Marineland to St. Augustine, April 2013

We had a couple of relaxing days at Marineland after Steve and Linda left, while we waited for Monday when we could pick up a rental car from Enterprise. We were fortunate that we were able to make the trip from Marineland to Port Charlotte to pick up our car in the one day timeframe.

Overturned pontoon boat.

There was some excitement out on the ICW on our last evening. A pontoon boat broke off one of its pontoons while making a tight turn at full speed. No one had ever heard of that happening before. The dockmaster Chris quickly went out to rescue the boat and 2 aboard. By the time he got to them the pontoon boat had overturned and the broken pontoon was drifting one direction and the balance of the boat was in the current going a different direction. The two passengers were in the water, so he was able to get them into his boat. They then made sure that the boat and pontoons were out of the ICW, so as to not be a hazard to other boaters. Quite a bit of excitement, and it was good that there were no injuries.

Sunrise on the ICW, Mantanzas Inlet

The next morning we were up early and on our way before 7 a.m. to catch the last of the high tide, that we needed to be sure to get out of the Marineland Marina. It also meant that we would catch the tide right for our journey to St. Augustine. What should have been a 4 hour trip, ended up being only a 2.5 hour trip due to the tide effect. Got to love it when a plan comes together.

St. Augustine were ready for us. We asked for a dock for Wed and Thursday to get the boat unpacked and ready to be hauled. They gave us a haul out time of 2:30 pm.

Peter getting the sail ready to come off boom.

Wed. we took the sails off the boat and got them stored. Today, Thursday, I have been packing our clothes, some food stuffs that we won't need or won't store well on the boat. What a job. It took all morning.

Peter has been to West Marine and Home Depot. West Marine had another solution for the faulty depthsounder, and gave him a new power cable. West Marine said if this doesn't fix the problem, then check the unit to see if it was made in Mexico or Hungary. If made in Mexico he said they would just give us a new depth sounder unit DSM 300 module. Who knows, we may one day get this operational.

Originally thought this boat waiting for tide.

Peter then wants to caulk the toe rail around the boat. He also wants to take the alternator off the boat, and check the muffler. He thinks they both probably need to be replaced. He also wants to change the engine oil before the boat is hauled.

Not so much. Looks like it has been abandoned.

Tomorrow morning I will clean the glass on the enclosure and get it put away in the v-berth before the boat is hauled. We will also store all of the cushions in the vberth. It worked well last year. Peter wants to pull up all of the floor boards and store them up higher.

Then we should be ready to be hauled.

We may need the remainder of the day to get the dinghy onto the deck and secured and wrap the chartplotter to protect it from the weather.

Then we can be on our way home to catch up with family and friends. We will get Deja Vu ready for a summer on Georgian Bay.  There are a number of boaters that we have met doing the Loop that are planning to come to Georgian Bay this summer and we want to be ready to show them some of our favorite anchorages.

Fort Pierce to Marineland

The days begin to run together when I haven't posted a blog for awhile. I need to download my pictures so I can talk intelligently about what we have been doing.

The picture download started at Fort Pierce so I will also.

7 am Fort Pierce Park.

We overnighted at Fort Pierce. A really nice marina, and it is under construction for an extension and a better access. The big machinery is out front of the marina and digging and building a new breakwall. There is a lot of current as you come in, so the new breakwall should make entering and docking a lot easier.

A laundry and shower were high on the list of things to do.

Using a sailboat for a billboard sign. Just not right!

Linda had said we could sleep in, but she changed her mind once she saw the tide table. We were up early, had a pump out and caught the tide to make our way up the ICW. While waiting for the bridge to open we saw a sailboat off to the side, anchored and being used as a billboard. Peter's comment, "now that's an awful way to treat a sailboat!"

We have been so fortunate, as we have had day after day of great boating weather. The wind was off our back quarter so we were able to get our sail out and make good time. Nice to be under wind power for a change..... so quiet and peaceful. I spent the day searching for a marina that would haul and store the boat for a reasonable rate over the next 9 months.

You are taking too long to do the Loop, if your Looper flag looks like this.

We had a big change in plans after talking to boat brokers here in Florida, and in Canada. They all now use the same Yacht World pricing/estimates. We were told that Surona was now valued in the $30's, and if listed for mid $40's; no one would even look at  her. Five years ago, Peter turned down $85k, and since then has added another $30k to make her Bahamas ready. What a disappointment. We knew boat values were down but still thought the value would come in between $50k to $60k. CHANGE OF PLANS. 

