Coastal Cruising: Bay Breeze & Aquavit

Tuesday, May 8, was quite a day! Marvin wanted to go outside today to make better time. Looking at the charts, the ICW is winding and narrow and turns into a ditch at one point before getting to St. Augustine. So, we decided to brave the Atlantic Ocean and travel north on the outside. Ponce Inlet Lighthouse I had the helm out of the marina and into the channel. It’s about a mile from the marina to the inlet. I was going slow in the channel, with a large sports fishing boat (with flybridge and outriggers) behind me. I kept thinking he would pass me so I kept going slow and stayed to one side of the channel. Even in an area where I could go faster, I didn’t. Marvin hailed him on the radio as we approached the turn to the inlet. Marvin told him it was OK to pass as we wanted to follow him out of the pass. He radioed back that he was OK staying behind us. It had been a long time since he had been out this way and he was OK with following us. Marvin told him we were not from around h...

Today was a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. The breeze was cool, although it could be hot in the sun. The air was a little drier too because of the weak front that passed through yesterday. We didn’t get started until 9:30. A shark (bull shark according to the dockmaster) led us out of the little cove we were in with it’s dorsal fun slicing the water’s surface. Close by the marina, there’s a couple of low bridges over Crane Creek that we would be able to go under in the dinghy. Would have been nice to do an exploratory run up the creek. We explored the Space Coast today. Running north on the ICW we passed all of the area that was initially developed because of the space race of the Kennedy era. Today a SpaceX rocket was scheduled to launch during a window of 4 to 7 p.m. The weather could not have been more beautiful for a launch. But we don’t know if it went off. You would think we would have seen it.  All day we heard traffic on the VHF coming in and out of Port Canave...

05.06 Leaving Stuart and the Okeechobee Waterway was an experience. The way north gets a little confusing as the Okeechobee Waterway ends and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway begins. You’re heading east in the Waterway then you have to make a 90 degree turn north into the ICW. To the south is the inlet from the Atlantic Ocean. As we approached this crucial corner, a large US Army Corps of Engineers ship was heading toward us. A slow trawler and a small tug boat were ahead of us. And, a 40 to 45 foot sailboat was anchored or aground on the edge of the channel. The COE ship passed us, we passed the trawler and the tug safely, and avoided the sailboat, making the turn north. At Vero Beach we stopped for lunch at the Riverside Café with friends Janet and Bruce and had a good good meal and good conversation. They live in the area, on a canal that is directly across the bay from the restaurant. It would be a shorter trip by boat than car! Thank you for lunch! North of Vero Beach,...

Got up early to be at the fuel dock at the City of Ft. Myers Marina by 8 a.m. when they open. We pulled up to the dock right at 8 on the dot. After fueling up we started our trip up the Caloosahatchee River. It was an experience going through the locks. There are 5 total between Ft. Myers on the west coast and Stuart on the east side. It’s called the Okeechobee Waterway. Along the way today I saw an Everglades (snail) kite and, later, a caracara! A few osprey as well. And a manatee locked through with us on one of the locks. Most of the route has a speed limit of 25 mph in the channel. But, there are lots of manatee zones Limiting speed to “idle”. We were scolded for going too fast in one of the slow speed zones. Marvin didn’t see the sign and I was telling him to slow down right when the radio blared “No Wake” and a guy on a nearby dock hollered the same. Oops! We also got scolded by a bridge tender at the Ft. Denaud Swing Bridge because I couldn’t hear her response and hailed her...

Boca Grande lighthouse from taking the shortcut through the pass Fishing boats in Boca Grande Pass. Great tarpon fishing. Useppa Island  Averaging 18.5 knots, it was a pleasant 6 3/4 hr, 126nm trip from the Clearwater Harbour City Marina up the Caloosahatchee River to Legacy Marina. A mile or two off the beaches the seas were calm in the lee of the coast. Crossing the entrance to Tampa Bay at Egmont Key the waves were up a bit, owing to the long fetch across the bay. In our experiences over the past five years cruising on Bay Breeze, the ICW from Boca Grande to Ft Myers has the most rude or novice boaters. Excessive speeds, poor boat handling and heavy traffic make for a stressful segment. But there is one small redeeming aspect; dolphins that have become accustomed to the large wakes and put on a great show! We met Dan from ABC Fire Equipment to service the automatic engine shut off and fire suppression system. Tomorrow the mechanic that has maintained the...

It took longer for us to get ready to shove off than we anticipated. The plan was to load the boat on Monday and begin the 7 hour cruise to Dunedin today. But a late departure means a late arrival, so we opted for a shorter run to Steinhatchee. 1:45 pm we pulled away from our dock. At 4:45 we docked in Steinhatchee! 3 hours to go 62 miles! Fasten your seatbelts, put the tray tables in the upright and locked position — we were flying! at 21 to 22 knots. 3 foot seas and 10 to 15 mph wind on the nose. Captain Sparrow has the mystical compass that points the direction of his pirate heart’s desire. We have a compass on Bay Breeze that brings the wind from the direction we want to go. Aquavit’s compass tried the same trick but the headwind and waves only stole one knot of gps speed compared to speed through the water. For about 1/2 hour, just off our stern, 2 pelicans were gliding inches above the waves matching our rate of speed and direction. Probably conditioned by crabbers culling ...

It won't be long before we start our cruise up the AICW on our way to NYC and maybe Boston. The first leg is a 150 nm jump across the Gulf from near St. Marks to Dunedin/Clearwater. On Bay Breeze, it's an overnight trip at 6 knots. On AQUAVIT, the trip is cut to 7 noisy hours. We have noise cancelling headsets that allow us to bluetooth music or use an intercom. We prefer the peace and quiet of the slow paced sail, but have to admit the cruising speed is addictive.  A preferred marina is Marker 1 in Dunedin - with nice amenities and an easy lay dock and fueling. Honeymoon Island State Park is close by and a very popular beach. A couple restaurants are close by and a Publix is a mere two blocks away. 

We are glad to be at a marina in Apalachicola to wait out a passing squall line. This historic village was once a major export port for naval stores and cotton. It is flourishing now, revitalized as an artsy community and laid back tourist destination. Great restaurants, craft brewery, art galleries, and local music. New friends, Terry and Pam welcomed us into their magnificent 1900 restored home - “This Old House” has nothing on them! After the front passes we hope for a fresh north wind to carry us home, or at least to Dog Island. This is our last short sailing cruise aboard Bay Breeze before we begin our trip up the Atlantic ICW next month aboard AQUAVIT.