HANGING IN VERO BEACH

(Note that the publish date far beyond when I wrote this as we have been totally absorbed by travel )

It was a warm and gentle time at Vero Beach Municipal Marina where we picked up a mooring ball just off the marina dock (we were there for the second time, having arrived January 31) and this allowed us to reconnect with Phoebe, the twins, Bobbee and Erik here in Florida.  After an unscheduled  two week trip back to Maine for John Larsson's memorial service, our travels continued and both PM and I were chomping at the bit to be moving again.  Our time in Vero Beach as moored residents at the marina allowed us to re-provision, refit (correcting for the last time, I hope, the idle adjust screw, and changing fluids for the genset and main) and review our cruising plan for 17 cruising days to Norfolk VA.  We are scheduled to attend the AGLCA (America Great Loop Cruising Association) Rendezvous at Waterside Marina for 3 days in early May.  But first we need to get there.

The community of Vero Beach is known as Velcro Beach to some and this is apt.  The services there are really top notch: free municipal bus service, a world class art museum within walking distance of the marina, really good grocery and wine stores and (PM's favorite service) several greasy spoons and some not so greasy breakfast joints.

The biking there is really good as well as the roads all have off road paved paths or wide on road bike lanes.  Bobbee's home at The Anchorage (named that as the gated residential development looks like an anchor from space) is a bit over 7 miles from the marina where we stayed and was very doable in under an hour.  We made that journey many times as well as explored the community on both sides of the ICW while we were there.  (I defer to PM to describe the reason we were here so long in her blog entry).

Well, we finally dropped the mooring pennant March 10 and headed for a north bound inside passage up the ICW to the Georgia line making between 30 and 40 miles (nautical) per day and selecting to anchor as often as opportunities presented themselves for a safe overnight.  Our first stop after the 71st cruising day since departing our home-port in South Portland, Maine last July was Au Gollie and our last stop in Florida five days later Fernandina Beach.  PM and I had kept a watchful eye out for the Florida Marine Patrol as, due to the unexpected delay for a trip back to Maine, we had overstayed our legal cruising days in Florida by 10 days. I do not recall any thing unusual about this route as no mechanical problems and no weather issues arose for our inside run north.  The weather was pleasant, the days gentle and we found convenient stopping places each evening. We had a "daily dose of dolphin" seeing them play in our wake or bow wave several times a day.  Our fuel burn averaged just under 2 gallons an hour.  We cruised generally between 30 and 40 miles, 4-6 hours, each day but had one day of 62 miles, just under 10 hours, Our favorite stop was in Saint Augustine, where we delayed a day to take in some of the local sights. As we have been travelling along a narrow passage line, we have seen many familiar boats and have spent pleasant time with several of the crews.  Most who do the "Great Loop" comment that it is the people they meet that are most memorable and we are beginning to agree as well.

The Florida portion of the ICW is very placid, passing million dollar homes and well tended lawns, well marked and recently dredged canals, and some open water.  When we moved south in the fall, we had calmer weather and had taken outside passages along the Atlantic between safe inlets for several days, so much of what we saw going north were new vistas. Given the choice, I would go outside.  Most of the ICW in Florida seems to be developed with marinas, homes of the uber- and not so uber-rich, retirement villages, towns and some cities, unlike what we discover as we move into Georgia, South and North Carolina and particularly Virginia.

We pulled into Brunswick Landing Marina, Brunswick, Georgia on March 15 and breathed a quiet sigh of relief.  We had escaped Florida and a considerable fine for being scoff laws.  The next couple of days, we anchored the first night at New Teakettle Creek, one of if not the favorite anchorage we have discovered, and the second night at Sapolo Island behind Thunderbolt, Georgia, The next eight days we stayed at docks as the currents and available safe anchorages made this a more prudent option.  Our passage was again interrupted for a few days in Savannah, where we stayed at a dock on the very industrial river front, enjoying exploring this incredibly beautiful city, likely the most efficiently laid out municipality we have ever seen.  I discovered in a town park a monument to my great great grandfather, Nathaniel Green, who had been a revolutionary war hero leading military operations along the southern coasts and lands under Washington and successfully defeating the British mercenary troops attempting to stifle the economy of the American colonies.

