saturday, November 4, 2023
2023 - 2024 Cruise ~ Week 6/ Week 1 Fort Pierce
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| Tonight's Sunset |
After showering, we were so fortunate that Marilyn and Jon were available to head over to Taco Dive with us to celebrate our return to Ft. Pierce. It was so good to catch up, but boy, were we tired.
The tarpon have been very aggressive eating, banging and splashing against boats. It’s gonna take Tillie a while to get used to it.
On Monday, Pete worked until about 2 pm. He then rode the electric scooter over to pick prescriptions for both of us. He had to wait for his to be filled, but was back after about 80 mins. Unfortunately, they only filled 1 out of the 3 prescriptions I needed.
Windy App showing the winds hitting the Florida Coast, The marina cat waiting
for Barbara and Mike's arrival and the beautiful yacht JUSMAD
We finally found time to enjoy the cockpit & read until dinner. Pete’s birthday dinner was chicken parmesan with leftover Bolognese sauce from the freezer. I had planned to make a chocolate pudding pie, but the milk was frozen solid. We need a new thermal regulator, which is on Pete’s Honey-do list. Tuesday was a pretty day with the same breeze and temps as yesterday. Pete worked for a while this morning while I was under the weather. He called for an UBER to take him to Enterprise for the rental car. He also stopped by the pharmacy for my prescriptions. Once back, he grabbed the laundry and headed to the laundromat as we had 3 full loads. No trick-or-treaters in the marina, but there were some along the main street.
Early Wednesday morning, I drove Pete down to West Palm Beach Airport. Pete’s partner George picked him up at Baltimore Airport mid-afternoon, shared dinner then dropped him off at our car. Of course, I tried to finish up the blog, but a headache delayed the process. I did meet Rick from Astraea (Island Packet) who has joined us on I-dock for the season.
I was shocked Thursday morning when Tillie let me sleep to 8:15! We took a long walk, before breakfast. Once back spoke with Pete, who was south of Savanah, He raved about his first Bucky’s stop for their super clean bathrooms, delicious BBQ and inexpensive fuel.
He asked me to close engine intake and open aft cabin hatch for some fresh air. Well. . . I needed repaired screen before putting it in the hatch. To do so, I needed to move enclosure that was laid over everything. So… emptied cabin to get at enclosure wrapping materials. Wrapped up enclosure, then proceeded to reorganize and inventory everything in the aft cabin so I the enclosure could be stored back there too.
We have been experiencing super high tides all week courtesy of the King Tides occurring during the full moon. Thursday, it was 2 inches from top of dock. Needless ot say, it was very challenge getting on & off boat.
Sue Ann, Ray, Dave and I welcomed Melissa and Mike and Maggie, MV BOLD RASCAL back for the season on Thuraday.. Pete made it back shortly after they arrived.
A short while later we heard sounds that sounded like 2 shots. We all looked, but didn’t see anything. However, 20 minutes later, as I went to walk Tillie, there were 7 police cars in our parking lot and across the marina was more police, a police boat, fire and rescue. Our prayers are with the family of the young man who took his life on one of the docks.
Police activity at the marina
https://www.youtube.com/@HiGuysLeo
We planned on grabbing dinner at First Friday held at marina square. We overlooked the fact that the “season” has not fully arrived, so many of the food trucks were not there. Our choices were so poor, that we opted to eat at Cobbs’s. We knew their food is alsways good. Their outdoor dining area was expanded a few years ago and is very popular. We were able to be seated outside with Tillie in tow. She did remarkably well with all the pedestrian traffic, the other dogs, and the excitement of the restaurant. This scenario was to be our last session with Hiede, our dog (and people) trainer up in Maryland. She would be and we are so happy with Tillie's progress!!!When I walked Tillie later that night, there were at least 3 bands playing in Marina Square. I was able to hear rock, Jamaican and Latin competing for attention.
The Saturday Farmer’s Market is also not fully geared up for the season. However, the Jamaican Bowls stand, which makes the delicious omelets and home fires, the bakery and the smoothie stands were all very popular. With it being such a busy week, we decided to relax and read. With the mild temps and the breezes continuing from the NNE, it was great to sit up in the cockpit.
