Fort Pierce was Fun!
March 20, 2005
We ended up spending a week in Fort Pierce, FL, and it was a nice place to be. The kid at the gas dock told us when we arrived that the thing that was great about his hometown was that it was "the best fishing in Florida." I don't know if everyone would agree with him, but we certainly saw some happy fishermen coming back at the end of the day. Did you see the cobia they caught in our photo gallery? I guess they're excellent eating, so those folks will be eating well for a while. They clean the fish right at the dock, and they throw the scraps and skin to the pelicans, who are a riot! They practically climb on top of the fish cleaning table, and they fight and carry on over the scraps that get thrown. We also watched fishermen in boat pulling up traps, and the pelicans really harass those guys!
We already told you about the manatees in Fort Pierce, and we spotted them several times while we were there. In the cruising waters near there, the bottle-nosed dolphins were everywhere. What a thrill to see them swimming in our wake!
We had an excellent slip right next to the Mana Tiki Restaurant, where there was live music most evenings as well as Sunday afternoon. We loved sitting up on the upper deck of Grace and enjoying the music. The picture in our photo section is actually taken from the deck. We also took advantage of the three for a dollar appetizers at the Tiki Bar, where the conch fritters were to die for!
Another thing we enjoyed about Fort Pierce was the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. It was amazing! Our only regret was that we had eaten breakfast before we went, as the homemade breads and pastries were amazing! There were all kinds of delicious fresh fruits, flowers, and vegetables, as well as crafts and jewelry. Live music and the waterfront atmosphere made it a really fun event. I guess they have it every Saturday morning, so be sure to check it out if you're in the area!
Kennedy Space Center
March 23, 2005
We had a great day today! We visited the Space Center at Cape Canaveral, and we were inspired by the combined intelligence of the many people who worked behind the scenes as well as the determination and bravery of the astronauts. It's just amazing what we have accomplished in such a short time. We were able to climb inside a mock-up of a lunar module and a Gemini capsule and to see amazing video of launches as well as construction of the shuttles. The vehicle assembly building was incredible; I guess it's the largest building in the world. We heard astronaut Al Worden from the Apollo 15 Mission tell us first-hand about his experiences in space.
It was exciting to tour the place and hear all different languages being spoken. Hopefully, the exploration of space will be something that will unify the world rather than divide it. The thing that impressed me most today were the pictures of the earth from the moon and beyond. What a gorgeous planet we have!
Record Rainfall in Daytona!
March 26, 2005
On the first half of this trip, as we headed south toward Florida, we were beginning to think there was something special about us. Everywhere we went, people would tell us how awful the weather had been, and it was gorgeous where ever we went. In four months of cruising, we had only four rainy days.
Well, I'm here to tell you that the charm has been broken. Since we returned to Florida three weeks ago, at least half the days have been rainy, and some of it has been SERIOUS rain. When we were in Fort Meyers, the rainfall one day beat the records, and today in Daytona they set another record, with just under three inches of rain. Besides the rain, there were high winds with gusts to 63 mph, severe thunderstorms, and tornado warnings. It's funny, but the interior of Grace seems to be shrinking!!! I need to remember this when I start thinking that I could live forever on the boat; a full sized house seems like a pretty good idea right now, not to mention a car to take us to the movies or the mall.
I can't complain. We're comfortable and dry, we have food to eat, and we have each other's delightful company! Still, a little sunshine would be nice!
Happy Easter!
March 27, 2005
How appropriate on Easter morning, as we celebrated the Risen Lord, that the sun was shining, and we could crawl out of the "tomb" of our boat into the beautiful day. We took a great bike ride a couple of miles across from the ICW to Daytona Beach, where there is a kind of honky-tonk "strip," many hotels, and tons of college kids on spring break. There, we found that the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach was hosting an Easter service put on by the Calvary Church in Ormond Beach. It was a huge stadium, and there were probably about 5,000 people there. It was a real eclectic assortment of people, black and white, young and old, well dressed and unshaven and shabby. There were very bright lights that flashed often and were almost blinding. There was a huge band and a sound system that blasted us practically out of our seats. Poor Bob found it very uncomfortable and stayed outside for a lot of the music. During one song, a group of people in white tuxedoes and top hats danced, almost Al Jolsen style, across the stage and up and down the aisles.
Bob returned for the sermon, but things didn't get much quieter. The pastor was very excited that it was Easter morning, and he was preachin' up a storm. His sentences were punctuated by dramatic chords from the synthesizer, and he worked himself and the choir and a lot of the audience up to quite a level.