We arrived in South Carolina at the little town of Beaufort (pronounced Buford) after spending five days in Georgia and started to be challenged by the lack of recently dredged channels and well marked routes through these bucolic lowlands.  The funds made available to the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) have been significantly reduced by the economic woes in Washington so to avoid groundings, these areas take considerable attention to our charts and the many temporary visual navigation aids.  Although there were many many references to OMGs (Oh My God moments) and NDEs (Near Death Experiences) made in the cruising guides and on Active Captain, we successfully transited the state without incident.  Both PM and I have concluded that most of the problem areas noted are such because captains slave their auto pilots to the chart plotter.  We found the charted passage line often took us over dry ground.  We always use common sense in areas prone to shoaling and depend on our most valuable navigating tool, our eyes.

The North Carolina border was reached March 27 and the Virginia line by the 31st.  We anchored in the Alligator River at another of our favorite spots on March 30, made a perfectly calm ideal passage across Pamlico Sound and Albemarle Sound  the next day and made Coinjock Marina on the Alligator/Pongo Canal, which stop provided us some delectable pickled artichoke, highly recommended.

Passage up the canal to Vining's Marina, Norfolk took two days, stopping at the free canal wall at Great Bridge for haircuts and some surprising good local food at the park adjacent to our wall. We stayed a month or at least VELOMER stayed a month at this convenient marina in Little Creek, as this was time we used to refit, re-provision, catch up on bright-work, thoroughly clean inside and out and return to Maine to spend a few weeks with the Greenleafs (see PM's blog for this description).

As we continue along the waters of the east coast and soon the inland waters of the "Great Loop", we have adjusted our cruising style to take advantage of cheaper rates for longer stays and to explore the stops more than we had last year.  This has given us a much more thorough appreciation of the history of this country, particularly the maritime history of the 17th and 18th century, and also allowed for a much less tiring journey.  Perhaps we may make the decision to take even longer to do this trip, although the current plan to is be back in Key West for Christmas.

Well so much for catching up.  Next we head north after the Rendezvous and return to unexplored stops in Chesapeake Bay (Annapolis here we come), the C&D Canal, Delaware Bay and the dreaded lee shore of Jersey.

Stay tuned you passionate voyeurs.

Tooth 19 and Annapolis

PM's Perspective

Much water has passed under Velomer's hull since my last entry.  In late January while still in Key West, we received word that John Larsson (our son-in-law's father) passed away.  Although not unexpected as he had been valiantly fighting stage 4 melanoma for almost two years after being given a two to ten months remaining life span, the news was still quite unsettling.  He passed peacefully at home in Vero Beach, FL surrounded by family and under the care of Hospice.  From Key West, we cruised to Vero Beach in as short a time as possible stopping only for the night.  Six days later, we arrived in Vero Beach to lend logistical and moral support to the family, particularly with our grandchildren, Annika and Trygvy.  Within the week, Velomer was securely docked and we all flew back to Maine for John's memorial service.

You learn a great deal at someone's memorial service, about the person, about the family, about relationships.  John and I didn't always think along the same wavelengths to put it mildly.  I found that John had many different facets to him that he did not necessarily express to either Bob or me as his employees, friends and family members spoke of him during the service.  The one very memorable statement that is a "Johnism" is "It comes with the suit," meaning that life is a mixed bag whether in business or personal life and just deal with the downside while you enjoy the upside.  I have since incorporated this ism into my favorite adages.

Due to the timing of the service and Maine school winter break making flights back to Florida very pricey, we stayed in Maine for two weeks using the time to visit with friends, play with grandchildren and organize our self-storage unit while trying to stay warm in below zero temperatures. During our visit, we also learned that our dear friend, Kath Greenleaf, was diagnosed with cancer, a very disturbing moment.  Kath's entire family has been such a large part of our lives as we muddled through parenthood, our professional lives, our children's college years, and personal trials and tribulations.  They have always been there for us and we want to be there for Kath as she faces one of her most difficult challenges.