I spoke with both Diane from ARGONAUT and Barbara from ELAN. We look forward to their arrival on I-Dock in the not-too-distant future.
~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K
Sunday, October 29, 2023
2023 - 2024 Cruise ~ Week 5
Sunday, October 22, 2023 ~ St Augustine to Daytona, FL
Today: 58 miles 9.5 hours S/M 830.6
Total: 985 miles 149.3 hours
We had another 8-hour day, so we were up at 7. Skies were overcast, temps in the low 60s and winds light 5-8 from the west.
While walking Tillie, Pete met Annie, a 2-year old golden retriever. Both furry kids were excited to have the another to romp with. They played for about a half hour and both were exhausted. Due to their playing, we didn’t leave the dock until 7:50. Since it is Sunday, we didn’t have to wait until 9 am for the commuter closings.
As we approached the Bridge of Lyons, a tug and barge was approaching from the south. Thanks to him, we were also able to transit the bridge at 8:15, but that extra 15 minutes didn't help with our time today. We had to fight the current for over 3 hours.
At the Matanzas Inlet, they were actively dredging. The dredge was continuingly zigzagging as it dredged. He was able to move it to the west, so we passed starboard to starboard. The sailboat just in front of us bumped the bottom 3 times, but the shallowest we saw was 1.5 feet under the keel. Surprizingly, there was no current change as we passed the inlet and the southern finger to the inlet was completely sanded in.
Matanzas Inlet with the current, working barges, submerged, but marked pipes 
Being the weekend, the crazies are also back on the water. Just after coming through the dredging, where the pipes are submerged, we were passed (very nicely) by a southbound small boat. The separation was about 25 feet. A north bound small boat decided to come through our separation at speed. Tillie kept an eye on everything.
Sunday boaters, some without a clue!
We spoke with Chris this morning. This was their last camping weekend adventure of the year. The campground celebrated Halloween with a costumed parade and trick-or-treating. Yesterday, after the parade, Kelli was exiting the camper and somehow lost her balance. She landed on the end of the handlebar for a scooter. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with 4 broken ribs, 3 of which are displaced, and a punctured lung. Ribs are somewhat stabilized and a chest tube has been inserted to re-inflate the lung. Right now, she’s an exhausted and hurting puppy.
When traversing the Palm Coast area around noon, the cicadas could be heard over our engine, which means they were very loud. We had to wait for the JB Knox Bridge. It was surprisingly busy with lots of motorcycles crossing the bridge. One rider decided to dismount on the center span and look around. We had to wait about 10 minutes for him and the rest of the traffic to clear the bridge.
Fox Cut and the rocks at its shores
It was around 2:15 when we finally accelerated to 7.1 mph. We have been doing 6 hours at 4.7 - 5.9 mph against the current! When we booked Hallifax Harbor Marina (Daytona), we were sure that we would be in by 3:30 – 4, no problem. However, with the current against us so long, we didn’t get there until 5:10. The harbormaster stayed late so we could do a much-needed pump out. They assigned us a T-head dock so we could secure ourselves as they closed at 5. It was a long day knowing that we were behind schedule, but we did keep the marina office informed. 
Thank heavens, I had defrosted the garlic shrimp and veggies I made a week or two ago. Cook some rice, reheat and eat. Then it was time to chill . . . to the sounds of motorcycles. Turns out, today is the final day of the 31st Biketobertfest.
Sea Grapes, Mama Foo Foo Restaurant and Lady Dolphin of Daytona
I had planned to defrost the refrigerator this morning. When I went to grab the juice for breakfast, I noticed the ice buildup on the cold plate was gone! Somehow, when I went to turn off the propane last night, I must have hit the refrigerator switch instead. Then Pete was the one who turned off the propane switch. With the defrosting complete, I turned the right switch on and pumped the water from the bottom without emptying it. This is now the fastest I have ever defrosted a fridge!
