December 23-25

It’s been a whirlwind couple of days. When it comes to boating, they say if you can’t find it in Fort Lauderdale, you can’t find it anywhere. We have been putting that to the test, and have probably been way too successful.

Terry and Deb, friends from Bay City, joined us Saturday through Monday morning and were great ‘sports’, chauffeuring us around and exploring the sights. When they left Monday they dropped us at The Galleria, a large shopping mall, where we planned to pick up a few final things. I guess no matter where you are, there are still too many things to do at the last minute, and nobody’s even thought about Christmas baking.

As we were waiting on the bus to get back to the boat, we checked the phone messages only to hear that Kristi and Brett were not going to be arriving Christmas Eve as planned. Their flight had been cancelled. What a disappointment!

On Tuesday we rolled the clock back a day and it was Christmas Eve Day all over - a time for cleaning, getting the last of the presents wrapped, and finishing the baking. Well, that’s all true except for the baking. Corinne stopped at a French bakery yesterday and we are pretty well taken care of.

In the afternoon we walked down to the beach, which was packed.

All in all it was a rather surreal day - no family, no snow and no turkey. We miss you. Merry Christmas!




There is only one way to end a day like that, and that’s with a giant margarita and burger for dinner.

December 21-22

Earlier in the week there was a promising weather forecast for crossing to the Bahamas, but as the week has progressed, the forecast has deteriorated.

This has shaped our plans as well. Originally we had been thinking to ‘bump out’ into the ocean to sail from Lake Worth to Fort Lauderdale. Not only would this have been a great opportunity to get another taste of ocean sailing, but it also would have allowed us to bypass the 18 bridges in between. However, with winds forecast was for 15-20 knots, basically on the nose, we opted for the slow and scenic option along the waterway. This section is particularly noted for the spectacular houses along the shores of the waterway.

We stopped for the night in Lettuce Lake, a little bump in the waterway just short of Fort Lauderdale. Did I mention that the houses are pretty nice? They all have a slip in front of them, and the boats aren’t bad either.

On Saturday morning we were up early and on our way. We have arranged to stay in a slip attached to a small apartment along one of the canals in Fort Lauderdale. The couple that we shared a mooring ball with in Vero Beach put us on to it.

The location has turned out to be spectacular. There is a small pool as well as all the amenities of a marina. Emma keeps an eye on things from her perch at the end of the pool, and has a hankering for the handsome sailors. At the end of the block is Las Olas Boulevard with very trendy shopping and restaurants, and we are less than a mile from the ocean beaches. This is going to be fun!

December 16-20

It wasn’t until December 18th that we continued on to Stuart, which is about seven miles off of the ICW down the St Lucie River. Stuart is a popular spot to sit and wait for good weather for those planning to continue on to the Bahamas. Like Vero Beach, it is a very comfortable anchorage with mooring balls, ready access to good shopping and a comfortable shore-side facility.

Upon our arrival we made a beeline for the dock where we were able to get a pump out (still the bain of our cruising experience), take on water, and spend a couple of hours washing down the boat. Saltwater is very hard on things and it can be disheartening to see the rust and salt accumulate right before your eyes.

The other boat tied up at the dock was Siggy’s Dancer. They maintained a website of their first trip to the Bahamas seven years ago on a C&C 30, and so showed that this whole thing really was possible on a smaller boat. I used to check their site every morning at work. Towards the end of March there were no more postings, and I always wondered what became of them. We introduced ourselves and had a nice visit.

On the 20th we were off to Lake Worth. This is perhaps the most popular spot from which to head off to the Abacos, the northernmost part of the Bahamas. It was a long day getting there, though, made even more so by the cantankerous bridge in this picture. Through the southern section of Florida we are encountering an increasing number of bridges which open on a schedule, not necessarily aligned with ours.

