Thursday, November 18, 2010 – Snook Bight Marina, Fort Myers Beach, FL

For Maureen, the day was devoted to blog work. Gale used this day to rest and try to get over his cold – no boat chores. We did take our yoga mats down to the beach just before lunch and had an easy re-introduction to our practice. Gale had been doing a better job of getting some yoga in over the last few months than Maureen, but we were both anxious to get to firm ground where we could work on our strength, flexibility and balance.

We did another nice walk on the beach between 4:30 and 5:30 pm – not quite as far as yesterday – but every bit as enjoyable.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010 – Snook Bight Marina, Fort Myers Beach, FL

 
 
 


We began the day with another glorious sunrise. We were only a mile or so from the Wilson Piggott Bridge, but just before the bridge we headed into the canal where our friends from the Gemini, Freedom, had made an offer on a home. They bought it sight unseen (except for photographs) and were in the process of trying to work out the details related to insurance before they could close on the deal. We talked to Jim on the phone as he directed us to the right property. Jim and Deb had been hung up in Myrtle Beach for the last two weeks as their engine was being rebuilt and were anxious to get on their way so they could see the house.

 
We traveled 35 miles to Fort Myers Beach, took on fuel at Moss Marine and then headed over to Snook Bight Marina where we had arranged for a slip for a month. We settled in and at 4 pm we went for a walk on the beach. The dock hand at the marina told us we were only about a mile from the Holiday Inn where the annual sandcastle building contest had taken place over the weekend. We were hoping to be able to see the sculptures before the wind and rain took care of them. And after a 2+ mile walk, we arrived and got a few photos before the sunset. Some of the pictures looked more like snow sculptures than sand and reminded us of the cold weather back in the Midwest.

 
 

 
 


 

Before hiking back to the marina, we stopped at the Holiday Inn’s Tiki Bar and enjoyed the happy hour there with a couple of drinks and the best chicken wings we’d ever tasted.



 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010 – Okeechobee Waterway, mile 124.3

 
We were off and running before 7 am with clear skies, calm winds and a temperature of 67°F. A few hundred yards down the canal, the engine sputtered and quit! The only time that had ever happened before was when we changed fuel tanks underway and there was a lag before the second fuel tank could kick in. This time, however, we weren’t doing any switching. Gale was able to get the engine going again; we motored for a short distance, and it died again. No motor power – no wind power. We were simply floating along in the middle of the canal. Not to worry, Gale determined that there was a broken wire between the solenoid and the fuel lift pump. He replaced the wire and we were moving down the waterway once again.

 

On the west side of Lake Okeechobee, we had three locks to pass through and three bridges that had to be opened for us before arriving at our anchorage in an oxbow at mile 124.3 of the Okeechobee Waterway. As the sun was setting, we lowered the dinghy and Gale took it into the marina nearby where he tied it up and walked a mile to a shopping center to buy some cold medicine. He came down with a cold over the weekend in Boca and it was really getting him down. He returned to the boat around 7 pm where Maureen fixed baked chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner.

 

Monday, November 15, 2010 – Okeechobee Waterway, mile 65.2, Clewiston

 
 
 

We waved goodbye to Stuart and were on our way at 7:20 am. It was another calm, warm day and there were a few clouds in the sky. Our trip through St. Lucie Lock was not nearly as harrowing as it was the first time we went through it last March. Since we were the only boat in the lock, the lockmaster had us take lines as far back from the upstream doors as possible. Last time we were closer to the doors and had to hang on for dear life as the water poured in. This time, we didn’t even feel any disturbance!


 

We saw two alligators after that first lock. The railroad bridge just west of Indiantown was being worked on but we didn’t have long to wait before the part was installed and we were allowed to pass. The second lock at Port Mayaca was at the entrance to Lake Okeechobee. As we entered the lock, hundreds of birds were sitting along the walls. Birds were waiting on the exit side as well and several of them followed us out into Lake Okeechobee for several miles. We weren’t sure what they were looking for, but they were persistent.