Between prep for and the actual conference call, Pete was busy most of the day. Once I started, I wound up spending 6 hours on photos and blog. My reward was the beautiful sunset I was able to capture after dinner.
Simply breathtaking
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 ~ Daytona to Titusville, FL
Today: 58 miles 9.8 hours S/M 878.0
Total: 1043 miles 159.1 hours
We’ve been vacillating on whether to leave for Titusville today or not, as winds were to be out of the ENE 15-18 with gusts ap to 28. Most of the ICW is protected until we get to Canaveral National Seashore with Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River having large fetches of water. The winds will continue to blow for the next few days, and we have a few days to kill before landing in Fort Pierce. Our contract there begins on November 1. We also had a tentative date to meet up with Oz and Rita in Titusville to let the furry kids play. After checking and rechecking the winds on various apps and much discussion, we finally made the final decision to leave.
Temps were in the low 70’s and the skies were partially cloudy when we left at 8:15. We finally caught the current again! We were lucky to have the current down the Halifax River to Ponce De Leon Inlet, cruising in the mid 8's to 9.
After a 10-minute wait, we passed through George Munson Bridge. The current changed shortly thereafter. Now it’s time to pay our dues. We did miles and hours at 5.6 - 5.9 mph. We actually made it to 6 mph for a whole 20 minutes! However, we then dogged it the entire length of Indian River North (about 20 miles). We finally picked up speed within a 1/2 mile of Mosquito Lagoon. We spotted lots of dolphins and at least 3 manatees.The winds were 20 on our port beam, but thankfully the waves were only 1-1.5 feet, with a slight chop.
A total of 10 power boats passed us today. The last one was this silver hulled 65-footer, which made the turn into the canal at speed and immediately backed the power down. The turn was cool to watch! The migration has definitely started. Between Facebook and friends, there are lots of cruisers heading south. Free dock space is gone early in the day and many marinas have no available slips, even 2-3 days out. I imagine, Dockwa and Snag-A-Slip are seeing tons of activity, with bookings days, if not week in advance, and changes due to travel conditions. We are sooooo glad we were ahead of the migration!!!
Today: 58 miles 9.5 hours S/M 830.6
Total: 985 miles 149.3 hours
We had another 8-hour day, so we were up at 7. Skies were overcast, temps in the low 60s and winds light 5-8 from the west.
While walking Tillie, Pete met Annie, a 2-year old golden retriever. Both furry kids were excited to have the another to romp with. They played for about a half hour and both were exhausted. Due to their playing, we didn’t leave the dock until 7:50. Since it is Sunday, we didn’t have to wait until 9 am for the commuter closings.
As we approached the Bridge of Lyons, a tug and barge was approaching from the south. Thanks to him, we were also able to transit the bridge at 8:15, but that extra 15 minutes didn't help with our time today. We had to fight the current for over 3 hours.
Sunrise, St. Augustine's north mooring field, tug and barge with derelick boats,
Bridge of Lyons and the bridge tender.
Matanzas Inlet with the current, working barges, submerged, but marked pipes
and the silted in finger to the inlet.
Sunday boaters, some without a clue!
We spoke with Chris this morning. This was their last camping weekend adventure of the year. The campground celebrated Halloween with a costumed parade and trick-or-treating. Yesterday, after the parade, Kelli was exiting the camper and somehow lost her balance. She landed on the end of the handlebar for a scooter. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with 4 broken ribs, 3 of which are displaced, and a punctured lung. Ribs are somewhat stabilized and a chest tube has been inserted to re-inflate the lung. Right now, she’s an exhausted and hurting puppy.
When traversing the Palm Coast area around noon, the cicadas could be heard over our engine, which means they were very loud. We had to wait for the JB Knox Bridge. It was surprisingly busy with lots of motorcycles crossing the bridge. One rider decided to dismount on the center span and look around. We had to wait about 10 minutes for him and the rest of the traffic to clear the bridge.
Palm Coast and the sights along the intercoastal, including HUGE boat houses.
The last is easily 40 x 40 feet!
