A Days Rest at Amelia Island

The picture is of the channel we entered at low tide yesterday. It is very beautiful here. We took the courtesy van and explored the Island this morning. This afternoon after doing a little cleaning on the boat we took a walk around the marina. Behind the boat storage is a dirt or should I say sand road. The dock master tells us this was the old A1A route before the bridge you see in the picture was built.

Tomorrow morning we will get an early start and travel about 55 miles before we set anchor for the evening. Possibly we will finish traveling through Georgia and be in Beaufort, SC by Wednesday. I'm sure we will ready for another rest!

Amelia Island

We left St. Augustine this morning about 8 AM and traveled another 65 mile day. When we rounded the inlet at St. Augustine the current was on our nose and we were going about 3 1/2 knots after we turned we were doing about 7 1/2 knots. It was quite a sleigh ride until we hit the tide going out. Tidal changes do make it interesting navigating the ICW.

The winds were high today, we clocked gusts at about 28 knots. The boat was heeled all day without the sails. The ICW was choppy but the ocean had 6 to 8 foot waves, glad to be on the inside. We traveled sections new to us after we crossed the St John River. Where we are now we missed on the way down, we traveled outside.

The picture is of the train bridge that closed when we were about to go under the high fixed bridge. We had circled around for about an hour waiting for the tide to rise enough for us to enter the channel at Amelia island. The channel to the marina has a low depth of about 3 1/2 feet and we draw 4'11". It was low tide when we would arrive so we hung back to stall for time. While we waited we did something we have never done, we took turns going below and showering. It was getting late and we were anxious to go to dinner at shore so we saved some time by taking showers underway. It was like a comedy of errors when the bridge closed with out warning after waiting for an hour for the tide to rise. Dinner was good and with the wind still howling we are glad to be tied to a dock.

At Anchor in St. Augustine, FL

This is what I call taking your porch with you! This cute house boat went by us as we set anchor for the night.

We rose early this morning and left the dock about 7 AM. We traveled 65 miles today to St. Augustine. After fueling at the public marina we decided to go under the bascule bridge and anchor just north of the bridge. The bridge has been closed for a week for repairs and is now open on restriction. We would have had to be under it before 7 AM tomorrow morning or wait until 11 AM. The anchorage on the south side of the bridge is more protected but we felt anchoring on the north side the lesser of the two evils.

While we hailed the bridge tender on the VHF radio some friends of ours, Joe and Sandee, heard us and called on the phone. They are just north of where we are and may link up with us for a while tomorrow. We haven't seen them since Deltaville but have talked on the phone many times. We have tried to link up before but were not successful. It will be fun to travel together with them.

Last Night in New Smyrna Beach

We stayed a few days longer than planned in New Smyrna. We were able with the help of our friends Cindy and Charlie to get our outboard motor for the dinghy fixed. We also provisioned the boat and picked up a few things at West Marine. Today Cindy took me to a bead store so I'm good to go for some jewelry making!

The picture is the restaurant here at Riverview. We had an early dinner with Charlie and Cindy tonight. It gave us a chance to visit before we leave at 7 AM tomorrow morning. They will leave on their boat on the 4th of May and return to Delaware.

New Smyrna Beach

I feel like we have been on the move for days! I guess we have! We left Stuart on Saturday and traveled about 50 miles (35 knm) and spent the night at Jones Fruit Dock. We had planned to anchor out but the weatherman was calling for 50 mile winds, not good at anchor. Jones Fruit Dock has no amenities but the hospitality was very good and the price was right, $10 for the night. Jones at one time was an orchard but one of the hurricanes wiped out the trees and he said he was too old to replant it. However, he did bring us a welcome gift of two very delicious grapefruits.

Sunday we traveled about the same amount of miles and anchored out in Titusville. The picture of the sailboat with spinnaker (colorful sail) we came across in our travels that day. We exchanged e-mail over the VHF radio and I sent them the picture. All boat owners want pictures of their boats under sail but it is difficult to do seeing as you are on the boat. They shared that this was them flying the sail for the first time and they were thinking of one of them getting in the dinghy to take a picture and a long we came to grant their wish.

Monday we traveled a shorter distance and planned to anchor out in mosquito Lagoon. When we arrived to see we would be very far from shore and we have no working engine for our dinghy we traveled the rest of the distance to New Smyrna Beach. The Wright up on mosquito Lagoon sounded interesting to explore but the distance made it impossible, next time.

We anchored out in New Smyrna Beech where we were last time. We had reserved a dock at Riverview for today and it was full last night when we arrived. The anchorage was still being dredged and they worked all through the night. It made for a less than peaceful night but we were tired so it didn't affect our sleep. Just white noise! We are now on the dock at Riverview Hotel and Marina and getting settled in. Larry hooked up the electric and we have airconditioning for the first time in about six weeks. We don't especially like air but it does dry out the boat from the humidity. It serves it's purpose.

He is now washing the salt off from all the salt water baths it has received. Although it did get a washing at Jones Fruit Dock it rained all night. We all joke about getting out the soap when the forecast is for rain. We have been known to mop the deck after a heavy dew to get some of the salt off. It is strange, the covering of salt your boat gets, it looks like you have salted it with course sea salt preparing to cook it. The water hits the deck and when it does dry which takes considerable time it leaves behind course salt flakes. I found this interesting being a fresh water sailor all my sailing career. It is funny the things that strike you odd.

Well I'm off to the store to get some provisions! Until next time!

Southport Anchorage, Stuart, FL.

