#43 Ft. Pierce - Vero Beach - Merritt Island - New Smyrna - Fernandina Beach - Savannah, GA - Wild Dunes

An evening at anchor

As we've traveled north this month we've had myriads of reunions with friends in various cities.  It's so delightful to recap our lives since our last visit.  Each of them is so hospitable and gracious with dock accommodations, transportation, and many other offerings that are such a gift to us sea urchins.

An obscure nest in a Sabal Palm

St. Augustine

The proverbial "they" say that there is always something broken on your boat---you just don't know it yet.  While in Ft. Pierce and Vero we had our inflatable dingy repaired so it would hold air again. Land dwellers use cars for transportation and cruisers use their dinks. If any of you cruisers need dingy repair we have the guy for you in Vero.

We were leading a parade of MTOA trawlers through Haul Over Canal north of Merritt Island

Easter morning
Doesn't that look like a Resurrection sky!

Our only planned destination for the month was the MTOA (Marine Trawlers Owners Association) Rendezvous in Fernandina Beach, FL.  We arrived on the 15th and had a marvelous time reuniting with old friends and soaking up so much information as it relates to cruising and living-aboard in seemingly endless seminars and workshops.  Our reservations were for a week but we had a 3 day departure delay because of weather.  Not a bad place to be "stuck".  As cruisers, we realize that all of our plans are cast in Jello so we've learned to roll with the punches and as the hackneyed saying goes, "it is what it is." 

The Historic District of Fernandina Beach is a 50 block area located at the north end of Amelia Island and recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.  The town was originally established in 1811, has the distinction of being the last Spanish city platted in the Western Hemisphere, and was named for King Ferdinand VII of Spain.  In 1853, the town site moved just south to take advantage of the new Florida Railroad that we talked about from our time spent in Marathon---remember Flagler's Folly?  The original town is now called Old Town Fernandina and celebrated its 200th anniversary last year.

Before the many historic building lined the streets, pirates roamed the town and Amelia Island.  The likes of Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Pierre and Jean LaFitte, Calico Jack Rackham, Stede Bonnett, and others called on the relative safe haven of Fernandina Harbor at some point.

Pirate use of the island came to a head in 1817 when Frenchman Luis-Michel Aury took control of Fernandina Harbor.  It took US forces more than 3 months to capture Aury, who is said to have left behind  buried treasure.  It's never been found but his ghost still haunts Third Street.

As the area became more popular with boats and ships, the Amelia Island Lighthouse was first lit in 1839 using materials from the former Cumberland Island Lighthouse.  A new lantern in 1881 brought it to a height of 64' and it remains the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in Florida.  This island, with its historical and natural assets, is living history at its best!

One of the MTOA activities was a Pub Crawl taking those thirsty for history to 3 downtown pubs providing insight into some of the town's history.  The Palace Saloon, an icon on the corner of the main drag, opened in 1903 and is Florida's longest-operating saloon.  Adolphus Busch of Anheuser-Bush fame reportedly helped design the elegant bar still used today and inhabited by a frequently seen ghost.  Fernandina is such a charming and delightful town that exudes Southern hospitality.  We had outstanding routes for cycling/walking/running.

So what good did our exercise do???  We savored every tiny morsel!

Both are our views in a serene anchorage

At the risk of boring you with trivia, we're often asked about fuel consumption. We have been cruising full-time for 3 years 4 1 /2 months.  When we're at anchor we use the generator to charge the batteries, for the microwave, stove/oven, and heat/ac. The two main engines burn a total of 3 gallons of diesel an hour; we have averaged 2.5 statute miles per gallon at a speed of 7.4 statute miles per hour. So far we've traveled 10,256 statue miles (8,968 nautical miles).

Charleston's Ravnel Bridge connecting the penninsula with Mt. Pleasant

Our intentions are to arrive Charleston/Mt. Pleasant/Isle of Palms/Wild Dunes today but there are two things we can never predict to be simultaneous. One is when we'll arrive at a destination and the other is where we'll be at a particular time.  Currently, we're underway headed north to our slip in Wild Dunes and our hope is to arrive there this afternoon. 

Charleston Harbor

We'll be there about 3 days--just long enough to wash the boat, change the oil, do laundry, and reprovision then we're off again with NY and Canada in our cross-hairs.  You'll hear from us again May 31!

Church Creek, SC, anchorage

Bill and Laura cruising aboard Kindred Spirit III, Grand Banks Classic 42

#42 March 2012 Marathon - Key Largo - Miami - Boca Raton - Palm Beach - Peck Lake

In light of our experience last year in the Bahamas, we can happily report that it isn't necessary to leave our borders to enjoy pretty water.  It isn't gin-clear like the Bahamas, but very pretty, never-the-less.  And even better, Publix is on some nearby corner.

It's so much fun being Irish on St. Patrick's Day!  Oh, the wearin'-o-the green!

A fond farewell as we leave our home for the past 3 months.

Departing is such sweet sorrow!

Our time in Marathon sadly ended and the bitter-sweet time of biding our friends at Boatman's Marina and Resort farewell until next winter.  A sweet tradition, among this boating community, is to gather on the dock and toss flowers into the wake of the departing vessel wishing for safe travels and  return next season.

