Vero Beach to Key
Biscayne
Tuesday, December 11,
2018. Clear and cold this morning. 41 degrees. We stowed the dinghy and dropped the mooring
at 8:15am and headed over to the gas dock for fuel, water and ice. The marina has all new help this year and the
person on the gas dock knew little about how to get a boat tied up when the
current is running. It took us three
tries. It might have been easier if Nightingale was not already on the dock
and we had more than half of the dock to work with, but the dock hand was no help. We left trash, filled with water and fuel (42 gallons) and paid out bill.
8:55am We are off the dock and headed south on the ICW with Nightingale. We heard Dalmatian
on the VHF, they left at 6:20am so they could get past some bridges at low
tide. Their mast is 64 feet and they
draw 7 feet of water, both of which are a challenge on the ICW. They are
currently anchored south of the fixed bridge in Fort Pierce. We told them we would check the bridge
clearances as we pass under the fixed ones today.
11:00am Fort Pierce North Bridge. This bridge used to be on-request, but now
open every 20 minutes, beginning on the hour.
Lisa is below making chicken soup.
On this cold day, it smells wonderful.
3:00pm Anchor down in Peck Lake, it took three tries! Wind is still N@15-20, clear. There are 6 other boats here.
Nightingale also has trouble getting the hook to set and decides to
keep going another hour to Hobe Sound. MM992
40SM 27°06.91’N 080°08.58’W
Wednesday, December
12, 2018. Partly cloudy, wind N@10-15, not quite as cold as yesterday, 53
degrees this morning, but not a walk-on-the-beach day.
9:50am Anchor up. It
came up clean – sometimes here it comes up very muddy with heavy clay (known as
Florida muck). We talked to Vic (Whisper) about anchorages in West Palm
Beach. We have not done that before, but
every time we pass through, it looks inviting (protected anchorage, new city
docks). He anchors south of the bridge
there. We talked to Nightingale, they
will pick up their anchor when we pass by.
10:15am Hobe Sound Bridge (on request), no waiting.
MM1000 @ 10:52am.
11:30am 707 Bridge (on request), no waiting.
11:45am Jupiter Federal Bridge (on request), only a five
minute wait, lots of current pushing us toward the bridge.
12:00 Indiantown Road Bridge
12:30pm Donald Ross Bridge
1:00pm PGA Bridge
1:15pm Parker Bridge
2:45pm Flagler Bridge
3:00pm Anchor down across the channel from the West Palm
Beach Town Docks. Carrie Mae, Nightingale,
Salty Paws and 10 other boats anchored here. There is plenty of room, so we opted to
anchor here instead of south of the Royal Palm Bridge (it would be a much
farther dinghy ride). MM1022 30SM today.
26°42.65’N 080°02.74’W 1 on request bridge, 7 scheduled bridges
(made all of them!).
Thursday, December
13, 2018. Carrie Mae came to
visit. Went ashore with Nightingale. We looked at sand sculptures in the park by
the docks. There are many, including one of a Christmas Tree that lights up at
night. We took the free trolley to city center. This is a very nice shopping,
dining and entertainment area. They are in the midst of remodeling and updating
the center. We met Carrie Mae (Bob
and Maria) in town. We all had lunch at El Bilagio, not too expensive food was
good.
We all walked to the hardware store. The guys went a direct route and women took
the scenic water route. The men complained that it was a forced march. No
paddle to be found to replace Lisa’s that fell of the day before. The hardware
store was 1.8 miles each way.
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| City Center at West Palm Beach |
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| Sand Castle Christmas Tree |
We had Gelato at Oh My Chocolates, even though highly rated,
it was just OK. The store was full of a stuffed
toy collection. Small counter of
gelato. Outside we were approach by two
different homeless people.
Very nice day.
Wind builds from the south overnight. Boats come in to anchor, too close to
everyone. After some discussion, they move to an area with more room.
Friday, December 14,
2018. Very windy, wind S@20+. Lumpy in the anchorage. Partly Cloudy 75
degrees.
Nightingale
planned to head south to Fort Lauderdale, but decided to wait out this front
here until Sunday. Salty Paws came by and left a Christmas present.(We opened it on
Christmas and it was a beautiful photo of a winter scene and animal tracts). Jim
is a very talented photographer and artist. They plan to leave Sunday for West End,
then the Berries, Eleuthera, Long and Cat Islands, where they spend most of the
winter. Three different boats came and
tried to anchor near us. One was only about 40 feet away. With the wind and changing tidal currents,
you cannot predict what the boat will do when anchored. The boats here are all pointing different
directions. None of the three stayed.