We arrived in Stuart yesterday afternoon around 2 PM. The day started out long and ended long even though we didn't have as many miles to cover as the previous days. Florida in there infinite wisdom decided to do bridge repairs in the height of the season for boaters returning North. Needless to say many hold ups occurred at the bridges.

The good thing is we did arrive to receive our mail and a package containing the new doors you see in the picture. Aren't they beautiful. We think so. They are an anniversary present to ourselves. Larry has spent the day installing them while I did some much needed accounting. After I update this website we plan to walk to the Post Office and West Marine. It is very hot here today so we will wait to take our second shower when we return. I'm sure we will need one! I definitely know Summer would be much too hot here and for two people who do not like air conditioning, North is where we need to be. We enjoy having the best of both worlds.

Lake Boca at Boca Roton,FL

This was last nights sky in Lake Boca!

After 10 1/2 hours on the water we arrived to anchor in Lake Boca. We left early yesterday morning and went out into the ocean around the Cape of Florida up the East coast to Fort Lauderdale, then on the inside (ICW) to Boca Roton. We were more than ready to shut off the engine. We motor sailed on the ocean and motored on the ICW. After listening to the engine for that length of time the silence was deafening.

We rose early this morning and traveled a shorter distance of 6 hours to the North end of Lake Worth just North of plan Beach. We anchored here in Lake Worth on the trip down. We decided to anchor more to the East side this time. We were close to a wall the first time and the waves from the wind continued to smack the transom of the boat for a restless nights sleep. Hopefully we won't have a repeat performance!

Tomorrow we will rise early and go to Stuart. We are planning a visit with our friends Kathryn and Spenc.

Preparing for Our Return Trip North

The time has come to return North! Tomorrow is the day! It is amazing how long it will take when we have made the trip many times by car taking only 24 hours. Our plan is to travel approximately 50 miles each day nonstop through Florida and up the coast to Deltaville, Virginia, where we will get some needed warranty work done. Our goal is to be back in Rochester no later than June 15th, providing we have good weather. We should miss any hurricanes and their after effects.

Today Larry is taking the captains course final test. I'm sure he will pass it with flying colors. I guess I'll have to refer to him as captain Larry from then on. I have done some laundry and when he returns we will go to the store. We plan to leave tomorrow morning providing our mail arrives here today.

The picture was taken at No Name Harbor where we spent several days last week and over the weekend. The winds never let up until late on Friday and at that point we decided to stay put. It made it easier for Larry to study by not traveling. It was very crowded over the weekend as you can see by the picture. Being Easter weekend and many people on vacation and some cruisers waiting for a weather window to start back North. We found it entertaining watching boaters anchor and raft up in what is a somewhat small harbor. Sunday we decided to leave the confusion and anchor off Nixon Beach, which also became crowded.

Last night we returned to Dinner Key Sailing Club to moor for the night. We met Diane and Mike for dinner along with Margaret and Ben (SV Diva) friends from Canada. Ben and Margaret will sail the Keys for awhile before their return trip up the West coast of Florida where they will store Diva for the Summer and return to Canada. Diane and Mike plan to cruise a little while longer with a friend of theirs then return North to New Jersey for the Summer. We have had great fun with all of our new found friends on this journey of ours and we look forward to meeting up with them in the Fall of 2006.

Larry's New Invention

See Larry's new invention, his foot used as a winch handle. I guess this is what happens when you have too much time on your hands!

Karen was a lucky girl, she came down with perfect timing. This past week was the best weather yet for sunning and sailing. She could not have gotten better weather. Well it has turned South, the sky has opened up to thunder, lightening and 25 knot winds. I guess even paradise has it's moments.

We have stayed put here in Dinner Key for the night and plan to go to No Name Harbor tomorrow morning. If the weather especially the wind improves we will go back to Sand Key or Boca Chita Key the next day. We will then return here on Sunday so Larry can take his Captains test on Monday. The plan after for Tuesday will be to start back North.

Karen Visiting

We did go to Sand Key on Monday and had a great sail. While we were there we received a call from our friend Karen, saying she would like to join us for a week in the sunshine. We said great we would love her company. Tuesday we returned to Dinner Key to pick her up. After we returned back to Sand Key, which is just above Elliot Key on Biscayne Bay. We anchored out for two nights and on the third day we entered the harbor on Boca Chita Key. The picture is of Karen enjoying the beautiful clear clean water at the beach.

Thursday was Larry's and my 16th wedding anniversary which we celebrated with Karen and our friend Mike. We had a delicious salmon dinner on shore at a picnic table. Mike had sailed solo to join us on his boat. Diane his wife went North to be with their daughter during surgery. We missed her but she and Tracy were in our thoughts.

We have returned to Dinner Key for Larry to continue his Captains course. Karen and I plan to go to South Beach in Miami this afternoon and catch some rays.

Dinner Key Marina

Monica and Tony ask what I was doing while Larry took his class. The picture shows one of the many things I took advantage of. Besides golf Diane and I went to the beach and for bike rides and walks. The weather the past two weeks has been lovely, very warm and sunny, perfect for outdoor adventures.

We decided to go South again last Wednesday to Dinner Key. Larry and Mike decided it was closer to the course than Haulover. We traveled the ICW North to Lake Sylvia and then on Thursday outside to No Name Harbor. Friday we came across to Dinner Key. The wind was right and about 15 knots so we sailed across the bay. It felt good to actually shut off the engine and bask in the quiet of the wind in the sails. We would have stayed out sailing longer but unfortunately Larry had to fix the toilet which broke for a third time. It will be good to have it replaced by an electric one. At least their won't be a handle to break.

Today we are planning to go for a sail to Elliott Key and spend a few days there at anchor. We will return to Dinner Key on Friday for Larry's class.