Bridges, Bridges, Bridges

11/30/11
After a beautiful day on the waterway and 8 bridges we are happily anchored in Palm Beach....What magnificent homes and mega yachts!!! Tomorrow the ocean route. We will go on the outside using Lake Worth Inlet and go back in at Port Everglades or Government Cut, Miami depending on how far we are mid day. Weather is lovely with temps in the upper seventies...palm trees and Caribbean blue/green water...beautiful!! The Journey Is the Destination! What a way to start December.

CAVU (third from left) anchored in Peck Lake

Atlantic Ocean just south of St. Lucie Inlet

Path from Peck Lake Anchorage to the Atlantic

Ed, Dinghy, Coconut Palm

Peck Lake

11/29/11
Here we are in Peck Lake. We are thinking of you, Reggie and Kay! You recommended this anchorage, and we are so glad you did. We are enjoying the serenity and beauty after spending so long at Vero Beach, with its hustle bustle. Peck Lake is quietly pleasant on a Tuesday, mid week. I can imagine it would be bouncy on the week ends because it is right off the ICW and close to the St. Lucie Inlet, which is heavily used by local fishermen. After dropping anchor we took off for the beach where we discovered our first coconut palm tree, to which we handily tied up the dinghy before exploring the path to the Atlantic, only a short walk away. This is a great stop and we enjoyed the warm waters and beautiful Atlantic the rest of the afternoon with Pat and Ed (Finistere). After a fantastic shell collecting walk up toward the Inlet we returned to CAVU for Happy Hour and a very pleasant evening. It is said that this anchorage can become buggy, but the cool breeze and dropping temps in the sixties seemed to eliminate that threat. It is nice to be on the hook again!!

Good Night Vero

Heron  guards over us our last night here in Vero Beach...

Our Dock Walking Heron

Gratitude

11/28/11
We are grateful for our awesome family, We missed Kev and his family and many others, but It was wonderful visiting those who are pictured "post football game" here and the ones who came on Friday for the" post Thanksgiving Barbeque/Oyster Scald" at Sue and Bruce's. Today we are back at Vero Beach Marina preparing to leave tomorrow for points south...
Thanks for fixing my previous picture, Brian.

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Post Football Pre Dinner Gathering of Some of the Family

11/24/11
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! What a privilege it is to be able to come home to visit such a great family!
We are so very thankful for all we have!

Some of the Family...More Tomorrow

Happy Thanksgiving!
Time for a little three day land based celebration in Maryland........ football, turkey, stuffed ham, oysters, barbeque, soccer... a traditional O'Brien Family Thanksgiving! We are most grateful for our family and friends and the opportunity to pause and celebrate with them.
Back to the boat tomorrow and the call of the Palm Trees and warm weather!

Jam Session at the Docks

Ocean side of Vero

Here you finally get to see the ocean side, the real Vero Beach. This beach is within walking distance of the mooring field and docks for the ICW.

Vero Beach

11/20/11
This paddle boarder moving through the mooring field this evening is a perfect example of the beautiful day here in Vero Beach!
This picture was taken from our slip here at the dock. We came in to the dock to have our refrigeration repaired and will leave the boat here while we fly to Md. for Thanksgiving.

Colphins fishing around our moored boat

It is so intriguing watching the dolphin round up their catch as a team. This happens right beside our boat as we sit here in the Vero mooring field. Too Cool!!

Vero Beach Mooring Field

11/18/11
Here  are on a mooring in Vero Beach....high today was 76 degrees, comfortable, but very windy. Last night we were happy to be on a safe mooring....gusts were 35 knots. Yesterday we took the free bus into town to the Publix for a few fresh items...although the refrig is acting "iffy"...Don't want to put in too much. Yesterday evening we rode the dinghy in for a "Cruisers Happy Hour" on the Marina Grounds...seems they have one every Thursday for the cruisers to get to know one another. It is really funny how we keep running in to the same boats/people. We feel like a moving neighborhood at times. It was great fun. Captain Ron, with my assistance,
..spent the day trying to install another hand pump but it was too big, so it has to be returned...and the job lingers on.....
We plan to take a slip on Sunday and rent a car to drive to the airport. Then, we will catch a flight to "family Thanksgiving" in Maryland. This is a highly complicated undertaking when it is done last minute, as we are doing it. It is even more of a risk for the Captain, as the first mate may just jump ship!

Haulover Bridge

Finistere following us through the Haulover Bridge Opening, one of many  bridges that open on request...

