Monday April 9:Fishing for Catfish - Catching Starfish

The Oyster Fest Saturday was a success - Steve finally managed to score a dozen oysters after making two trips to the festival. The lines were VERY long and the shuckers inexperienced and slow. But then it's all volunteers so it was ok. Lots of people downtown again. We took a ride around and Ft. Pierce really has gone to extremes to redo their downtown area. Many new/redone buildings. An 8 million dollar project to add docks is also in the works. These would replace the docks that were wiped out by a hurricane in 2004. Nice city. Anyway, we left yesterday about 1 pm and headed up the Indian River to an anchorage Steve had picked out. Peter and Cheryl were running around Florida moving their car and dealing with their sailboat which is still in Punta Gorda (west coast of Florida). Hopefully we'll meet up with them later today.

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The 4 hour trip yesterday was very pleasant travel as the waterway is well protected from the NW winds that were blowing about 12 mph (which isn't a lot until you add the 8 mph that we are traveling into the wind - suddenly it's 20 mph!). A few boaters out enjoying the day on sand bars along the way. More and more of the sides of the river are undeveloped mangrove areas which is really nice to see instead of the gazillion dollar homes everywhere. We thought we were pretty much away from everything near our little island when we anchored - until we saw the ice cream boat go by!

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Steve was trying to catch a catfish but instead caught not one but two sea stars. Since his bait was just sitting on the bottom it was apparently fair game for the sea stars. Steve was able to get them off with harm fortunately. No more just leaving the pole unattended! Sunset and dinner on the grill - hard to get any better than this.

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Up this morning and off to kayak around, so we headed off toward the island nearest us. Very shallow water but very clear. Steve spotted some dolphins out a bit and off he went trying to catch up to them. The dolphins must have been looking for food because they really just ignored that someone in a kayak was nearby!

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After lunch, we'll pull up the anchor and head a short 10 miles to Serenity Island. We anchored off of it on the way down and it was such a pretty spot that we're going back.

Saturday April 7: Ft. Pierce, FL

It was an early morning departure from our Manatee Pocket anchorage as the winds were forecast to pick up throughout the day. As we were leaving, we encountered what appeared to be a boat with about a dozen swimmers behind it. I wasn't sure if it was a marathon swim or what -- turns out it was a bunch of pelicans following a live bait boat! Remember - it was early in the day :-) Fortunately the bridges in this part of Florida are all very tall so no need to be on constant alert for the next bridge and whether or not we could fit under it. After we arrived at Ft. Pierce Marina, we found out it was Friday Fest - right next to the marina!

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The park and waterfront is really nice with a fun sculpture. Very pleasant day but very windy as predicted. We were happy to be tied to a dock :-) Steve was enjoying his fish taco as we waited for the band to start: Moon Shadow. They were very good so we sat with Peter and Cheryl and enjoyed the music. Plus: another great sunset over the marina.

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Up early this morning to walk through the Farmer's Market - again right next to the marina!! Steve was in search of red peppers (which he found) so he could make the great chili (recipe provided via Rebecca via Wendy) for dinner tonight. After breakfast this morning, we were tempted to take the "handle" off of the restroom door and bring it back for Peter. One of his paddles bounced out of his dinghy (he pulls it behind the boat), we passed it - remarking that someone lost a paddle. Little did we know it was Peter's paddle -- sad that we didn't stop and pick it up. Don't know what we were thinking .....

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A bit later today: Oyster Fest - again right near the marina - complete with a band in the bandstand. What a place this is! It will definitely be on the list of places to which we will return :-)

Thursday April 5: At Anchor near Stuart, FL

Since leaving Banana Bay, we've traveled about 250 miles. Which by car would be a half day trip. By water: 7 days! We are currently anchored near Stuart, FL in a small bay called Manatee Pocket. The picture left gives an idea of how far north we've traveled since leaving the keys. For now, the goal is to travel to Jacksonville where we will leave the boat for a few weeks while traveling to NC (to Matt/Wendy's) and then back to Ohio for a week or so. Clicking twice on the picture will enlarge it - just a bit easier to see!;df fo asof sf [sdf [saodf asfds fasofk sfk sdofk s[afk asodpf sof sfk sopf[skf s[fk asfoksd[f aspfs[of safks[fkasf sdofs oo df ka[pko [pfks fe9 we9k p kpk ee9e fwfka[fk awfafwekf[ kfa[kfwae0af9eaw[f0fawe[ awf ef

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The last night we spent in Hollywood was rather interesting. It was a warm evening so ice cream at the boardwalk was definitely in order again as was the stop at the bandshell where a couple called Coney Island was playing. Then back to Joe's Tiki Bar and Grill where we sat on the front of Peter and Cheryl's boat and listened to the guy singing as well as the karaoke folks. Next thing we knew, Peter and Steve were at the mic! Hard to believe - singing not once but three times! I'll try to include a bit of a video of the action next blog :-) Of course we were up for the sunrise again and afterward headed down the waterway.

