.Happy Easter

April 12, 2009

    We are presently in Stuart, FL.    We woke up early this morning to attend an Easter Sunrise service just north of where we are docked.  There was a HUGE crowd out on Jenson Beach. Trinity Methodist Church sponsored it and they even had persons helping direct the parking in the beach parking lots.   It was a lovely service.  The sunrise was a bit delayed due to a cloud cover just at the horizon; but once it appeared, it was glorious. 

     I last posted on April 7th  so I will continue from there.  April 8, w we were underway e left the marina in Titusville about 9a.m.  We continued in the ICW because there was no outlet at Titusville.  We were hoping to get to at least Melbourne, FL.  while going through the Mosquito Lagoon, we noticed a green daymark was floating in the water instead of standing upright so we called the US Coast Guard to report this because the channel in this area is VERY shallow. Since we were making such good time, we got even further than that. We thought we would stop and anchor in the Sebastian Inlet area.  However when we called to confirm that the anchorage still was deep enough for our boat, we were informed that it had shoaled in tooshallow.  We were told that the nearest place was Vero Beach which was still two + hours away.  We had noticed a boat about our size had anchored just off the ICW where the charts showed 7-9 feet of water so we turned around to retrace our track to G-55.  We slowly made our way outside of the ICW channel and found it had about 7.5-8 feet.  It was enough to anchor.  so we spent a peaceful night anchored under the stars and almost a full moon.

       April 9, 2009   We were underway by 0730.  We should have been in Stuart, up the St. Lucie River by 4 p.m. (1600 nautical).  However, as we turned into the St. Lucie river going just as the Cruising Guide said to do, we hit a sand bar, definitely only 5 feet deep there.  We backed off the sand bar and tried again at a slightly different place.  This continued for several more tries to no avail!  I finally called Tow Boat US to ask if they could tell us a safe way to enter the St. Lucie River channel.  Numerous large fishing boats, cruisiers, and even a smaller sailboat seemed to go through safely. we were 2 hours before low tide and the Tow Boat guy said to anchor nearby  off G-17 and wait until high tide.....not until late at night!  We had made reservations at a marina in Stuart.  I called them to alert them of this situation.  They closed at 6 p.m.   I called the Tow Boat guy back and he came and pulled us through the first red/green markers.  This sand bar went all the way across and was almost all the way to the next set of R/G buoys!    We continued on up the St. Lucie River to Stuart, FL; and as we went into the marina, we hit another sand bar.  We couldn't even get into a slip due to the shoaling inside the marina.  Evidently because of the full moon tides, they have been especially low this time of the month.  they finally had us tie up on an outside dock where our depth sounder read 5.8-6.0 feet.  This was our day for sand bars!     After tying up we went to the Marina "Happy Hour".  we needed that.  The marina is The Harborage Yacht Club which does have a Yacht Club, pool, and many condos.  we ate dinner at the separate restaurant on site.

      April 10, 2009   Since we couldn't get together with our friend living here, we went in search for the laundry, supposedly on site, but not,  and a rental car.  We did rent a car from Toyota and they even came and picked us up.  We headed to a AAA place to get a map ane then to Marine store for some needed repair supplies.  We ate while out doing errands.  Then I left Charlie at the boat fixing things such as the bilge pump. I went to the Best Buy in search of electrical solutions to my iPod and downloading my pictures from my camera.  Successful on both accounts, so now we can use my iPod for music and I can download my pictures.  Now if I can just get them on this blog! 

     April 11, 2009 We spent another day in Stuart.  I got up early and did the laundry off site and went to the grocery store in the same shopping center.  After stowing clothes, food and making a lunch, we were off to the closest West Marine store for more repair items.  Mid afternoon, the switch for the fresh water pump failed.  We bought two replacements and charlei spent the rest of the afternoon fighting to get it installed.  Our friends still didn't call so we fixed dinner on the boat again....flank steak. 

      April 12, 2009.  after the Easter Sunrise Service, we ate breakfast in the old town Stuart at Maria's Cafe with fresh-squeezed orange juice.  Then back to the boat to work on projects such as changing fuel filters and putting a larger main sheet shackle to the traveler.  Our friends finally are free and will eat dinner on our boat tonight.  I took a leg of lamb out of the freezer and will fix it for dinner.  I had bought a small apple pie at the grocery, so we will have that for dessert. We met a nice couple with a boat down the dock from ours.  He is a retired pilot and she is working in a law office.  They live on their 52 ft. Trintella sailboat.  We went aboard to visit.  It feels twice as big as ours. They recently bought it and are presently doing major work on it.  

      We will leave Stuart tomorrow, hopefully during high tide at the St. Lucie River entrance so we won't get stuck on the sand bar again.  We plan to sail outside overnight and arrive in the Miami area Tuesday.  We hope to visit with long time friends who live in Coconut Grove.  Wmay stay there a few days as well.  Maybe I can get some of the pictures added to former posts.