Wednesday, December 1, 2010, Day 66. Well, we only thought yesterday’s scenery was boring. From Daytona to Vero Beach, with the exception of the Space Center Area, there is very little of interest along the ICW. We set out from Titusville with the intention of anchoring at Dragon Point near Melbourne. We arrived there before noon and decided to press on to Vero Beach. There was little scenery on the trip from Melbourne to north of Vero Beach. Then, in Wassabaw, beautiful homes began to appear along the waterway. We are told (and we will see and report) that Vero Beach is the beginning of what is referred to as the Treasure Coast — The stretch of Florida from Vero Beach through Miami.
We went into the first protected anchorage we’ve seen in a long time, the Vero Beach Municipal Marina. One of the many mooring ball rafts in Vero Beach contained a Nordhavn, a Korgen, and a Selene (Live Wire!) (see banner photo). Corey from Live Wire came to greet us in his dinghy–we finally get to meet! We’ll see him and Linda soon. The weather is a bit chilly with a high of 75 and a low of 44.

Thursday, December 2, 2010, Day 67. We launched the dinghy in the morning and picked up a rental car (Enterprise weekend special $10/day). We went to Jim’s and Nancy’s beautiful home, which Linda was seeing for the first time, and marveled at their layout, space and new pool and pavers. They’ve found a great place. We had lunch and enjoyed driving around some neighborhoods, getting a bearing on the town. We are considering this town as a possible land home when we get back from the Bahamas. We both like it and house prices are compelling, and we feel that not much will change before May. We had drinks with Jim and Nancy, then dinner on the beach at the Ocean Grill.
Temperatures are really cool today for southern Florida with high of 68 and a low of 43. Locals are dressed in their winter clothes. Typical daytime temperatures should be in the mid-70s.

Friday, December 3, 2010, Day 68. The dinghy engine failed. This really put a crimp in our plans; since we’re on a mooring, we have to hitch rides every time we needed to go ashore and back. The wind and current was so strong that rowing was impossible. The good news is that it failed here rather then in the Bahamas or later when Kevin and Courtney are with us. We tried to row the now engineless dingy back to Escapade with the wind and current in our favor but sailed right past Escapade and had to get a tow back!
We had to cancel our dinner plans with Jim and Nancy, as they had no way to get to Escapade. Temperatures remained cool in the morning but warmed up into the mid 70s by afternoon.

Saturday, December 4, 2010, Day 69. We got a ride to shore and provisioned. Ken and Joy (Slow Dancin’) arrived in the afternoon. With the aid of their dinghy ferry service, we got to shore and went to a cocktail party at friends of Jim and Nancy, then dinner at Jim and Nancy’s. We met their great neighbors and had lively discussions and a great time.

Sunday, December 5, 2010, Day 70. We began to commission the water maker without much success. Flooding the system is a challenge.
With Ken and Joy, we drove to Stuart, provisioned at West Marine, had lunch at a great little shack in Ft. Pierce called 12A Buoy, and picked up the floorcloth that Linda commissioned from Judi Knight Goldfarb, an artist we met in St. Marys. In the evening, Corey dinghied us to Live Wire for drinks, appetizers and good conversation with him and Linda. We enjoyed their years of knowledge–having done this eleven times!–and seeing how they’ve provisioned their Selene. We hope to see them again many times in the Bahamas.

Monday, December 6, 2010, Day 71. We returned the rental car in the morning. Ken worked with Customs and Border Protection to signup for the Small Vessel Reporting System. Jim and Nancy, and Ken and Joy came to Escapade for dinner. We had a great time, filled with lots of laughter. And we made a cruisers’ pact together.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010, Day 72. It is really cold here, with a morning low of 32, an afternoon high of 62, and another cold front coming in on Sunday. The Mobile Marine shop is still working on our dinghy motor. First, they thought they might return in on Monday, definitely Tuesday. Now, they are predicting Thursday. It seems that the carburetor is so badly clogged that they couldn’t be clean it and it has to be replaced.
Nancy drove us to town, where we shopped for groceries and liquor as this is one of the last opportunities to provision before we cross. Linda got her snorkeling equipment. Ken got his watch repaired, and got a wetsuit. We took the free Vero Beach bus–a great amenity of the town–back to the marina where there is still no WiFi or pump-out. Had a quiet afternoon here on Escapade, the first in many days. We heard from neighbors Gail and Bruce on Orient Express that there hasn’t been a good weather window for crossing since the second week in November and there are only three boats anchored in Hopetown Harbor in the Abacos. Another very strange, cold season…..

Wednesday, December 8, 2010, Day 73. It is cold. The temperature in the salon when we arose was 50, 37 outside. But temperatures began to warm through the day. We are hear waiting on our dinghy engine. Ken and Joy hosted Jim and Nancy, and us for dinner aboard Slow Dancin’.

Thursday, December 9, 2010, Day 74. It was noticeably warmer in the morning — low 50s, but it rained. The two Kens helped Jim put new batteries aboard Solitaire. Linda and Joy went shopping. In the afternoon we got the call that we have been waiting for. The dinghy motor has been repaired and will be delivered tomorrow morning at 8:30. We’ll get the dinghy aboard; get fuel, water, and a pump-out; and be underway by noon. (Knock on wood)