Wildlife Everywhere

Indian River

Fwd: Indian River

11/14/11
This is a sight all along the waterway down here. Yes, we've seen manatee but haven't captured a photo yet!!

Vero Beach!

Arrived here in Vero Beach at 3:00 this afternoon. Mooring field is pretty full. Rafted up(common practice here)on mooring ball with Finistere. Wearing shorts and T-shirts...Florida!!! Happy Hour on CAVU....More tomorrow. 50 mile days take a lot out of you.....No pity deserved!!!

Tiki Torch Party Under the Palm Trees

11/12/11
Happy Birthday to my brother Paul!
Today was an interesting day that began with a leisurely breakfast, long walk on the beach and lunch aboard our docked boat at Marineland Marina. Walking down the Atlantic beach this morning was a delightful way to start the day. It is so cool to be able to just walk across the street and be able to walk in the sand of the Atlantic Ocean. After returning we went to the Marineland  Dolphin Research facility sponsored by the Universities of Florida and Georgia and owned by the Atlanta Aquarium Corporation. They do not put on shows, but offer education programs with experiential interactions with dolphins. We observed several dolphins, one baby. for several hours where their behaviors were explained by the docents. While we were there a family of three fed and played in the water with the dolphins.
This afternoon I did laundry taking advantage of the free laundry facility! This is only the second such facility we've seen. Pat and Ed came by CAVU for Happy Hour before we walked over to a fantastic Dock Party hosted by the Marineland Marina Staff. Chris, the friendly dockmaster says They will host a party whenever they have  at least 10 boats in the marina at one time. this is a small marina that has just opened and we felt very welcomed!!!
The party included an awesome live band called "The Seaweeds"! Ten dollars per person for a shrimp gumbo or pulled pork meal. It was great! Lighted kayaks glided up the waterway, bonfire under the palm trees, dancing under the light of tiki torches to the live band...it was a super party that couldn't have been better. What an awesome accidental discovery this stop has been.
Hey, how about a IP Mini Vous here next November??
Tomorrow we drop the lines and head south....

Spanish Guard with Pat and Mary Ann at San Marcos Fort, St. Augustine, Florida

Florida Homes along the ICW

Fort Frederica, Georgia

Marineland Fish

Here is a grouper, one of several species of fish that U of Florida and U of Georgia Marine Biology departments are maintaining since the original tanks of Marineland tanks were emptied years ago.

Marineland Marina

From English Fort in Georgia to Spanish Fort in Florida And a respite with the Dolphins

 

Happy Birthday, Lana!  Happy Anniversary , Kevin and Lana!!!!  Happy Birthday, Molly!

Happy Veterans Day.  Thank you to all those who have served our country so well.

Last night proved to be quite restless, as the thumping of the mooring ball came way to frequently with the winds and currents. We were feeling the effects of being very close to the St. Augustine Inlet open to the Atlantic. Ed called on the phone, and after a quick conference, it was decided that we would move on for a very short day to the peace and security of the newly opened Marineland Marina, only $1.00 a foot with free washer and dryer(funny, the things that become so important…)!!  After a very twisty passage we arrived here to be assisted by the most enthusiastic  and knowledgeable dock attendant we've met so far. He must have been a marine biology major and was full of info on the local ecology and marine research programs.  Marineland is not what the Captain remembers from 50 years ago when he was last here as a boy. It is much more a marine research resource with wonderful walking paths along the ocean side and a dolphin adventure facility where you can experience a quick program of touching and feeding the dolphins to more interactive experiences like swimming with them.

Being  here allows us to be plugged in and have all the electricity we need to use the computer, send emails, watch TV or movies, or bake in the oven without things rocking and rolling, wash down the outside of the sea salt encrusted boat and enclosure, etc…. all the fun things that become the day's little luxuries.

This is an ICW stopover that is much like the Dismal Swamp stopover on Route 17…..this one with highway Route A1A running between the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Waterway on the other. It is a lovely treat to be able to take a short walk from one to the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11/10/11

Morning found us rested and waiting for the pump out boat which punctually services the mooring balls on call. After this practical chore was accomplished we lowered the dinghy to go in to explore the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental USA, St. Augustine.  In 1565, fifty five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, St. Augustine was founded.  As soon as we landed the dingy we met up with Finistere's Ed and Pat Land and headed to Castillo de San Marcos, the ominous fort that stood guard as we waited in front of the Bridge of Lions the afternoon before. Construction of this fort began in 1672 by the Spanish to defend their claim in the new world. It is build of native coquina stone which could actually absorb cannon balls shot into it. This fort is magnificently restored and maintained in contrast to the smaller English Fort Frederica which we visited just a few days ago… We learned so much about our nation's early history as it came alive while visiting both of these forts.

