April 2016 : Boat Trip - Ft Pierce for MTOA Rendezvous

This is a picture of our backyard. Sometimes it is good remember that no matter how far we travel, some of the most beautiful moments are in our own backyard.......

Tues AM 3-27-16 – Cruising to Cocoa Beach…

On the road again, well the water…..

We regrouped after five weeks in Asia, and got Sundance ready to head to Ft. Pierce for the annual MOTA rendezvous. On Sunday, 3-25-16 we brought the boat to the Seven Seas Marina in Daytona with plans to have Sundance hauled first thing Monday AM to get the bow thruster repaired. We got in early afternoon Sunday and celebrated Easter on board – it actually was a wonderful day, never feel closer to God than when we are on the water. Yesterday, Monday, uneventful day – everything went according to plan. Got hauled, bow thruster repaired, on our way by 10:00 and was snugged into our slip at New Smyrna by 12:30. We celebrated everything going according to plan by taking a walk with Crew, and having an afternoon libation at the Corkscrew (or named something like that) sitting out on the patio. Crew also got his own bowl of water and thought he was living pretty high. Speaking of Crew, we changed our cruising style for this trip. We usually drive from the upper deck, but as I have lamented about in previous posts, Crew is getting more and more difficult to get up an down the ladder. The last couple of trips to Marathon, we have left him with a sitter, then when we got to Marathon, we got a rental car to go get him. We decided to keep him with us this trip. SO, now Jon goes to the upper deck for docking and departure because he has better visibility from there, and then drives from inside on the main deck during the trip. Crew is much happier this way. Today we are headed to Cocoa Beach, and driving inside. Tomorrow though, We have about a 65 miles day to Ft. Pierce, so I have a feeling Crew and I are in for wrestling match because I am going to bring him top deck so we can enjoy the trip. We are watching a bad cell headed east now, hoping to miss it and make Cocoa before it comes – we will see………….

Captain Jon - soooo happy to be back on the water

Our first bridge of our trip - the Bulow Bridge

My boy and me hanging out

Crew was not happy about his treat situation so he disguised himself as the Easter Bunny with hopes of more treats

Our sights and view from our stern at the Seven Seas Marina in Daytona are really beautiful

A relaxed Jon

These two dolphins played around our boat for about fifteen minutes

Jon tried tried Crew's trick of disguising himself as the Easter Bunny for more treats - did not work out too well for him

Sun getting ready to rest for the evening

He has risen -praise God and Happy Easter !

Sundance high and dry so her bow thruster can get repaired

Back on the water and heading to New Smyrna - a happy Crew

Up and off to Cocoa Beach early this AM

Sometimes it is good to stand out in a crowd

Just resting.....

My favorite part of the whole trip - Haulover canal

Even Crew gets excited and likes to count all of the manatees he sees - he old me he saw about 14 today

Once through the canal, there are some little islands and it is the only place I always see Pink spoonbills. I had my camera lens zoomed out to the max and spotted some pink dots in the trees, then got some blurry shots of the birds on shore

Crew with the wind in his hair - a true sailor

Leaving Cocoa

Left Cocoa, then headed on to Ft. Pierce. Crew won the battle and we did not bring him to the top deck. We were afraid we would get caught in some bad weather, and since it is a two person job to get him down, no can do as one of us has to drive the boat ! We had a great run to Ft. Pierce. Once at the marina, you have to have your electrical tested, if it fails, you can not dock on the new docks because you will blow the power on the entire dock. You can have up to 30 something or a rathers being emitted, after 30 your electrical system flunks the test and no new floating dock for you. Much to our delight, Ol' Sundance only emitted one of the something or rathers so she passed the test wth flying colors !!!!!! We ended up getting docked right next to our old friends from Banana Bay, Don and Patty Wolfe. It was a long day for us today, so after bevies at the Wolfe's, Jon and I had a simple supper and were in bed early !!!

I love cloudy skies

Going under the twin bridges

One pretty boat !

Thurs. Up early and walked all over town to get the fit bits spinning. We are in a great spot at the marina, steps away is the river walk, restaurants, the marina office. Both yesterday and today band were playing all day. Sure glad we got the bow thruster fixed, and that our electrical system is good. Today we lost our water pump, adn we have a question possible full leak and transmission leak - woo hoo ! Jon and Don got the water pump replaced, then the four of us headed into town for pizza for dinner.

There is a beautiful waterfront with great sidewalks for strolling

Looking out at the Ft Pierce bridge

Looking south back at the Ft. Pierce Marina in the distance

Pelicans waiting for some fish

Our stroll back to our boat

There as been pretty much non stop musical entertainment since we arrived.

View from our bow

Jon and Crew heading back to the boat

Pizza night with Don and Patty Wolfe

Yesterday was first Friday - more vendors and bands all day. We did some boat chores, long walk to spin the fit bits. Mike adn jana arrived this afternoon, so we had bevies on our boat tonight with Mike and Jana, and Don and Patty. Afterward, we worked to the top of the dock with Mike and Jana for dinner from a variety of food stalls. Today, and every Sat. was the farmer's market right the top of the dock. We loaded up on produce, and found a couple of treasures at the arts and craft fair. Had a chance to rest up a bit, then headed to the other side the marina for the annual oyster festival with Mike and Jana. Oysters, oysters and more oysters - ooh la la la ! Several more bands playing, lots of other types of food and craft vendors set up there as well. Just so we don't ever get lonely, we are also next to the Tiki bar that has live entertainment - so much fun - music every where.

