Up anchor and away we go down to Palm Coast to the Palm Coast Marina where Tom and Trudy are to pick us up. They gave us a wonderful time, drove us round to see the local sights, like this 2000 year-old live oak.
They then wined and dined us in fine style and ferried us back to the boat.
Saturday 20th DecemberNext stop was Daytona Beach, although we anchored at Sea Breeze a little before Daytona proper, for its better shore accessibility for Buddy's run.
Sunday 21st December
After a dinghy ride to the West Marine store the next morning it's onward again on a truly splendid warm and sunny day. Our chosen anchoring spot for the night was just past the Ponce (Ponce de Leon) inlet in Rockhouse Creek just a short way from the main ICW channel. Great little sheltered spot with a beach for Buddy and big open areas where he could run free. You can see the relatively famous Ponce lighthouse which is still in use.
The weather changed for the coooler again as a cold front came through that night and the wind changed to the north and really increased.
Monday 22nd December
We moved on the next day although in retrospect we might have been better staying because when we got to Titusville the destination anchorage was in 25 knot winds with 2 to 3 foot waves. So we chickened out and went to the marina where we stil got bounced around all night, though not nearly as badly as we would have 'outside'.
Tuesday 23rd December
We're really pushing to get to Vero Beach for Christmas so we press on the next day and made it to Dragon Point where they've had some bad luck with first a concrete dragon and then a fibreglas one. A nice anchorage but poor shore access.
Wednesday 24th December
It's Christmas Eve and just 37 miles to Vero Beach - somewhat of a Mecca for cruisers on the ICW. Vero Beach (or Velcro as it's nicknamed because people tend to 'stick' there) has no anchoring but for a reasonable fee you can have a mooring and on-shore facilities and all the shops you need are a free bus ride away. Some people stay for months.
One slight hitch is that because of it's popularity the moorings must be shared. Here we are rafted up next to Mike and Kathy Moore (plus the cats Spooky and Fuzzy Wig) in 'Cgull Seeker'.
On the other side is 'Bilbo' with John and Rejeanne Easton who we had aboard in St. Augustine. They gave us a great welcome and invited us over for supper. Didn't get to bed until 3 am, its' amazing how the warmer temperatures improve the boating experience and sitting out chatting on deck at night with no bugs is hard to beat. Here they are below in Bilbo which John built from scratch over 15 years.
Christmas Day
After the late night it's a really slow start to the day but there is nothing much to do except prepare for the pot luck Christmas dinner on-shore with all the cruisers.
It was truly a spendid feast and totally made up for the complete lack for Christmas atmosphere you get when it's 27degC and the sun is beating down.
After the meal we took a walk to the beach with John and Rejeanne plus New Brunswickers Mike and Judy McKendy aboard 'Sea Sharpe'. Only two people went for a swim - Judy and myself - bracing, though compared to the Bay of Fundy anytime, or the St. lawrence in June it was warm!
After the swim we had happy hour drinks at a beach bar then walked the mile or so back to the marina and went to our seperate boats.
Grilled Mahi Mahi on the BBQ and a much earlier night.