We decided we may as well keep the boat here over the year, return in spring of 2014, and go to the Bahamas. Perhaps Surona will be our southern boat and Deja Vu our Georgian Bay boat.

Linda Franko (not my best picture of her)

Steve Franko

We anchored out at Calalisa. Great anchorage and we had another wonderful sunset. The wind stayed up till well into the evening. Of course the tide changed and the wind direction changed overnight. All to make for an interesting job of getting the anchors up in the morning. The anchor line of Steve and Linda's boat was under Surona and around the keel and then the lines were wrapped. Half an hour later all was good again, and we were on our way.

This was another morning that while we thought perhaps we would sleep in, the tides once again determined that it should be an early start to catch the tide. Catching the tide is so important, it can make the difference from travelling at 4 knots, when you are against the tide, or 7 knots if you can travel with it.

Off for Marineland Marina. 53 mile day. The winds favoured sailing, but we didn't put the sail out. Travelling the ICW, is like travelling in a channel; and with the sail up you cannot see half of the channel. And it makes it more difficult to see those ever important markers. There are always areas where there is shoaling and you need to be able to see them and move around them.

We arrived at Marineland, a brand new marina, well protected, very clean, great staff, and only $1./ft. Showers, laundry, pump out. No fuel. Time for that sleep that we have been missing. Dinner with Steve and Linda aboard Surona. We had one of the most amazing sunsets, and I was able to capture the rose/red colors with the camera.

We will be staying 5 days at Marineland. Yesterday we finally got Peter's drivers license in the mail. What a run around that has been. The Minsitry of Transportation, decided to send it to Banana Bay where Steve and Linda had wintered. They completely ignored the new address I gave them for St. Augustine in the second request. We were fortunate that Larry, the Banana Bay dockmaster, had kept the letter and he sent it overnight mail to Marineland Marina. Unfortunately we were not able to arrange a car rental with Enterprise till Monday. Enterprise is the only rental agency that will come and pick you up. And the courtesy for the marina is in the shop getting fixed. We will have to be patient. There are worse places to wait.

Biking the hiking trails.

The first day we were here we took a bike ride through a pathed hiking area, then on to the beach. An amazing beach, with coquina rocks. Rocks that are made up of seashells crushed together. Then lunch at TJ's Snack Shack.

Marineland Beach.

The second morning here we arranged for a kayak ecotour. 2.5 hours. Once we had crossed the ICW and were back in the protected channels it was easy going. With the tide/current for part of the tour. The guide was quite knowledgeable about the are and the wildlife. It is migration season for a lot of the birds; he pointed out Lesser Tern, a flock of Glossy Ibis, Barn Swallows, White Egrets, Blue Heron, and showed us where the Manatee had been eating the grass along the canals. We saw the oyster beds up close, and he explained that the Federal government had made this area a protected area once they realized the importance of these canals as the nursery for a lot of the seafood we love. Shrimp, crab, oysters, mullet, mangrove snapper, etc.

Steve and Linda on our double kayaks for the eco tour.

We had to cross the ICW to get back, and ended with about a 1/4 mile paddle against the current. Glad it wasn't any longer than a 1/4 mile.

Our goodbyes are really a see you later, as we know we will either meet them again on our drive home, or on Georgian Bay this summer.

Steve and Linda had to leave to make their destination of Fernandina Beach by Monday for the MTOA Rendezvous. So once again we find ourselves saying good bye to Steve and Linda. They are such good travel companions. We always have a good time with them. We know it will be a relatively short good bye; we will perhaps see them on our way back home, or we definitely will see them this summer on Georgian Bay. They will return to their northern boat "Guppy" to travel the Trent and Georgian Bay.

Outstanding sunset at Marineland Marina. The colors are so vivid. 

Well here we are ....... alone again. What to do? What to do? I have a book to finish, Peter is starting a book. And there always is the interesting process of watching others docking their boats. The challenges being, tide, current, wind, water depth (not enough), or limited space on the dock. Like it when we can watch others, not so much; when it is us trying to do the sometimes impossible......  a controlled, experienced docking with all of the above challenges.

Lantana to Fort Pierce

Unusual sunset sky... pink clouds.

We had anchored out at Lantana and were treated to a wonderful sunset sky.

