Summer in Fort Pierce ~ June

Week 1 ~ 

Tarpin hiding in the shade
 during this heat

     June came in hot & humid with the afternoon winds making being outside semi-comfortable. We also saw a lot of afternoon storms popping up all around us. There were reports of water spouts & and a land spout. That’s right. . . not something that I made up! According to The National Weather Service: In a tornado, the rotation is cloud-based, extending down to the surface. In a landspout, there is a surface circulation that extends up toward a cloud. Who knew?!

     By Wednesday, the cold front pushed through and brought cooler temps, great breezes and spotty showers. We enjoyed being outside. Clearing storm clouds make for beautiful sunsets.

Different moods of sunset

     The blog was written, but photos had to wait until we took care of Pete’s medical follow-ups. Here’s the good news: Pete’s pulmonary embolisms were caused by the sinus infection that migrated to the lungs, causing a very severe, difuse pneumonia.  That stressed the lungs and created the opportunity for the clots. The genetic testing ruled out a possible gene mutation as the cause. But here is the best news: the latest CT scan shows the shrinking & resorption of the clots! The oxygen challenge had totally normal results. Pete shouldn’t need to use the portable oxygen now. However, we will keep it as a backup for a while. Anticoagulant will also be terminated down the line. We never anticipated such great news! There will be more medical visits in the future as close monitoring will be important. Have I said this is great news? Yup! , , , and will be saying it a lot!

     Now, we can focus our energies on the engine. Being a Friday, Pete will have to wait until Monday to check with the rebuilder. They have had it about 10 days. Hopefully, it will be on its way back to us soon, and fully repaired.
     We have also started tackling projects on our To-Do List. The shower calking has been removed and resealed. A new faucet should arrive in the next few days and be installed. The wooden rail by the sink has been reattached. The air conditioning has been decalcified & flushed. A good dent in just a week!
     Oh yea, with the summer heat, I am exploring more recipes for the crock pot. It does throw out some heat, but we figured out that we can set it up in the covered cockpit, where it will not challenge the AC. I also like the idea cooking once for multiple meals. That way on other hot days, a quick defrost up in the cockpit and using the microwave to reheat the leftovers does not tax the AC. As the saying goes, “It’s a win/win situation!”
     Pete saw on facebook that Melborne Orchard, near where we used to live in Delaware, will remain open to sell their canned produce and gifts, but there will be NO apples, peaches, pears, or cherries this year. The weather whiplash brought a late frost, killed all the floral buds. We really never considered the possibility. I’m sure that many farmers across the country will be suffering due to our crazy, cold winter. We can see how much destruction to the vegitation there has been even this far south in Florida.
     Our trip to the dog park was once again, fun. Today, there were lots of dogs. We sat and chatted with ‘their people.” Tillie had her bath once back.
     I tried the new recipe for Crockpot Pulled Pork. Definitely a keeper!
    Howie came for a visit and we headed down to Conchy Joe’s Seafood, located along the river in Jensen Beach. Their shrimp & fish dip, conch fritters, coconut shrimp appetizers and sweet potato crusted salmon entre were to die for!

Week 2 ~

     The Port of Fort Pierce is a deep-water port. It is small and industrial. There are a number of commercial fishing boats as well as support and construction vessels that are working on the new bridge, and vessels that are dredging the channel and/or rebuilding the beach. Derecktor Shipyard took over operations on the terminal property a number of years ago. HUGE yachts are hauled, braced and usually enclosed in plastic for the work being done. We are talking about ships in the 200-350 foot long range. The hauler is enormous, with about 40 huge tires that are easily 8-10 foot high! As I mentioned last month, the sailing vessel, M5, was docked there, but it has departed. There were quite a few who were along the jetty at sunrise to see her depart. I knew it would be impressive and the photos on Facebook were really great.

 
Magnificant ariel shots of SV M5's departure on June 6th by Ian Gronosky on Facebook

 

from Facebook

   Among the items on my feed was photos of the Catalina Yacht facility in Key Largo, where the auction was taking place. PEKABU is a 2003 Catalina 350. One of the reasons we bought it was based on the brand’s reputation, customer service and its following by so many. Needless to say, we were shocked when we heard last October that the production facility had been shut down.
     Here is a summary by the Scuttle Butt Newsletter:

     Catalina has been building boats for 50 years and has more than 85,000 hulls launched and sailing. The brand is as American as apple pie and the owners are deeply loyal to the Catalina ethos and the legacies of Frank Butler and Gerry Douglas who took over the design and building side of the business years ago.

     But Butler passed away and Douglas retired, leaving the company in the hands of long-time sales director Sharon Day and building manager Patrick Turner. An infusion of new capital from Michael Reardon and a plan to buy Tartan Yachts, seemed hopeful. But it wasn’t.

     Soon after changing hands in the fall of 2025, Catalina sank into serious cash flow problems and gradually began taking on water. In March 2026, Catalina was thrown out of the factory they were leasing and essentially closed its doors for good.

     Employees, who had been sounding alarms all summer, had not been paid for months. Many of them now are working at nearby Island Packet Yachts.

     As for Tartan, Reardon bought it for “a dollar down” and more to be paid out of future revenues. The whole staff was furloughed on day one and the builder’s future is uncertain at best.

     Catalina Yachts, which was seeking to sell assets at auction on June 9, 2026, is being resurrected by C & T Composites, a Florida-based marine manufacturing and composite company. Along with the True North Yachts brand, the plan is to restart manufacturing, introduce new models, and develop a new American-built adventure boat line for the next generation of boaters.

     Boat building entrepreneur Michael Reardon purchased Catalina and True North Yachts in May 2025 but soon thereafter was missing payroll and reneging on his purchase agreement.

     Patrick Turner, who was Catalina Yachts President at the time, released a statement in October 2025 reporting that manufacturing had stopped, and it was later learned that the new owner of Catalina Yachts had been evicted from its manufacturing plant in Largo, Florida.