 

The 152-mile Okeechobee Waterway is like the Intracoastal Waterway in that it is an adaptation of existing waters – the St. Lucie River from Stuart to Lake Okeechobee, the lake itself, then the Caloosahatchee River to the Gulf. The two rivers had always drained the lake and supported passage by small boats, but after the disastrous floods of the mid-20s and the diking of the lake, the natural system was overhauled by the Corps of Engineers and opened in 1937 as a first-rate commercial waterway – and a wonderful shortcut for cruising boaters to get from the Atlantic to the Gulf without rounding the Keys, a saving of 206 miles.

It took a few hours to cross the lake but we finished our transit just before sunset and tied up to the barge pilings (called dolphins) at Clewiston at 5:30 pm. The mosquitoes drove us inside but at least they didn’t bother us there.



 

Sunday, November 14, 2010 – Sunset Bay Marina, Stuart, FL

 

 
Aura fixed a nice, hot breakfast of omelets and toasted bagels for all before we headed back to Stuart. The day was lovely and our drive was pleasant.

Back aboard Blue Heron, we tidied up a bit, had some lunch and then returned the rental car to Enterprise. We could have waited until the morning to drop it off when they would have provided a ride back to the marina, but we were anxious to get an early start on Monday and were both in the mood for a nice, long walk.

On our way back from Enterprise, we were able to see some of the demonstrations in the air. We even paused for a few minutes at an Italian restaurant along the way where we sat outside, shared a drink and watched the jets.

Saturday, November 13, 2010 – Boca Raton, FL

 

 
It was a terrific morning for Aaron’s soccer game at the YMCA grounds. His team won 4 to 1, and one of the goals was Aaron’s. After the match, Aaron chose the restaurant Sweet Tomatoes, for lunch. And what a fantastic lunch it was! The salad fixings were fresh, varied and endless. One could also choose from several soups, hot pasta dishes, fresh fruit and desserts – a wonderful buffet of good food.

After our meal, we went back to the house and relaxed. Gale took a walk with the dog, Dandy, but couldn’t get anyone else to go with him. At dinner time we were still all so full, we simply snacked on cheese and crackers. The five of us played a three-hour long round of “Drink While You Think” without the “drink” rule.

 

 

Friday, November 12, 2010 – Boca Raton, FL

The day was spent on the usual chores when we come into a marina: laundry, provisioning, hardware store run, nice showers, etc. Helping us to complete our tasks was the rental car we picked up at Enterprise using the “weekend special” for $9.99 per day. At 5 pm, we drove to Boca Raton to visit John, Aura and Aaron at their home.

It was so good to see everyone! Aura had just brought Aaron home from soccer practice and he had a friend, Jonathon, with him. The six of us took two cars to the favorite neighborhood pizza place and enjoyed a nice meal together. Back at the house, we watched an old Sylvester Stallone movie, Victory, where he plays a prisoner of war involved in a Nazi propaganda soccer game – Aaron loves the soccer game in the movie, particularly because of all the real life soccer stars recruited, including the great Pele’.

Thursday, November 11, 2010 – Sunset Bay Marina, Stuart, FL

 
There were a few clouds in the sky as we started our cruise at 7:30 am but the temperature was a comfortable 67°F and there was a very light breeze. The remaining 16-mile cruise into Stuart was lovely and we arrived at Sunset Bay Marina about 10:30 am. After topping off the fuel tanks and grabbing our assigned mooring ball, we took some time to relax, settle in and enjoy our lunch on the boat before going to shore to formally register at the marina.

That evening we stopped by the “Meet and Greet” at the marina and visited with the owners of two other Geminis, both from Canada. We had seen these boats up on the hard in Indiantown when we put Blue Heron back in the water in July. One was named Back Roads and the other, Chain Reaction. They plan to spend their winter in Stuart and go back to Canada in the spring.

After the “Meet and Greet” we walked over to the marina’s restaurant, Sailors’ Return, and ordered the lamb entrée. It wasn’t as good as we’d remembered, but we later determined that was because we didn’t get the lamb shank. Oh well, we certainly didn’t leave hungry.


