Our First Long Trip

In Retrospect:
*  Favorite Marina:  New Smyrna Beach City Marina - friendly staff and walking distance to shops and restaurants.
*  Prettiest Marina:  Loggerhead, Vero Beach
*  Favorite Part of Trip:  Anchoring out by Picnic Island - relaxing quiet time with just the two of us
*  Most Fun Part:  Rafting with friends in Pelican Bay
*  Worst Part of Trip:  Crab traps - they are everywhere and are often blocking the channel or placed in such a manner that you can't tell which side you are supposed to travel.  Seems like there ought to be laws regarding where they can or can not be placed as they definitely pose a hazard to navigation.  They are the primary reason few boaters will transit the ICW at night.
*  Lesson Learned:  1)Warm is better than cold - cold is better than wet and cold.
                               2) Cruising is great but full time cruising is better - can't wait until I retire!


DAY 30 (March 9)

Sunrise over the ICW

Because of the almost 10 hour trip with no marina to stop at between Brunswick and Savannah, we decided to get up early to make sure we arrived before closing time at Delegal Creek Marina, our home port.  We were underway before sunrise and were just lucky enough to be headed east on the ICW when the sun began to poke its head above the horizon.  It is moments like this that reminds you of why cruising is so great!

Shrimp Boat

 Our last day on the trip turned out to be one of the prettiest and the cold start turned into a comfortable mid 70 degree temps.  It was as though mother nature was doing her best to make us regret having to end the trip.  Believe me, I was already regretting it without her help!

Along the way we passed a shrimp boat on its way to the sea.  It was the sturdy seaworthiness of boats like this that influenced the design of our boat, made for the open waters.

Billy catches our boat!

When we arrived at Delgal, we were greeted by a familiar face.  Billy, our dockmaster, was on hand to help us refuel and then tie up at our slip.  He gave us the scoop on the changes that had occurred in the month we had been gone and made us feel welcome to be back.  I may be a bit biased, but the staff at Delegal is among the friendliest and most helpful of all the marinas we have visited!

After refueling, we pulled back into our slip where we will clean Elixir and repair the scuffed up varnish that inevitably occurs on long trips.

After 30 days of cruising, we made it home safe and sound.  Even though Elixir has a long way to go to be the luxury yacht she once was, w proved that she was seaworthy and that we could handle a long distance voyage.  We have much to be proud of and look forward to our next great adventure in the near future!  We invite you to come join us, either in person or in spirit, as we continue to explore the world of trawler cruising!

Elixir back at home

DAY 29 (March 8)

Do Blimps follow the ICW?

The clouds dissipated early and the day turned into a beautiful sunshiny day with temperatures in the mid 60's.  We quickly forgot about our frozen bones as we enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine!

The day was mostly uneventful as we passed from Florida into Georgia.  I did notice that a young model was posing for a photo shoot on the beaches of Jekyll Island.  At 7 knots, Elixir ended up in quite a few of those pictures.  So if you see us in the background in some national magazine, send me a copy!

As we passed by Brunswick, Georgia, a large container ship started its way out towards sea.  I was amazed at how fast it began to gain on us and we began calculating distances and speed in our heads.  We were due to turn to port at the next marker in the middle of the sound and it would turn starboard out to sea.  But he was gaining fast.  Could we make it to our turn?

Too close for comfort!

The decision was made for us by the ship's pilot who apparently was equally concerned.  Being knowledgeable on the depths of the sound, he advised us that we could cut the corner with no problem.  He then politely asked us to get out of his way!  I immediately turned to port to cut the corner and he plowed across our wake!

We arrived early in the afternoon at our last stop, Hidden Harbor Yacht Club in Brunswick.  This was our first stop on the way south.  There is nowhere else to dock until you get to the Savannah area, almost 10 hours north, so we had to stop even though there was still plenty of cruising time left.  Tomorrow we will leave at the crack of dawn and make the run for home before the sun and tides work against us.





DAY 28 (March 7)

Aaarg Matey

Its too cold to fly!

The weather was cold today and we traveled the eight hours with the cabin temperature at 50 degrees.  I am definitely going to have to get our heaters to where they will work underway!  It was so cold, that Marie was able to get right up to a seagull for a picture.  I wouldn't want to fly out into the water either!

Old Town

Our last stop before leaving Florida was Fernandina.  The marina is right next to Old Town so we got to walk around and visit all the little shops.  They were all in the midst of preparing for the spring tourist season and had boxes of new items everywhere!  We had never been to Fernandina before and we both felt it was a shame we only had the night to stay there.  We will have to come back when we can spend a few days there.