     With production staying in Largo, Turner has rebounded with C & T Composites, a company he leads as CEO alongside Member John Chen, who brings extensive experience in multi-hull development, and Board Member Hiten Sonpal (iRobot & Rice Robotics), whose guidance will be instrumental in the company’s strategic growth and profitability.

     As part of this revitalization, former designers and engineers will be returning to assist with designs and developments. Their involvement will support C & T Composites’ goal of honoring the heritage of Catalina and True North while developing fresh, modern designs for today’s boating market.

     In addition to revitalizing Catalina and True North, C & T Composites will launch Xplor Yachts, a new adventure boat brand designed for today’s active boaters — combining performance, versatility, comfort, and American craftsmanship.

     “We are honored to have the opportunity to carry these brands forward,” said Turner. “Catalina and True North have earned tremendous respect over many years, and our goal is to preserve that legacy while bringing back experienced people who know these boats, adding new talent, and building the next generation of Catalina and True North boats right here in America.

     “John and I also see a strong opportunity to create a new adventure boat brand, which reflects where the market is headed.”

     C & T Composites plans to reconnect with existing dealers, owners, vendors, and industry partners as operations resume. Additional announcements regarding production schedules, model plans, the Adventure Boat program, dealer programs, team member opportunities, and customer support initiatives will be released in the coming months.

     It is mind-blowing and so tragic that one person could destroy a great business, peoples’ lives and others’ dreams in such a short time. It is hard to raise hopes with the new owners and restructuring. Only time will tell.                 

     We were able to catch another Friday night dinner with Marilyn & Jon at the club. We talked about cruising on bigger boat- specifically cruise liners. They shared stories from a number of  their cruises. Heather and I are doing a mother/daughter cruise up the Rhine in September. Pete and Tillie will hold down the fort.
     Speaking of the river cruise. . . I spent a lot of time researching travel insurance and running/walking shoes. Heather had booked our cruise last August. I forgot that, at the time, we had also bought the travel insurance. The good part of the research was that now that I review the policy we have, I was able to confirm that this policy provides great coverage. As for the shoes, I have always had problems with my feet and have been very cautious as to what I buy. I am now prepared with 4-5 different brands and numerous styles. Next, I need to find a well-stocked shoe department in a sports store.

Week 3 ~

     

     The schooner, Ellissa, was a guest at the Port of Fort Pierce. She is heading north where she will be meeting up with many other sailing training ships from around the world. They will parade and be open for viewing in Norfolk, Baltimore, New York and Boston as part of Sail4th. It is part of the national celebration of America 250, our nation's birthday party.

     Blog for last month finally finished & posted. I know Diane has been checking almost daily.
     Engine will be on her way home after paying the $1100 “bench fee," as there was "nothing wrong with the engine."  Yea, I know. He said they added the "oil for testing and it ran perfectly." We have 2 master mechanics who videoed the engine running dry before returning it to Countrywide. GRRRRRRR!

     We headed to Vero Beach Dog Park. Dispite the heat, people and their dogs came, visited, chatted and left while we sat in the large gazabo. A full-sized labradoodle was a great converstaion started. She was uniquely styled as a Rustafarian. 

 
Check out her dreads!

Sunday, 6/21/27 ~   

     We have been locked into a summer weather pattern with highs in the low 90s, with winds less then 10. Breezes pick up mid-afternoon for a couple of hours, only to die off usually after 8. Heat indexes hover around the 100-degree mark from 10:30ish to about 6 pm. The storms build across the state. They pop-up, split, lessen, or intensify, depending on the conditions. Two nights ago, we were slammed with an intense storm that raged for about 40 minutes. There must have been over a hundred strikes within 5 miles of the marina with a few here in the marina. Last night the storm hit us then split with storms continuing to hit north & south of us. The sun found a small hole in the cloud cover, and painted the entire sky orange. I saw the orange glow through the curtains. By the time I went up above, the skies continued to change. The orange was not total. It morphed and painted the clouds with many colors. “Magnificent, awesome, and spectacular” were just a few ways to describe it.

 
The storms build, break with many lightening strikes . . .   and then it breaks up around us,

and the sky glows with golds and oranges

     

           

 
 Some of my favorite sunset photos ever!

     With this weather it is hard to pick an acceptable walking time. Chrissy and I have had many plans for walking, only to be cancelled  due to the weather. I have been exercising onboard, modified for limited space and height. It is better than nothing. These photos are from our last walkabout by the Jetty.

 
A memorial that hasn't been removed by the city and Natal Plum flowers

     The Summer Solstice has arrived. It seems impossible that daylight will now, once again, be decreasing. This "stuck in limbo" thing is the pits. Looking forward to the completion of the engine work, cooler times for walking and sitting in the cockpit (rather than hibernating down below), visiting family, and friends returning to the dock.

 
Tuesday, 6/23/26 ~ 

     I finally scheduled an appointment with Tracy to do my hair. I can’t believe it has been 3 months since the last treatment. If you measure the grey, my hair has grown about 2 inches since the beginning of April. The color has severely faded. I do limit my time in the sun and try to always wear a hat to prevent the fading. This time, she had to redye my entire head instead of the touch-ups I usually get every 2 months. Wow! What a difference.
     The engine finally arrived at Unlimited Boat Service for the mechanics. Pete coordinated everyone for next Tuesday. Harbortown Marina’s hauling well, Mike’s Crane, TowBoat 2-way tow and the mechanics are all booked for noon, next Tuesday. The engine will be placed in its spot, but installation will be done while we visit the kids.

