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Still here.  Friday night it rained but Saturday was just cloudy, as well as Sunday.  However, the weather and seas in the Atlantic between here and Florida were not right for a crossing.  We stayed put and if the weather forecast is correct we'll be here until Wednesday.  A great place to be stuck. 

Another good day at Old Bahama Bay in the West End.  The 007 boat Octopussy, built in 1988 by Diaship/Heesen, came into the harbor yesterday.  An amazing boat that has accommodation for 10 guests.  It is 143 feet long and includes a private sauna room and Jacuzzi on deck plus a circular dining area aft with window panels opening 180 degrees to allow a view of the world.  It cruises at 24 knots and only uses 350 gallons per hour underway.  In this area that's over $1,000 per hour, just for diesel!  Carey and I would have chartered it for a week but we thought the $90,000 per week plus expenses price tag a bit much.  You see it below at the end of our dock and in one of its promotional pictures.  The three guests on board may have been the new owners, we're not sure.  They were surely enjoying the comforts of this classic boat.

Tuesday, the 6th was a day to worry about the weather and determine if Wednesday was the day to cross.  We've been in West End nearly a week and the winds have been from the north, untenable for crossing. Wednesday promises east winds at 10-15 with 2-4 foot seas in the Gulf Stream, then more weather with winds from the north. The Ocean is not the ICW so we decided to strike out on Wednesday morning, underway at 7 am.  The first couple hours were easy, then the seas started building as we neared the Gulf Stream.  It was a real Ocean crossing.  We rolled around a bit and experienced the Atlantic with 3 foot following seas.  It was a reasonable crossing, but a bit rougher than others we've had.  Carey's cell phone is up and working.  Mine has a problem which we'll try to fix tomorrow. 

Must tell the bad with the good.  Up late, we picked up Ross and Kathy, who were anchored near us, and went ashore.  We rented a car and planned a day that included a visit to Tom and Bonnie's as well as restocking the boat for the trip north.  We had trouble getting the anchor to set the night before and were a bit worried, but decided we were safe.  We picked up the rental car and began our journey to complete the check list we developed.  This included numerous stops, along with a pleasant one at Tom and Bonnie's RV resort where Bonnie served us a tremendous lunch.  At 5 pm we were back at Manatee Pocket.  We loaded the dinghy and headed back for our boats (Pilgrim and Apolonia).  We kidded each other all day whether the boats would be in their place.  Pilgrim was, Apolonia was not!  Our boat had dragged its anchor and rested ashore with its bow against a quay wall (see below).  We were lucky and there was no damage.  I used our Sea Tow insurance and were pulled off safely by a Sea Tow tow boat.  We anchored, again, in Manatee Pocket.  We were very lucky.  The boat could have caused damage to others as well as itself, but the dragging was safe.  We were lucky.  No damage to Apolonia nor to anything else.  We're now safely re-anchored and enjoying our good luck.  In the picture below I could almost argue that we moored there on purpose.  Wished this were true!

Easy underway this morning, after returning the car we rented.  About 11:30 am we started the transit to Vero Beach, 37 miles north of Manatee Pocket.  Easy trip and we moored in a 50+ mooring ball field on the east side of the ICW at Vero Beach.  The mooring field was filled with boats and we enjoyed the walk around the park-like setting.  Pilgrim rafted along side and we enjoyed cocktails and a game of Farkel before settling in and having dinner on our separate boats.  We're off tomorrow for Melbourne tomorrow. 

Underway by 10 am we headed north for our 35 mile trip to Melbourne, stopping at the Eau Gallie Yacht Basin, a 100 year old marina filled with many friendly liveaboards.  Barbara and Ray drove down for a visit and we enjoyed the sunset aboard Apolonia and headed in town for dinner.   The next day we joined Barbara and Ray for dinner at their home.

Carey and Barbara spent the morning together and we were underway about noon for Titusville.  The dolphins played around the boat all day and half way there we decided to fill up with fuel.  We traveled 2 miles down the barge canal, a dug out waterway near Merritt Island.  After fueling we continued our trip to Titusville, anchoring outside the the local marina for the evening.  A great day, with temperatures in the 80s. 

Underway at 10 am we traveled an easy 34 miles to Rock House Creek, an anchorage just above New Smyrna Beach, Fl.  Pilgrim set their anchor and we rafted on their port side.  Carey fixed a London Broil steak dinner that all four of us enjoyed.  After dinner I finally won a game of Farkel after a long dry spell.  A good but early evening.  The weather is perfect, with 80s during the day cooling down to the low 60s at night. 

Talking on the phone this morning, trying to find a replacement icemaker; the current one gave it up and ice is important for those afternoon cocktails.  Found a replacement in St Augustine so after a 15 mile trip to Daytona Beach today, we'll head for St Augustine tomorrow.  We anchored with Pilgrim this evening at Sunset Beach Bridge and enjoyed barbequed ribs on their boat.  We'll make the 50 mile trip to St Augustine tomorrow and get the new ice maker then continue our trip north.  As we took Sophie ashore this evening a camper asked if we would go up the river and pick up a float he and his wife had made for their children.  It had floated away in the afternoon wind.  We said yes and had an interesting half hour towing the float back to their campsite.  An interesting excursion. 

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