Evening Revery

I'm sitting in the companionway watching the sun go down. There are something like over two hundred boats on moorings here. Some live-aboards, mostly  for the right weather to go over to the Bahamas.

There is about a 15-18 knt breeze and a mild chop since its been coming from the east and now south. We have the fetch of the whole Bay.

The boat feels like it has life again, all that time in very calm placid waters of the ICW, very comfortable, but no movement. Boats are made to move.

Without shoes, or shirt I sip my wine and think that maybe now I have arrived. I realize I've said this before and might say it again, but it really is the tropics here. Tomorrow it's going to be 80, and Friday 85, which sounds wonderful, but I don't trust it. A front will come thru, yet I have no worries of weather for now, I'm connected to the earth with a huge screw that goes deep into the bays floor. Well not at least  for another 12 or 13 days. Then Sue will come and we'll take off and go see the upper keys, maybe more if the weather is our friend.

I'm in Coconut Grove, part of Miami but far enough away that all you see of Miami  is the skyline, which at night is very cool because of all the colors of lights they use on the buildings. Each to its own.

I'm at the moment listening to south Florida public radio their playing Gershwin. I sometimes think our public radio up north has forgotten its roots.

Time for a shirt, somehow in February this breeze still feels good. Above Gershwin I can hear a very unhappy 5-6 year old girl. I think I know which boat it is, I spoke with them on my way in to register for the mooring. They're waiting on crew to show up and then heading to Chub Cay in the Bahamas. Maybe their crew won't show, I'll help. I have time before Sue comes down.

I'm getting a cold, it will be over by the time Sue comes down. I probably got it in Fort Lauderdale, pushing too many pedestrian crossing buttons.

Fort Lauderdale I thought was very cool. If you truly believe in the" to each his or her own".

It was a place of show, whether it was the boats, and yachts. Or the cars, Mercedes, Rolls, Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferrari. The bikes, very loud and all custom. The private jets taking off from the airport, or the helicopters taking off from the back of the yachts.

This a land of great wealth and a huge ego. Why else would you own a 250' motor yacht that's easily three stories tall. Or a power sled that will do 80-90 mph, they shoot out of Miami into the bay and go right back in. Two miles away you can't believe the noise they make!!

I would give anything for me and Nate to go for a ride(it's a guy thing).

I took a walk today in town and went along a beautiful shaded street that led me to the outskirts. There was a small private school called The Ransome school. It has a long past according to the plaque out front and it's beginnings were from private school somewhere in New England. But at sometime the schools name was The Pine Knot. I got homesick for my children but just for a moment, nothing can always be the same.

The breeze is up and it's getting a little bumpier it's still wonderful. The skyline of Miami is in full view, I can't wait for Sue to come down, and see this.

All in all it's a good night for me and Star

Sun and Sand, Sun and Snow

Susan and Pam

Vero Boardwalk

Here's a picture of the beach at 1:00 on a Saturday. It is about 70 which is clearly way to cold to be at the beach!

I'm eating a deluxe cheeseburger at Caseys which is theee place. It's like the Duchess used to be.

I'm going to continue my walk towards the bridge and take some pictures for arianna

Vero Beach Solitude

It is true I'm the youngest person in Florida right now !
A nice morning, still a bit salty from the swim(on purpose) yesterday. The breeze was not quite on the nose as the day before so I could just squeeze the main to work. I needed to make Vero Beach because the guides said there really wasn't a place I between to anchor. It was true.

All day was lots of clouds some with light rain but nothing scary... Until about 5 miles out of Vero looking to the south the sky started looking darker and darker, and that was with the sunglasses off

So I first reefed the main, then it kept getting darker, so I took in the jib, and more darkness, then the main came down and was secured, darkness definitey coming my way.

Oh gee(not verbatim) I said forget this and pulled off the channel as far as I could and anchored. If I'm  in somebody's way I'll  figure it out then!

I waited and waited and it didn't come but what did come was a lot of breeze and some rain dead on the nose. No matter all the sails were stowed.

I set up the inside steering under the dodger, got the engine going and headed for beautiful Vero beach. How right I was!

Where I stayed the next three days was on a mooring in a small harbor with a marina and yacht club. People come in September tie up to dock a or a mooring and stay till April and then head back home. Not bad for about 350.00 a month  It's a great place that has gobs of money but more about that later.

Jim and Susan on Saturday, Feb 4, 2012

Salt Water Transit Day

From Titusville to Eau Gallie. Made 30.8 miles in 6:52hrs with an average speed of 4.5. Not bad, just got to keep pushing.

The goal is to take off from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas. I will probably lay over in Stuart to set up the boat a little better.

The boat is finally covered in salt. A good long sail to weather down the Indian River. Probably should have stayed on the mooring but got to make Southing!  (with a nod to Jack London)

I'm anchored tonight behind a 65' bridge because there simply is not another place in which to anchor. You could just pull off to the side of the channel but you're so exposed to the weather, other boats, and best of all tugs pushing barges.

Once you spend a lot of time alone even the sounds of the traffic going over a big highway bridge can be music to lull you to sleep.

Tomorrow maybe Vero beach, maybe only halfway. It all depends on the breeze and current