Friday April 8: Daytona Beach

Once we left Eau Gallie (pronounced 'oh golly' by the way), it was a very long, boring ride north on the Indian River.

This river is so long with so few inlet/outlets that by the time we were half way up it there were no longer any tide changes. Which is kind of nice for tying to docks but it makes me wonder how the water ever changes over in that river.

We'd been traveling north on it for the past 50 miles already and then added another 70 miles by the time we reached New Smyrna. Hardly any turns - just keep on going straight.

So after a relatively pleasant anchored night in Mosquito Lagoon on Wednesday, we left early - headed a short way to New Smyna. There were no mosquitos in the lagoon which was nice. Too windy I suspect!








Off the boat pretty quickly as we had a destination in mind: Thai for lunch!

We've been trying to find a Thai place for lunch for the past several days. Arrived too late at Ft. Pierce, no Thai place at Eau Gallie, tried to stop for lunch at Cocoa on the way by but they are no longer open for lunch - New Smyrna was our next hope.

Check the website: the place we've been to before is still there and open for lunch! It was finally a score for the Thai lunch :-)

We didn't check out the Museum of East Coast Surfing above the restaurant - probably should have.

Instead we went to the museum downtown that had a very well done history of the New Smyrna settlement and the trials and tribulations the settlers endured trying to get the settlement going.



The folks that came were actually from Greece with the whole thing being an investment idea to make money for the Englishmen involved.

Excellent videos - just color me happy :-)

Steve then fixed what I broke: the front hatch! Seems when I attempted to open the hatch, the metal slider was jammed in next to the fan that lives in the hatch.

Didn't stop me though. Just pulled it up. And pulled the block of wood right off - sad.

Clamps and epoxy glue to the rescue. And a better way to hold the hatch open so hopefully this will not happen again.

Good time to clean the inside of the hatch anyway!

Today it was a short 11 miles to Daytona Beach - and we had the current! Traveling at one point at 10.2 mph!

We always stay at this marina, Seven Seas, as it is one of the few marinas located on the ocean side so it's an easy bike to the ocean.

Favorite place to eat; the small restaurant right next door. It's been there forever - food is good and the price is right. Lunch today, breakfast tomorrow.

The neighborhood here is very modest - high rises on the beach at the next block but a very pleasant ride to the beach on the side roads with little to no traffic.

Of course it's again like every other beach in Florida: miles of sand and waves - with one exception: it's ok to ride our bikes and drive a car on the beach!

Couldn't resist the flamingo on the mailboxes. These folks in Florida do like their flamingos :-)




Tomorrow: 40 miles to Marineland Marina - another of our favorites!

Mmmm... seems like everyplace we stop is a favorite doesn't it?