It was not your typical church service, that's for sure! For me, it's not a style of worship with which I'm comfortable, but it was fun to see how happy lots of people were, celebrating the Lord's resurrection with such joy. Whatever floats your boat!!!
Good Ole' Bob!
March 28, 2005
All I can say is that I would NOT be making this trip with anybody else but Bob. When the head decided not to flush last night, he was down there with his flashlight and tools, working on the problem. This morning he was up to his ears in never-mind-what taking the macerator apart. He's got it working fairly well now, and once we get some parts, I'm sure it will be fine. Good ole' Bob!!!
Wonderful St. Augustine!
April 2, 2005
We've been in St. Augustine since Tuesday, and we're having a ball! There's so much to do and see here. It's a very historic city, founded by the Spanish in 1565 and later settled by the English. It's where Ponce de Leon supposedly discovered the Fountain of Youth, and I've been feeling younger every day I've been here. Of course, that may have more to do with the sunshine and fresh air than the water!
The marina where we are staying is great. It's called the Conch House, and it has a restaurant on the dock with a great Caribbean motif. Diners sit at tables under grass roofs, and the bar often has live music; tonight it's steel drums. Fishermen bring in their catch at the end of the day and pelicans fight over the scraps that are thrown away.
From the marina, it's an easy bike ride into town, where there are many interesting museums, charming shops, and delightful restaurants. There are several cobblestone streets and one that is closed to cars. Walking down there today, on a Saturday, it was bustling with shoppers, people wearing period costumes, live music in various pubs, people eating ice cream, and even a couple of weddings. Between all there was to see and the bright sunshine and strong breeze, it was a delightful day!
Leaving our marina and going away from town takes us to St. Augustine Beach, which is absolutely great. There are miles and miles of beach, all open to the public. Four miles of it is state park and so has no buildings at all. Sea oats grow in the dunes, and heron, egrets, and gulls fly overhead. The developed part of the beach is bordered with houses and low- rise (3 to 4 story) hotels and condos. Cars are permitted on part of the beach, so people drive out and park and then unload all their chairs, blankets, and coolers right where they park. This makes it very easy for people with small children to spend a day enjoying the beach. The sand is very fine and fairly hard packed. We've had some lovely walks and bike rides, and the sand is hard enough to make it very comfortable. We found a cute little restaurant called the Beachcomber, right on the beach, which we enjoyed very much.
A farmer's market this morning gave us fresh fruits and vegetables for dinner, as well as homemade foccacia bread. A craft fair this afternoon was wonderful, with all the wares sparkling in the sunshine and blowing in the wind. Tomorrow we will check out the Anastasia Island Baptist Church, in St. Augustine Beach. We will be flying home on Tuesday, so our time in this delightful town is coming to an end. We've loved it here!
Heading Home Again
April 5, 2005
We have just left the boat at St. Augustine Marine for some warrantee work on Grace, and we're flying home today. While we are looking forward to seeing our family and friends, we will miss the great weather down here. It's been sunny, mid seventies, and breezy; what could be better?
We're looking forward to seeing Dad and Debbie at the airport and to having dinner with them on the way home. We will be very busy once we get home, with Max and Rebecca's wedding in Manhattan this weekend, a shower for Sara and Will in Albany next weekend, and then we'll be moving to Fairhaven the week after that. The closing on our CT house is scheduled for May 2nd, and then we're off to New Jersey for Nathan's birthday May 7th. Whew!!! The plan is to return to Florida and begin the journey home after that. Good bye for now; we'll talk to you again in a month!!!
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| March 20th: Cobia and red snapper caught in Fort Pierce | View from our deck: live music in Fort Pierce | Pelicans waiting for scraps as fish are cleaned | March 23rd: Launch pad 39 at Kennedy Space Center | Christine's hand touching a moon rock |
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| Astronaut Al Worden from Apollo 15 | Vanguard satellite from 1958 |
Mock up lunar rover (Lost in space!) |
Sunset in Titusville | Fishermen on the ICW |
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| Pelicans and egrets on ICW island | Dolphin | Great blue heron are everywhere on the ICW! | March 27: People drive cars on the beach in Daytona | Lovely water at Daytona Beach |
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| College kids on spring break | We had a great bike ride on the beach! | Easter Sunday in Daytona Bech | Historic Buildings in St. Augustine | Oldest Catholic Church in North America |
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| St. Augustine Beach | Lovely day! | Surfers in St. Augustine | St. Augustine from the water | Fort Matanzas |
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| Bridge of Lions opening | Waterfront Restaurant where we ate on Easter |
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