skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Looong day runs are about to end with St Augustine just around the next bend. We had a very nice overnight at the New Smyrna Beach City Marina, a very nice new marina, the night before last and then ran about 60 miles to St Augustine yesterday. Amazing how the countryside and stuff thereupon changes as we go along. Mansions to shacks. Yachts to kayaks and everything in between. A kaleidoscope of ever changing flora, fauna and human embellishments or perhaps detractions.
We spent today touring St Augustine, a really unique city with a most colorful history. A must do for those who have not been here. A uniquely American tale of a few great men with vision creating beauty and pleasure in a most improbable place. Also, of course, the site of the earliest efforts to colonize America. All in all a day well spent recharging our bodily batteries.
Tomorrow off to Amelia Island or there abouts en route to Savannah in 4-5 days. All to keep our boat insurance company from having a fit about us being south of 30 degrees in hurricane season.
A bit delayed report on our stop at Melbourne last week. On Sunday we attended the Melbourne Baptist Church and were treated like long lost family. Joan made a call to see if they had bus service .... doesn't every 1st Baptist church. To our delight we were picked up close to the boat. After the service Bob and Betty Pisle (see picture) took us to lunch where we were treated to the best steak this side of the Mississippi ... maybe even the other side too.
Tony Kessinger, the Sunday School teacher and author has written a book titled "Come out of her my people: The encouragement and exhortation of the book of Revelation Chapters 1-3" He is a gifted teacher so know his book will be worth reading. Plan to start this week.
Monday morning Jack and Marge Salmela came by to see the boat and Marge took Joan to the grocery store to pick up all those heavy things that are hard to carry on bikes. She even got to JoAnn's Fabrics for some much needed velcro to finish off the mosquito netting (Fran where are you when I need you). Larry and Jack stayed aboard swaping tool stories ... exciting stuff.
We found a darling little breakfast spot and found it very handy each morning. It was the old railroad depot so had lots of history. All and all Melbourne was a super cinnamon roll. Melbourne really marked the beginning of our cruise as we transitioned from getting around Florida to stopping along the way to smell the roses or perhaps we should say "Cinnnamon rolls"
A glorious but still windy day in Melbourne. We lost the alternator belts yesterday morning due to inattention by the Captain and dropped into Melbourne Harbor to buy replacements. A charming little town and comfortable marina convinced us to just hole up here for the holiday weekend. This will avoid confronting the mega wake makers chasing around showing off their big diesels consuming gross quantities of $3+ a gallon fuel.
Joan took the opportunity to wash all day. She married me for my microwave but has changed her affection to the washer/dryer aboard. It receives much more endearing murmurings than the Captain.
We are finding the bicycles to be most useful and enjoyable. I rode all over town today. It was great fun and managed to pick up several needed items enroute.
A few more pictures at "Melbourne" at www.picasaweb.google.com/lropka
From Miami to Fort Pierce the waterside view is one of endless mega houses and mega yachts. The example at left is but a medium sized sample. Visually it is like swimming in a vat of melted ice cream. You long to see an ordinary little house with a tidy yard and a bit of landscaping. The values are incomprehensible. Most houses are close to sea level and the density of yachts affords no possibility of safe havens from storms. The insurance risks must be astronomical.
Today we came to Fort Pierce from an anchorage in North Lake Worth (Palm Beach) and the scene changed to more pleasing modest homes on several acre lots well above sea level with natural but tidy landscaping. Much more appealing than the sardine packed areas to the south.
The highlight of the Miami stay was our visit with Coral Hadler and Tom "Terrific" Graham. We spent a delightful evening on their deck eating ribs until the rain hit and had to rush to shelter. It was an evening sharing stories of adventures on the water. Another memory made.
The wind has been BLOWING 15-25kts from the east for the last 5 days. We have been sheltered by the barrier islands and narrow waterway most of the way but today had about 2 hours in the Indian River area and rocked and rolled a bit. The weatherman says this will contnue through the comming Memorial Day weekend. So we hope to be in Titusville by Saturday am and hole up in a marina for the weekend and stay out of the way of the combination of mega horsepower super wake makers and wind driven waves.
More pictures at picasaweb.google.com/lropka
In album Miaminorth
Last night was spent anchored on the edge of the Everglades across from Key Largo. The breezes were cool and the bugs stayed in hibernation. With no lights around one could reach out and touch the stars.
