January 22-February 2, 2016 Dave and Kathy Daytona to Peck Lake

I'll preface this by mentioning that Kathy has a far more complete journal of events than my sparse notes which, thank you Google, I had to re-create here from memory.  My original posts are floundering out there somewhere in the cloud.  Lost and  un-tethered, they are on a data joyride.   My memory though is rock solid.  Yup.  Solid.  No memory gaps here ;-)

The next morning we waited for Dave and Kathy who had stayed in New Smyrna Beach.  They called as they got close but turned up the wrong driveway so I ran out to flag them down.  Good to see them, a little warmth in the Florida chill.

Dave parked and we all grabbed something and hauled it down to the end of the dock where we were tied up.

It was darn cold out.  Frigid.  Luckily we have a good stash of blankets for the tropics where its always 70 degrees and frigid.  Did I say 70?  

The next morning it was damn cold again!    We walked, or I should say drove, to the historic district of downtown Daytona

Antique golf clubs

Scrap the hat.  These are much better.

Yes.  At the wine bar

Lunch 

Oddly there were few pedestrians out, or at least that's how I remember.    We did some antique shop browsing.  There was certainly no lack of antique stores that were open.  We even stopped at a wine bar along the way for a few samples.  Then had lunch and went back aboard to get out of the cold.  

The chicken farmer pondering chicken wisdom

Electric heaters are great!

Since the forecast wasn't indicating anything reasonable for temperatures, we opted for another day at the marina.  The prospects of anchoring out when its cold usually turns unpleasant, especially in the morning.

With that decision taken care of we all piled into Dave's car and headed out to a place called DeLand.  It's a quaint little old Florida town.  There wasn't much going on, but we strolled the main street and had lunch at the Brickhouse Grill.

Dave and Kathy pondering the menu

Strolling the streets of DeLand.  Florida ... wearing jackets?

We had originally intended to try and make a run to Blue-Spring State Park where manatees abound, but it just got to late so we abandoned that plan and started heading back to Daytona.  Ironically, Blue Springs was where we were going to visit when we were on the St. Johns river a few months ago.  Weather turned lousy though so we never made it down the far.

We did stop at a large antique complex, and also stopped in nearby Walmart for something.  Must have been important I think?

We finalized arrangements for Dave to keep his car there at Halifax Marina and the next morning we head over to the fuel dock for a pump-out while Dave moved his car closer to the Marina office.  

Everyone aboard, off we went down the ICW to an anchorage we have used in the past.  Georgina, is a few miles south of Cocoa and is pretty much a wide spot in the Indian River which forms prt of the ICW here.

At Georgina, the anchor crew at work 

It was very calm and peaceful although cool.  And not chilly for a change.

Next morning we made leisurely preparations to get under way, our destination being Ft. Pierce and Harbotown marina where we'll fuel up and see Steve and Liz on their boat, Shingebiss. 

So what's a Shingebiss you maybe asking? 

We pulled into the Harbortown fuel dock which, thankfully, was just vacated by another boat. As we approached the marina entrance channel I called them on the radio inquiring about their fuel price and they were just lowering it to $1.93/gal.  Lucky us.  So we came in, fueled up, pumped out and while everyone was kibitzing (Steve and Liz had heard us on the radio and came down to the dock), the two dock hands and I pulled the boat back to an area behind the fuel dock which is where we'll be for as long as we are staying, probably a day or two given the weather.

Those little heads inside the fence are Steve, Liz, Mary, David and Kathy

All together, gathered around the fireless alcohol fire pit

We all sat down around nice round table with an unlit alcohol fire pit in the middle and had drinks and ate.  The fire-pit remained unlit to to the proximity to the fuel dock 25 yards away. Rules can morph into some strange indictment of common sense sometimes.  Anyway, it was a great time seeing them. 

Next morning we opted to remain here due to weather again.  Kathy decided to take a bike ride and the downpour left her a bit sodden.  Of course I'm not including that picture!

 We did walk to the nearby Publix but the main event was a party Steve and Liz were throwing on their boat.  Their boat is a older Roughwater with a pilot house.  Very roomy.

 We met an interesting couple docked next to them and he related a story of how he had his boat painted for less than $10,000 at a small place about a mile away.  I listened with rapt interest since our boat is nearing the point where we will have to paint it.  We had a great time although only Dave decided to come along.

Next morning we cruised the 30 miles to Stuart and Loggerhead Marina.  We love Stuart and especially Loggerhead Marina which is where we consummated the purchase of the boat 4 years ago.  

We ran the water maker along the way and weaved along the familiar route to H dock where dock masters Steve and Jim put us in our favorite spot across from the fuel dock leaving our port side open so we could get the dinghy down.