After waiting for fifteen minutes for the bridge to open, and then carefully timing our approach to coincide with the bascules being fully open, it came as a bit of a surprise to have the tender radio us saying, ‘Cap’n, better slow DOWN, I’m having a bit of a problem with the bridge.’ It seems the arms stuck when only partially opened.

Two and a half hours later they were able to fully raise one arm and we were on our way to Lake Worth.

December 10-15

Vero Beach is euphemistically known as ‘Velcro Beach’, and we are beginning to understand why. In our last update, we said we would be here for a couple of days, and it is almost a week later. We are still planning to leave in a couple of days, but who knows.

This is a comfortable place to spend time, and interestingly, we are feeling for the first time that we do not need to be mindful about continuing on. We are only 100 miles from Fort Lauderdale.

Vero Beach is a protected harbour, and so a comfortable place to tackle some of the many tasks that we have been putting off. The bus system is convenient and connects us to all of the shopping options we could wish for. Not a day goes by that we don’t hop on the bus to one place or another. There is also a great bar only a short walk away, and we have been known to stop for ‘happy hour’ drink. Last but not least, it is a nice walk to the ocean, and apparently there is a great ice-cream store on the way home.

Another couple of days and it will time to continue on.

December 2-9

10…9…8…7…Kaput

We have spent the better part of the week waiting for the space shuttle launch, and it isn’t going to happen.

Last Sunday we departed St. Augustine for Daytona and then on to Titusville on Monday. Titusville is one of the best places to view the shuttle launch, and we were very excited about the opportunity to see it. It was scheduled for Thursday the 6th, so we had a couple of days for exploring and odd jobs. Unfortunately, not much to report on either front.

The launch was postponed on Thursday. We agonized about whether to stay another day, but opted to continue on to Cocoa Village, where we could still get a good view. Along the way we passed the Vehicle Assembly Building located at the Kennedy Space Center. Although it doesn’t look very big shrouded in the mist and compared to the sailboats, it was at one time the largest building in the world and still lays claims to having the largest doors. Apparently it takes 6 000 gallons of paint for each stripe of the flag emblazoned on one wall. Leads you to wonder how sloppy the painters were, though!

The launch was scrubbed again for Saturday (we anchored at Indian Harbor Beach at Dragon Point) and then postponed indefinitely on Sunday (we are tied to a mooring ball at Vero Beach with two toher sailboats). We will spend a day or two here as Corinne is anxious to do some Christmas shopping, and then make our way to Fort Lauderdale.

PS We have had a small computer malfunction – one of our keys is no longer working. Which key do you think might be very important? Did you say right arrow key? I didn’t think so.

While this key is important for editing and scrolling through pictures, it turns out the @$&% thing also controls the brightness of the screen, and when you turned it down as low as it will go because you couldn’t remember if the left arrow brightened or dimmed the screen, then you can only see the monitor at night or … in the darkened bathroom at the coffee shop with free wi-fi. How would that look?

November 29 - December 1


It took seven and one-quarter hours to cover the 46 miles from Fort George River to St Augustine. Although uneventful, we loved the trip simply because we were wearing shorts and a long-sleeved shirt for much of the time.

With roots dating back to 1565, St Augustine lays claim to being the oldest European settlement in the United States. We were reminded time and again of these historical roots during our visit here.

Friday was a shopping day – which means West Marine, Home Depot, and, I am embarrassed to say, that ‘W’ store. There are two interesting parts about this trip which typify the cruising experience. As we were walking down the street, unsure of where to turn, Corinne pulled out the map and instantly two guys stopped and asked if we needed directions. As we began chatting, another couple from Australia stopped as well. It was at least twenty minutes before we were on our way again, and we had a whole bunch more tips about where to stop along the way.

When we finished shopping at West Marine we asked for directions to Home Depot. It was a couple of miles further out, a long walk, but the clerk said, ‘I’m off work in ten minutes so if you want to wait I’d be happy to give you a lift.’ People are incredible!