Charis approaches Miami after a delightful run up the Bay of Biscayne in light northerly breezes. The compass saw true North for the first time today finally headed to where we are going. We spent the afternoon visiting with a delightful Trawler internet list friend sharing boat and travel stories. Tomorrow we will borrow his truck and replenish heavy supplies such as soft drinks, propane and canned things. Mean while we are anchored in a beautiful lake like area 50 yards from our friends home and about 1/4mile from where the cruise ships dock on Government Cut.
They tell us there will be a fireworks display after dark near where we are anchored. All in all a splendid couple of days.
We have been pleasantly surprised by the daily compliments we receive both underway and at anchor about the appearance of Charis. The boat has also been written up on an Internet boating magazine called "Trawlers and Trawlering". If you have absolutely nothing better to do, you can check it out at http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/news/charis,alobsterb.html
Charis was covered in salt when we arrived in Marathon only to find that boat washing was not allowed due to a severe water shortage. God solved the problem in a mighty way last evening when the skies opened and we learned how Noah felt. Unfortunately God through in a bit of lightening and thunder for effect but the result was a squeaky clean boat and dinghy once again a good feeling under foot and hand.
We layed over today to allow the winds accompanying the storm to die down a bit and hope to be off to Key Largo to anchor out tomorrow( Wed) night.
After three and one half weeks and almost 800 miles we tie up to a mooring in Boot Key Harbor in the central Florida Keys. The voyage continues to exceed our expectations and we have had very few uncomfortable moments. Last night we expected to spend a rather lonely night anchored just inside the mouth of the Snake River, about as remote location as there is in the southeast US. The guides also warn of man eating no-see-ums, flies and bugs. We pulled in about 1PM to find another boat there and by sundown were surrounded by nine others. We wound up having a pleasant evening on the back deck sans bugs and watching the others party. The trip down today was on glassy waters like a azure blue magic carpet. We will rest here and do a few boat chores then off Tuesday finally headed toward where we are going, north to the Chesapeake Bay. Hopefully Miami by Thursday and points north at about 40 miles per day with a few days off until we get to Savanna, the magic latitude to keep our insurance company peaceful.
The Admiral speaks:
Had a wonderful stop at Gasparilla We tied up at a marina across the bay where it was quiet and out of the rolls. In the morning decided to venture across to the little village of Boca Grande about 5/6 miles away. It was a beautiful day with flat seas and all was right with the world. We had a delightful walk around the town and expected to find a quaint little cafe to sit a spell and take in the passing tourists. The main water main in town had broken so ended up on a sidewalk eating a shared tuna sandwich. Hey, life is not what you expect. We got in the dinghy and cast off into a fine channel headed back across the bay. We edged slowly along the coast and then made a break for the 5 mile run across the bay. Just got away when the wind started to blow and the smoke from all the fires descended upon us. I suggested that we turn back only to be told by the Captain that it was better to continue. A sports boat came up asking where the bridge was and since we were wondering the same thing were no help. We pounded on into the wind straining to see land and hoping not to get run over by the big boats running in the main channel. About this time I made mention that I thought we had made a mistake not paying the $50.00 fee for car rental to do our touring in for the day. About the time I thought the Lord himself should take over the smoke lifted and the relieved look on the Captain's face told me he knew where we were. Lessons are learned in every adventure ... this one will not be forgotten. A few more pictures on picasaweb.google.com/lropka.
What to tell?? The picture albums "first and second leg"on picasaweb.google.com/lropka
tell some of the story. Each day has been a joy and now that we have slowed down to running 5hrs or so a day it is becoming moreso.Today is a day off to explore Sarasota and rest up. The natives seem to be friendly if a bit ancient. Tomorrow ,weather permitting, we will be anchoring down around Captiva then Marco before jumping off for Marathon later in the week.
We are back in the real world lying in a beautiful lagoon in Crystal River at Kings Bay, Fl. We ran 11hrs yesterday from Steinhatchee in idealic almost calm conditions and enjoyed the ride even if a bit long. Our laptop and Verizon air card worked at all of the stops along the way. But the rural cell systems were not fond of picture uploads hence no pictures so far. We planned to post a few pictures of our trip thus far today while enjoying this super fast connection but the bilge monster ate or hid the camera tether cable and will not reveal where it is. So will buy a new one in Tarpon Springs tomorrow and show a bit of our trek so far.
All in all the trip has been a sheer joy with very few problems. We have to pinch ourselves regularly to make sure it is real. Our plans are to continue drifting down the West coast at 50 or so miles a day headed for Marathon Key when we get there. Then we will hang a left and begin the trek North.