We made it!

Tied up on H dock

We were to meet Jeff & Judy here the following day.

After we were secured and checked in we wandered up to the Pool Bar which was formerly known as Splash when Johnny, the irrepressible Jersey boy was running it. 

Arrival drinks and lunch at the Pool bar

We admired the view for a time and talked about boat projects.   Dave seems to love projects as does Kathy.  Mary and I tend to be ambivalent, having immersed ourselves in many projects early on and now recognizing them as "chores", meaning they must be done.

The next day I drove Dave back up to Daytona to fetch his car which he drove back down to Stuart.

The ambitious trying to motivate the not so Ambitious?

Jeff and Judy arrived that afternoon and we had a little cocktail party before Dave and Kathy made dinner.  

Dave, Judy, Jeff, Mary, Kathy at the Pool bar

Such fun!

It was boat chores today.  Lots of fun actives such as,  Re bedding spreader lights, waxing, remounting an antenna, some electrical work, cleaning ... Oh so much joy spread among so few. 

Dave working on a solo project

Dave and I drilling

Morning coffee respite by the pool

Later that evening all of us, Jeff, Judy, Dave and Kathy walked across the railroad tracks to, A little Taste of Brooklyn, pizza place that we love so much.  The pizza is, to my oh-so refined pallet, the best.  And they have this Chianti wine which I just love but cant find in any wine store.  It's not what you would describe as being expensive or having a "...delightful full finish with lingering undertones of color...".  It's just tasty wine.

Making a toast at Little Taste of Brooklyn Pizzeria

Oddly enough we ran into a lady, Sara, who was the cook, manager of Splash the last time were here.  She remembered us (who could forget) but quit here and now  works at Shrimpers in Manatee Pocket now.

Next day I replaced the forward  cabin's shower sump pump float switch.  And tried to figure out why the power-tilt on the dinghy wasn't staying up.  We had taken the dinghy down earlier.

After several hours of boat work we took off and wandered around Stuart a bit.  I dont recall if we stopped to have ice cream or not at Hoffman's frozen yogurt shop.

Kathy downtown Stuart

The following day we day it was more boat work but not for too long.  We took off on a major shopping expedition to Harbor Freight, Walmart and Publix (and probably a few other stores I've forgotten).

We all managed to squeeze in the car, even the Girl Scout Cookies

So easy to buy, so much fun to haul it to the boat and stow it all

After everything was stored aboard we took a long dinghy ride up the north fork of the St. Lucie River.  We had never been up that branch before.  Kathy was looking for Hyacinth (or some other specie which I dont recall) plants of which there seemed to be some floating down the river.  We grabbed several bunches and had a nice bucket full.  I think we even stopped in at Sunset Marina and their infamous bar, Sailors Return  for a sunset cocktail.

Kathy and Dave (Dave really was enjoying himself despite the grim expression)

Bucket-o-Plants

Sunset at Sunset Marina

Later we went to Park Avenue for yummy ribs with Jeff and Judy and Dave.  Kathy abstained.

Jeff and Judy are remaining at the marina, but we were leaving today for Pecks Lake, an anchorage about 10 miles down the ICW.  Sad to see leave them again.

As we tried to leave the dock to go over to the fuel dock for a pumpout, we missed taking off a stern line and we sort wallowed there in the little basin off the dock until Jeff managed to free it up.  We hauled it aboard quickly enough so I could get in to the fuel dock. 

After pumping out I checked our holding tank indicators and it wasn't showing green.  Green means an empty tank.  No green would indicate we did not have an empty tank.  I fiddled with the slides on the probe and cleaned it off.  Green Light!

The wind had picked pinning us to the dock.  We ended up using a post to pivot the bow off the dock enough so the stern of the boat would move out into the basin and clear of any boats.  Then out into the river and the short chop created from the stiff easterly winds.

It was an uneventful ride down the river, across the Crossroad.  The Crossroads is the area where the St. Lucie Inlet meets the St. Lucie River and the ICW.  Its notorious because it can get very busy and shallow at times.  On this occasion it was a smooth, un-congested ride.

We anchored at Peck Lake north of buoy G19 in mildly shallow water at low tide.  Very windy.  Should have probably gone in shore a little more where water is deeper, or in line with the G19 or slightly south. But we were fine.  There were several other boats in anchorage. 

We got the dingy down and drove into the little landing area and walked to the beach.  Spent several hours there.  It was windy but not cold.  

Dinghy beached and ready to walk to the beach

The beach trail

The beach.  A very big, long beach

Later, back on board we grilled on board.  Weather forecasts indicate a few days of windy squally weather ahead.  Oh boy.  I'm guessing we will be hunkered down in some anchorage near Palm Beach for a few days.