Old Town shops at night

DAY 27 (March 6)

First Mate works on the fuel lines

First thing in the morning, I walked over to First Mate Yacht Services whose office is in the marina.  They immediately began to work on the engine to determine the problem.  It did not take them long to find it.  Somewhere there was a leak in my fuel lines coming from my fuel tanks that was allowing air into the lines.  They determined the best course of action was to replace the old copper tube lines coming from the tanks with newer rubber hose lines.  After only 5 hours they had Elixir up and running again!  I have to say that First Mate is first rate!

Marie had to laugh because our very first date was a day trip to St. Augustine in 1985 and the fuel line

Columbus sails again!

broke on my motorcycle spewing gas all over her jeans.  Now here we were almost 30 years later in St. Augustine with a fuel line problem again!

Because it was windy, cold, and raining, we did not leave the marina.  But in between the bouts of rain, we did take some opportunities to check out the marina and found a miniature version of an old sailing ship.  I have no idea what it is used for but as always, my first comment was, "I want one!"





DAY 26 (March 5)

Optical Illusion?

Every trip has to have its panic day and today was ours.  We traveled 8 1/2 hours without incident but then just as we cleared the Crescent Beach Bridge, our engine died!  We were right in the middle of the channel and it was narrow, so we could not drop anchor till we drifted out of the channel.  As soon as we got to the edge, I told Marie to drop the anchor, which she did.  Unfortunately, it did not take and we dragged the anchor further from the channel.  By the time it caught, we were over a sandbar.  As I feverishly worked on the engine, the tide went out and we found ourselves grounded.  As the tide continued to go out, we began to list and became very concerned about tipping over, since we do not have a flat bottom.  We stayed on the high side of the boat for fear our own weight would tip the boat.  After an hour of fruitless attempts to re-prime the engine and get it running, I called TowboatUS.

Old sailing ship

Captain Justin came to our rescue and skillfully pulled us off the sandbar!  He was very polite and courteous and his confidence eased our stress as he pulled Elixir first to one side and then to the other to wiggle her off the bar.  Once we were under tow, he told me to just keep Elixir behind him and so I dutifully manned the wheel.  After about a half hour I began to realize that my efforts did not contribute much to our direction.  I felt like one of those kids in the shopping carts turning the wheel when all the while their mother is pushing the cart!

It was our first romantic moonlight cruise.....while being towed by TowboatUS!  We passed the old sailing ship at St.Augustine that we had seen on the way down, but we think it is even prettier at night!

After 1 1/2 hours of being towed, we arrived at Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor in St. Augustine.  We had debated earlier in the day whether to stay a day in St. Augustine and decided against it due to the inclement whether.  I guess fate deemed our decision incorrect!


DAY 25 (March 4)

Dick onboard Elixir

 In the early morning hours of March 4, Elixir got it first additional crew.  Dick joined us for one leg of our trip.  I say crew because on a small trawler there are no guests, only additional crew members.  Dick had owned several trawlers back in the 80's and missed the trawler life, so we gave him a short reminder of the fun of cruising.  He helped with lines and driving.  Even though it had been many years since he drove a trawler, I think he held course better than I do so maybe we should make him captain and me crew!

Talk about a tight squeeze backing out!

We were glad to have Dick onboard and enjoyed his company for the 6 1/2 hour trip up to New Smyrna Beach, where we would stay the night.

When we arrived at New Smyrna Beach, my mother was waiting to pick up Dick and we all went to dinner at a very nice Thai restaurant.








DAY 23 & 24 (March 2-3)

Shops in Cocoa Village, Fl

After pulling up anchor in Ft. Pierce, we headed to Cocoa Village to meet up with my mother and her husband, Dick.  We were actually supposed to arrive on the 3rd, but we were making good time and decided to arrive a day early and play tourist over in Cocoa Beach.  We would get there by taxi from the marina.

My mother discovered our plan and insisted on bringing a car down for us to use instead of paying for a taxi, so when we pulled in she was waiting on the pier.

Jim and Ann

 Also waiting on the pier was Jim and Ann, a couple we had met in Captiva Island and fellow Defever owners.  We knew they were home-ported here, but did not realize they were back.  As it turns out, they had just arrived the day before and were there to offload their boat when they heard we were arriving.  Even though they had plenty to do to wind up their own trip, they took time to meet us for lunch the following day.  Jim also spent several hours giving me personal time on Elixir showing me things I need to do as well as showing me how he solved the same problems on his boat, Wild Goose.

Park in Cocoa Village

Jim is considered one of the experts on Defever maintenance and I was lucky to have him tutor me.  Jim and Ann also took me to a local marine supply store to pick up some things I needed for Elixir.  It just continues to amaze me at how friendly boat people are!