     AC is struggling to keep up with heat indices, which are in the high 90s -102.Pete managed to book an AC mechanic to check the Freon level once we are back from NJ.   Looking ahead at 4th of July week. It will be a scorcher for most of the East Coast. Princeton, New Jersey looks to be hotter than here in Fort Pierce. . . We’ve seen temp predictions of 105, and that temperature not index!!! That’s about 112!!! We are heading up to see the kids and keep medical appointments made in January, with the assumption that we would be up north for the summer, hence Princeton's forecast for next week.

   America 250, our countriy's birthday celebrations, have begun. Tall ships gathered in Norfolk, then are heading to Baltimore and New York, and continue onto Boston. The American States' Fair is happening on The Mall in DC with flyovers, state exhibits, and rodeo, There was even a White House U.F.C Fight on the lawn of the White House.  The fireworks on July 4th all around the country should be spectacular!

 

  

 
SAIL4th gathering in Baltimore -

 Photos by 2 talented photograhers I follow - Ime Umoh and David Sites 

    We are still on the wait list for dockage in Baltimore for the weekend of the 4th. We were #11 on the list. I know we won’t be able to be there, but it would be fun to see if we could have gotten in. No worries about them not filling the slip should they offer one to us.

     Oh yea! The world's largest locomotive, the Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy, has been traveling across the country as part of the celebration. Everywhere she goes, she draws large crowds.  There are a lot of railroad enthusiasts, as well as many just joping to get a glance at an historic and impressive locomotive from our past. (I bet Sheldon Cooper, "Big Bang Theory," was in the crowds somewhere, most likely in spirt!) Near Reading, PA, she met up with another historic locomotive, RBMN 2012. They were very impressive chugging side-by-side. Big Boy will remain in Phili for 2 days at the Naval Shipyard, before returning to her permanent display in Wyoming. The following is from Wikipedia:

     Big Boy No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam locomotive. Of the eight remaining Big Boys in existence today, No. 4014 is the only one still in operation.

     Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. These massive locomotives were built to haul heavy equipment in support of the war effort, normally operating Wasatch Range between Ogden, Utah, over the Green River, and on to Cheyenne Wyoming. The Big Boys are 133 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds.

     Due to their great length, the frames of the Big Boys are “hinged,” or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They have a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which means they have four wheels on the leading set of “pilot” wheels to guide the engine; eight drivers on the first engine; another set of eight drivers on the second engine; and four wheels trailing that support the rear of the locomotive.

       No. 4014 was retired in Dec. 1961 after traveling 1,031,205 miles. Union Pacific reacquired it from the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California, in 2013 and relocated it back to Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a multi-year restoration.  After being rebuilt to operating condition, it returned to service in May 2019 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad's Completion.  It thus regained the title as the largest and most powerful operational steam locomotive in the world.

      The seven other remaining Big Boys are on static public display in St. Louis, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

 

 Big Boy and the crew that brought her across the country            & Making her way east 

From the RBMN Website: 

     Reading Blue Mountain and Northern 2102 (historically known as Reading 2102) is a preserved T-1 class 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive, originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in March 1925 as an I-10sa class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotive for the Reading Company (RDG). No. 2102 was rebuilt by RDG's own locomotive shops as a 4-8-4 in September 1945, and it was used for pulling heavy coal trains for the RDG until being retired from revenue service in 1956. 
     In February 2016, the locomotive began to be restored back to operating condition. It returned to service, in April 2022, after completed a nearly six-year, $2.4 million extensive overhaul, completely rebuilding the locomotive from the ground up and restoring the ULTIMATE engine to the collection. She is one of only four remaining in the world and the only one that is operational today. This iron horse now stands proudly, showing off the old Reading Railroad black and gold colors of days gone by and pulls  RBMN's excursions run between Reading and Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania as well as special excursions into surrounding areas.

 
Big Boy and Reading 2012 ~ Impressive!

Week 4 ~  

Monday, 6/29/26 ~ 

 

Storms broke out around us,
but we stayed dry.

   The boat will be towed tomorrow and the engine placed on board. So today, in the blistering heat, we took down the awnings, the dodger and connector, but left the Bimini to provide Pete some shade while traveling to and from Harbortown Marina. There were other chores that also needed to be done as part of the prep.
     After dinner, we ran down the smell of burnt plastic in the galley. At first, we thought it was the AC. We were relieved to realize it was ONLY the microwave giving up the ghost! I have been using it a lot in an effort to avoid using stove with this heat.
     

Tuesday, 6/30/26  ~ 

 

     The morning went as planned. We were up before the sun. The aft cabin was emptied, with stuff placed on the port sofa and floor, as well as onto the bed. The stuff on the bed will be transferred to the starboard sofa so we can sleep tonight. The lines were also remarked with the zip ties so there will be more space between our stern and the dock. Since we are away for 2 weeks and technically in hurricane season, we want to do hurricane preparations so that there won’t be any hurricanes!
     TowBoat was once again early and very cooperative. PEKABU was on her way by 11:15am.  Tillie and I were able to get into the facility by once again following another vehicle into the Harbortown work yard. We arrive just before PEKABU. There were boats already in both wells. Thankfully, they were moved out fairly quicky. The mechanics’ truck couldn’t get into the yard. I had to wait until the dingy was hoisted up to the davits of a 40-foot sailboat that was already in the hauler, to ask for help getting the mechanics into the yard. They were waiting just outside of a gate with a lock right by the haul out well. Today, the water level in the haulout area was very low, about 10 foot down. Last visit it was only about 7-foot difference and Pedro was able to step onto the aft seat rail to board. This time he needed extra hands on and off the boat.

 

  

 

The oncore!

