WE MADE IT 

March 15, 2016, Super Tuesday

The Marina at OTEGA LANDING 

Jacksonville

Our home base for the next year . . .

The weather has been perfect the last 3 weeks.  The only challenge was the wind which was fun except when you are trying to catch a mooring ball or docking!

Haulover Canal between Ft. Pierce and Melbourne

That evening, we dropped anchor south of the Melbourne bridge to avoid the northeast winds.  We enjoyed our drinks on our cockpit taking in this sunset.  Not bad.

The following day we docked at Cocoa Village Marina, a very popular and delightful place.  We could walk to the village for shopping.  They happened to have an arts and crafts fair the weekend we were there.  Stayed for 2 days.

It's not hard to love a place called Cocoa.  Legend says that a woman who lived on the banks of the Indian River during 1800's would deliver hot cocoa to sailors as they passed by.

The 100-year-old Travis Hardware, still functioning, is a landmark of Cocoa Village.  You can't see it, but it takes up a whole block.   It gave Captain a place to shop while I browsed the village.

After leaving Cocoa, we cruised to  Rockhouse Creek for the night where we dropped anchor.  

We had a visitor the next morning who had already taken his bath.

Next day, we docked at the lovely Palm Coast Marina, 

where we stayed another 2 days.  

Alan and I enjoyed one of the days riding our bikes for over 13 miles!

We rode them to Washington Oaks State Park on the beach side.

The gardens encompasses over 400 acres of natural and ornamental landscapes on the Atlantic.  In addition it's known for one of the largest outcroppings of coquina rock.  The turtles enjoy nesting here May through October.  Guess we are early for the babies.

  

We took a break on our way back to the marina.  This is the chef of Captain's Bait and Barbecue.  It was delicious!

Next day, on to the old and beautiful St. Augustine.

We moored there for 3 days.   

Some areas along the way have mooring balls that you catch and attach a line (rope) to it and cleat it to your boat. This is often used instead of anchoring, especially when the bottom of the sea is deep or not suitable to catch and hold the anchor.  Then you would dingy to get to land.  However, in St. Augustine, a water taxi will pick you up and take you to the city every 2 hours on request.  They will also bring you back to your boat.

St. Augustine hasn't changed too much.  Still lots of tourist enjoying the nation's oldest city.  Plenty of museums, 4-star restaurants and unique shopping.

The Captain doesn't change much either.  He doesn't pass a marina that he doesn't enjoy.  Boats.  Big and small.  Power or sail.

Moving on. . . The Last Leg

Our last cruising day, a long and challenging one.  We left the comfort of the ICW and entered St. John's river that would take us to our destination.

Our 1st encounter was this beast.  We raced.  Guess who won!

Yep.  We left her in our wake.

And, our next view

Jacksonville from the water

Railroad bridge has to open for us.

WE ARE HERE!

Club House

Sea Jamm snug and safe!

Ortega Landing from a distance

  Pretty walks . . .

And parks.

I found a wedding happening in one of them.

The second wedding I've seen in the last 2 weeks.

It must be in the air.  Speaking of which, Alan and I have to go home to prepare for a one.  We are excited.  Love is in the air.

Maggie has chosen the purple plum color, so I find and send her a flower that color everyday as I walk.

We are excited to take this break
from sea and salt.
But, we will be back.

Friday, March 4th

Ft. Pierce, Florida

As we sit here this evening, we're very happy reminiscing the last few days!  After a slow start in Fort Myers, we have now traversed Caloosahatchee to Clewiston, crossed Okeechobee to Port Mayaca, and cruised St Lucie River to St Lucie.  We have our celebratory cocktails sitting on our flybridge watching the sunset over Harbortown Marina in Ft. Pierce.

Can you name this flower?

How about this one?

I'm sure you can name the fowl?

Actually, at present, flamingos no longer breed in Florida.  One will have occasional sightings in the southern reaches of Everglades National Park.

The following 3 pictures were in a very full, small Clewiston lock!  It was a party.  And they only had to raise us one foot!

Lori from Phase II.  We rafted to their boat.

On to Lake Okoochobee

This is our view for 26 miles.  Looks like haze.  But, it is actually smoke from sugar cane burning.  Apparently, it is a controlled burn to remove the outer leaves around the stalk before harvesting.  Plantation owners burn every year between October and April.

Back to Harbortown

Drinks on Sea Jamm . . . Fish at Harbor Cove

Pelican on Harbortown

Dinner at Harbor Cove

Pelicans spotted during our dinghy ride . . . 

two pelicans

two and one make three