There was so much to do in Cocoa Village, which is walking distance from the Cocoa Village Marina where we were staying, that we never drove to Cocoa Beach.  Marie wished she had more time to browse all the quaint shops in the Village.  We also enjoyed dinner with my mother and Dick the two nights we were there.


DAY 22 (March 1)

A new friend says goodbye

As we prepared to leave Indiantown, Josay (I am certain I am spelling that wrong) came over to say goodbye and help us cast off.  We met her the night before and she had given us advice on where to eat and directions to the local grocery.  A french woman, she was an absolute delight to talk with as she would occasionally throw in french to augment her naturally bubbly personality.  Her and her husband recently purchased a trawler and were living aboard.  It seems everywhere we go on a boat, we meet new friends.

Pinta and Nina

 As we passed Stuart, we were looking for the Nina and Pinta replicas as we had been told they had passed through Moore Haven several days before us.  We were not disappointed.  They were docked at Sunset Marina.  The Nina is an accurate recreation of the ship Columbus sailed to the new world and they are both floating museums.  I am awestruck that they braved the ocean in such a small vessel, not much larger than Elixir.

Sunset over Ft. Pierce

We turned north in the ICW and began our journey home.  The wind was blowing from the north at about 12mph and we were doing about 8mph so it felt like 20mph winds.  With temperatures in the low 70's, that was enough to drive me back down below to finish the day's trip.  Marie found us a nice anchorage in Ft. Pierce, using Active Captain, and we were treated to a beautiful sunset.
We got a double treat when our new friends, Roger and Lorrie (Reality) and Charlie and Joyce (Slow Flight) called to say hi and catch us up on what they had been doing.  It will be great to see them again in the future.




DAY 21 (February 28)

Meander in the Moore Haven Lock

Our friend, Greg, on Meander, advised us that it is best to cross Lake Okeechobee as early in the day as possible.  So we were up before dawn and cast off at 7a.m. along with Meander (the lock does not open until 7a.m.).  We went in the lock first and they pulled in next to us.  When we exited the lock, they went first since Meander is a faster boat than Elixir.  It was not long before we could no longer see them.

The lake was fairly calm and I was headed into the waves so it was not too bad of a ride.  On the other side of the Lake, we stopped at Indiantown Marina because we had enjoyed staying there on the way to Captiva.

Typical sign in Indiantown

We arrived early, about 1:30p.m., and after we tied up and Marie did a load of laundry, we decided to walk the mile into town and do some shopping.
I often rode through Indiantown as a child and remembered how many Indians you would see and how they would be selling crafts so I was eager to show Marie Indiantown and maybe pick up a few souvenirs.  But Indiantown has changed.  If you don't speak spanish, you may as well be in a foreign country.  All the stores label everything in spanish and most of the signs are in spanish.  I did not see anything that would make you think of Indians and there were no booths selling crafts.  To say the least, I was disappointed.
As a boater, I still highly recommend the marina, but the walk to town is not worth it unless you just need to pick up some provisions or eat at one of the many Mexican Restaurants.




DAY 20 (February 27)

Yuck!

During the night we swung out into the middle of the channel so we decided to weigh anchor at 6:30 a.m. before the boat traffic started.  It was the first time we started out in the dark and had to use the running lights.

As Marie pulled up the anchor, she discovered it was covered in clay.  Normally she just hangs a muddy anchor in the water while I move forward in the boat and it washes the mud off, but this stuff was not coming off.  So we traveled for 3 hours with a dirty anchor until we reached Moore Haven where I was able to wash it off with a water hose.  Even though it was still early in the day, we opted to stop at Moore Haven because we could not reach the other side of Lake Okeechobee before dark.

Moore Haven City Park

There is not a lot to do in Moore Haven so we decided to do a little repair work on the canvas cover for our rear hatch.  I think Moore Haven is missing out by not taking advantage of their location as a staging point for crossing the lake.  They could infuse a lot of money into their town if they catered more to the boats that stop there to wait for the next window for crossing the lake.

We took a little time to walk around the town. There is a nice park right by the docks and a thrift store where Marie spent awhile finding little treasures.  Even I found some T-shirts and shorts at $2 apiece!

House Boat?

One thing we found amusing was that when we asked anyone where we could eat, they all said the only place to eat was Burger King.  But in our walk we found 5 other restaurants.  Sign of the times I guess!

We have seen many strange things on our trip and added a house on a barge on another barge to that list.

