2012

As we shared our cruising plans during the years and months prior to our departure, it was not uncommon to face the question “Aren’t you afraid of  pirates? We were a bit surprised by this, but perhaps we shouldn’t have been considering how frequently modern day piracy is reported in the headlines. We have no plans …

We had especially been looking forward to our visit to St. Augustine, Fl. Founded by the Spanish in 1565, it is the oldest settlement in North America, and retains a distinct old-world European flavour. Some of its attractions include the Castillo de San Marcos, a fort built by the Spanish as a stronghold for their …

In addition to a wide variety of birds, there is much to see in the way of  sea life along the ICW.  Fish seem to be jumping everywhere – no wonder the birds are  here – but some very interesting mammals can be seen as well. We’d spotted dolphins  regularly since leaving Stuart, but much …

We departed Stuart April 16 for Vero Beach, about 45 miles north on the ICW. Navigation conditions here are quite different from what we are used to in the Pacific Northwest. The broad rivers have narrow, often winding channels, shallow waters – only 5 to 10 feet under the keel is typical  – and shifting …

After four days of final boat projects and errands to provision (both Walmart and West Marine are considerably more profitable because of us) Ria and I finally had time on Sunday to go for an orientation cruise on the St. Lucie River. It was another warm (80+), mostly clear, and very breezy (20+knots) day, but …