The second, and not so fun part of the shopping experience is walking back to the boat, usually with a heavy pack and bags in either hand.

On Saturday morning, on the way in to do the laundry, we stopped to chat with a couple from Nova Scotia. As we were chatting, there was a huge explosion. Fort Augustine was re-enacting the defense of an attack from sea by firing its cannons. As the smoke cleared, Howard retorted, ‘Jeez, those Yankees are still firing at us!’

While we were waiting for clothes to dry, we went over to watch the Christmas parade. It certainly wasn’t the same bone-chilling experience we remembered as kids.

In the evening we visited the historical part of St Augustine for the candlelight parade. The tradition involves a re-enactment of the parade through town to ensure that all is safe. A large number of people were dressed in period costume, which lent a surreal atmosphere to the entire evening. The parade returned to the town square where the governor proclaimed all was safe, extended good tidings and led everyone in Christmas carols. Much to Corinne's disappointment, this included only the first verse of each carol.

November 27-28

One of the very best parts of ‘cruising’ is the conversations and great tips we get from fellow cruisers. Without the suggestion that we stop at Jekyll Island, we would have missed out on one of the highlights of the Georgia waterway.

‘Jekyll Island was the … winter club for the rich and famous. In the 1880s this group, including the Rockefellers, Goodyears, Morgans, Pulitzers … built what they called cottages.’ To help understand the exclusivity of this community, we were told that these families controlled one-sixth of the wealth of the world at this time.

'Each estate was huge, but to promote social interaction none included kitchens. Members were expected to dine together at the club, where a staff from Delmonico’s in New York prepared meals. The restaurant’s 100-page menu included 370 dishes’.

The club still looks pretty nice, but they have shortened the menu somewhat – especially the one they gave us.

We were slow to get started on Thursday, as it had been a windy night and we were a little apprehensive about making our way through St. Andrews Sound. After watching a few other boats head out we decided to give it a shot.

It was a bumpy ride with the biggest waves we have seen, but a great learning experience. The most exciting part was hearing the Admiral yell, ‘Can’t we go any faster?’

Later in the day we passed by the Kings Bay Security Zone, where we had that ‘helicopter thing’ going again. Kings Bay is an active nuclear submarine base and a submarine was heading out to sea as we were in transit. Recreational boats in transit are required to stop and circle while maintaining a distance of 1 000 yards. The circling helicopter and gunboats reinforced the message.

We have passed into Florida and are anchored in the Fort George River. While it is not toasty warm, it certainly ain't snowing. I listened to the last half of the Grey Cup game the other night sitting in the cockpit in shorts and a fleece. I would never have thought of doing that in Winnipeg, at least not sober, I am sure.

November 25-26

People have said that one ought to think about going out to the ocean to bypass the Georgia section of the ICW, while others say it is not to be missed.

Georgia poses some challenges, but overall has been a fantastic part of our trip. We were up early Sunday morning in order to ensure that we could take advantage of the high tide for the passage through Hell Gate and the Florida Passage, which would have been impossible at low tide.

The tides in Georgia have averaged between eight and ten feet, which is by far the greatest range we have seen. While this can make for a comfortable passage through 'thin' water when you time it right, it also brings with it very strong currents which can make anchoring difficult and your progress either wonderfully quick or painfully slow.

We anchored in the Wahoo River and had a fun evening with folks from three other boats. It was good to see Steve, from LORCHA, who we have not seen since New York City.

On Monday morning the weather forecast said that with the approaching cold front there would be periods of fog until 9:00 am. While we pay close attention to the weather, we don’t always understand how it works, and sometimes wonder if the forecaster does either. It was rather hazy until 9:30 am, and then it really socked in. We actually anchored for an hour on the side of the waterway and sounded a horn whenever we heard a boat approaching.

When we convinced ourselves it was beginning to get better, we joined with a couple of boats that were carefully moving along, and ended up anchored out from Fort Frederica on the Frederica River.