 

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 – Indian River near Hutchinson Island (ICW mile 977)

We started at 6:30 am and ran for ten hours. The day was sunny and mild with a light breeze. Just before lunch, we stopped for fuel at the Vero Beach Municipal mooring field that we had heard so many good things about. There we met Bob and Deb Lacy aboard their Gemini, Ancient Mariner. Bob had been hurt riding the city bus the day before and had a couple of badly bruised ribs. Not to worry, his wife, Deb, a retired nurse, had plenty of pain medicine on board. Bob and Deb had owned their catamaran for a few years, but this was their first real voyage away from home and they were heading for the Bahamas for the winter.

We were impressed with the mooring field and could see why people enjoyed staying there. It was a little community within itself and very well protected from the wind and waves. We were told that the marina’s nickname was “Velcro Beach” since so many arrived with the intention of moving on, but stayed in the harbor instead.

When we left in the morning, we thought we might make it all the way to Stuart, however, at 4:30 pm we realized that was not going to happen and dropped the hook near Jensen Beach just off the ICW.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 – Melbourne, FL (ICW mile 918.5)

 

We left Mosquito Lagoon before 7 am and headed out into sunny skies, little wind and a temperature of 54°F. At the Jay Jay railroad bridge, mile 876.6, a barge was blocking our passage with some repair work was being done to the bridge. We dropped the anchor and waited just under an hour with three other boats for the barge to clear the way and allow us to pass.  
 

It was such a lovely morning that we did not mind the break at all. In fact, we were expecting it to be another hour before we could get through and were slightly disappointed to be cleared so quickly.

 
 
We enjoyed the beautiful day on the waterway and arrived in Melbourne, Florida, late in the afternoon where we threw out the hook and still had about 45 minutes to sit out on the bow and watch the sun go down before dinner.

Monday, November 8, 2010 – Mosquito Lagoon, Florida (ICW mile 860)

We were up around 6:15 am and saw that last night’s late arrival had drifted past us and was now on our downstream side. How they went by without fouling our anchors or bumping into the boat was a mystery. We started up the engine to get the heater going and as we were about to hail our neighbor on the radio, we noticed they were up and about. They had a bit of difficulty retrieving the anchor, but soon had it aboard and motored out of the anchorage.

We had our own anchors up and headed into a sunny day with a very light north wind and a temperature of 47°F. A few miles down the way, we caught up with and talked to the folks on the sailboat that had left the anchorage before us, Mystical, and learned that their anchor had not tripped, but when the current switched during the night, the anchor rode (line) had become fouled around the keel. They had to work very hard to get things straightened out but the mishap turned out just fine – no equipment lost and no damage done.

The sun helped to warm things up to a comfortable 72°F by mid-afternoon and there was little or no wind all day. We traveled 70 miles and made it to Mosquito Lagoon just as the sun was setting. We had anchored here on our way to the Chesapeake and knew that it would be a good place to drop the hook if the wind wasn’t blowing. We relaxed for the evening, watched a little TV and enjoyed our hot dogs and Bush beans for dinner.

Sunday, November 7, 2010 – Ft. Matanzas inlet (ICW mile 792.4)

It was a cold and windy night and we awoke to a temperature that was barely 50°F. Daylight Savings Time ended overnight, so we were able to get an earlier start and left the mooring at 7 am. All day long we had a strong north wind and, at times, were able to move down the waterway at 10.5 knots with the motor and the sail.

It was early when we came through St Augustine at 2:30 pm. We just missed the half-hour opening of the Bridge of Lions so we dropped the sail and waited for the bridge to open again at 3 pm. Since we still had over 2 hours of daylight remaining, we decided to move on towards the Ft. Matanzas anchorage. By then, the tide had turned and we were fighting a strong current that slowed us down considerably.

Sunset was at 5:35 pm and we arrived at the anchorage around 5:40 pm. We had no problem setting the anchors – we put a bow and stern anchor out since it was so windy. A small sailboat, Mystical, that we had passed along the way came into the anchorage about 30 minutes later when it was quite dark. We hailed them on the radio to offer information on the anchorage in case they had not been there before. They had not, so we directed them closer to the fort where we knew the holding was good.

It was another cold night.