 

     Like a well-oiled machine, the crane lifted and loaded the engine into the cabin of the boat and we were done in less than 10 minutes. Then PEKABU and TowBoat were on their way back to our slip. The mechanics, the crane, and I sat for over 35 minutes as a freight train slowed, stopped, sat for about 15 minutes, then backed up a bit, and finally was in forward motion again. PEKABU was already in her slip and Pete was trying to set the lines when I arrived back at our marina. It is really a 2-person job.
     Once secured and power on, we quickly went below to escape the sun and heat. Besides, it was well past lunchtime. As the boat cooled down so did we while we ate lunch. Then, we discussed our final to-do-list. The Plan. . . Stay cool below until later. Move stuff off the forward bunk so we can pack. After Jersey Mike’s for dinner, we will take down the Bimini, double up the lines, secure the jib so she can’t unravel and make sure things are away in the cockpit. Early to bed with the alarm set for 2:30 am be on the road to NJ by 3. Yes, we are crazy, but we have found that by leaving this early we miss the traffic around Jacksonville, Savannah, Raliegh, and usually Washington, DC. If no delays, we will usually hit commuter traffic in Jersey, but most of it is going in the opposite direction. The trip goes quickly with good audio books; 15 hours and done, but only one day spent traveling!

Guess where the engine
awaits installation!

     Sounds like a good plan, right? Once again, you know what they say about best laid plans. . . . Yup! The s#iT just keeps piling on!!! As we sat there still cooling down, the AC just stopped! No click. No reattempt to restart itself, as in a power disruption. No error message. No lights on the controller. BUT the AC was still pumping out water! Now, the temps inside were climbing fairly quickly. In 15 minutes, the internal temps rose 10 degrees to 84. Outside it was 93. We looked at each other and said it was "time to get the hell out of Dodge!"
     Thankfully, Tillie’s stuff was already packed. The cold items we were taking with us were clustered and in a bag in the fridge and, this morning, I had moved the stuff from the top of the refrigerator to the lower area where the cold pools and will keep the condiments cooler while we are gone. The real temperature sensitive stuff has been used up and, should we have a temporary power disruption, the fridge and freezer work on battery. The electronics and personal items were already gathered and in bags, but the clothes packing, the extra dock lines, the foldup of the Bimini and stuff in the cockpit still needed to be attended to. Somehow, we got it done and the bags loaded into the car, Pete washed of all the sweat and we were on the road by 4 pm.
    Guess what happens all across the country during the summer. They restrict traffic and do road work! Usually, they try to do it overnight when traffic is light. Some jobs are too big so lanes remain shut during the day and often are being worked. So, between a half dozen construction sites plus the 3 torrential downpours we had before leaving Florida that slowed traffic to a crawl, we added 90 minutes to our arrival at the hotel in Florence, NC. We also had to turn off the car from time to time. The AC was being temperamental.  We did grab a bite to eat at Burger King, but it isn't Jersey Mike's! We rolled into Florence at 1:30 am, and enjoyed the great, long, hot shower, the big bed and great AC!

Wednesday, 7/1/26 ~ 

     We woke around 7. Tillie was walked, and we took turns getting our breakfast. This hotel had a very limited breakfast bar. No eggs or meat, or juice, but the waffles are really great. We were on our way by 8. After having to restart the car once for the AC, we kept the car running for the rest of the trip. The AC worked slightly better than yesterday. Knowing Jenn and Greg had dinner plans, we grabbed Cobb salads with crispy chicken and frosty lemonades at Chick-Fill-A. Always a great meal while traveling.
     Temperatures were still in the 90’s when we arrived at the house around 8:30 pm. The AC inside feels wonderful!

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ K & P

2026 Summer in Fort Pierce ~ May

Friday, 5/1/25 ~

     It is unbelievable that May is now here! The time is flying and we feel we are in a weird limbo. The dock is empty except for Dave from SV Cecilia, and us. Even the sad, blue canvas-trimmed sailboat that the birds have amply decorated over the past 4 months, has left.

     I have been taking Tillie for her walks.  We are averaging almost 3 miles a day between the morning and afternoon walks.  I know why my allergies have been so preverlent.  There are a lot of things in bloom.  From ground cover, to various palm trees, to roses.  

 

Hairy Beggarsticks, ??? and ???
  

Sunshine Mimosa, Jamacian Fever plant & a rose

Saturday, 5/2/26 ~

     We skipped the Farmer’s Market. I don’t think Pete is up to all that walking yet. We are seeing improvements daily in his stamina and strength. Today he used his energy quotient to give Tillie a good combing and bath in anticipation of grooming her tomorrow.

  
Trees and bushes are recovering from the frosts and a Dwarf Date Palm is flowering

Sunday, 5/3/26 ~ 

     It has been almost 2 months since Tillie’s last grooming. The hair around her eyes have been trimmed twice, so that she can see. We know that her “bangs” are getting too long when we toss a treat and she can’t catch it! It is mind-boggling how quickly her hair grows and the amount we shave off. Pete swears that the rapid growth diminishes her brain function.

Monday, 5/4/26 ~ 

     We cleaned the enclosure, dried and packaged it. From the "free table" I was able to get 2 large well structured sail bags.  They are perfect to place the enclosure into once it was rolled around fenders. Had to partially clear out the aft cabin to place the enclosure into our “storage area onboard” and put everything back. However, we could not find the awning. It is not in the vacuum bag in the aft cabin, which is where it is usually kept. Pete found it in the starboard lazarette in a black garbage bag. Very unsure of the hows and whys that might have happened. I probably was in a rush and did it as a temporary measure. Pretty sure it was Me BAD!

 

  

Yep. There be storms 

 

     It is officially, the rainy season. Lots of pop-up showers can occur almost eery day.  Yes, they are popping, but mosts times they just slide by or break around us.  We have had very few showers or downpours. As you can see, at least one of the showers traveled straight over us.

     Oh Yea. . . It is also Love Bug season.  These buggers remain attached after mating and appear in the thousands, causing big dark clouds in areas, expecially along the Florida Turnpike.  I have only driven though it once.  All the rest areas have a car windshield washdown area that allows you to once again see through most of the windshield rather than the minute spaces between all the smashed bugs!  This truck definately came though one of those swarms. YUCK!!!

