CamacheeCoveYachtHarbor, St. Augustine

HalifaxHarbor, Daytona Beach

Titusville Municipal Marina, Titusville

It’s been awhile since I added to the blog. We have traveled every other day and rested on the off days. We are still on target to get to Ft.MyersBeach by either December 16^th or 17^th. Even though we are traveling on the ICW, the weather could be a factor by next week. It seems so odd to have to pay so much attention to what may happen with the weather.

On December 3^rd we left FernandinaBeach for St, Augustine. We needed assistance leaving the dock again because of the tidal current, but mostly because of a strong wind blowing us into the dock. As it turned out, Mark placed one of orange ball fenders toward Grateful’s bow and pivoted the stern out using the fender against the dock. Our trip was uneventful – thank goodness – and we saw some interesting sights on the way to St. Augustine.

CamacheeCoveYachtHarbor is very nice and protected. Last spring we spent a week at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina. While we had a wonderful week there with easy access to beautiful historic St. Augustine, the hustle and bustle (construction on the Bridge of Lions, tour boats coming and going, transient boats crashing and getting caught up in the current) was quite a difference from the calm, peaceful feel of Camachee Cove. On Saturday many boaters were decorating their boats for Christmas – the big regatta is next weekend.

We moved on to Daytona Beach on Sunday, and returned to HalifaxHarbor. We had a very pleasant stay with them last spring and this time was no different. Our trip was another easy one – and we shared the waterway with many more boats than we had seen before. As this day progressed apparently the wind shifted from the west to out of the north. We were getting a healthy push from the wind as well as the current, but it ushered in very cold weather for this part of the country. For the last three mornings we have been getting up to mid-30s for temps. I have pulled out all the winter gear that I needed last fall when we were traveling down the Mississippi. Even Captain Mark has reluctantly given up his shorts for a pair of sweatpants.

On Tuesday, we continued down to Titusville and stopped at the Municipal Marina again. We had forgotten what an adventure it was to get into a slip here. Because the docks are fixed not floating and because the fingers are only about 25 ft long, we have to go stern in so that we can get off our boat. (Our doors are located about 10 ft from the back of the boat). Things seemed to be going just great with the stern fitting between the soft posts when suddenly the dockhand yells “FORWARD” because one of those posts had moved right behind us!!! Well, Captain Mark still has fast reactions and we did not hit the post. I got the stern line to the dockhand, but then I had to run to the bow to lasso those soft posts with bow lines. Good Grief – I am going to need more practice on that skill. Anyway with expert help from the dockhand, we were finally tied down. Our power cord and water barely reach from the front of the boat back to the main dock behind us, but we are connected. And this is another great place to stay. Porter loves it because he can get off and on the boat under his own power. With floating docks we need a ladder so we have to lift Porter off the boat. He is much happier this way.

Last spring we watched the Atlas rocket launch while we were here and we thought we might see another commercial rocket launch of the Falcon 9, but it has been delayed – maybe tomorrow morning? We will look as we travel down to Vero Beach.