5:00pm Nightingale
came by and we went to Clematis Street for dinner. Busy, busy, busy.
Dinner at Rocco’s Tacos.
Must be one of the hot spots in town.
We got there just before the crowds. The place was loud and loud music. Food
was very good and we shared a pitcher of margaritas. Dessert at Slone’s ice cream. Excellent.
Saw the lights in the park and the sand sculpture Christmas
tree and other sand sculptures lit up.
Music by individuals and bands played much of the night. Very nice evening.
Did you know, they have solar garbage compacting garbage
cans. They are really neat and were all along
the river front.
Saturday, December
15, 2018. Sunny in the morning. Cloudy at 11am, then rain the rest of the
day and into the evening. Lisa replanted
her herbal garden, trying not to make a mess. Carrie Mae came by to say goodbye for now. They are headed to the inlet for an early
morning departure to West End. Salty Paws also came by. We hope to see
them over there.
4pm Lisa skyped her investment club meeting. Couldn’t get pictures through and the voice
was spotty at times. At the end we could
see Jerry on his computer clearly. At
one point the club could hear the party/music boat pass us. We waited until it passed to resume meeting. With all the political unrest, it was an
exciting meeting.
Dinner on board, breakfast.
Rain overnight but the wind died to 0.
Sunday, December 16,
2018. Mostly clear and calm, 73 degrees.
At 7:15 when we raised the anchor. Heading to Lake Sylvia, in Fort Lauderdale, with
Nightingale.
7:30 am Royal Palm Bridge currents running against us.
7:45 Southern Blvd. temporary lift bridge, new one under construction.
8:25 Lake Ave. Bridge – on request
9:00 Santana Bridge
10:00 Ocean Ave Bridge – always miss this one!
10:12 SE 15th Ave. Bridge – on request.
10:35 George Bush Bridge – on request
10:45 Atlantic Ave. Bridge – Delray Beach
11:00 Linton Blvd. Bridge
11:30 Spanish River Blvd. Bridge
12:00 Palmetto Park Bridge
12:16 Camino Real Bridge – Under construction-locked open
12:30 Hillsboro Blvd. Bridge.
1:15 E 14th Bridge
1:30 Atlantic Blvd. Bridge
Followed Catalina
2:00 Commercial Blvd. Bridge
2:15 Oakland Park Bridge
3:00 Las Olas Bridge
3:15 Lake Sylvia – Several Sunday boats plus a half dozen
derelicts – same ones that were here last year. Limited anchoring spots – then
could not get the anchor to set – after 3 tries – found a mooring at Las Olas.
Nightingale anchored north of Las Olas Marina.
Belle, another
Catalina 42 (first time cruising headed to the Keys). They changed their stripe on the boat to yellow
and had yellow cover for the dingy. Very
attractive. They gave me a ride into the
docks to sign in because the facility said they didn’t have a working boat to
come out to the mooring field. I wonder
how many mooring fees they miss collecting.
The marina land facility has been replaced with a parking garage – land facilities
now in a trailer – not great. Last time
we were here they had a nice facility with showers, laundry and even a pool on
this site.
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| Boats all decorated for the Holidays |
Mile Marker 1064 , 46 SM today. 26° 07.14’ N 080°
06.60’ W
3 on request bridges, 15 scheduled bridges.
3 on request bridges, 15 scheduled bridges.
Lovely overnight
Monday, December 17,
2018. Clear, wind NW at 10, 60 degrees.
Dropped the mooring at 9:30 am.
10:00am 17th St. Bridge – Last one.
As we head out the channel, we hear on the VHF that the Navy
is doing exercises of the coast Florida.
So we went 3 miles out to avoid them.
Wind NW@15+. Saw a
submarine on the surface a couple of times, between us and the shore.
10:30am We had porpoises
following us, jumping in front and beside the boat. You could actually feel them push off the
side of the boat. Huge pod of at least
50. They stayed with us for about 30
minutes and we got some neat video. Very
exciting.
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| Lots of porpoises swimming alongside |
11:30am wind down to NW@5-10.
Sailing south at 4-5 knots.
Talked to Nightingale. They did not leave. The high pressure fuel
pump on the main engine has developed leak.
We sent them the names of places that have helped us in the past in Fort
Lauderdale. Also sent them Dean’s
contact info as he may know others. Dean
was one of our mentors the first year and he knows lots. We also talked to Pete in Vero, but he didn’t
know anyone in this area, who might be able to help Nightingale. Nice sail to Government
Cut.