Don and Patty wolfe's boat. there dog is our Crew's namesake - also named Crew...... Crew Wolfe spends a good part of his day looking at our boat for Crew Blake

Crew W. still waiting for Crew B.

My favorite Crew W. pose, literally leaning on the rail with his elbows !

Up this AM and heading to the Farmer's market for 7:30 AM

The farmer's market and all of the musical entertainment literally takes place at the top of our dock !

Jon and Crew at our dock gate - Farmer's market on the left

Just across the street from the Farmers market is a craft fair

Farmer's market - we had to make two trips back to the boat to drop of our purchases. All healthy purchases with the exception of the below, which is bacon and garlic jam !

In the afternoon we headed to the other side of the marina where they were holding the annual oyster fest

Our boys getting our oysters

First round was roasted oysters

Mike and Jana

Our second round was raw oysters and Oysters Rockefeller - oh my goodness......

On our way out ran into the limo for the Fur Seasons pet resort

No idea how fast time has flown by......Rendezvous has come and gone....... We have decided to just stay stuck on the sandbar here in Ft. Pierce. We had a pre rendezvous pot luck with music on Sunday night. Monday was registration, a historic trolley tour, some meetings, then a meet and greet social. Tues. was our kick off meeting followed by seminars, and the day wrapped up with a pizza and dance party with a Dr. Suess theme. Wed. we had seminars during the day, then a private museum tour of the Navy Seals museum. Thurs. was our general meeting, followed by a women's luncheon and a men's luncheon, seminars, then our final awards dinner. Fri was R and R, then out to a Thai restaurant with Mike and Jana to relive our Thai vacation.Sat. we went to the Farmers market then the craft fair. We bought three painting done by one of the Florida highwaymen with whom I have had a fascination with cinder first learning about them. Our artist was Al Black. he adn shut returned from being filmed in a movie about the Florida Highwaymen, and one of the paintings we bought was actually in the movie. Later on on Sat. we went to tLil Jim's on Don adn Patty's boat - and a great time with great music. Sunday we had a visit form Jim and Jama. Monday Don, Patty and Crew left to head south to the Bahamas. We organized a little MTOA get together and Vern entertained everyone singing and playing his guitar. We then went to dinner with Vern, Mike and Jana, and were quite silly. Luckily the waiter was too irritated with us and even joined in on our shenanigans. We rented a car yesterday for three days. Yesterday we drove North and explored, then had dinner at Archies with Mike and Jana. Today we drove south and ate lunch on the waterfront in Stuart. We also finally got new phones after being phone shamed in Asia when we were told that our phone were so old, they did not make batteries for them any more. Tomorrow back out exploring in the land yacht.

Crew W. looking for his buddy - Crew B.

View from the bow of our boat

All clear this way

and then there was a train

On the historic trolley tour

Heading off of our boat to the party

Jana and Mike

Me, Glen, Jon and George

Drunk 1 and Cat in the Hat

Barbara AKA the grinch and me

Me with Peter

It was food truck night, this one caught my fancy...

the Navy Seal Museum

A little bagpipe music to start the day

Info. about Al Black inside the book about the Highwaymen

With Al Black

With Al Black and the painting in the upcoming movie about the Florida Highwaymen

Jana, Patty and me en route to Lil Jims

Captain Don

Landing at Lil JIms

Jon at Lil Jims

Patty, Don and Jana

Lil Jims

Music at Lil Jims

Dock leading down to our boat

AM pigeon stroll

Sun is a rising

My, "I'm on the boat" happy face

Vern playing at our little post rendezvous get together

Tiki Bar at the marina

Loads of these lizards around

Mike and Jon at Archies

I thought we grew lemons here - really - 50 cents ?

Pretty sunset even through the telephone wires

I had heard of land sharks but tree sharks were a new on on me

Mdonday April 18th 2016 - heading home
Our time in Ft Pierce really feels like a big blur ! Fir. we decided to drive around Lake Okeechobee since we will not be able to do it by boat this year. The whole lake is surrounded by levies so we did not get a lot of lake viewing in but we did see the Port Mayaca, Lewiston and Moore Haven locks, and we stopped at the Roland Martin Marina to have lunch at the tiki bar. The area seemed to be divided between cattle farms and trailer parks...... We spent the weekend visiting, finishing up boat prep to leave today, and had dinner back at the Thai restaurant on Sat. with Vern, Lee, Mike and Jana. It has been blowing stinks for about six days straight, adn today is no exception. Our plan is to get to Cocoa for tonight, New Smyrna tomorrow and home wed. in time for our guitar class Wed. PM.

These fish were everywhere at the marina - sometimes they would all whack into the boat - always a good startle

Sandpipers and ducks at the marina

Lunch in Stuart

Heading out to Lake Okeechobee

Follow the leader

Sugar Cane

Port Mayaca lock

This reminds of "Ventura Highway" by America

We stopped to ask where the Roland Martin marina was - we were told to drive about two miles, then turn right at the Sugar cane field - so here is the sugar cane field