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Given that we are traveling along the "gold coast of Florida" I guess it makes sense that we see huge homes and huge boats along the waterway. It continues to amaze me that so many people have so much money! Where do they get it all??? And how can anyone afford the upkeep on these homes and boats? Oh well ..... It was quite windy yesterday (from the south) so many of the few anchorages were quite wavy - including the one where we ended up. But the winds died late into the night making for a peaceful sleep.

saf slf soasf ;as fasf ;as fis;fad afsi ;sfi;a ;las is ;asi s;s ias ;sdf alf is ;aif saf sidf sads is fsdi ladi; fas ai; fs; das; fs; isf sfs;df

Lots and lots of bridges along the way as well. Some we can get under (we are just a bit over 21 feet with the mast) but others we just have to have raised. Most are raised only at set times like the hour and half hour or 15 and 45 after the hour. It's always a challenge to go the right speed to arrive at the bridge at a good time. Anyway after 40 miles today we ended up at a very nice anchorage in Manatee Pocket near Stuart. The holding is good and the fishing is good also! Steve ended up catching 3 catfish which Peter took back to their boat - thankfully. The storm that is currently in Alabama is headed this way so we're planning to weigh anchor at 8:30 so we can make it to Ft. Pierce before the storms hit. Sounds like we may be there a couple of days based on the weather. Never been to Ft. Pierce so it should be fun :-)

Tuesday April 3: Still in Hollywood

6:30 am and we were up and ready to witness the green blip in the morning as the sun rose over the Atlantic. Arriving in plenty of time for the 7:05 sunrise, we all stood around and waited all the while holding our collective breaths :-) Could it really be true? Alas .. it wasn't to be. Which means the theory is neither proven nor disproven. Perhaps tomorrow? I'm thinking not! It was still a gorgeous sunrise though. I tried to take a picture with Steve holding up the sun but guess I was off a bit with telling him how high to raise his hand :-)

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Of course if we're all up this early and there is a breakfast place open, why not take advantage of it? All in all a great morning. Steve also managed to get a picture of the peach-faced lovebird that had it's nest in the palm tree. They almost look like miniature green parrots. For a close up view, go to http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-species/profiles/peach-faced-lovebird-2.aspx

ksdjk lasdfil;asd asef ;lasefm aweo; de mio eo; asemi ef mo aeo;emio ef mio; asemio ef mio asemio; sef mioawefmi; aef mioef aio; asef mioefami awef mi

The restaurant at whose dock we are tied is a seafood, sushi, tiki bar affair. Food is good and Steve managed to have oysters once again. It was kind of a celebration lunch as Peter had been working on one of his engines most of the morning searching out a blockage in the cooling system. We think it was successful but will find out for sure tomorrow. Swimming was in Steve's future today as one of the waiters dropped a gentleman's credit card into the water! It slowly sunk to the bottom (about 6 feet down). We could see it but even with a boat hook with net duct taped to it, there was not recovering it without a dip in the water. Steve donned his mask and in he went. Success!! The waiter was very appreciative - as was the gentleman who owned the credit card.

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By now it was 4:30 and time for a bike ride to the pier. Nice time for it as the sun was very hot but in the shade it was quite pleasant. About half of the ride was in the shade. We found the very large anchor for a buoy (at least that's what we have deemed it to be :-)) in the park near the pier.

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One last picture: this is me in my wheat field on Farmville. Rebecca has sucked me into playing it on Facebook -- and I love it! Just like owning a farm for real - I have a tractor, harvester and planter on my main farm as I now have over 400 plots that would be difficult to manage without farm equipment! Check it out if you haven't tried it yet :-)

Tomorrow: off north (I think - who knows).

Monday April 2: Hollywood - Florida, that is!

After a nice ride to breakfast at Waffle House (one of our favorites!) at Key Largo, it was a perfect day on the Atlantic so off we went from Pennecamp park. Since we were docked directly behind Peter and Cheryl, we took off first with a plan to meet in the afternoon at the designated anchorage.

The water was the calmest we had seen in a very long time so we stopped at French reef first. This was a place we have dived at many time in the past and snorkeling was somewhat disappointing. Much of the coral is dead although there were some live brain corals and sea fans. Fish were still around in great numbers. Really fun to see a school of blue tangs swimming as they seem to move as one! I tried out the new camera housing but decided that there is a learning curve I have not yet mastered yet :-( Fishing was next on the agenda - trolling for the allusive mahi mahi. Maybe last year is not destined to be repeated??

After spending the day out in the gulf stream (water was 4 degrees warmer and we picked up about 3 mph of current going north) we headed back toward shore with one more stop at Elbow reef. Steve used his 60 foot hose to "dive" the reef with out the hassle of using a tank and related equipment. Instead the tank again stayed on the boat and I monitored his movements and the amount of air remaining. The report was good - just like diving without the hassle. Of course the restriction of 60 feet is just that - a restriction! We arrived at the anchorage to find Peter and Cheryl already nice anchored in a small channel off of Angelfish Creek. Lots of current but very pleasant place to spend the night. Steve was again up for the sunrise :-)

Biscayne Bay was very nice and flat - probably the best of the 3 times that we have crossed over this large body of water. Miami could be seen in the haze and then finally we were able to see the buildings clearly.

Tonight we are at the Crab Shack in Hollywood - one of our favorite places! A walk to the beach after it cooled off a bit and ice cream for desert - nice way to end the day. On the way back, we walked by the Hollywood Beach Theatre. Nice guy singing a variety of music - all seemingly aimed at our age group :-) Who else would be out on a Monday night??

Tomorrow: in theory we are all going to the beach to see the sun rise as we have read that the green blip can be seen as the sun is rising. Will report back with the results!