The highlight to our stay in Moore Haven occurred when a large boat was pulling in to the dock.  There was only one spot left and it looked like it would be tight

Elixir and Meander

fit so Marie and I ran out to help them dock.  Turns out it was some more Defever Cruisers that we met at Captiva, Greg and Barbara on Meander, a beautiful 61 foot Tolly Craft.  We had toured their boat in Captiva and gleamed a lot of suggestions from them so it was great to see them again.  Barbara saved the day with a special tool that fixed our canvas problem!  Then they invited us to come over later after they got settled in.  This is the fourth boat they have owned and they had a lot of great stories to tell about their years cruising, as well as a lot of great advice!  We really enjoyed visiting with them and hope to visit again in the future!





DAY 19 (February 26)

Nearing Ft. Myers, Fl

After a good nights sleep on the hook, we continued to head east.  We decided to stop at Ft. Myers Yacht Basin again.  I needed to mail out a package to my office (even out here I have to work) and Marie wanted to do some shopping.  I also filled up with fuel.  As we pulled up to the fuel dock, we were greeted by one of our fellow Defever Cruisers that we met in Captiva!  He was there for the month provisioning for his upcoming trip to the Bahamas.  He helped us tie up and gave us the lay of the land.  With our batteries low and cell phones even lower, I plugged in the boat and our cell phones, computers, i-Pads, etc., especially since it only cost $3 to plug

LaBelle Bridge

 in!  Without cell phones I did not get any pictures of Ft. Myers, but it is a nice place to stop for a day.  Marie found some nice things for the boat and we enjoyed a lunch in a little square surrounded by different types of restaurants. We would have liked to stay longer, but time wouldn't allow it, so we continued on our way.  As we neared LaBelle, we realized we would not make it to Moore Haven.  Luckily we had put a little charge on the boat batteries in Ft. Myers so we dropped anchor once again, just short of the bridge as the sun was setting.






DAY 18 (February 25)

Slow Flight leads the way to lunch

 A lunch had been scheduled for those of us in Pelican Bay at the exclusive Useppa Island, a members only resort.  Luckily, Bob and Barbara were members and got us all in as guests!  Most of the cruisers went by dinghy, but Slow Flight had to head north to offload Joyce who had a prior commitment as captain of another vessel.  We were also concerned about time as we have a deadline to return to Savannah.  So both of us took our boats to the lunch.

After lunch, we had to say goodbye to all our new friends and headed towards home.

Roger and Lorrie greet us on the way to lunch

 For the first time on our trip, we had no particular destination for our evening stop.  We just traveled until about 4:30 and then started looking for an anchorage.  We found the perfect spot at Cape Coral, right in front of the Westin Hotel.  I had to chuckle as we were taking pictures of the hotel because I remembered all the times I stayed in a hotel and took pictures of the boats that were anchored out!

Lunch at Useppa Island

One classy line-handler!

Anchorage in Cape Coral

The Westin at night

DAY 17 (February 24)

Anchor at Pelican Bay

 The Rendezvous over, people began to pull out and go their separate ways.  It was fun to watch as 23 boats pulled out of the marina, one after another.  Since Elixir was parked in front and only has one screw and no bow thruster, we had to be one of the last to leave, so we sat on our flybridge and watched the departure.

Thirteen of us though, decided to gather at an anchorage in Pelican Bay, about an hour north.  So we had a parade of trawlers as we made our way up the ICW.

Elixir Rafted

We rafted with two other boats, both 44 foot Defevers.  One was Slow Flight with Charlie and Joyce.  The other was Reality with Roger and Lorrie, a couple we met at the Rendezvous.  In a raft, only one boat drops anchor and the rest just tie up to him.   Rafting is fun because you can walk from boat to boat and visit without having to find out if someone is available and then dinghy over.  In a raft, you are already there.  If you want privacy, just shut your door and everyone will just walk across your boat but not into it.  We all share food and cooking and music and just have a great time!

Impromptu Gathering

 The bunch in our raft took the dinghies to a sandbar and found seashells and sand dollars!  Then at 5pm. it was time for a cocktail party onboard Last Laugh, a 52 foot Defever owned by Rick and Carol.  It was co-hosted by Hank and Nancy, the previous owners of Last Laugh and current Chief-Pilot of the Defever Cruiser's Club.  Everyone arrived by dinghy and we had an enjoyable evening!

By the end of the evening, there were 34 boats anchored in Pelican Bay!



DAY 14, 15, 16 (Feb 21, 22, 23)

Docktail Meet and Greet

Wilson Lin

Boarding the Trolley

 The big weekend of the Rendezvous finally arrived!  This was the purpose of this trip.  We were not disappointed.  There was a Docktail Party on Friday night to meet everyone and an experienced couple was paired with us to show us the ropes.  We were lucky enough to be hosted by Steve and Diane, who are both certified Captains and experienced boaters and very knowledgeable about Defevers.  They were great people!  Saturday and Sunday we attended seminars on how to repair our boats, safety issues, places to cruise, and many other helpful topics.