Dock mates tossing flowers of farewell into our wake as we depart Marathon

Our feelings were definitely mixed---we hated leaving our friends but were eager to get underway again.  We traveled about 55 miles the first day (along day for us). After we anchored, I looked down at our swim platform and much to my surprise, I found these 3 posies (from the flower tossing ceremony) that had landed there and despite wakes from other boats as well as our own, remained there!  How cool!  Tough, strong blooms obviously symbolic of the great, wonderful bond of boating friendships.

Oh, the shame and humiliation a trawler would suffer if a sailboat were ever to overtake her.  This one made several futile attempts.  What in the world were they thinking????

In Miami we actually trod on terra firma, getting together with Steve, our long-time boating friend.  Great food and fellowship. 

We really love Miami, and South Beach in particular!  Both areas have enormous offerings and for we who are car-less, the public transportation is excellent.  Wish we could stay longer but our dinghy repair person is awaiting our arrival in Ft. Pierce.  Till then, we're boat-bound and the kayak offers a very wet ride.

Thought this to be pretty folksy.  Spied these at Peanut Island, north of Boca---a beach that looks like Tent City.

We've had perfect cruising weather everyday---calm seas, clear skies, and beautiful sights along the waterway.

We had a sweet wedding anniversary celebration as we also celebrated the life-style that we share together.

As we await the celebration of the resurrection, we will keep you apprised of our cruising adventures.

Bill and Laura Bender
Aboard the trawler Kindred  Spirit III
Grand Banks Classic 42'

# 41 February 2012 Marathon and Key West, FL

I know I say this every month but it seems that our time here is more than flying.  When we're in the Keys we think that family and friends feel we've just "dropped out".  We've infrequently been in contact with them so they probably imagine we've joined the old Haight-Ashbury crowd.  It appears that the Keys is where that crowd from the rock and roll lifestyle of the 60's has "retired"! 

This peddler was hawking everything possible for a dog wardrobe. 

The thought did occur to me to buy several truck loads of the "outfits" above and hang them on most of the yapping canines that we encounter.

 Marathon dock mates, Bill and Patt, spend every February in Key West.  They graciously entertained us on their motor yacht for several days and this is just one of the tranquil scenes.

...and more photo opps....

 The Official Southernmost Point

 The sign above is difficult to read but it says "Southernmost Broken Cleat" which is that irregular object lower left.  Everything in Key West claims to be the "Southernmost" whatever--house, bar, stop sign---so this ragged cleat has that distinction.

South Beach, Key West

Key West bougainvilleas

Elegant and historic St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Key West

Strolling down a Key West street

Another "Southernmost".


Historic sculpture garden

A Pile of Turtles

Dessert at Latitudes, Sunset Key

Bill and Patt and Bill and I took the Sunset Key Shuttle from Key West's Westin Marina for lunch at Latitudes on Sunset Key.  There are large granite rocks visible on the key's south shore that were brought from NC by train to Miami, trucked to Fort Zachary Taylor and then barged to their present location.  Sunset Key was once known as Tank Island because of military fuel tanks that were placed there.  in the early 90's, the island changed hands, tanks dismantled, cut into strips, cleaned, crimped, and barged to an artificial reef site in 200' of water south of Key West. 

Sunset Key's development then began.  Homes and home sites range from $1,700,000 to more than $6 million. 

                       Our view of the Gulf of Mexico during our lunch at Latitudes

Island services include a great beachfront restaurant and bar called Latitudes.  The restaurant offers an upscale, yet casual, setting with indoor and alfresco dining overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The atmosphere is casual elegance giving us the feeling of being on an isolated Caribbean island and we enjoyed a unique dining experience here.

When in the Keys, make this a "must see" in Key West.  It's fairly new and very well executed.  We were guided by colorful marine artwork depicting the deep sea, coral reef, and mangrove shoreline that decorates the outside wall of the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center. This interactive center occupies over 6000 SF of exhibits and a mock-up of Aquarius, the world's only underwater ocean laboratory. A good part of an afternoon was spent there as we took a journey into the world of the native plants and animals of the Keys, both on land and underwater. When we left there we had an increased awareness and appreciation of the need to conserve and protect our ecosystem. We explored exhibits interpreting the ecology of Keys' habitats, from the upland pinelands through the hardwood hammock and beach dunes. From there, we traveled down to the mangrove shoreline, where we entered the sea to learn about the seagrass flats, hardbottom, coral reef, and deep-shelf communities. At the Center’s theater, we caught a short film on the diverse ecosystem of the Keys, "Reflections of the Florida Keys".

We enjoyed the Mote Marine Laboratory Living Reef exhibit, which includes a 2,500-gallon reef tank with living corals and tropical fish, a live Reef Cam, and other displays that highlight the coral reef environment.

A walk through the Aquarius exhibit offers glimpses of the beautiful marine life at the reef and shows how scientists live beneath the sea during research expeditions. The Center is sponsored and operated by Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA, the South Florida Water Management District, Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks, the National Wildlife Refuges of the Florida Keys, and Eastern National. Admission to the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center is free.