2:45pm. As we enter Government Cut (Miami Harbor), a cruise
ship (NCL Jade) is coming out across
our bow, so we leave him plenty of room.
4:05pm Crandon Park Marina.
We filled with fuel (24 gallons), water and ice.
5:30 anchor down in No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne. 4 sailboats, 3 power boats on the wall. 15
sailboats on anchor, 2 big cats and a motor yacht. Busiest we have seen it.
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| Rhiannon at No Name Harbor |
Mile Marker 1096, 40 SM today 25° 40.58’ N 080° 09.71’W
Clear 65 degrees, wind WNW@10
Tuesday, December 18,
2018. Walked to the Winn Dixie with Dalmatian. Picked up a bunch of packages at American
Postal and Business Services that we had sent here. We have used them in the
past and this is a great place to have last minute stuff sent before departing
the US.
We took and Uber back to the boat. Between the groceries and the packages, the
car was full.
Lisa made lasagna and Dalmatian
came to dinner. They brought as salad
and homemade Limoncello. Very nice.
Wednesday, December
19, 2018. Walked to Beach with Dalmatian
and had lunch at the restaurant on the beach (Presidente beer, fried plantain,
fried calamari and fried fish) – all very good.
Then we walked into Key Biscayne to get haircuts. The salon we used (and liked so much) last
time we were here is closed, but most of the staff are at (La Isla). The same
person cut Lisa’s hair again. A young
woman who came in to the salon to visit family had to translate for us. Lisa wanted her hair to look good
windblown. They called it the I95 cut.
We then went to Winn Dixie on last time.
8 miles walking of walking today. Many more boats came in to No Name Harbor. Wally’s
– “Rally to the Sun” group.
Thursday, December
20, 2018. Partly cloudy 70 degrees wind S@15-20.
Many boats are moored to the wall. Park absolutely not
enforcing “no overnight tie up”.
Four boat left at anchor, plenty of swing room. We have 100
feet of chain out for coming the blow.
Doesn’t look like anyone is on the boat next door. 51 foot
Morgan (Sea Trek).
Friday, December 21,
2018. Wind dies down overnight, still South and heavy rain.
7:00am Wind almost West at 25-30, 40 knot gusts- no waves in
here No Name.
11:00am Sunny, wind West still 25-35.
3:00pm Wind West gusting to 42 sustained at 25+, partly
cloudy. A little bouncy now as harbor entrance faces West.
5:00pm One gust of 45+ .
Wind W at 30-35. Some waves
making it into No Name.
8:00pm Wind calm, moon out.
Saturday, December
22, 2018. Clear and cool 60 degrees.
9:00am Tom and I walked to The Ritz Resort and picked up
rental car from Hertz. Dropped off
winter clothes to send home and picked up last of the packages.
12:30 back to the boat. Lots of folks coming in by car and
boat. Picnicking, swimming (too cool
5:00pm went to Dalmatian’s
for dinner. Homemade sangria by Lisa, brie and crackers, spaghetti and
meatballs, salad and bread and key lime cake (Tom’s Birthday yesterday) and
homemade limoncello (Mary Lou). Very nice.
Harbor pretty quiet for a Saturday night. Cool overnight.
Sunday, December 23,
2018. Talked with Vic and Marilyn.
They are headed to a marina in Stewart because of Vic’s back.
Nightingale stuck
in Fort Lauderdale with engine and fuel pump issues.
Monday, December 24,
2018. John Jefferson’s Birthday, as
well as our nephew Ryan.
Lisa cleaned our waterline and stern. We removed the old hailing port lettering
from the stern. Benny went shopping in
the rental car with Tom and Mary Lou (Holiday crowds and lots of traffic), Bed,
Bath and Beyond for Soda Stream supplies, Home Depot, Grocery, Drug Store – and
then we stowed supplies.
Talked to Nightingale.
Their fuel pump id fixed! The mechanic fabricated new mount for the pump. The
gasket for the old mount is what was leaking, but when they removed the pump to
replace the gasket, the mount fell apart.
Their anchor is now stuck, they can’t get it up and they not
sure what it is caught on.
Tuesday, December 25,
2018 Merry Christmas. Us and Dalmatian met Nightingale and at ToaToa in Fort Lauderdale for Chinese dinner. We
had Dim Sum. We each got different selections and shared our dinners. The food
was excellent.
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| L to R: Benny, Libby, Tom, Mary Lou, Grant, Lisa |
Then we went to Fort Lauderdale beach, found a place to park
and all went for a walk and had ice cream.