Elixir gets decorated!

 One of the speakers was Wilson Lin, who owns POCTA, the company that makes Defever boats!  Although Elixir was not built by POCTA (it was built by the now defunct Hudson Enterprises), he honored us with a visit to our boat and seemed impressed with her classic construction.  He stated it is rare to see a boat her age in such good condition!

There were about 23 boats in the harbor that belonged to our group and everyone was helpful in giving us advice and tips on how to improve Elixir.  Many of the issues we were unsure of how to solve now have a solution!

Wilson Lin visits Elixir

 There was also lots of socialization with a dinner/dance on Saturday night and a beach party on Sunday night.  The hope was to witness the green flash at the beach party but a fog rolled in and blocked out the sunset.  We even woke up one morning to discover Elixir had been mysteriously decorated as though she had slipped off to a mardi gras!

We met many great people there and have made friends that we can meet up with in the future.  We even met a couple from our hometown in Georgia.  They keep their boat in Brunswick and ours is in

A Parade of Boats

Savannah, but we will be getting together for boating in the future!  Its funny that we traveled over 500 miles to meet a couple that lives down the street!

We also got to see Bob and Connie, a couple we met in Savannah when they were bringing their 48 foot Defever south on their way to the Rendezvous.

All in all we had a great time and look forward to the next Rendezvous!







DAY 13 (Feb 20, 2014)

Ferry leaving Captiva

Today we just traveled the 1 1/2 hours to Captiva Island.  OK, to be fair, it took us 2 hours.  In part because it was the first time Marie and I had lifted the anchor as a team and we are still trying to figure it out.  But also, just as we were entering the very narrow channel into Captiva, a ferry boat was exiting and requested we wait until she cleared for us to enter.  So we did.  Once the ferry passed, we proceeded into Captiva.  We had scheduled to arrive a day early so that we would have an easier time docking.  Apparently, so did everyone else.  By the end of the day, there were 15 of us at the marina!

Captiva in sight!

After we tied up we took a trip in to "town".  At least that's what the locals call it.  It was more of a tourist trap and it trapped us.  Marie got a shirt and we bought some provisions from the little grocery store.  We also had a great black bean dip and chips at Doc Ford's Rum Bar and Grille.

Charlie and Joyce onboard Slow Flight arrived after us (the ones we met on Day 10) and invited us over for dinner.  We grilled out on their boat and visited till late in the evening and had a great time!

Elixir takes front seat 

DAY 12 (Feb 19, 2014)

Sunrise off Picnic Island

We were rewarded again in the morning with an equally pretty sunrise!  The day was predicted to have great weather and we decided to just stay at anchor and enjoy a little R & R.  So we just putted around doing this and that and mostly took it easy.

By afternoon, the island lived up to its reputation and people arrived by the boat-load.  I mean tour boat-load!  It was fun to sit and watch all the activity from the comfort of our boat, and it was a very relaxing day!

Picnic Island

DAY 11 (Feb 18, 2014)

Ft. Myers

As we started out on day 11, we were excited because we knew this was the day we would make it to the Gulf.  However, our daughter urgently needed something mailed to her that we had and so we had to pull in somewhere to mail it.  Luckily for us, the Ft. Myers municipal dock is within walking distance from a post office, and it allows free docking for a few hours.  And so we made a pit stop in Ft. Myers.  It had a lot of shops and restaurants all within walking distance.  The marina also had a nice ship's store.  After we mailed the package, we stopped at Toots Dollar

Toots Dollar Store

dolphins on our bow wave

Store to buy a few provisions and then it was back underway again.  We both said we would like to stop a little longer on our way back and check out some of the shops.

Parade of Boats

 As we cleared Ft. Myers it was about 4 p.m.  Suddenly we noticed an entire flotilla of boats headed our way.  For the next hour and a half, it was a continual stream of boats of all shapes and sizes passing us.  There must have been at least three hundred!  And this was on a weekday in the winter!  They were all headed in for the evening but it made us wonder for a moment if we were headed into some danger they all knew about!

We knew we were back in salt water when the dolphins began to appear again.  Five of them greeted us by riding our bow wave simultaneously!

Sunset at Picnic Island

We decided to anchor at Picnic Island, which is supposed to be a popular place among the locals.  There was already a sailboat there and we joined on in.  Our first night ever anchored out was rewarded by a beautiful sunset!  We were definitely glad we had made the trip!