 Wednesday, 5/6/26 ~ 

     We put up awnings temporally as the heat is beginning to climb towards the 90’s. We will have to take them down when we take the boat over to Harbortown for the engine removal.

Thursday, 5/7/26 ~ 

     I spent most of the day working on April’s blog. The written part is complete, but the photos need to be processed. I am getting better at weeding out the dups and choosing which photos tell the best story.
     Pete sat up in cockpit and read while Tillie kept him company. Awnings are making both up above and down below more comfortable. The sun is always intense in the non-winter months. I am not complaining. It is just an observation. However, as we enjoy the warmth, the middle and northern states are getting whiplash from the incredible temperature swings.

Friday, 5/8/26 ~ 

 

     Heat & humidity are building. I will have to walk earlier. The breezes arrive in the afternoons, but the temps are high and the sun is still very intense.
     I finished and posted April’s blog. It was a challenge to sum up the events and keep it kind of light. I think, and Pete agreed, I did good!
     There has been a sailing ketch in the slip on the inside of the T-head. He arrived while the CCK was taking place last month. I finally met Perceval this morning. He seems nice, but with the heat, everyone hibernates. He will be here until January.
     We are falling back into the rhythm of being on board again, but the vibe is so different with everyone gone except for Submariner Dave and Perceval.

 

 

Big storms slipping to our south

Thursday, 5/14/26 ~ 

      It was a beautiful day after storms we had on Tuesday & Wednesday. Once back from one of his check-ups, Pete read for a while in the cockpit.

      Around 9:30 pm, while watching TV, we heard a loud bang on cabin top. It was definitely the sort of sound that needed investigation. It didn’t sound like a boat hitting ours, or fish slapping against the hull trying to escape the predators, or a bang against the dock due to a gust of wind. Upon further investigation, we found an 8-inch crab carapace dropped from the top of the mast by our newest tenant - the osprey. The only meat still on the crab was in the legs. S/he is not intimidated by any of our attempts to dislodge her! Unfortunately, with the blue-canvased sailboat gone, we have been adopted. So, s/he is also redecorating our canvas!

Friday, 5/15/26 ~ 

Here is the big news around town. It has taken 3 years, but it was completed on time.
From the TC Palm:

     The new North Causeway Bridge, designated by the state legislature as the E.C. Summerlin Family Bridge, officially opens, May 15, 2026, in Fort Pierce. It replaces the D.H. 'Banty' Saunders Bridge, (named after David Howard Saunders who was a state representative in 1945, a Fort Pierce City commissioner, and a lumberman for 40 years.) The drawbridge built in 1963, was deemed to be in poor condition by the Florida Department of Transportation. The fixed span bridge, which is expected to cost $111.5 million when complete, is the tallest on the Treasure Coast. After the new bridge opens, the existing drawbridge will be closed permanently to traffic and demolished as part of the final phase of work. Construction on the new bridge continues through late 2027.

 
Views from the new North Causeway Bridge ~ heading East then the return trip West.

View from the top of the bridge, looking at the ICW north to Vero.

Lots of folks enjoying the beautiful day on the water.

      We have been sitting onboard for a while. We decided to go for a ride and wound up heading north on 1A from Riviera Beach. It gave us a chance to pass Juno Beach in Jupiter. I had heard that it is one of the mosts beautiful in Florida.  As we were passing many of the frost damaged Sea Grape trees, we could see the spectacular turquoise blue peeking through the trees. Pete stopped so I could check it out. Definately beautiful!

 
 

    

  

 

Definately reminds me of the waters around Bermuda

Jupiter Inlet with the light house

Monday, 5/18/26 ~ 

     We moved our “storage” from the aft cabin onto our bed forward, prior to mechanic’s arrival. They freed up the engine for tomorrow’s removal. In the meantime, we headed to the Jetty so that we were out of their way. The only thing I didn’t remember to do was to take lunch to take with us. It turns out, I don’t need to. It took them 2.5 hours. They were done before lunch! (Interesting, Deltaville charged us for 15 hours, or was it 20?! At this point, I don’t want to ask Pete.)

 
Views from our spot at the Jetty

     Last week, Pete had arranged with TowBoat for the tow to Cracker Boys, but yesterday the manager called about the tow. They had no information. Did we fill out the request on line? No, but we arranged it directly through the dispatcher. He took all the information and told us we would be called. He said he would get the info from dispatch. Everything looked good to go.
     On our way back to the boat, Pete received a call from TowBoat. This person called and told us that there was a problem. There was no info for the tow. Pete tried to explain his call with the dispatcher, when he was interrupted with “Cracker Boys had no record of you.” Pete tried again to explain when he rudely informed Pete that he was supposed to have called Cracker Boys to arrange everything. Pete started to explain again, but the guy just hung up! Needless to say, Pete anger began to climb, too. Pete then spoke with our mechanic, who said “well yeah, you were supposed to call and arrange it”, which we didn’t know and of course it then fell between the cracks. Aah …OK. However, he also stated the Cracker Boys will not pull the engine when the boat is in the well. The boat has to come out of the water. BIG PROBEM! Pete informed him we don’t want to be out of the water. We can’t function that way with a dog, no air conditioning, no power, no water, no sanitation. We need to be in the water. He said using just the haulout well would still be doable if we took the boat to Harbortown Marina. They should be able to have a crane come in and pull the engine and let it be on our way back to the slip. OK - Harbortown called. Yes there’s $175 fee for using the well - bill paid, reservation made. Then called Mike’s Crane. Mike was great. He said there was a $600 fee for the crane and he could arrange to be available tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday. Called back mechanics. They said fine. They’ll meet us there at noon tomorrow, which was the time that the crane operator suggested since that’s when the folks at Harbortown are at lunch. The well is normally available. So, we’re still gonna have the engine removed tomorrow. Fingers crossed that the timing works out and no more surprises!
     The TowBoat manager called back after we rearranged all this. TowBoat insurance will only cover a tow one way. We would have to pay for the return trip since we will not have an engine to propel us back to our slip. The cost is about $800. After this discussion, Pete checked with SeaTow and they said IF they had a boat in the area, they would be able to do it in less than an hour for $375. OK…. Pete looked into SeaTow membership and found that they will not cover an arranged tow for 30 days after the membership has begun. So that ain’t gonna work. Pete arranged with the mechanic and kept TowBoat for the tow for tomorrow.
      PHEW! With everything arranged, we read for a while before heading over to La Quinta Inn for the night. We picked up sandwiches on our way. There was no way we could say on board for the evening with our bed piled high with everything from the aft cabin.