Chickens roam everywhere in Key West

The Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum has been on our bucket list for a long time and this trip to Key West provided the time to make a visit.  It gets its name from the founder, Mel Fisher, and contains an extensive collection of artifacts from 17th century shipwrecks.

Entry to Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

This would make a fashion statement!!

Mallory Square is a plaza located at the center of Old Town on Key West's waterfront.  It's the location of the "Sunset Celebration", which is considered one of the main tourist attractions of the city, involving hundreds of tourists who arrive each night to view the sunset.  The celebration includes arts and crafts exhibitors, street performers and food carts and begins 2 hours before sunset every single day of the year.  Key West had its beginning along this deep harbor waterfront--the wrecking schooners, the frigates and warships of the USN, the Cuban cigar makers tobacco warehouses, ship's chandlers and government offices.

Sunset from Mallory Square and the conclusion of a memorable visit.

Back home in Marathon and the resumption of our projects.  The cashier couldn't find a bar code for the puppy at Home Depot.

Yet another day in paradise and the 29th day of February.  If I weren't married to Bill Bender, I think that today, to him, I'd propose!

Until March 31, we wish for you a warm springtime!

Bill and Laura

Marathon, FL

#40 January 2012 Marathon, FL

Happy 2012!!!!

We began the year on the right foot with a 40 mile bike ride but our faithfulness to that endeavor has waned for lots of reasons.  This is the most socially active place we've ever lived and somehow we aren't learning the art of "picking and choosing".  With few exceptions we pretty much are doing it ALL!!!  Today a friend kindly and gently reminded me--"just say NO!"  Sunday is church and our dock's covered dish 5 PM gathering---and every single night we "gather" at the 4 long picnic tables at 5 PM;  Monday morning far too early is the Men's Breakfast; Tuesday morning (too early--anything before 9:30 AM is Too Early) our Bible study meets; Wednesday is my library volunteer day and dancing that night; Thursday is Line Dance class and music at Dockside; Friday is music at Burdine's topped off with their French Fries sprinkled with fairy dust and fried Key Lime Pie.  Sounds awful (we don't even like Key Lime Pie) but this is to-die-for.

                                 Burdine's Fried Key Lime Pie

We do love these little mammals!  They crave fresh water but there's a sizeable fine for "watering" them.  Someone had a drippy hose so I was able to capture them fairly close.

One of our favorite hangouts, Burdine's, and by far, our front-runner musicians, are John, Banjo Barrister, and Joe, guitarist.

Our marina gave a Slip-Holder Appreciation Dinner with entertainment to follow.  This little gal with her flaming hula hoop was fantastic.  She also is an accupuncturist and massage therapist.  In the Keys it's helpful to be multi-talented!

Jim, a friend and new trawler owner from our old stomping grounds, Greenville, SC, arrived this month to spend the winter.  Told him he better show up rested because it's tough to keep up with all these geezers!  Another SC couple, Bob and Emily, once upon a time full-time cruisers and our mentors as sea urchins, checked into their slip earlier this week in their Nordic Tug.  It's fun to have the 3 of them here.

Last weekend was the 100th anniversary of Henry Flagler's Florida Overseas Railway, that took 8 years, 10,000 workers and $50M to complete.  It connected the mainland to Key West, then the playground for the wealthy and Florida's most populous and richest city.  In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the coast was barren from Palm Beach to the southern tip.  In 1895 only 9 people lived along the Miami River.  In 1896, soon after his railroad passed through Miami, the area became incorporated with almost 800 residents.  The Standard Oil tycoon personally financed this project which became known as Flagler's Folly.  All the desolation changed and as he laid tracks down the coast, developments sprung up. 

The line became known as the Over-Seas Railroad because its track stretched more than 100 miles out into open water.  Workers were brought from as nearby as Cuba and as far away as Sweden. Concrete that would harden underwater was imported from Germany.

I sometimes wonder, had it not been for Flagler's prevision and forsightedness, would the Keys still be isolated little islands accessible only by boat?

Flagler's railroad was short-lived.  Completed in 1912, a hurricane destroyed not only the railway but also the train that was attempting to evacuate Key West residents to safety.  Flagler's bridges and viaducts that connected the Keys, including a 7 mile long bridge, were regarded then as an engineering marvel. Subsequently, a roadbed replaced the tracks, successfully serving motorists until 1982 when that was replaced by new bridges.  Portions of the old bridges remain and are useful as fishing piers.

The highway decking on the top is for the old Oversears Highway which is now abandoned for more modern civil engineering.  The hump in the middle is where the highway goes up to clear the center channel span.

Unquestionably, time passes faster here than any place we've ever been---either on land or sea.  Seems as if Sunday mornings roll around about every other day!  We've been here 5 weeks and it seems we've just arrived.  Haven't had time to get to Key West yet nor to some of our favorite restaurants!  If the months continue to fly this quickly we'll be centenarians in the blink of an eye!  Life is short and we're cramming as much into it as possible---eventhough our tails are dragging.  We know not what tomorrow holds so drink deep of life's rosy goblet.

Till next month,

Bill and Laura

Kindred Spirit III

Marathon, FL