DAY 10 (Feb 17, 2014)

Old Railroad Lift Bridge

 We departed Indiantown and headed for Lake Okeechobee.  We did not have far to go, but we did have to go under a railroad lift bridge.  It is normally open except when trains are crossing.  As luck would have it, a train was crossing and I had to slow to a crawl while we waited for the bridge to lift.  The trains that cross it are bringing sugar cane from the cane fields and they leave whenever they are loaded.  Thus, there is no set schedule as to when the bridge will be down.

Port Mayaca Lock

 Not long after clearing the railroad bridge, we arrived at the Port Mayaca Lock.  Because of the water level, the lock was open and we cruised right on through and into Lake Okeechobee!  I had been looking forward to cruising in the nation's 2nd largest lake completely in the U.S.  I was disappointed though in that since the channel cuts across a corner of the lake, we never lost sight of land.  Also, even though the wind was less than 10mph, the water was very choppy and it was a constant struggle to keep the boat going in a straight line!  By the time we crossed the lake, I was totally exhausted from the battle.  My knees were aching from bracing myself to turn the wheel this way and then that.  I told Marie that after this trip, I will never enter the lake again until I have auto pilot!

A portion of the channel from Clewiston to Moore Haven, runs along the outside rim of the lake.  At one point they were doing some sort of construction and forced us into a very narrow passageway.  I was more than a little nervous cruising at 7 knots so close to the wall of a construction zone!  But we made it and just in time to avoid running smack into another trawler coming in the opposite direction!

Slow Flight

Once we left Lake Okeechobee the sailing was smooth and easy.  We had originally intended to anchor out this night, but the snafu at Stuart had our schedule skewed and we arrived at the anchorage way to early.  So we continued on to River Forest Marina which had offered a free nights dockage to anyone attending the Defever Rendezvous.  Shortly after we tied up, another Defever, Slow Flight, a 44 footer owned by Charlie Liffick, tied up behind us.  We spent the evening visiting and getting to know him and his friend, Joyce, and had a great time.


DAY 9 (Feb 16, 2014)

St. Lucie Lock

Shortly after departing Stuart, we arrived at our first lock, the St. Lucie Lock on the Okeechobee Waterway.  We weren't exactly sure what we were supposed to do, nut another trawler pulled in behind us and so we just copied what they did and all went smooth.

Elixir at Indiantown

This was supposed to be a night on the hook.  But because we were unable to charge our batteries the night before, combined with the still cool weather, we decided to call it a short day and pulled in to Indiantown Marina.  We were glad we did.

Indiantown Marina is a pretty little marina that is set up wonderfully for a relaxing time.  They have a patio with tables and chairs and a beachy area with beach chairs.  There is a screened in porch

Marie with Bob and Ruth

with TV and everything you need is just a few steps from the boat!

We met a nice couple, Bob and Ruth, who are currently between sailboats and were there looking at potential new ones.  We visited with them for awhile and enjoyed the company.

 While I was painting the nameplate on the stern, I sensed something looking at me and glanced over towards the water.  To my surprise there was a large turtle just staring at within arms reach.  He

Feeding turtles

just kept hanging out so I finally decided he wanted to be fed.  I got some bread and Marie and I took turns feeding him, which of course brought more turtles as well as an assortment of pan fish and catfish!










DAY 8 (Feb 15, 2014)

The weather was once again predicted to be rough with winds of 20mph.  All the other boats in the marina were staying put and we were advised against leaving.  But we bought a trawler so that we could handle bad weather, so we left anyway.

Ron and his Dad

Elixir handled the winds with no difficulty and we were glad we did not lose another day.  The only problem we had was one of the new bimini straps failed and the bimini started flopping around.  I ran up and bungee corded everything and on we went.
When we arrived at Stuart, my father was there to greet us and we had dinner and visited with him.  It was very nice to see him again as it has been a few years since we have seen him.
After my Dad left, we went back to plug the boat in and discovered they had us on a 50amp dock and Elixir is only equipped for 30amps!  So we had no heat for the evening. Brrrrr.


DAY 7 (Feb 14, 2014):

The weather finally gave us a window and we took the chance to depart the Titusville Marina.  Despite all the problems when we arrived, we departed like pros and did not even touch any of the pilings!  It was an early start to beat the winds projected to increase, so we witnessed our first sunrise underway!!

Seagulls Following Elixir

We noticed that every now and then, large flocks of seagulls would start following us.  They would do this for long periods of time.  Marie thinks our wake must stir up stuff for them to eat and so they follow us to take advantage of the buffet!