 

A Painted Turtle makes its way across a flooded field.

I managed to capture these from through a window on the second floor of the hotel!

Tuesday, 5/19/26 ~ 

     We were up, Tillie walked, all of us fed and out by 9:30. It gave us time to take down the awning, dodger and connector. The lines were marked with Zipties so that we will be able to quickly reset the lines when we return. Additional lines were readied for securing PEKABU in the well at Harbortown Marina. We were just about set for the 11 o’clock arrival of TowBoat. He called at 10:30, sitting in the main fairway, asking just where in the marina we are. He tied up to us as we disconnected the electrical & and undid the lines. Once he backed us out of the slip, he continued on his course. PEKABU traveled forward while TowBoat make the trip over and back - totally in reverse!

 
 

     Tillie and I drove over to the marina and only waited about 15 minutes until they arrived. The well is definitely used for hauling boats onto and from the yard. There were only 2 cleats! I was able to secure PEKABU and the TowBoat using the rear cleat and a piling midway in the well. We still had 40 minutes until Mike’s Crane was due to arrive.
     The mechanics arrived about 11:45 and Mike arrived shortly thereafter. The removal went perfectly and PEKABU was departing the marina by 12:05! We never were approached by anyone at the marina. I guess since we paid at the time arrangements were made, and used the only crane permitted on the property, there was really no reason to take time away from other projects or lunch. WOW! 15 minutes and done!

 

 

                              
The engine removal and its crating

 
      While waiting, Pete and the TowBoat captain listened in to radio communications between a 45-foot fishing boat and the USCG. Both engines failed and they needed a tow in from 38 miles offshore. TowBoat will only go out to 20 with a calm sea state. It is rough out there now. CG offered to remove the 5, but no mention of a tow.
     As we were departing, it started to rain. Thankfully, the heaviest rain slipped just to our north. Mostly missed the guys on their way back to our marina. They arrived back at our slip at 12:30. I helped with lines and electrical hookups. Having the dock lines marked worked really well. With winds from the east of 14-18 and gusts of 25, and TowBoat keep us in position, we were quick and efficient securing the lines.
      We still can’t figure it out. It took a total of 2 hours for TowBoat, including initial securing, tow, wait in the well, tow back and securing. Our membership covered the initial tow, yet we were additionally charged $650 for the return tow (which was discounted to the commercial rate as we are members in good standing.) It is still not as much as paying additionally for 3-4 weeks’ storage on the hard at Cracker Boys, with no power, (no AC), no running water and requiring a ladder to get on and off!
     Once things cooled down both outside and inside the boat, we put things back to right. The front cabin emptied, reorganized in the aft cabin, and Pete put up the canvas and awnings. They really make a difference with the effectiveness & efficiency of the AC. The difference between not having direct and hot sunlight on the cabin can be felt. It is remarkable that with the awnings there is no increased temperature gradient as you near the ceiling. The AC periodically has a chance to cycle off.

Wednesday, 5/20/26 ~ 

     Countrywide (the engine rebuilder) has been informed that the engine was being removed and a pickup needed to be scheduled. Pete received an email after 4:30 that they scheduled the pickup for tomorrow morning. He immediately called the mechanics, but of course, they had left for the day. Pete then cancelled the pickup. There was no way to know the mechanics’ schedule as to when it would be prepped for shipping. He will call Tuesday to reschedule as they are closed on Fridays and Monday is Memorial Day.

         I walked with Chrissy over at the George LaStrange Preserve again today. She had told me that there are lots of gopher tortises; large, land-dwelling reptile found in the southeastern US, known for digging extensive burrows that provide shelter for over 350 other species. Most are 9-11 inches but these two are easily closer to the 15-inchers. 

  

A Gopher Tortise 

     The sightings were special. The final part of the walk is along an old road where the alphalt is decoposing. It is uneven, broken down and has chunks that have dislocated.  Unfortunately, I found one of those chunks, which resulted in me going down.  I now have a really colorful road burn down my left leg, and no tissues to capture the blood drooling down my leg and my palm, also.  

Friday, 5/22/25 ~
 

     The most spectacular launches are just before sunrise and after sunset. The angle of the sun captures the vapor trails in what has been named  the "jellyfish."  Yesterday, there was an early pre-sunrise SpaceX launch. Photographer Bob Franklin was able to capture this totally epic photo. 

      Also, the launch of SpaceX’s Starship 12 was scheudeled from their facility in Texas. This will be their first Starship rocket to reach low earth orbit, launch Starlink satellites and return to earth. Due to a lock that didn’t work, the flight was scrubbed at T- 40 seconds. It was fixed and the launch took place tonight. We tuned on YouTube about 50 seconds after liftoff. I don’t know how they succeed in capturing the most spectacular video/photos of the launch, booster separation, descending and landing into the Indian Ocean. An amazing fact: Starship actually uses the atmosphere to slow down its decent by descending horizontally. I couldn’t help but geek out and pull some of the photos from Facebook taken but the NSF,  Launch Heaven, and CBS to document and share.

