Saturday April 30: On a Race to See the Shuttle Launch

We are now 4,500 miles into our journey and are headed up the coast of Florida. Yesterday from Hollywood 55 1/2 miles to Fort Worth. Since the weather was forecast to have a nice SW wind, the push from behind would move us along our way.

The day was overcast as we cast off from Joe's Crab Shack - home for the last 4 weeks. Traveling the short 10 miles to Fort Lauderdale reminded us that this truly is an actual port! Many freighters, navy ships, cruise ships, large yachts, and small boats - which is why we opted to travel out on the ocean side instead of up the intercoastal. That and the bridges! Of the 20 bridges along the intercoastal, we would have had to wait for 12 of them. None are on request but instead open twice an hour at specific times. Outside was very nice - beaches and high rises as far as you could see in either direction. The only glitch was the very sudden onset of a very gusty north wind - not sure of the strength but Lake Okeechobee had tornado warnings so we think it was the edges of the wind they were getting. I have to say I don't ever recall a wind coming on so quickly - not even on Lake Erie.

After multiple wind blown splashes over the flybridge, I got a little better at avoiding the really big waves :-) Ever try to see through smeared, salt-water covered glasses?! Anyway, we made it safely into the marina Steve had made reservations at. VERY glad to be tied up as it continued to blow and finally then rained.

Left this morning with mild winds and currents against us (we really need to time our leaving better as we lose up to 1.5 mph due to the currents). This time traveling the inside route with great canals running through mangroves, mansions and mega-yachts (I waited for this one to go under the bridge :-)). We ended up just north of Stuart. The goal: make it another hundred miles to Port Canaveral in time to see the shuttle launch which is scheduled for Monday late afternoon. We waited to see one with Paul and Miriam one year but after sitting around for ??? it was scrubbed. Maybe this time.......