We have seen so much nature on this trip.  It is wonderful to be able to view it up close in a way that landlubbers never get to.  Too bad everyone doesn't get a chance to cruise the waters.

Dolphin Riding the Wave!

One of the great mysteries of the trip was solved today.  Throughout the trip, dolphins had been swimming at our boat and at the last minute they disappeared beneath us.  They would come from all angles, including straight at us from the front, as though they were playing chicken!  We didn't know why, but came to accept their strange behavior.  Today, about 6 of them came at us from three different directions at the same time.  Then a boatload of people came up alongside of us and were pointing at us and shouting.  Marie went outside to see what all the commotion was about and they said the dolphins were riding our bow wave.  Sure enough, they were!  Each time dolphins charged at us after that, we checked and discovered that's what they were doing.  They were swimming over to ride our bow wave!

Marie taste-testing lunch

One of the things we have really enjoyed about owning a trawler is that when you are underway, you can still enjoy all the comforts of home.  This includes the prelude to my favorite activity - eating!  Marie has done a fantastic job of preparing delicious meals that keep my belly warm in this cold weather!  Today was pasta with marinara sauce and a side of apple sauce. Ummm!

Elixir at Loggerhead Marina

After 9 hours of cruising, we finally reached our destination - Loggerhead Marina in Vero Beach, Florida.  It is a beautiful marina and the staff is very friendly.  There is a Publix about a mile away and we walked there and had dinner at a Chinese restaurant.  Afterwards, I got my hair cut while Marie bought some groceries.  Then we walked back under a full moon.  It was Valentine's Day after all!







DAY 6 (Feb 13, 2014):
I use to read other boater's blogs and they would say "I finally got time to update my blog."  "Really", I would think.  How much time does it take to update a blog each evening.  Then I began this trip.  Now I understand.  You get up early and start all the preparations for getting underway.  Then you are consumed with the tasks of cruising, along with the constant barrage of things to see.  Beautifully constructed bridges, scenic views, dolphins and birds, the list goes on.  The next thing you know it is time to pull in and tie up.  Then you check in, have dinner, meet with old friends and family or make new friends.  Somewhere along the way you have to log the days events and chart out the next days trip.   And suddenly it is time to go to go to sleep.  So here we are on day number 6 of our trip and I finally got time to update my blog!  Or in this case to start it.

The trip to Captiva Island in the Gulf of Mexico started out on the wrong foot.  When we came aboard to prepare for getting underway, I discovered we had some electrical problem that knocked my chartplotter off line every time the bilge pump kicked in (we have the kind of pump that tests for water about every 3 minutes). Since the batteries were purchased in 2009, I thought it was time to replace them, so off to SAMS we went to buy a new bank of batteries.  We were up until 2am the morning of our departure - me installing the batteries and Marie stowing all our gear.  Then we got back up at 5am to prepare to get underway.  There was an outgoing tide and we had to leave at the crack of dawn to get across the sandbar at the entrance of our marina as well as make it through Hell Gate about 30 minutes away.  Unfortunately, not only was the chartplotter still being knocked off line, but when I unplugged from the pier, I lost all DC power!  Not to be deterred from our trip, I rerouted the power lines to the chartplotter and hooked them directly up to one of the old batteries which were still on board because they are too heavy for me and Marie to lift out of the boat.  The chartplotter issue temporarily resolved and knowing that I do not need DC power to run the engine, we departed an hour late for Brunswick, Ga.

Saying goodbye to Delegal Creek Marina

As we made it to Hell Gate, the tide was very low and sure enough, I ran aground!  Luckily I was going very slow and so I was able to back off without any assistance.  We then found the deeper part of the channel (all 5 feet of it) and slowly made it through Hell Gate.

Elixir at Hidden Harbor Yacht Club

Everything ran smooth for awhile until Marie did a routine check on the engine room and reminded me that the bilge pump runs off DC power and we were slopping water into the engine pan!  Oops!  I quickly climbed into the engine room and cut the wires to the bilge pump and used jumper cables to hook them up to the other old battery which was still on board.  Our pump now working, we continued on our way.  We had a good following current which pushed us along at 9-10 knots!  As a result, even with the late start, we arrived at Hidden Harbor Yacht Club in Brunswick an hour early!

A crowd gathered when we arrived at Hidden Harbor and when I told them of the electrical problem, the general consensus was that the batteries must not have had a good charge on them when I bought them.  Everyone believed that if I just let them charge overnight, all will be well.  So I did, and it wasn't.

Day 2 of the trip found the electrical system in the same state.  I decided to continue on down the road and work on it more that evening.  We left Brunswick with a swift current pushing us at over 10 knots!  We made great time for awhile until, as always, we crossed a sound and the current was now against us.  Even then we were still averaging 7 knots so we were very pleased with the new bottom paint.