Ready for lift off ~

 

 

 Lift Off ~

Suborbital flight, horizontal dessent, and splash down in the Indian Ocean ~

Saturday through Monday, 5/23-25/26 ~ Memorial Day weekend!

     Not quite sure how this day arrived so early. I know how they choose the date, but really I didn’t think the 4th Monday of May is here already!
     Pete went to breakfast with GRMS Ham Radio Club at Golden Corral on Saturday. He said the food was great and the buffet reasonable. Thirty members were able to meet, greet and enjoy the company.
     Weather is warm with temps in the high 80’s, “feels like” in the mid- 90s, but the afternoon breezes out of the SSE were wonderful, with 15-20 and gusts up to 25. Chrissy and I took advantage and walked down at the Jetty both Sunday & Monday mornings. Great weekend for walks and photo ops!

 

 A friendly pelican, a Screw Pine, and a White Peacock Moth

Incoming waves at the Jetty, Sargassum free-floating brown algea  muting the waves and 

new beach errosion occuring after the beach repairs 2 months ago. The drop-off is nearly 4 feet!

 
Surinam Cherry, Royal Poincuana, and Banana blossom with fruit

 

Plumeria, a juvenile Grouper, and Scarlett Jungle Flame

Double Hibiscus, Yellow Bells, and Dwarf Morning Glory

     Monday, I helped Lauren, Will and friends secure her boat into the slip closest to the bath house & concrete wall. It might have been a challenge to dock, but Lauren did a great job. We introduced ourselves and look forward to seeing more of each other in the months to come.

Tuesday, 5/26/26 ~
 

We went to the dog park after the rush.
Only 8 other pups in the enclosure.

   We decided to take Tillie over to Vero Dog Park. Thankful for the shaded areas. Tillie enjoys meeting the other dogs, but sometimes in her excitement, she runs too fast to greet the newcomers and the dogs react. We will need to work with her on this. Once back, Pete washed Tillie as I picked up some groceries.
     We had to reschedule appointment with pulmonologist because we were supposed to have CT scan prior to our visit. Somehow, the person who was supposed to set up the appointment never did. We then called the CT scheduling office, which was torture. Available appointments: August 4th - 1st available at HCA JFK in Atlantis, mid-June for HCA Fairlawn here in Ft Pierce, but finally, successful at HCA JFK North in West Palm for Thursday! YEA!! We wanted to keep it in the same network, to ensure that all three scans can be compared.
     Pete followed up with the call to Countrywide (the engine rebuilder), planning to arrange another pickup date. Countrywide then checked their records. Apparently, our engine was picked up on Thursday, per the original invoice. Pete immediately called Pedro. Yea, it was picked up on Thursday morning, but he has no paperwork, no tracking number or who picked it up. Countrywide suggested using the original tracking number on the original invoice. Well, it was picked up Thursday and the truck with our engine is currently in D.C., apparently for another pickup. More CCK (Crazy Current Karma)! The curiouser and curiouser things gets. We really, and I mean it seriously, we can’t make this $hiT up!!!

Wednesday, 5/27/26 ~

     I started work on the current blog, after going through photos for the past year. Cleaned out a lot of dups and undesirable photos. I have lots of space on the phone, but these are unnecessary.
     This evening, around 9 pm, Blue Origen’s Glen Rocket had a scheduled testing procedure while anchored to its launch site at Cape Canaveral. With a tremendous explosion, fireball and sonic boom, its failure was seen and heard by many, including here in Fort Pierce, 70 miles away. The following is from The National Space Foundation:

     On May 28, 2026, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a static fire test at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Named, “No, It's Necessary,” it was undergoing a static fire test, in which the rocket's engines are fired while the vehicle remains secured to the launch pad, when it exploded.

      The explosion destroyed the vehicle and severely damaged Launch Complex 36, Blue Origin's only operational New Glenn launch site. The incident halted New Glenn’s launch operations while the cause of the explosion was investigated and repairs to the facility were assessed. No injuries were reported.

 

 

   

Thursday, 5/28/26 ~

     Heading off the boat, we noticed the 60-foot Hatteras on J-dock was covered with a very large, red & black tarp. Late yesterday, Pete thought that a sailboat in that area had unfurled a spinnaker. It was very curious. Who would unfurl a sail with strong winds out of the SSW between 15 and 25 mph?!
We now know it was a hazmat situation to deal with termites on a mostly wooden boat.

 

     We headed to Pete’s CT scan at JFK North Hospital in West Palm Beach. On our way down, Pete was alerted to a dangerously low tire pressure on the left rear tire. We watch the pressure on the dashboard as it fell from 29 psi, to 25, to 19, to 15 by the time we arrive at the appointment. On our way there, we drove around Wawa’s parking lot. This one had no air pump! Pete headed in to his appointment while I headed out to the RaceTrac, about a mile away. Now I know why we always use WAWA. RaceTrac charges $3 per use of air. I proceeded to fill the tire 3 times, up to 34 psi. After the first fill, I found that there was a hole in tire! I could hear the air rushing out.
 

   Pete planned to get new tires right before getting sick. Well, it is no longer a “round-to-it.” I picked up Pete. He already found a Port St. Lucie Tire and Battery shop. After leaving the hospital, we returned to the RaceTrac for the 4th refill and drove the 6 miles to the tire shop. They quickly removed the now, flat tire and checked out the other 3. All were well worn, but this tire had the seams separating on the inner wall, was partially bald (but not where we could see) and uneven ware. Pete had already done the research and knew exactly what tires we need. Unfortunately, the tire size we need is not in stock. Tomorrow is the earliest they could be installed. There is no way we could spend the night locally. They checked the tire pressure and placed our spare onto the left rear so we could drive the 60 miles back to the marina. We have an account from previous services but today, “No charge.” Pete did tip the young man who changed the tire and a stellar yelp review to the shop that took such good care of us. Once back on the road, Pete immediately made an appointment in Ft Pierce for new tires, alignment, and oil change for 9 am tomorrow. 
      It is hot and humid with pop-up storms scattered across the state. We were fortunate to skirt them on our way back to the boat. When it comes to storms, our CCK seems to have been around for a while. For inexplicable reasons, most storms avoid us, tending to split around us or barely brush the area around us. It is great for me when it comes to thunderstorms, great when we need to walk Tillie, great for driving or running errands, but unfortunately, when there is a drought as severe as Florida has been experiencing recently, it isn’t necessarily good for others.

