Southern Belle: North Palm Beach to St. Augustine

Saturday, March 24

North Palm Beach Marina Office

After we docked at North Palm Beach we called in to Customs and Immigration to clear in. Customs went fine but we were told we needed to go to the airport to clear Immigration. We rented a car and went out there...took all of 30 seconds to clear and didn't even get a stamp on our passports. There is an easier way to do this and next time we will do it that way...you pre-clear before you leave and then when you get back to the States all you have to do is call in.

Since we were out in the car we did some shopping...we even found a CostCo and bought cheap beer and meat!!! CostCo is a startling contrast to the little ma &pa groceries in the Bahamas. We were like kids in a candy store, overstimulated and wide-eyed.

When we got back to the Belle, Dan was waiting for us. So good to see him again!!!

Dan... nice shades

We had a feast of Mahi Mahi and it was delicious.

The successful angler presents his catch

We watched this wicked weather system over the ocean and were very glad we had made our crossing when we did. Our Captain made the right call and, even though it was a long haul, we were always safe. Thanks to Captain Kerm.
As Linda and I watched the weather from the fly bridge, we both saw a huge meteorite blaze across the sky. It was the biggest one either of us have ever seen and we were very excited. I took it as an omen, closing off our Bahamas adventure and welcoming us back home.

Lots of lightning in there

On Sunday we were lazing around when a gentleman came by and introduced himself...Bob Smith. Kerm was delighted to learn he was 'THE' Bob Smith from American Diesel who knows everything there is to know about the Ford Lehman 120 HP engine in our boat. Bob spent at least an hour with Kerm looking at the engine, listening to it run and offering expert advice. It was so wonderful for our captain to get confirmation that he was going so much right and hints on how to make things even better. Thanks, Mr. Smith, for stopping by.

Monday, March 26

We left North Palm Beach Marina at 7:04 am aiming north. We had been agonizing over that to do with the boat this summer and we made a default decision when we passed by the St. Lucie Inlet. That leads to the Okeechobee Waterway...so we are not heading to the West Coast.
Our decision making process probably leaves some people scratching their heads but it works for us. We end up doing fun stuff that that's the point of all this silliness after all. Isn't it?

Where dreams come true

This is the mecca of boatbuilding. When we win the lottery Kerm will come here to commission his Rybovich sportfishing boat. I already have a name for it...the 'Kermovich'.

At 4:00 pm, after traveling 54.4 nautical miles and clearing 10 bridges, we stopped at Vero Beach Municipal Marina's mooring field for the night.

By the way, mooring ball fields organized by the municipalities are awesome. You grab a mooring ball, pay a very modest fee and you get a safe, secure, restful night's sleep. No anchor anguish, no docking drama. And to those boats that anchor just off the mooring field to avoid the fee...get a clue and develop some class. If we don't support these mooring fields they will go away. Okay, I don't usually pontificate. I'll get off my soap box now.
Good night.

Tuesday, March 27

Departed Vero Beach Mooring Field at 6:55am. Happy to be on the ICW and welcomed by dolphins and jelly fish. Good day on the Belle, cleared 8 bridges and traveled 64.3 nautical miles before grabbing a mooring ball at Titusville Municipal Marina at 4:25pm.

One of the many bridges we cleared

Wednesday, March 28

Departed Titusville at 6:48 am.
At 8:04 am we were at the Haulover Canal Bridge, also known as the Allenhurst bridge. This area is full of manatees and dolphins. It was very cool to see such a concentration. I read in one of the guidebooks that if you anchor off the channel here you are liable to be woken up by the thumping of manatees on the hull of your boat.

At about 1:00pm we passed by Daytona Beach.

We were going to stop early in the day and go to St. Augustine the next day but we were making such good time that we decided to push on. It made for a long day but we arrived at St. Augustine Municipal Marina at 7:13 pm, grabbing a mooring ball in time to watch the sun go down. We cleared 15 bridges and traveled 87.7 nautical miles today.

Sight seeing in St. Augustine tomorrow.

Thursday, March 29

Linda and I went into town to look around...