Next, we decided to get a good overview of the old city  by taking a carriage ride around historical St. Augustine…We did learn and see a lot, but I think it was not worth the money. Continuing our tour on foot we were impressed with the distinctive Spanish architecture, a definite change from the southern mansions of Charleston and more English influences of Beaufort. This has been a whirlwind of unbelievable glimpses into the past for me, and I can't quite believe I am seeing all this from our 'Home on the water, CAVU"!

As clouds started rolling in along with another cold front, we decided to dinghy back to the boat for the evening.  Soon after, the winds and currents made us very glad we had decided to return to the safety and coziness of dinner in the cockpit of CAVU.

On 11/9/11 we passed under the Bridge of Lions with strong wind and current after a 25 minute wait, pulled into a stiff wind up to the fuel dock for a "fill up" and then went to our assigned mooring ball #57. All this might sound simple to the uninitiated, but I always feel victorious after accomplishing these necessities, particularly in adverse conditions. Each fuel dock is a little different and each mooring is potentially different.  The fuel docking this time required us to back out to deal with current, wind and other boats. The mooring ball had a pennant that I needed to thread….This particular ball had the mooring line neatly curled on the top which oddly enough made it harder to pick up. I have become too accustomed to picking up the the slimy ones that just hang in the water at Annapolis. However, all that said, another victory for the "first mate" for it was grabbed  successfully with the boat hook, the line threaded  and cleated, ready for Capt. Ron finish up with the "cross over" to the other cleat over and around the bow.  It was  3:45 in the afternoon, time to sit back and enjoy a quiet afternoon in front of the famed St. Augustine. We were safely harbored in what, I believe, is a fairly new mooring field that is the biggest one I've seen so far on this trip. Many boats are here to wait out the weather… The night proved to be interesting as the ball bumped up against the boat with every current/tide change. Knowing that we were safely tied to a mooring helped us sleep better in spite of the high winds. The moon rising over the lighthouse on such a clear night was a glorious sight and as the current swung us around, we could see "Old Glory" on the shoreline waving in the bright moonlight.

Captain Napping

  Hard to take pictures through this beautiful stretch of the Waterway....too busy watching markers and magnificent Florida homes all along the way...while Capt. rests his eyes...These homes are magnificent!

View of the ICW from St. Simons

South of Fernandina Beach Florida

11/08/11
Happy Birthday to my sister Cathy!!
Here we are off the South Amelia River, at the mouth of Alligator Creek, Mile 725 anchored with wind blowing 20 knots from the north. We are just south of Fernandina Beach which we decided to pass on, since the mooring field was closed. Our new buddy boat, Finistere, and three other boats are well spaced in this marsh enclosed anchorage.
It was an interesting day as we passed by Jekyll Island seeing from the water's perspective  some of the very places we had discovered yesterday by car..
Nightfall came early and the temps are comfortable. It will be a good night for sleeping in this rocking anchorage.

A fine looking couple

Here we find  Catspaw's Bobbi and Captain Ron dressed for history at Fort Frederica!

St. Simon's Island

St. Simon's Island with its beautiful beaches was once home for Captain Ron when he was stationed here in the Navy. The sand is rock hard!

Spanish Moss

11/7/11
Trees with Spanish Moss are everywhere...each one more beautiful than the last...
We visited  St. Simon's Island today with a very interesting tour of  Fort Fredericka. Very fascinating history that I hope to expand upon later.
Here giant old live oaks with their lacy draping Spanish Moss were lined up creating archways which felt cathedral like as the sun beams filtered through the massive branches. I need to get a better camera to capture a fraction of the beauty.
Tomorrow we will sadly bid Catspaw good bye as they head back by car to Rhode Island. Finistere and CAVU will proceed south toward Fernandina Beach.