We had a beautiful day to travel the ICW, with 11 more bridges in our path. The progress is slow with a lot of bridges, you either have to try and time your arrival to their schedule of either on the half hour or the quarter hour. Sometimes we were fortunate and arrived in time, sometimes not so fortunate and would miss the lift and have to wait a half hour till the next lift. Our travelling speed is limited to what the little 28 hp Yanmar diesel can generate, and then how much current and wind we are travelling against.

Our progress was hampered with winds that from time to time were approaching 25 miles per hour.

If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it.

We passed a marina along the way that had huge boats tied. You certainly become aware that for the top 1% of the population, there is no such thing as a recession. It is impossible to imagine the total value of all of these boats. Each and everyone of them came in the category; "if you have to ask the price, ...... you can't afford it"

Yes, it's a fixer upper. Handyman Special.

As we approached Jupiter there was a barge just off the channel with a house on it. The barge looked aged and so did the house. Peter's comment: "Yes, it's a fixer upper."

Then just up the channel a little ways we could see a red lighthouse on the shore.

Steve and Linda, chose a delightful anchorage for the night in the Hobe Sound, just off the channel. Getting rafted up to them proved to be a little challenging with the wind that was blowing thru there. The winds were expected to diminish into the evening.

Jupiter Lighthouse.

My turn to cook dinner tonight. Glad to return the favour. Steve has cooked all of the dinners so far. Linda is trying to adjust her diet to a vegetarian diet, and perhaps more to the vegan side. No cheese, or eggs. A vegetarian meal preparation from this carnivore girl will be an interesting feat. Although I have been watching what Steve has been producing and am willing to give it a try.

The meal menu was a vegetarian spaghetti, including salad, and refried beans and salsa appetizer. Steve had caught some catfish, that he cooked for another appetizer. Drinks on the flybridge and dinner on Surona.

Look close, pelican riding on outboard.

The men thought that perhaps their luck at cards would change aboard Surona. Not so much. A little better, but nothing to rave about. They at least put up a fight. Perhaps we need a new game. I never thought I would say it; but, winning all of the time loses its excitement. Too much of a good thing, I guess.

Sailboat race close to Fort Pierce

Today was another great day to be on the water. Only about 3 bridges today, and only one that we needed to request an opening. Pretty uneventful trip. We ran thru a small area of rain, but most of the trip was under sunny skies. We met a sailboat race of 4 boats as we approached Fort Pierce.

We opted to stay at the Fort Pierce City Marina. Time to do a couple loads of laundry, have a shower, and Peter was off to find a WalMart to buy a new international phone card to replenish our US phone for another month. Steve is preparing a vegetable pizza for dinner tonight. Sounds good. Mmmmmmm.

Look at the size of those boats. So much wealth in such a small area. 

Hollywood Beach and then on to Lantana

We spent a day and a half at Hollywood Beach. Great place. We stopped here last year and enjoyed it, and Hollywood didn't disappoint us this time either.

After dinner on the first night we up to the Hollywood Beach outdoor theatre to watch the entertainment; "Burnt Biscuits" was the name of the band and they were a lot of fun to listen to. Then back to the boat for another game of Euchre. Ladies won 3 out of 3. Now we will have to practice to be humble.

Breakfast on the Beach with Steve & Linda

Next morning we were out for breakfast on the beach. We returned to the boat because we were tied to "Mi T Mo's" spot on the deck of Joe's Crab Shack and he was returning for 10:30 am as there was some bad weather coming in the afternoon, and he didn't want us to be moving and tying boats in bad weather. The area was under a tornado watch.

Peter on Dania Beach Pier

We took a bike ride up to the Dania Beach pier, probably about 2 to 3 miles away. This was going to be our hottest day so far, but with the SW wind it was very pleasant. Peter and I stopped for an ice cream cone before returning to the boat.

We got a trolley schedule and for $1 per person one way; we were off to the local Publix. Time to replenish the boat.

By the time we got back Mike on Mi T Mo had returned and we got a tour of his 90 ' PT boat. It was a supply boat in its day. Looks like a huge metal trawler. The inside of the boat was quite surprising for its accommodations. Mike has done a lot of work on it.

While we were on the flybridge of Yesterday's Dream, visiting and enjoying a before dinner cocktail, the sky got dark. Real, Real dark and very ominous. We were just discussing whether we should add some more lines to Surona and Yesterday's Dream. We were tied off Yesterday's Dream, who was tied to Mi T Mo.  Just then the wind came blowing down the channel and the temperature dropped decidely cooler.