Fox Cut and the rocks at its shores
Monday, October 23, 2023 ~ Day 2 ~ Daytona
A thin cloud layer covered the sky, and temps started in the low 70 and rising to 85. Gentle breezes came from the SW. Tillie and I took off for a walk around 9:30 while Pete was working. We met Pierce and his 18-year-old Chihuahua. He is a native Floridian, retired and a live-aboard for a long time. He loved to talk and shared many boating stories. As a result, we didn’t get in the extra mile that was planned on our walk.
Marina reflections, a PINK TowBoat US and the newest Daytona Bridge
Sea Grapes, Mama Foo Foo Restaurant and Lady Dolphin of Daytona
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| PEKABU in Halifax Harbor |
Between prep for and the actual conference call, Pete was busy most of the day. Once I started, I wound up spending 6 hours on photos and blog. My reward was the beautiful sunset I was able to capture after dinner.
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 ~ Daytona to Titusville, FL
Today: 58 miles 9.8 hours S/M 878.0
Total: 1043 miles 159.1 hours
Temps were in the low 70’s and the skies were partially cloudy when we left at 8:15. We finally caught the current again! We were lucky to have the current down the Halifax River to Ponce De Leon Inlet, cruising in the mid 8's to 9.
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| The small chop |
As we called in for Haulover Canal Bridge, we were informed that the power just went out on the bridge. Work crews were on the poll next to the bridge and on the ground trying to identify and repair the issue, but there was no idea of how long. We were told to keep to the far eastern end of the canal. Making ovals for 2 hours was frustrating, but we were treated to many manatee sightings.
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| No problems clearing the bridge |
The bridge finally open, the sun heading to sunset and an unusual motor sailor
We finally made it through the bridge at 4:30. Titusville Marina is open until 7, so we had help docking in half-fingered slip when we finally came in to dock at 6 pm. Since we arrived much later than planned, I made grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner, Tillie was insistent that the squeaks coming from us rubbing the pilings due to the wind, needed to be dealt with…immediately! She was much happier with the quiet.
We have also decided to walk Tillie only in areas without grass. The thistle, burrs and seed pods need constantly attention so they can be removed from her fur. The spiky, sharp burs on her feet are the worst. We knew she was in trouble when she limped.
Arranged to meet with Oz and Rita tomorrow at the dog park. Then it was time to chill and early to bed.
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 ~ Day 2 ~ Titusville, Fl
Tillie woke us at 2:30 am, when the winds increased and the squeaking returned. Pete had to adjust the lines in order for all of us to go back to sleep.
After breakfast, Tillie and I went over to the dog park. There were 2 other dogs and their persons. We were joined by 4 other dogs over the hour. Leeloo, Rita and Oz could not come because Leeloo wasn’t feeling well – possible UTI. They are looking for a vet. Tillie loved wrestling and chasing others, but her favorite turned out to be a dirt hole. She not only obsessed the hole, but then rolled and shimmied back and forth on her back in full abandon. She dropped pieces of dirt all the way back to the boat. Oh, the miracles of water and soap! The mud flowed for more than 10 minutes, and then the shampooing began. Once dried, she had all her white spots back. Now it was my turn for a shower!
The fun 
The dirt
Bridge clearance and the "judges" overseeing the passages
It is fun reading name of boats. We have come across a number of memorable ones in our travels. The very first one that caught our attention was BOB-ALONG. Bob was the brother who donated a kidney to the owner. Now, the owner will always have something of Bob’s along with him. PAIR-A-DOCS belonged to a couple who were both PHDs. SAILS CALL, RAGTIME, SHEET MUSIC for sail boats. REEL PLAY and FISHFUL THINKIN’ for, of course, fishing boats. HYDRO-THERAPY, PIER PRESSURE, FANTASEA, VITAMIN SEA, SEADUCTION for power/cruising boats. KNOT 4 SAIL for former sailor who has gone to the “dark side.” And, then there is the one we saw in 2011:
Today in our travels, we saw another very memorable one! The Riviera 65 MY called out “Damage Control” to PEKABU for a slow pass,” but as he passed “DAMN-AGE CONTROL” was on his stern. We both love it! By the way, PEKABU is another name that others remember when they find out the origin. It is not a misspelling or meant to be cute. It is derived from our names: PEte and KAthy BrUzik.
