Good morning from Palm City, Florida

Saturday morning we left the anchorage at 0630 to another great travel day. We pushed it a little harder so we could make Palm City, Florida, where Steve and Diane have rented a dock behind a home on a canal to park friends coming through on their way south and for Steve to do some work on boats. The main reason we pushed it was because it was Diane's birthday, and we wanted to celebrate it with them. We arrived at 17:30, just in time to tie up to the dock before dark 30. Last night we went to Steve and Diane's favorite Italian restaurant to celebrate Diane's birthday and had a great time catching up.
The day on the water was long (10+ hours) but as always, it is great just to be on the water. As you look at the pictures you will see Cassie talking to the dolphins, and I think they were talking back in a high pitch tone that Cassie could hear but we can't. Cassie would make a whine-like noise, they would roll on their side and look at her and talk back. (way cool)
Today Steve and Diane are going to pick us up and take us to a jazz concert in the park. sounds like fun. Today will be my first day in shorts and t-shirt in a long time.

September Song (white legs in shorts) out


Sunrise as we leave the anchorage

Diamonds on the water kind of day

Cassie talking to the dolphins

Mom and baby talking back

Some of the homes we see along the ICW

Palm trees everywhere

The race is on

I counted 64 Optimist sail boats in this group

On the ICW headed further South

Today started at 06:45 as we pulled away from our friends' dock. Last night they took us out for a burger and a beer. We arrived at the bar/restaurant to karaoke night. What a hoot. Wished I had the camera. Do you think they would get up there again if they saw a replay of their grand performances? (I use that term loosely) It was very entertaining and the half pound burgers were great.
The whole day was flat calm, warm, (mid 70's) and not a cloud in the sky. Always lots to see along the ICW. Wildlife, fisherman, clammers, weird boats and last but not least, our buddies and side kicks, the dolphins. Mid afternoon we went up (or is it down. Is it an inlet when you are going out. I still haven't answered that one yet, but I will let you know when I do) the Cape Canaveral Barge Canal to Harbor Town where we loaded on 550 gal. of fuel. It was not quite the bite it was last summer, in fact it was a great deal at 2.13, less than half that we paid then.
The day ended in another beautiful anchorage off Cocoa Beach. I hope you don't get tired of me using the term "beautiful" but it is really, really beautiful on the water. I will let you know when it gets ugly, OK.
Sorry , it's 5:00, or should I say 17:00 somewhere and Stephanie just started cocktail hour with cheese and crackers.

September Song (another ********** day) out
Bob


Clammers working the shallows along the ICW

Birds, birds, birds

You know you are in Florida (Manatee zones)

You know you are in Florida (white pelicans)

You know you are in Florida (clammers)

Stick em up mister, no pooping on the signs

Dolphins playing in our wake

The Space Shuttle assembly building

Have you ever seen a boat like this before?

The end (looking back at where we have been) Not really the end, just the end of another beautiful day on the water

A day in the life of September Song

We are currently tied up to Pete and Lil Satterlee's home dock in New Smyrna Beach. Mermaid Lil, their boat, which is a 49 DeFever just like our old September Song, is on the hard having the bottom redone, so they invited us to stay the night. Thanks Pete and Lil!
I thought you might enjoy a day in the life of September Song on the open Sea. We left Conch House Marina at 06:45 to a rough ride out the inlet (still have no answer for Stephanie's question) because the tide was going out and the waves were coming in. After that it was a little rolly , but with stabilizers it isn't bad. The open water is such a great and peaceful place with lots to see. Sometimes it is a little overwhelming when you think about how huge it is, and all that goes on every second, and how it can turn from beautiful to ugly in a short period of time. The water is crystal clear and there is always something to see and marvel at. The Terns diving for fish, the Pelicans doing the same, the lazy Seagulls waiting to snatch the fish the others catch including the shrimp boats, and the dolphins jumping and swimming after the boat. September Song is on auto-pilot the whole time so it gives us a chance to walk around the boat deck and enjoy the views. At 1300 we entered Ponce De Leon inlet which has a great old light house, and made our way to Pete and Lil's dock where Pete was waiting to catch the lines and greet us. Boating friends are so great.

I hope you enjoy the pictures of the day as much as we enjoyed taking them.

September Song (enjoying the beautiful day) out
Bob


The view from the aft deck

Looking over the side

A view looking back

Birds hitching a ride

A quick nap while under way

Are we there yet dad

Us old folks need glasses

View of the Atlantic from the bow

The little black spot in the middle is us on the plotter with nothing but water all around us

A Royal Tern flying next to September Song

A Royal Tern taking off after diving

The light house at Ponce De Leon inlet - this one's for Al and Kathy

Hitching a ride while waiting for lunch

Lunch is served

A rest after a big lunch

Nice day for traveling the outside

After a calm night on the Brickhill River we weighed the anchor (still 50#) at 07:00 and traveled the ICW (intracoastal waterway) to the Fernandina Inlet to travel on the outside. Stephanie asked me why it isn't call an outlet if you are going out. Would you believe it, I didn't have an answer. :-( On the way to the outlet we passed the Navy sub barns. Very well protected and you don't dare get too close. I am sure they had their eye on us as we passed and took pictures. They probably have a picture of me also. On the way "out the inlet" we spotted some of the famous wild horses of Cumberland Island. (way cool) It was a perfect day on the ocean with light winds and calm seas. (we like calm seas) So much wild life to see out there. We watched the Royal terns dive from about 50 feet or so, hit the water, stay under for several feet, and pop up like a cork with lunch in their beak. We passed Warship 39 as it was called and we were warned to stay at least two miles away. No problemo! They sent a helicopter gun ship out to check us out. We are still here so I guess we checked out. :-) We arrived at St. Augustine inlet at 16:00 and made our way to the anchorage, or so called anchorage. It was full of derelict boats and shallow, shallow, shallow. It was getting too late to look for another so we went to the Conch House Marina for the night. all-in-all it was a good day and tomorrow's weather forecast is for more of the same, just warmer, so we will do the outside thing again.

September Song (lovin' it) out
Bob


Navy sub barns at St. Mary's

And they mean it

Wild horses along the ICW

Headed out the Fernandina inlet to travel on the Atlantic