Sisters Creek Bridge

About 2 hours into the day, I remembered I had not switched the refrigerator to DC power.  Of course, with no DC power, it wouldn't really matter, but I figured I should at least look like I was trying to keep all of Marie's food cold, so I switched on the DC breaker for the refer and presto - all the DC power came on!  Don't ask me why, I just live here.

We went through our first draw bridge, the Sisters Creek Bridge just north of the St. Johns River.  It was a little empowering having all the traffic stop just for you!  I remember when I was growing up along the ICW in south Florida how irritated I would get when I got delayed because of all the stupid boats needing the bridges lifted.  Now I am one of the stupid boats!

Daryle and Tori

When we arrived at Beach Marina in Jacksonville Beach, our granddaughter, Tori, and her dad, Daryle, were there to meet us.  We had a great dinner at the marina and spent a little time with them before they had to return to their home in Valdosta, Georgia.  They took our dog Abby along with them to dog-sit until our return.  Marie suddenly felt like an empty nester!





Day 3 of the trip the DC power was still working so I swapped the bilge pump back to its original wiring.  I wasn't sure what the Coast Guard would think of my jumper cable arrangement.  Everything continued to work, so that was good.

View along the ICW

The trip south from Jacksonville was very scenic.  The water was like glass and we saw very few other boats to contend with in the narrow waters.  We passed though several more draw bridges and are becoming old hats at it.  Although one bridge refused to open claiming we had enough room.  So I slowly proceeded while holding my breath.  Marie went forward to watch our mast and said we barely cleared.  It was a very nervous moment for both of us!

When we got the Main Street Bridge in St. Augustine, we had about 10 minutes to wait for the appointed time to open.  The waterway was clear, so I put Elixir into a hard left rudder and took in the sights while she did circles on her own.  You could see the old downtown, as well as the fort and old sailing ship.  It was very enjoyable and we did not mind the wait.

Old Fort at St. Augustine

Old Sailing Ship

When we arrived at The Hammock Resort and Marina in Palm Coast, Florida for the night, we discovered some friends we had met when they stayed at our marina on their way south were there.  We all went out to dinner and visited for a little while.  It is one of the many nice things about boating is that you meet many great people and after a while, no matter where you are there is likely someone there that you know.  We have just begun that process and look forward to meeting many new people.  Unfortunately, the evening ended too soon and we hit the rack for our early morning departure.



I do have to say that I do not recommend the Hammock Marina for boaters just travelling through.  It is a huge and beautiful resort for those staying at the resort, or boaters staying long enough to take advantage of all the amenities.  But it is not set up for transients.  There was no ice, no garbage cans, and you needed a bike to get to the restrooms and showers.





Day 4 was a short hop down to New Smyrna Beach, Florida, where we stayed at the municipal marina.  It was a nice little marina located within walking distance of the little downtown area.  Unfortunately, Marie was not feeling well, so we did not get a chance to take in any of the sights.  Marie said she wanted to stop there on the way back.

Day 5 was another short trip down to Titusville where my mother lives.  We stayed at the municipal marina there as well.

Pretty artwork on bridge

Even though it was a short day, there was plenty to see.  There was a bridge with beautiful mosaics of dolphins and manatees on the pillars.

We crossed a wide expanse of inland water where the wind was kicking up 3-4 foot waves which gave us a bumpy ride.

Elixir in Titusville

And then we arrived at the Titusville Municipal Marina, a place to which I will never return.  It was windy and they wanted me to pull into a slip that had barely a foot clearance on either side.  With my single screw and no thrusters, I do not have the close quarters control that newer boats have.  The dock hand was rude and unsympathetic.  He actually told me to just let the boat slide along the pilings and he did nothing to try to keep me off of them.  As a result, hours of labor in varnishing my rails were just scraped off in seconds.  Worst of all was the majority of pressure was applied to the hand rails, which are not made for that.  I was just sure they were going to snap, but they held, undoubtedly a little looser than before.  Now I have to re-varnish a good portion of the various railings and rub rails.

My mother and her husband, Dick, as well as their friend, Leslie, came to see the boat for the first time.  After we visited for awhile, they took us into town to Dixie Crossroads for dinner.  We had a great time which helped relieve the stress from the docking.

Unfortunately, by the next morning, the winds had picked up to 20 mph and projected to last all day!  So we were stuck.  There was no way I was going to try to back out of this tight slip in those winds.  With every gust it sounds like our new bimini top is being ripped from the boat!  So day 6 is spent getting some rest and catching up on this blog.