Leaving Eau Gallie
For a Saturday, there were surprisingly few small boats on the water. We weren’t passed by any cruisers southbound until Sabastian Inlet and further south . There were a couple of northbound power boats and 2 sailboats. SV TRILOGY, the other sailboat with us at Sisters Creek, must have laid over a few days like we did due to the winds. We passed him southbound once again.
Speaking of winds, this current weather pattern as been caused by a high sitting over the mid Atlantic, a trough in the Gulf and remnants of TS Tammy out east of Bermuda. This pattern should be changing as Tammy heads to the NE.
Sabastian with the islands and unusual boats (and a large catamaran on a boat lift!)
Enjoying the islands and Vero Beach mooring field before the migration
The very fast trimarian, ULTIMEMOTION 2
With the mainsail, we were doing against 7.2 current, rather than 6.5 we did when in a wind shadow. Once we were about 5 miles passed Vero Beach, we cruised at 9.6 with current, wind, and engine. The mainsail was downed before the bridge and we needed to do donuts while waiting for the opening. The current was too strong to try to maintain position.
Heading to our slip in the marina, a small boat cut in front of us, heading to the fuel dock, totally clueless. Pete was able to back into slip, even with the wind and current. The new dock master and a dockhand caught our lines. Sue Ann & Ray were waiting to welcomed us “home.”
Pete walked over to office while I took Tillie for walk. On his way back, Pete saw Janea, one of the Freedom Boat staff, fall overboard while cleaning one of the boats. She was wet and mad, but unhurt.
Took an hour and 10 to set lines for the long stay. Though we had planned on it, there was no Cobb’s tonight. We were just too tired. Quick dinner, walk Tillie, showers, then crash.
Total Days of Travel: 23 / 35 including layovers
Total Miles: 1137
Total Hours: 172.3
We are looking forward to being “home” for the next 6 months with our friends here on I-Dock.
We have also decided to walk Tillie only in areas without grass. The thistle, burrs and seed pods need constantly attention so they can be removed from her fur. The spiky, sharp burs on her feet are the worst. We knew she was in trouble when she limped.
Arranged to meet with Oz and Rita tomorrow at the dog park. Then it was time to chill and early to bed.
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 ~ Day 2 ~ Titusville, Fl
Tillie woke us at 2:30 am, when the winds increased and the squeaking returned. Pete had to adjust the lines in order for all of us to go back to sleep.
Florida's Halloween decorating ideas
After breakfast, Tillie and I went over to the dog park. There were 2 other dogs and their persons. We were joined by 4 other dogs over the hour. Leeloo, Rita and Oz could not come because Leeloo wasn’t feeling well – possible UTI. They are looking for a vet. Tillie loved wrestling and chasing others, but her favorite turned out to be a dirt hole. She not only obsessed the hole, but then rolled and shimmied back and forth on her back in full abandon. She dropped pieces of dirt all the way back to the boat. Oh, the miracles of water and soap! The mud flowed for more than 10 minutes, and then the shampooing began. Once dried, she had all her white spots back. Now it was my turn for a shower!
The fun
The dirt
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| The clean and exhausted |
Our daughter-in-law, Kelli was released from the hospital. She is slowly on the mend, but she will continue being a hurtin’ puppy for a while. Broken ribs are treated with a tincture of time, a long time.
Spoke with Ft. Pierce Marina and we can arrive on Saturday, 10/28. Since the winds will once again freshen tomorrow afternoon, we booked an extra day here and moved Eau Gallie to Friday.
Pete spent the day deep in a new work project. After lunch, I tried to work on the blog, but a nap called.
After dinner, I went over to SV DELI MAVI and spent a nice evening with Rita and Oz. Pete had to beg off due to a headache.
Thursday, October 26,2023 ~ Day 3 ~ Titusville, FL
Pete and George spent another full day on the project. I spent most of the day on the blog. I still have photos to place into the blog before posting week 4 of our journey.