Upon returning to Florida, we found Velomer exactly as we left her.  She is home to us, and a very

Norfolk has multiple mermaids
around the city.

comfortable home indeed! After letting the dust settle, we decided to head north, making Norfolk, VA by the beginning of April where we planned to stay a month.  The trip north was accentuated by delightful dolphin encounters and visiting places we had not yet explored, the best of which is St. Augustine, FL, a city with a European flare, 1600's architecture, and a thriving economy.  We pulled into Vinings Landing Marina in Norfolk on April 2, the perfect choice for our stay! For two weeks we cleaned, repaired and maintained Velomer as we would leave her for two weeks to return to Maine to spend some quality time with Kath and Peter Greenleaf while Kath  undergoes two of 16 weeks of chemotherapy.

Kath with grandsons Peter (right) and Harrison

Our two weeks with Pete and Kath were very precious.  I took over much of the cooking and thoroughly enjoyed creating juice cocktails, smoothies and meals for fighting cancer and promoting health.  Kath was quite willing to be engaged in these endeavors, Pete not so much.  He just wasn't very keen on the beet, carrot, red pepper, kale, apple, orange, strawberry and ginger super juice.  Our time in their home also gave us the opportunity to get to know their son Robbie, his wife Becca and son Peter who are living with Pete and Kath lending a helping hand.  Pete has been dealing with MSA (multiple systems atrophy) for about 12 years.  This disease has many of the same symptoms as ALS (aka Lou Gerhig's Disease) and is quite debilitating.  His condition will never get better, only plateau or worsen.  Amazingly, he has dealt with his situation with grace and fortitude and displays a phenomenal acceptance.  He has lost most speech and balance and gets around in a motorized wheel chair. However, his spirits are other worldly, his mind remains sharp as a tack and he is able to communicate some spot-on zingers that bowl you over.  When she was first diagnosed Kath dwelt in a very dark place for several days.  Concluding that this was not very helpful to her condition, she did an about face with a fierceness I have never seen.  She is a supermodel of how to stare the tiger right in the eye.

Velomer hauled in Deltaville

Once again, we returned to Velomer and moved her to Waterside Marina near the Norfolk Sheraton.  We stayed here a week while we attended the spring Great Loop Rendezvous sponsored by America's Great Loop Cruising Association during which time we meet other boaters planning, in progress or who have completed the loop.  The camaraderie was inspiring, the information extremely helpful, and even the food was good.  From Norfolk we headed north once again landing in Deltaville where we hauled Velomer out of the water for a good bottom cleaning and painting only to discover a small crack in one of the blades of the propeller.  Fortunately, the boatyard at the marina was able to complete a quick repair and we were on our way once again.  We left heading for Solomans Island under sunny skies and calm seas.  But all that changed once we got out into Chesapeake Bay proper.  After being tossed about for more than two hours, we came to the conclusion we weren't having a good time and made the decision to head into the nearest harbor which happened to be Smith's Point, a very protected marina on the Little Wicomico River.  We spent two days here waiting for the weather to calm down, biking, and visiting Reedville Fishermen's Museum.

Once again we headed north toward Solomons.  While underway, as I was biting into a Larabar, the cap on tooth 19 popped off.  How utterly frustrating! "Fuck a duck," I exclaimed as I pulled the cap out of my mouth.  I do tend to talk like a sailor when underway.  "What is it?" Bob wanted to know thinking something dreadful such as a hole in the hull had occurred.  As soon as we landed at Spring Cover Marina, I googled dentists in Annapolis, out next port of call, to see if I could get an appointment to get the cap recemented in place.  There was only one dentist within walking distance of Annapolis Harbor and fortunately he was able to take me the following Monday.  Not only that, he received rave reviews on Yelp.  That Monday, Bob and I walked to the dental office and I was taken in right away, my cap in hand.  I explained that this was the third time this cap has popped off.  Dr. Speckler looked at the cap, then looked in my mouth, poked about a bit as only a dentist can do, and said, "I don't like what I see."  Now that is not what you want to hear from a dentist as he is looking in your mouth.  He continued, "You have a cavity in the tooth behind the capped tooth and a cavity under the cap.  That's why the cap keeps popping off.  It's sitting on mush.  I'm going to clean and fill the cavity in the rear tooth and try to do the same with the capped tooth.  You may need a root canal."  This is also not what I wanted to hear!