Saturday, November 6, 2010 – Fernandina Harbor Marina – mooring ball

It was colder but not quite as windy when we arose. Gale made a trip to shore in the afternoon while Maureen stayed on the boat. Gale visited Tom and Pat on Suncat, another Gemini, and learned a couple of secrets about keeping the hull clean from Tom. When he stepped on the main dock, he spoke to Norm and Vicky of Tide Hiker, who had just arrived. They invited us to spend some time with them tonight and tomorrow, but Gale had to decline because of a business meeting tonight and our plan to leave the area early tomorrow morning.

After a shower and a walk downtown to the hardware store and the convenience store, he was back on the boat to get ready for his meeting with two gentlemen who have a business conducting Captain’s school. They were looking for instructors with teaching experience, boating experience and captain’s credentials. The meeting was held at the Irish pub in downtown Fernandina Beach and the men enjoyed getting to know each other.

Friday, November 5, 2010 – Fernandina Harbor Marina – mooring ball

We stayed on the boat all day due to the wind and sea conditions. It was cold and nasty and the waves were doing about a two foot chop. It wasn’t a good idea to be out in the dinghy.

Gale spent his time on the computer following up on some business while Maureen read a book. During the evening hours, we watched a movie on TV then cuddled up with our comforter for the night.

Thursday, November 4, 2010 – Fernandina Harbor Marina – mooring ball

 
September Song and Sea Pearl left the dock before 8 am. It was a cloudy day and looked like it might rain. Maureen got an early start on the laundry and had that chore finished by 10:30 am. During the late morning, we walked uptown to see if we could pick up some milk and fresh produce. We were able to find milk (2% rather than our preferred skim) but no produce could be found at either of the “groceries” we checked out. On our way back to the dock, we stopped at a coffee shop and shared a cinnamon roll and orange juice.

 

At 2 pm, at the lowest tide, we moved the boat from the slip out to a mooring ball in the harbor. We would have waited for a little more water under the keel, but the winds were kicking up and the sky was growing darker. A couple of the dock hands helped us get away safely and in no time at all, we had grabbed the assigned mooring ball’s pennant and were secured nicely once again just before the rain began and the wind really started blowing.

We were toasty and warm inside our cabin as we enjoyed our evening meal. Maureen prepared beef stroganoff with noodles – a crew favorite.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 – Fernandina Harbor Marina - slip, Florida (ICW mile 716.5)

 
 
 
It was a very pleasant morning. We weren’t in a big hurry since it was only about 30 miles to our next stop so we watched the world go by for a few hours and didn’t pull up anchor until shortly before 11 am.

At low tide, around 2 pm, we were in Cumberland Sound just before King’s Bay and came through some spots in the channel with less than two feet of water under the keel. We were okay with our shallow draft, but most cruising boats would have run aground.

We heard some traffic about a naval escort in King’s Bay where there is a submarine base and wondered if we might get a glimpse of a nuclear submarine. Somehow, maybe it was the grey skies or that the military detail was focused towards the ocean, our arrival in the vicinity of the base was unnoticed until we were right in the middle of things. The Coast Guard finally hailed us and told us to get out of the channel and head toward the shore. We were to move as close to the long pier as we could safely manage and hold our position. There was a helicopter flying very close overhead, large escort ships on either side of the submarine, smaller vessels flanking the larger ones and even smaller patrol boats with lots of flashing lights and large machine guns, to the front, back and sides of the detail. What a thrill! Once the submarine and the escort ships went by our location, we were free to move on our way.

We arrived at Fernandina Beach around 4 pm and took a slip at Fernandina Harbor Marina. Most transient cruisers tie up to the face dock where there is plenty of water at low tide, but we were able to get a good deal on an inside, more protected slip, because of our shallow draft.

 
 

As we were fueling up, Bob and Stephanie of September Song walked up to say ‘Hi.’ They were traveling with Sea Pearl and planned to meet Joe and Julie downtown for drinks and dinner and we were invited to meet them. We walked downtown after settling in and found a very quaint, nicely renovated downtown area. We checked out the Palace Saloon, the oldest saloon in Florida which was once the haunt of America’s most famous, including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, DuPonts and Carnegie. While we were enjoying a drink, our friends happened into the saloon and found us there. Joe tried the Pirate’s Punch and found it to be similar to a Long Island Iced Tea.

