Saturday, November 12, 2011

November 11, 2011 Ft. Myers

Cruising through Florida waters.



Passing the inlet at St. Augustine. This inlet is a passage to the Ocean. You really have to watch the markers in this area.

St. Augustine Light


Picturesque St. Augustine

We attended a MTOA (Marine Trawlers of America)  rendezvous in Sept. meeting many terrific people. New friends, Barbara and Barry invited the O'leary's and us to stay at their dock in Palm Coast. What a beautiful community located directly off the ICW.

Beautiful bridge entering Daytona Beach





Mosaic Tiles of fishes are on the side of the bridge pilings.


Halifax Yacht Club Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach


Our Time at mooring field in Vero Beach

Beautiful Live Oaks line the streets that lead to the Ocean





Mooring Field  Vero Beach


Tom at Dingy Dock in Vero

Dawn at Vero
Tropical water merging with river water.

About 30 miles past Vero Beach we turned to Starboard to cross Florida to reach our destination of Ft. Myers. 7 miles along the St. Lucie River is the town of Stuart. We moored for one night.

So many cruiser in Stuart were traveling to exciting places. This boat is heading to Malta.
We entered 4 locks while crossing Florida. The lines are attached at the top of the lock and you attach one to the bow and one to the stern. The gate will open allowing water to come in to raise the water level of the lock.



Great view on the St. Lucie River

Ty and Peter with their Mainship in Indiantown. We stopped here while cruising across Florida.

Indiantown Marina

Traveling through the opened lock leading into Lake Okeechobee

Abandoned work boats

Swing Bridge  The bridge tender is on the bank in the tender's house. After we called him on the radio, he walked from the house to the center of the bridge. He stands on the bridge as it swings open.


Bridge Tender opening bridge
What a sight!!! Legacy Marina  Ft. Myers











We arrived 11:00 am on Nov. 11, 2011.




Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Nov. 1, 2011 Heading Into Florida

Spent 3 days  in Belhaven NC because of the windy, rainy weather. Above, is a mansion built by one of the lumber mill owners in 1904. Today the town is deserted. It caters to the cotton farmers nearby.  Hurricane Irene hit the town hard.
Sunset at Belhaven

Johnson's and O"leary's at dinner

Leaving Belhaven

The weather has been chilly in the morning. Heats up to around 70 during the day. Pretty windy.



We became pretty skilled at passing giant ships in small waters.


Traveling thru SC, heading to Charleston


The Mega Dock at Charleston Marina. this dock is full of beautiful mega yachts.
Patrick, notice the Fleming



My cousin Ed and his wife Jonnette moved to Charleston. Went to dinner at a great barbecue place.



We reached Jekyll Island, Southern Ga on Oct. 30th. We can not enter Fl. until Nov. 1, because of a clause in our insurance. Jekyll Island was built by the rich as a beach retreat. This was the hotel they built for their guests.

Beaches of Georgia


King's Bay Submarine Base  Notice the small boat in front of the sub to keep all boaters clear.
Southern Ga. A yacht building facility just before we entered Fl. waters


New friends on their sailboat Two Drifters, Missy and Mike