To make a long story short, the cavity under the cap was so deep, I needed a root canal along with a new cap.  Dr. Speckler said, "Don't worry, I've done thousands of root canals."  So I resigned myself to the procedure which was made a bit better by the fact that he looked a tad like George Clooney, so I didn't mind him looking in my mouth. Root canals have been given a pretty bad rap.  They aren't that bad.  Modern dentistry has taken the pain out of the procedure.  I also couldn't be more pleased with my new cap.  We did need to stay in Annapolis for several extra days while my new cap was fabricated but we made good use of the time by exploring the area, touring the US Naval Academy and visiting several museums.  So, we're still loving this life!

SNOW FALL

Bob's View:

Here we are in Maine in the middle of a snowstorm and wondering when we will get back to VELOMER and continue our trip on the Great Loop.  The amount of snow has been incredible, 62 inches last week alone, which is more than Portland got all last winter, and at least another foot over the last two days.

Our trip to Maine was an unexpected break.  We returned via Jetblue out of West Palm Beach last Tuesday to attend a memorial service for John Larsson.  He died peacefully at his home in Vero Beach the Wednesday prior.  Our arrival in Vero was on the following Saturday afternoon and we were docked at a neighbors of John and Bobbee Larsson's by mid-afternoon.

Whoosh!! What a trip!! This is not the way we expected to transit the serene warm waters of the Florida ICW.

We had been in warm, and I emphasize warm, Key West for the past month, enjoying the warm air and warm water and especially the warm hospitality of Stock Island Marina.  Two weeks ago now, we received a call from our daughter and son-in-law who asked that we scoot north to Vero Beach to provide support for them while Erik's dad was dealing with end stage cancer at home with Hospice. Our trip north from Key West to Vero Beach was a marathon of 250 miles in 4 1/2 days, travelling 10-11 hours a day, anchoring shortly before dusk in quiet backwaters or crowded public harbors of the ICW and departing soon after dawn.  This is not our preferred travel plan but we were trying to get north as quickly as possible to help with childcare for Phoebe and Erik.  We did gain considerable confidence anchoring and We LOVE THE ROCKNA.  It sets immediately. It does not drag,  And I feel confident we will find many many quiet places that anchoring avails us as we travel on this adventure around America's eastern and inland shores.

Travelling north from Key West along the eastern and southern side of the Florida Keys, we were fortunate to transit the 140 miles to Miami  in relatively good sea conditions.  The forecast called for 2-4 foot, 5-7 second period seas and was accurate.  The 10-20 knots of wind out of the north was cool but on the enclosed flybridge, we were still very comfortable in shorts and t-shirts ( I know I am getting no sympathy from most of those reading this). We have often experienced 3-4 foot seas on VELOMER and she can handle those with solid ease, but on the flybridge we do bounce around a bit. At the worst, we brace into our seats and watch the 40 degree roll provide us a carnival ride.  As I descended to the engine room to do my twice daily checks, the rolling considerably lessened as the center of rotation is at the midpoint of the salon, Our first night stop was northeast of Channel 5 at Shell Key at a state park mooring ball.  The wind and waves had been all day from the northwest quartering our bow but as we crossed north of the Keys, the rolling seas, which had been from the southwest and contrary to the north wind driven chop was behind us so we were able to spend a relatively smooth night.  We were surprised to find the mooring field devoid of any other boats but it was still early for "loopers" to continue north.

Our second day was smoother without the rolling southern seas and we made No Name Harbor at Key Biscayne by nightfall. It was a long day and tiring as we were in the narrowest and shallowest area of the entire ICW, so attention to our course line was critical. We were often within 10 feet of areas that would have put us hard aground.