      As I took Tillie for her bedtime walk, I noticed the lit mast of a very large sailboat docked just north of the Hutchinson Parkway bridge along with another large, 2-masted, sailing vessel. Not only were the spreaders light, but a bright air navigational light was lit atop of the mast as it is over 200 foot high per navigational regulations. Time for some research for me and our sailing friends. 

The Sailing Yacht M5 per Wikipedia:

     The M5 is a record-breaking, 77.6-meter (255 ft) sloop-rigged superyacht. Famous as the largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world, her towering carbon-fiber mast reaches 89 meters (290 ft) into the sky—too tall to pass under any fixed bridge in the world.

     M5 is a sloop-rigged super yacht launched in 2003 as Mirabella V. She is the largest single-masted yacht ever built.

Designer                   Ron Holland

Type                          Flybridge sloop

Tonnage                    1,017 GT (2013)

Displacement            765 tonnes (half-load) (2013)

Ballast:                      100 tonnes (98 long tons; 110 short tons) (2013)

Length (LOA)           77.60 m (254.6 ft) (2013)

Beam                         14.82 m (48.6 ft)

Height/Air draught    88.5 m (290 ft)

                            (cannot pass under any bridge that she can navigate to)

Draught (keel up)      3.80 m (12.5 ft) (2013)

Draught (keel down) 10.20 m (33.5 ft)(2013)

Propulsion                 2 × Caterpillar 969 kW (1,299 hp) (2013)

Sail plan                    Triple-headed sloop

Sail area (mainsail+working jib)       2,385 m2 (25,670 sq ft)

Sail area (mainsail+reacher)              3,380 m2(36,400 sq ft)

UPS Genoa                                        1,833 m2 (19,730 sq ft) 

                              (is the world's largest sail, excluding spinnakers)

Crew                          17

Aircraft                      carried Float-mounted Carbon Cub

Accommodation        Master suite on main deck, 6 cabins for as many as 12 guests.

Lazarette                   29-foot (8.8 m) tender, Lasers, jet skis, ski boats, kayaks

                                        three remote-controlled models of Mirabella V.

Foredeck                    2 recesses serve as swimming pools & storage for 2 launches

 

Design

     The owner specifications combined fast sailing with motor yacht amenities. M5 has achieved speeds in excess of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) in 8 1/2 ft seas. To achieve the amenity requirements, a single mast was preferred to other rig types in order to maximize interior volumes in keel-stepped sailing yachts; To achieve the performance requirements, the higher aspect ratio of the single mast sail plan was also preferred in order to provide a better speed potential. A final demand was that the yacht be able to use the harbour at Palm Beach, Florida. This required the use of a lifting keel to reduce draft.

Technical challenges

      While vessels of M5's size are typically made from steel or aluminum, an aramid foam core/vinylester sandwich build was chosen to achieve a shorter delivery date, reduced maintenance (regular repainting to inhibit corrosion is not required) and better acoustic thermal insulation.

      Historically, large yachts were built with more than one mast in order to divide the sail area for easier handling. Today's technologies in spars, rigging, sailmaking, powered winches and electronics enable rigs with larger sail areas, higher aspect ratios, larger loads and simpler handling, allowing Mirabella V to be constructed with the tallest mast and largest jib of any sailing craft ever built at the time. One of the procurement challenges was finding sheets strong enough to trim the sails.

  

     After changing hands and being rechristened M5, she was relaunched in September 2013 with an extended stern and reverse transom, a lighter ballast arrangement and carbon fibre standing rigging.

Oh yea, I forgot to mention: she is valued at a measley, $50 MILLION!

Saturday, 5/30/26 ~

     Pete decided last night that since the AC seems to be having a hard time keeping the temperature down. He needs to flush the system with Barnacle Buster.
     He spent about 90 minutes prepping the boat and his wonderful system of pipe, valves and hose. At 10 am, he started and checked that systems were doing what it should, when a hose connection gave way. Now Pete needed to pick up more Barnacle Buster at $99 for the gallon! It needs to run 1 hour in each direction. This means no AC for hours in 84 degrees. Currently, it feels like 92 degrees with humidity around 80 and pop-up showers all around us. It will be worth it once it’s completed cleaning out all the flow for the AC. Last time it was done, was in Daytona, 2 summers ago, when we were infested with baby mussels.
     I ordered vacuum filters and doggie bags from Amazon. Could have sworn that the delivery address was changed to Ft Pierce from the default, Myrtle Beach. Apparently, I forgot to hit “save” after I made the change. I called MBYC and asked them to please placed the on the free table if none of the staff could use them. Defaults are nice, but troublesome with us being a moving target.
     The weathermen were accurate. Temps reached 90, humidity started high, but fell during the day, and the breezes were mild out of the west. Storms were once again in the forecast. They did form and dissipate around us. Not far from us they received heavy rain.

Sunday, 5/31/26 ~

     Once again storms were predicted.
     Pete went in search of filter material for the AC. Most are too porous, while the heftier are too difficult for proper air flow. He searches so he can form a suitable highbred. He wasn’t happy with his searching, but found a temporary solution that should suffice until the filter material he ordered comes in.

     Oh oh!  I  just realized that am turning into a geek, following the launches, seeking technical info, searching for the names of flowers . . .  Hummm . . . .

~ ~ ~ / ) ~ ~    K & P