It was a very nice but very different Christmas. The beachfront was very crowded. We had a great day but we are missing the
family.
Wednesday, December
26, 2018. Clear, wind N@15-20. Certainly not a good day to cross the Gulf
Stream. Ideally, you want a bit of South
or Southwest wind, but not much. Wind
from the North really churns up the Gulf Stream heading in the opposite
direction.
More shopping today – making use of the rental car - West
Marine (new fenders, bilge cleaner and holding tank chemicals), Pier One (new
throw pillows and placemats), Home Depot and the grocery. Benny made chicken marsala and Dalmatian came to dinner.
Thursday, December
27, 2018. We went to Lowe’s and found parts for solar light set ups for the
boat for Tom. Then to Walmart for craft supplies. We had lunch and did laundry at Mary’s Coin
Laundromat, Deli and Café. We had a late
lunch with Dalmatian at Donut Gallery
on Key Biscayne.
Friday, December
28,2018. Lisa spent time teaching Mary Lou how to crochet. We ran a bunch of errands taking advantage of
having a rental car. We went to dinner at Longhorn Steak House. (Mary Lou wanted STEAK!) It was Mary Lou and Tom’s 47th
Wedding Anniversary. She should get
whatever she wants for putting up with him for 47 years!
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| Park at Key Biscayne |
Benny and Tom returned the rental car.
Sunday, December 30,
2018. Probably could have tried to cross to Bimini today???? We heard from
one boat who did and they said it was very rough, so maybe it’s a good thing to
wait another day. We did our “LAST”
shopping before leaving the USA. CVS,
Winn Dixie, Post office all with Dalmatian. We took an Uber back to boat. Sort and stow
and ready to go tomorrow early.
Monday, December 31,
2018. Dalmatian talked to Chris
Parker (weather forecaster) early this morning.
Window to cross now looks to be Friday.
Bummer!
Relatively quiet at No Name.
Tuesday, January 1,
2019 Happy New Year. Moved the boat over to Nixon’s Bight (so named because
this is where President Nixon’s Florida Whitehouse was located.
The chartplotter is acting up again. This year we brought along a spare. It is pixalating
– the screen is all fuzzy like an old time TV.
We disassembled it and then had to mount a new cover/case (called a
Navpod) for it (the new one is a bit larger than the old one) and installed the
replacement. Some minor surgery was
needed to get the replacement to fit. We also had to mount the VHF on the new
housing. We got everything working, but are missing some hardware to complete
the re-assembly. Dalmatian came over for drinks and helped with the
reinstallation. Mary Lou and Lisa sat
quietly by crocheting while the men worked.
Wednesday, January 2,
2019. Went to town for our last shopping again. Tom knew a shortcut through a church parking
lot we could use. Well, since the last time he used that shortcut, a fence has
been installed. Just another adventure.
The guys went to Wynn Dixie and the women went to CVS and the hardware
store. We all went to the Donut Gallery
for lunch and then through the fence and the maze back to the boat. Got all the bits and pieces needed to finish
putting navigation station (new chart plotter/navpod, VHF, etc.) back together.
Thursday, December 3,
2019. We went to town one last time (again) to pick up last of the Amazon
supplies. Then over to Crandon Park for 15 gallons of fuel and filled the water
tank and got ice. Then back to No Name Harbor.
Looks like many boats left.
Dinner at the Boaters Grill with Dalmatian. Pedro our
waiter. Lisa had salmon and a salad and I
had grilled shrimp. Very nice night.
Friday, January 4,
2019. Lisa cleaned the stern and stainless.
We changed the main engine fuel filter and the main Racor filter. Lisa managed to short out the charging
system. While trying to tighten the belt
on the alternator, the metal screw driver Lisa was using to hold tension on the
belt, slipped and hit connector posts on the back of the alternator. The
charging system on the main engine was dead.
Dalmatian and Rhiannon spent many
hours trouble shooting. We thought there
has to be a fuse. If not, Lisa would
have been fried. Benny called Mike Giannotti,
who installed our new charging system and batteries last summer. We could see on the wiring diagram Mike
provided that there is a block of new fuses somewhere, but we could not find
them. Turns out they are behind new
battery switch. Mike had provided us a
with a spare 125 Amp. fuse. We replaced
the fuse and everything is back and working as it should.
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| The fuse |
We called Bimini Blue Water Marina about a reservation for Dalmatian and us for tomorrow
night. We had dinner on board.
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