Captains Ron, Carey and Ed at Brunswick Landing Marina, in front of Catspaw

Jekyll Island

11/06/11
Here we are on Jekyll Island....Carey catches MA, Ron and Bobbi walking under the trees to the beach overlooking the Jekyll Island side of the ICW.
We are on a lay over at Brunswick Landing Marina awaiting a cold front with gale force winds and will stay here for a day or so while boat buddies Carey and Bobbi Colwell, Catspaw prepare to leave their boat here for a month for their return home to Rhode Island. They have been such fun to travel with on this segment of the Waterway.
 Today we rented a car and toured Jekyll Island, one of Captain Ron's old haunts. Part of it is state park, another part retains relics of the past, some modern day golf courses, and the rest is still residential.  It was originally the winter playground of the wealthy in the 1920's... Vanderbilt, Goodyear, Rockefeller, etc.The backdrop of all  these homes, old and new, are beautiful Spanish Moss covered trees. One area near the beach felt like a Cathedral with gigantic old trees draped in Spanish Moss cascading to the ground. It is difficult to capture the beauty...
We stopped for lunch at Jekyll Wharf where we had to be wary of every bite as it was challenged by the many hovering Grackles...not a pleasant experience. After touring the island we did the obligatory stop at West Marine and then Home Depot  where we purchased a cable to hook up for cable TV at the Dock here in Brunswick. Patriots playing!!! Life is good.

Shrimp Boats Catching the Captain's Dinner

Fwd: Walburg creek

11/04/11

Wednesday was a fun day in charming Beaufort where we were delighted to meet up with John and Nancy Knight who own a lovely condo there. The fantastic waterfront and lovely downtown are right out their door. It is so fun meeting up with friend old and new along this trip.
Early yesterday morning we left Beaufort  and went out Port Royal Sound to take the ocean passage to St. Catherine Sound thereby limiting some of the notoriously low water and precarious currents in Georgia.  A front was predicted to move in during the night and therefore we chose  to come in to Walburg Creek, the first creek on St. Catherine's Sound Inlet to ride out the night. ...And a wild night it was with a cross current that was remarkable and wind up around 30 knots.....the current was stronger. Needless, to say little sleep was had, even though the anchor held fine!
The ocean passage was beautiful but not enough wind to sail....the seas were confused but our boat seems to handle that very well, as it didn't bother me a bit. I really like the daylight ocean when it is so beautiful, green.. sparkling... Dolphins entertained us from all sides while the shrimp boats kept us alert.
  It was a welcome break from the Georgia waterway which we had to come back to today. Crossing a couple of sounds and the windy twisty passage with frequent 30 knot wind gusts made for a long day that had me glad to end by dropping anchor a few minutes ago in front of Fort Frederica on the Frederica River Alternate Route. Today we also intercepted paths with Ed and Pat Land on Finistere. Finistere along with Catspaw and CAVU will be headed to Brunswick Landing Marina tomorrow.

Coossaw Sunset and an easy day to Beaufort, SC

11/1/11
Halloween found us leaving  Charleston City Marina where we stayed for two days.
We had to pull out of our slip at 7:00 before the sunrise with running lights in order to take advantage of the slack tide. There are intense currents in this marina and the location of our slip made for a challenging exit in all but slack conditions. Since the next bridge(only 15 minutes away) didn't open until 9:00 am we had to drop the hook out in front of the marina in order to start our journey around 8:30 ...could have waited til 8:45 because with  8-10 boats all milling around in front of the Bridge with a 2-3 knot current it was rather tricky. Playing the tides, currents and bridge openings seems to be a cerebral, as well as, a skill challenge on this Waterway trip. This was a day of cautious, attentive narrow channel travel. We anchored off of Red #195 Fish Creek after a beautiful cavu day. It was a hard bottom, but the anchor dropped after careful letting out of chain to give it time to grab before backing it down. The area is one of great current and the wind picked up to 25 knots at times during the night. We did swing a lot, but the Manson anchor held well.
This morning we planned to travel 27 miles to get to Beaufort where we would time our passage through the Lady's Island Swing Bridge. It is always a luxury to know we can sleep in past sunrise even though we wake up automatically anyway. With anchor up at 10:10 am we were fortunate to have a short stretch with good sailing until we needed to turn into a narrow channel and keep to the range markers going by Brickyard Point.
Going under the bridge was a bit interesting with a tug in front of us going only 1.5 knots.....We pulled into Beaufort Downtown Marina 12:30...this was one of  the shortest days we have had. It has a convenient dock with easy access to fuel, laundry and shopping (Piggly Wiggly here we come). We immediately  headed to Luther's (a place familiar to both Carey and Ron) for lunch. Sometimes it feels like we are eating our way down the Waterway. We will stay here for 2 days and then plan to head out  Port Royal Cut with Catspaw to go offshore for a day and come back in at St. Catherine's Inlet. We'll keep an eye on weather and see the town of Beaufort tomorrow.