After dinner, Rita, Ox and Leeloo, their 2-yr-old golden doodle, came over for desert. It was fascinating to hear how Oz updated his electrical system to lithium batteries. They can go days without shore power and can run systems no problem. He can even run the air conditioning off of a separate 3 batteries specified for that. Of course, there were lots of adventures and experiences to talk about. We enjoyed the evening and look forward to seeing them in the future.
Friday, October 27, 2023 ~ Titusville to Eau Gallie, FL
Today: 37 miles 5.7 hours S/M 915.0
Total: 1080 miles 164.8 hours
Winds were light, but still out of the ENE at 5. Temps were in the low 70’s, mostly cloudy and very comfortable. There was a chance of showers, but we never saw them.
We were on our way by 8:30. More power boats were passing us. Most try to be considerate, but really have no clue how and when their boats create waves. Hint: When you slow down fast, the waves you created catch up. When your stern sits low in the water and is traveling slow, it leaves a deep hole. After passing, please be mindful that accelerating at about 50 feet from us not enough. It just creates a big hole that we have to quickly steer into. If the radio was used to communicate, we would request you stay at speed & on plane. That usually leaves a much smaller wake and we can anticipate our compensation. Unfortunately, many other sailors prefer a slow pass, so it makes things more complicated and confusing for the power boats. Sorry, enough venting.
Spoke with Ft. Pierce Marina and we can arrive on Saturday, 10/28. Since the winds will once again freshen tomorrow afternoon, we booked an extra day here and moved Eau Gallie to Friday.
Pete spent the day deep in a new work project. After lunch, I tried to work on the blog, but a nap called.
After dinner, I went over to SV DELI MAVI and spent a nice evening with Rita and Oz. Pete had to beg off due to a headache.
Thursday, October 26,2023 ~ Day 3 ~ Titusville, FL
Pete and George spent another full day on the project. I spent most of the day on the blog. I still have photos to place into the blog before posting week 4 of our journey.
After dinner, Rita, Ox and Leeloo, their 2-yr-old golden doodle, came over for desert. It was fascinating to hear how Oz updated his electrical system to lithium batteries. They can go days without shore power and can run systems no problem. He can even run the air conditioning off of a separate 3 batteries specified for that. Of course, there were lots of adventures and experiences to talk about. We enjoyed the evening and look forward to seeing them in the future.
Friday, October 27, 2023 ~ Titusville to Eau Gallie, FL
Today: 37 miles 5.7 hours S/M 915.0
Total: 1080 miles 164.8 hours
Winds were light, but still out of the ENE at 5. Temps were in the low 70’s, mostly cloudy and very comfortable. There was a chance of showers, but we never saw them.
We were on our way by 8:30. More power boats were passing us. Most try to be considerate, but really have no clue how and when their boats create waves. Hint: When you slow down fast, the waves you created catch up. When your stern sits low in the water and is traveling slow, it leaves a deep hole. After passing, please be mindful that accelerating at about 50 feet from us not enough. It just creates a big hole that we have to quickly steer into. If the radio was used to communicate, we would request you stay at speed & on plane. That usually leaves a much smaller wake and we can anticipate our compensation. Unfortunately, many other sailors prefer a slow pass, so it makes things more complicated and confusing for the power boats. Sorry, enough venting.
 |
| ...and the winner doing it under sail! |
Bridge clearance and the "judges" overseeing the passages
It is fun reading name of boats. We have come across a number of memorable ones in our travels. The very first one that caught our attention was BOB-ALONG. Bob was the brother who donated a kidney to the owner. Now, the owner will always have something of Bob’s along with him. PAIR-A-DOCS belonged to a couple who were both PHDs. SAILS CALL, RAGTIME, SHEET MUSIC for sail boats. REEL PLAY and FISHFUL THINKIN’ for, of course, fishing boats. HYDRO-THERAPY, PIER PRESSURE, FANTASEA, VITAMIN SEA, SEADUCTION for power/cruising boats. KNOT 4 SAIL for former sailor who has gone to the “dark side.” And, then there is the one we saw in 2011:
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| Hopetown, Bahamas 2011 |
The old NASA Addison Bridge is being dismantled. As we passed through where the bridge opening used to be, much of the cement has been chipped away and the iron rods stick out in all directions. The road is completely gone and the bases for supports are being removed. Next time through here it will probably be just a memory and a new fishing pier.
