and dropped anchor as the sun was setting,
We also kicked up the speed through Mosquito Lagoon for 8 miles or so...no not because of bugs, but because of approaching darkness! Had we not done so, it would have been dark when we arrived at our anchorage. And the anchorage in Titusville was not at all protected from the unpredicted rather strong winds. For a moment we thought we were back at Faro Blanco with a strong north wind! Had some rolly and noisy sleep this night!
Tuesday we again left at first light for a 74 mile trip to Vero Beach. We stayed at the City Marina and had some great walks to the beach, shopping district and just around the beautiful neighborhoods.
It was nice to walk this area that we have only previously driven through for some 30 years! One night we walked to Citrus Grill House for their wonderful early dining special. It was as good as the last time we had it! Love the food, view and service here!
Here is the site of one of our favorite former restaurants in Vero Beach. the Lobster Shanty. We have many fond memories of going there with our parents and children. Yet another example of the land just becoming too valuable for a restaurant and a condo developer taking over.
On Friday we left for Stuart. Not too far out of Vero, the AIS was showing a "buddy"...yes it was our friends Carole and DeVere on Job Site a few miles behind us!
We had planned to meet them in Stuart and they travel a lot faster than we do so had caught up to us. We have not seen them since May in Fernandina Beach so it was great to catch up and have dinner with them. And we made preliminary plans to meet up in late January to cross to the Bahamas with them and Brigitte and Scott on Putz'n Around....the same group we went there with last year. We are really looking forward to it! A photo of the Sailors Return Restaurant at the Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart.
In the first lock we were joined by one larger boat and one of the crew members said he was from Holland MI....small world again.
We travelled a nice serene river until a group of five fast boats started catching up.
One after another called us to slow pass, but the fourth one just cruised past us within a mile of the next lock not really worrying about his wake. Sort of made me mad so I throttled up that last mile and stayed with him and ahead of the fifth boat. Lucky we did that as they only let six boats in the lock and we were queued up as the sixth. So that last boat had to catch up to their friends out in Lake Okeechobee. Here is a photo of the second largest natural freshwater lake completely in the United States, Lake Okeechobee. Of course Lake Michigan is first!
We went 58 miles to Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina in Clewiston. Coming through the open Clewiston lock....not very wide, a bass boat backed up on the other end to let us pass.
We got tied up just before scores of bass boats descended on the facility for a weigh in for the bass fishing tourney taking place. It was interesting to be in the middle of the action and wow, some of those bass were huge!
We talked to a couple in the ship store who saw that we got off our trawler and struck up a conversation. It turns out they rented a trawler in Maine last summer and so we heard a bit about how great the trip was. They were there by RV and are thinking about a trawler so they were interested to hear our answers to many live aboard questions too. A Maine trip this summer is looking more promising the more we hear about and research it. The common statement from those that have done it is "just do it, you are so close once in NY and you will not regret it....it is beautiful". So....research and planning continues.
On Monday we departed real early and made the 55 easy miles to the WP Franklin Lock Campground and Marina.
We planned to stay here as the lock was undergoing maintenance and was not going to reopen until 4 PM. Our slip is $30 a night including electricity. The facilities are very neat and clean and the volunteers who checked us in were very friendly. There are only 8 slips and 4 can be reserved. They say only up to 40 feet but it is not problem for the wider beam and length if you reserve slip 1 or 8 as they are "end ties". You just have to "fool" the on line system and tell it you are 40 feet. The docks are brand new and solid with 30 and 50 amp power.
We took a walk around a neighborhood near the campground and checked things out. No stores or such 5 miles either way according to the park personnel. But a nice quiet spot. All the RV spots were taken but we were the only boat there except one that broke down and came in. With a national park membership, those 62 and over are only charged $15 (boats and campers) so it is no wonder the park is full. And the fishing is supposed to be great right there too. A great spot for the forecasted thunderstorms that thankfully did not materialize.
On to Fort Myers, /Fort Myers Beach and then Sarasota later this week. More soon.
November statistics:
Miles travelled: Month: 829 / Trip to Date: 6336
Travel days: 11 / 126
Engine hours: 89 / 721
Locks: 0/ 38
Bridges opened: 8 /43
Days on hook or free wall: 6 /50
Gallons of diesel: 768 / 4958
No comments:
Post a Comment