Peter quickly added more lines to secure us. And when he looked up he could see the rain coming down the channel. Then there was so much rain, that we couldn't see the bridge, that was less than a quarter mile away. We got a fair amount of rain in a very short time, and we were fortunate that the bad parts of the weather system passed north and south of us. But we were prepared.

Read the print on top line of screen. Our heroes.

Thursday night is Karaoke Night at Joe's Crab Shack. There is a lot of good local talent. Steve and Peter, once again tried to entertain everyone with their version of "Leroy Brown" and "Memphis Tennessee". I have it all on film, and for a price I will share it.

Look at size of boat along already huge house.

This morning we were off north, with the threat of rain and some thundershowers chasing us up the Intercoastal. We travelled thru Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton on our way to our final destination of Lantana. No one in this area knows about a recession. There is just mile after mile of lavish, outstanding waterfront home. We even saw a boat with its own personal helicopter. Huge homes, with matching huge boats in front.

They are everywhere.  Mini White House

The day was overcast with the occassional spits of rain, and it wasn't till the last hour of our travels that the rain got more earnest.   Lantana was ahead with a good anchorage for the night. Looks like a good place to spend the evening. The winds are to move around to the NW and then N tonight. This will be a well protected spot. At the time of making this blog the winds are still from the south. Perhaps no one has given the weatherman a compass.

Such Abject Poverty! It breaks a persons heart to see people having to live like this.

Marathon to Hollywood Beach, April 2013

We had 2 perfect days to travel on the ocean from Marathon to Miami. It just doesn't get any better.

Sunset Boot Key Harbour.

The first day we left Boot Key Harbour at 7:00 am, knowing we had to travel 50 miles to Rodriquez Key. This is the only place where we could get in with the 5' 6" keel. Bright sunny day, daytime high of 80 F, 12 knot winds and we were able to get the linen out. One of those very unusual times where we could sail.  Just a perfect day. No navigating for me, so I settled in to a good book. The captain was happy to be sailing.

What is that white stuff on our boat?

Rodriguez Key is a staging area for boats going to the Bahamas. Too bad we are out of time for this trip. The next day would have been perfect to make the trip. There were a lot of boats sitting at anchor waiting. By the time we got up the next morning at least half of the boats had already left for the Bahamas.

We rafted with Steve and Linda. Steve made a Classic Spinach Lasagna that was really good. We had dinner with them, then our game of Euchre and off to bed.

Steve had to rescue a runaway fender.

The next morning we were up and off to No Name Harbour just outside of Miami. Another great day on the water, however we weren't able to sail, the wind was on the nose all day. We arrived at No Name around 3 pm, and a good thing too. This little well protected harbour is supposed to hold up to 20 boats, but it is very close quarters. We found our spot and anchored. Steve and Linda joined us and we rafted together. Steve had caught a fish while trolling, so we had fish for our drink appetizers on the flybridge of Yesterday's Dream. Very, very good. I think he said it was a mackerel of some kind.

Now we're sailing.

Dinner with Steve and Linda. He made a wonderful vegetable stir fry over rice. They are spoiling us. After dinner drinks on the flybridge and then 3 rounds of Euchre, where the ladies beat the gentlemen each and every round.

In the morning we took our boats over for a pump out and then got the bikes of the boats and went for a ride to the lighthouse on the point. We all were ready for some exercise. By 11 am we were pushing off to head to Hollywood beach, and we tied up at Joe's Tiki Shack (restaurant) where we had tied last year. This is Wednesday night, and Peter and Steve want to practice for karaoke night; Thursday night.

Lighthouse at No Name Harbour.

Unknowingly, we were so fortunate. The second bridge that was under construction was open as we approached and we were able to go right through. We later learned that when that bridge closed, it was closed for 2 hours. That would have been so awful to have to wait for 2 hours.

The good fortune continued, there are 8 bridges in this section of our trip and we only had to wait for 1 bridge that we had missed by 5 minutes. We had a very short wait at another bridge and the rest we were able to make at the correct times.

Drinks all around for everyone.

This is the hottest day so far and once we had the boats tied, we thought we had earned a drink and something to eat at Joe's Tiki Shack. Now we all need an afternoon rest to prepare for the evening.