Titusville to Jacksonville

A stunning sunrise is our reward for an early start from the Titusville Marina as we head north to Daytona Beach!

 

 

 

The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is Florida's tallest lighthouse. 

Ten miles south of Daytona Beach, Ponce Inlet was first discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513.

 

 

 

BRRRRrrrrr.....!!   If you wait long enough . . . . . . . . 

 

. . . . . . . . the weather will change !!!

What a difference two days can make!

 

 

 

 

We felt so pampered at the exquisite Halifax Harbor Marina in Daytona Beach.

 

 

 

 

The seagulls on these empty docks watched us pull in before we were greeted by the helpful, friendly marina staff.

 

 

 

 

First we heard them . . . . . .

 

 

 

 

and then we saw them . . . . . .

 

 

 

 

. . . . . . LOTS of them!  It was "Biker's Week " in Daytona!

 

 

 

 

The Captain thought this Harley would look good on Spiritus but decided there's no room unless we pitch the dinghy!

 

 

 

 

Daytona has more than its share of bridges and Spiritus proudly went under or through them all.

 

 

 

 

This was a first!  Beautiful  mosaic tiles on the pilings of this Daytona bridge provides art work that can only be viewed from a boat.

 

 

 

 

Cruising by the St. Augustine Lighthouse . . . . . . 

 

 

 

  

. . . . . . means America's oldest town can soon be seen from the water's edge!

 

 

 

 

We walked around historic St. Augustine and were "awed" by the old world, European-style architecture.  This was originally the Ponce de Leon Hotel.

 

 

 

 

Henry Flager built the palatial "Ponce de Leon Hotel" which, in 1968, was turned into the home of Flagler College.

 

 

 

 

Henry Flagler built this magnificent Presbyterian Church in honor of his daughter, who died tragically.  He and his loved ones are buried in the adjacent mausoleum.

 

 

 

 

Another early start as we depart St. Augustine .... Linda has never seen so many sunrises!!

 

 

 

 

We were surprised to discover the vast, serene marshland north of St. Augustine as we cruised towards Jacksonville.

 

 

 

 

The Captain skillfully navigates Spiritus through the Jacksonville industrial, metropolitan port.

 

 

 

 

The Jacksonville skyline boasts mammoth skyscrapers, interspersed with attractive riverside parks.

It is home to the Jacksonville Jaguars National Football Team & we did a cheer as we passed their field.

 

 

 

Downtown Jacksonville on the St. Johns River has something for everyone!

 

 

 

 

 Spiritus made it safely to her slip at the sublime "Marina at Ortega Landing".

 

 

 

 

And Spiritus' crew is grateful to have a pool and hot tub to indulge in after a l-o-n-g day of cruising!

 

 

 

 

Spiritus' crew will be taking an intermission while we take care of some "necessary business".

Stay well, stay safe, and stay tuned!

 

 

 



Cruising North

Leaving Stuart, FL and the St. Lucie River in our wake to begin our journey north on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).

 

 

 

Only minutes after joining the ICW, we were entertained by dolphin playing all around Spiritus!

 

 

 

 

 

Loopers jokingly refer to Vero Beach as "Velcro Beach" because once you stop here it's hard to get away . . . . . .

 

 

In addition to the free public transportation, concerts in the park, dozens of quaint eateries, and weekly arts & craft shows,

 the beaches are almost as beautiful as Navarre's!

 

 

 

 

 

And you can always share your ice cream with a feathered friend or . . . . . . .

 

your best friend and a feathered friend!

 

 

 

 

Another moment that took our breath away......

sunrise on the morning we departed Vero Beach.

 

 

 

 

A swing bridge opens up for Spiritus as we head up the Banana River.

 We stayed three nights at Manatee Cove Marina on Patrick Air Force Base.

 

 

 

At Manatee Cove Marina, Spiritus had the perfect spot: right in front of the Tiki Bar and the party deck.

 

 

 

 

A little family reunion with Linda's Cocoa Beach family:

Aunt Edith, Uncle Clancy, cousin Janne, her husband Rick and their son Ricky.

 

 

 

 

A surprise "pre-birthday" cake for Aunt Edith!

 

 

 

 

Uncle Clancy treated us all to a divine meal at Cocoa Village's Cafe Margeaux.

 

 

 

 

Another spectacular sunrise departure, this time from Manatee Cove Marina.

 

 

 

 

Entering the Titusville Municipal Marina after seven hours of cruising.

 

 

 

Titusville is across the Indian River from the Kennedy Space Center.  Evidence of this city's intense connection to the space program is everywhere.  The curtailment of the Space Shuttle program has had a dramatic effect on the local economy.

 

 

 

The Space Museum in downtown Titusville is chocked full of interesting memorabilia.

 

 

 

 

Captain Eddy prepares to launch a rocket on a cosmic journey into deep space.

 

 

 

Space View Memorial Park

Space program officionados will recognize this logo for the USA's first manned space project:

 Project Mercury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Okeechobee Waterway Crossing

The owners of Rialto Marina restore antique wagons and buggies in their "spare" time!

 

 

 

 

Marina owners, Bus & Nifty, train a three-year old horse to pull a cart.

  They compete in the World Equestrian Games in one of the eight disciplines; this one is called Combined Driving.

 

 

 

 

Tom & Patsy Conrad, caught up with us during our second day at Rialto in their trawler, True North.

This was the first of many fun rounds of Sequence, a new board game they taught us to play.

 

 

 

 

We traveled 155 miles on the Okeechobee Waterway from Ft Myers to Stuart.

Lake Okeechobee is Florida's largest lake and the second largest freshwater lake in the United States.

It is 37 miles long, 30 miles wide, and is renowned for the number of bass it contains.

 

 

 

 

All along the waterway we are reminded that the land surrounding the lake is rich in agriculture.

Orange groves like this one are plentiful . . . . . .

 

 

 

. . . . . . but sugar cane fields are King!

 

 

 

Cattle are so bountiful you can smell them waayyyy before you see them!

 

 

 

 

Spiritus & True North at the city docks in Moore Haven, a small town on the western edge of Lake Okeechobee.  

Waiting for a good weather window, we spent two nights before crossing the lake together.

 

 

 

Tom & Patsy share the same love of ice cream as our very own Linda!

Yes, the four of us finished the whole tub!

 

 

 

Leaving the canal at Moore Haven, we turn southward and are surrounded by marshland.

 Cypress trees help provide a natural barrier along the shoreline of impressive Lake Okeechobee.

 

 

 

At Clewiston, we make a turn to head out toward the middle of the lake.

For the first time, we begin to feel the vastness of this wonderland of nature.

 

 

 

 

The canal system engineers also installed a huge cork right in the middle of the lake, just in case there is ever a need to drain it! 

 

 

 

 

Seagulls fly off the stern of Spiritus, waiting to swoop down and pick up the tiny fish that are churned to the surface by her wake.

 

 

 

We know some of you have been waiting for a picture of an alligator.

Here's one we didn't see when crossing Lake Okeechobee.

 

 

 

 

After nine hours of cruising, we finally pull in to Sunset Harbor Marina in Stuart, Florida.

Not many couples can say they traversed the width of the state by boat!

 

 

 

 

Our first sunset on the east coast of Florida!

It was a marvelous and smooth crossing.

 

 

 

 

Tom & Patsy help celebrate our successful Okeechobee crossing!

 

 

 

 

These rocking chairs on the marina dock are a perfect place to watch the sunset . . . . . .

 

 

 

 

. . . . . . or indulge in your favorite ice cream!