It was an easy ride today. We could have motored sailed when the wind freshened, but we were getting close to Eau Gallie.
This marina is unique. We have rarely seen staff. Hailing or calling hasn’t helped in the past. At least now with Dockwa, we can communicate by text. The face dock is in an area where wind is limited due to land rise, homes and trees, and there is no real current, but we still appreciated the docking help from the Hatteras in front of us.
If I had enough quarters, I probably would have done laundry. The heavy-duty washer and drier were in the shed next to the boat. Instead, I worked on the blog, while Pete worked down below. By dinner time I was able to post week 4 to the blog. YEA!!!
Tomorrow, we arrive in Fort Pierce. I hope to have week 5 ready to post by Wednesday. Boat cleaning and scrubbing, reorganizing as well as laundry and food shopping need to be done after being on the move for a month. Pete will be gone Wednesday and Thursday to bring the car down from Maryland.
We chilled after dinner and called it an early night. Tomorrow, we have 7 hours to get to our winter home.
Saturday, October 28, 2023 ~ Eau Gallie to Ft. Pierce, FL
Today: 51 miles 7.5 hours S/M 965.1
Total: 1137 miles 172.3 hours
We were underway by 7:30 as the sun rose. Clouds dotted the sky, temps were in the low 70’s and the winds continue out of the ENE at 10-12. Once turning south onto the ICW, up went the main and we increased our speed against the current from 6.7 to 7.5.
It was an easy ride today. We could have motored sailed when the wind freshened, but we were getting close to Eau Gallie.
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| Entering Eau Gallie River |
If I had enough quarters, I probably would have done laundry. The heavy-duty washer and drier were in the shed next to the boat. Instead, I worked on the blog, while Pete worked down below. By dinner time I was able to post week 4 to the blog. YEA!!!
Tomorrow, we arrive in Fort Pierce. I hope to have week 5 ready to post by Wednesday. Boat cleaning and scrubbing, reorganizing as well as laundry and food shopping need to be done after being on the move for a month. Pete will be gone Wednesday and Thursday to bring the car down from Maryland.
We chilled after dinner and called it an early night. Tomorrow, we have 7 hours to get to our winter home.
Saturday, October 28, 2023 ~ Eau Gallie to Ft. Pierce, FL
Today: 51 miles 7.5 hours S/M 965.1
Total: 1137 miles 172.3 hours
We were underway by 7:30 as the sun rose. Clouds dotted the sky, temps were in the low 70’s and the winds continue out of the ENE at 10-12. Once turning south onto the ICW, up went the main and we increased our speed against the current from 6.7 to 7.5.
Leaving Eau Gallie
Speaking of winds, this current weather pattern as been caused by a high sitting over the mid Atlantic, a trough in the Gulf and remnants of TS Tammy out east of Bermuda. This pattern should be changing as Tammy heads to the NE.
Sabastian with the islands and unusual boats (and a large catamaran on a boat lift!)
Enjoying the islands and Vero Beach mooring field before the migration
The new North FBridge in Fort Pierce and an On-the-water play house
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| Our last bridge for the fall |
Pete walked over to office while I took Tillie for walk. On his way back, Pete saw Janea, one of the Freedom Boat staff, fall overboard while cleaning one of the boats. She was wet and mad, but unhurt.
Took an hour and 10 to set lines for the long stay. Though we had planned on it, there was no Cobb’s tonight. We were just too tired. Quick dinner, walk Tillie, showers, then crash.
Total Days of Travel: 23 / 35 including layovers
Total Miles: 1137
Total Hours: 172.3
We are looking forward to being “home” for the next 6 months with our friends here on I-Dock.
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