We ended up having a marvelous dinner at Espana, featuring traditional flavors from Spain and Portugal, where we all shared servings of fresh fish, paella, tapas and flan.

 

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 – Jekyll Creek, Georgia (ICW mile 684.5)

It looked like rain was approaching when we got up so we made sure everything was secure and waited for the shower to pass. At 9 am we had the anchors up and left on a falling tide. We found the creek very shallow in spots, but were able to travel the eight miles and leave Blackbeard behind at 11 am just before the lowest tide at noon.

We entered Sapelo Sound to find the wind blowing strong and the water a bit rough. The headsail steadied the ride and allowed us to pick up speed. The wind blew from 18 to 30 knots all day long, with gusts as high as 33 knots, which helped us to cover 50 miles in 6 hours – probably a new record for Blue Heron. For a time, we were motorsailing at a speed of 9.5 knots. We even overtook two trawlers along the way – a rare occurrence, indeed!

At 5:30 pm, we anchored in Jekyll Creek near Jekyll Harbor Marina in approximately the same spot we had anchored on our way to the Chesapeake Bay three months ago.

Monday, November 1, 2010 – Blackbeard Creek at Blackbeard Island

It was another lovely day for a beach walk. We were the first ones out there at 9 am and walked the tidal line for an hour where we found several cat’s eyes and a few olive shells. On the return trip, we walked at the water’s edge and enjoyed the soft, sugary sand in our toes. By the time we got back to the spot where we had left the dinghy, some of the other folks were out trying to fly the kites that Norm and Vicky of Tide Hiker had brought for everyone – however, with barely a 5 mph breeze, there wasn’t much flying going on.

Life’s 2 Short left the anchorage shortly before noon with a rising tide. The other boats waited until after 2 pm when the tide was a little higher before they departed. It was such a beautiful day, we decided to stay another night.

Gale went out in the dinghy in the afternoon to see if the fish were biting yet and to scout out the ocean inlet at low tide to determine if there was any possibility of leaving the anchorage that way. We were only about a mile from the inlet; whereas, we were more than 8 miles up the creek off the ICW. While Gale was checking things out, he spied an alligator sunning himself on the beach. Both Gale and the alligator were surprised to see each other! Gale watched as the alligator slithered his way off the bank and into the water.

FYI: No fish were caught during the outing and Gale also determined that there was no way we could leave via the inlet even with our 18-inch draft.

Sunday, October 31, 2010 – Blackbeard Creek at Blackbeard Island

Happy Halloween! It was a beautiful morning for a walk on the beach so we landed the dinghy shortly before 9:30 am and walked until after 11 am. We didn’t see as many sand dollars or horseshoe crabs, but there were several interesting creatures whose photos have found their way into the blog.

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Here is a little history of Blackbeard Island: it has been in continuous Federal ownership since 1800 when the 5,618 acre island was acquired by the Navy Department as a source of live oak timber for ship building. From 1880 to 1910, the island served as a yellow fever quarantine station, managed by the National Board of Health, then by the U.S. Marine Hospital Service.


Other colorful notes relating to the history of the island deal with it’s namesake, Edward Teach, alias Blackbeard the Pirate. Legends tell of his murderous and plunderous activities along the coast and his periodic retreats to the island for “banking” purposes. Rumors of Blackbeard’s buried treasure still flourish, however, so far no one has found a single doubloon. The island’s history as a refuge began in 1924 when it was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Biological Survey. In 1941, Blackbeard Island was designated a National Wildlife Refuge.

 
 
 
 









After lunch, we met several of the cruisers at the ranger station dock and hiked the East Trail on Blackbeard Island. The trail was a bit longer than any of us had anticipated so when the mosquitoes swarmed us, we didn’t take long to decide we’d rather turn around than keep going. Besides, it was getting late in the afternoon and we knew the bugs would get worse before they got better!

About 6 pm, we all gathered on the southern beach to share appetizers and great company. The evening was mild and we kept the bugs away with another terrific bonfire.