Day 3 was an adventure of a different kind for us passing almost 40 bridges in and north of Miami. I understand why most choose to go outside and bypass this portion of the ICW.  The seas outside were forecast for 7-9 feet so an inside passage was the only safe choice if we were to continue non-stop north.  As VELOMER has a 19 foot air-draft, we could pass safely under most of the bridges but we did have a 45 minute delay at one bridge, missing the timed opening by 2 minutes, well it's always something unexpected when travelling by water.  Shortly north of Miami, we stopped at SWIFTWATER, docked at Pier 69, the Hyatt Marina in Fort Laurderdale, to make sure the auto-bilge was on and to take spoiled food off the boat. We also off loaded the contents of the refrigerator on SWIFTWATER, which Phoebe and Erik had left abruptly several days prior to return by car to Vero Beach to be with Erik's father.  The passage along the built up shores of the ICW in this portion was our opportunity to see how the uber rich live in multi-million dollar, 55,000 SF homes on 5,00 SF lots crowded together along the ICW shores so they could enjoy a brief view of VELOMER travelling the waterway.  We anchored that evening at Pelican Harbor, a man-made 10 foot deep harbor, where we were again the only boat in a vast open area surrounded by more jumbled homes and condos.

Day 4, we continued in the shelter of the ICW inside passage to Manatee Pocket at Port Lucie Inlet, 5 miles east of Stuart, the eastern terminus of the passage via canal and Lake Okeechobee across mid-state Florida to Ft Myers.  I recall little of the day as it was along somewhat sparsely developed areas and we saw very few other crafts and the bridges were mostly behind us.

Day 5 was a half day's travel, with a brief stop to retrieve electronics off JOURNEY, John and Bobbee's Nordhavn 55, docked in West Palm Beach, (it is listed for sale if any reading this wish to jump into the boating life on a blue water world class trawler) again along relatively sparsely populated banks, except around Ft, Lauderdale, to Ft. Pierce where we connected with Phoebe and Anni and Trig for lunch at Harbortown Marina.  We had made it: 250 miles (N), or 284 (S) in 4 1/2 days.  If we have to do that ever again, we can, but it is definitely not an enjoyable pace: travelling 10-11 hours a day, starting at the crack of dawn and anchoring just at sunset.  The autopilot is helpful but on the ICW, many areas are quite narrow with shallow water within 10 feet of the channel so hand steering was more often the only way to stay consistently in the channel.  The warm air caused us to open side panels on VELOMEER's fly bridge after the sun had dried the mist from the windows and taken the morning chill from the air.  We passed or were passed by only a few boats, and these were typically fishing boats heading offshore at the inlets.  It still amazes us that this waterway is so underutilized. Perhaps it is the time of year as many "loopers" are still tied to docks or at long term mooring balls awaiting warmer spring weather.  For us, it has been ideal weather to travel, clear crisp mornings, warm days and spectacular sunrises and sunsets that only a Florida sky can present.  The entertainment of observing myriad wildlife, multi-million dollar homes of the uber rich and the wide variation of boats from classic cruisers to derelict sail boats abandoned in the mangroves has kept us happy and smiling over the long hours of our daily passage.

Travel along the ICW is much more comfortable outside, however the availability of safe inlets prevents a safe passage unless wind and especially seas are safe for the coastal off-shore route.  The number of boats along the ICW on weekends and especially later in the season, makes travel on the inside a pain at times and the number of bascule bridges that require waiting for an opening, particularly around cities like Miami, Ft, Laurderdale and Palm Beach make travel by boat tedious at times. We noticed many boaters, particularly the larger fishing go fast throw a 5 foot wake when that is totally unnecessary honkers do not know rules of the road (or just don't care) and are less than courteous regarding their passing techniques.  That being said, we would rather travel by water than road any day.

VELOMER sits quietly, in a warmer (72 today) place at Kingsly and Cindy's dock in Vero Beach while PM and I are huddling around a wood stove at the Guyot's in Maine, outside temperature 9. We return to Fort Lauderdale next Tuesday, winter weather gods permitting, to travel again the warm waters of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.  We will travel north on the ICW on our way to Norfolk for the AGLCA Spring Rendezvous May 3rd to 7th.  But first, PM and I will bring SWIFTWATER to Vero Beach before continuing our adventure north.

PM and I will update this blog more frequently now that we are on the official loop course traveling counterclockwise around the eastern US. So stay tuned you cold and fantasizing followers of our travels attending us in Russia.  And for those whose lives allow, consider joining us for a portion of this trip over the next 1 1/2 years.  This invitation is issued particularly to Phil and Battina, Sam and Susie and Lili, Bobbee, Dr. Bill, Kath Greenleaf, Susan Williams, George Blyer and anyone of you whose interest in doing something memorable and adventurous gets the better of your practical day to day lives.