Weebles arrives in Florida

[mvweebles]

Welcome to Florida and happy to see your alignment problem has been resolved.

You likely have everything set for your marina slip in St. Augustine but want to suggest considering Halifax Harbor Marina in Daytona Beach. HH is much closer to pubs and restaurants than St. Augustine marinas where, other than the municipal marina where tidal currents make docking a problem, it's something of a trek to the downtown area.

Additionally, Daytona is significantly warmer in winter months and offers a shorter ride to your home in St. Petersburg.

Just a thought.

Mac

Thanks Mac. Halifax Harbor is now on the list. Don't know when, but it's on the list. Last time I was to Daytona Beach was for the 500 race 15 years ago.

I asked Cheryll yesterday "do you have any desire to do The Loop?" She replied that she's heard it was a bit anticlimactic. To which I said, "6000 miles is a long way and the Mississippi sounds pretty boring. But what if there were a lot of small towns to stop in? Like along the East Coast - North Carolina? You know, just do the fun stuff?"

She replied "now that sounds fun. Maybe Maine? Nova Scotia?"

And that's how the seeds get planted. Whether they grow is anyone's guess. But it's how we make cruising decisions.

Thanks Mac for sprinkling some fertilizer on the dream.

Peter

 

[lwarden]

My wife and I have had many discussions about the Loop, and eventually went to an AGLCA Rendezvous last May to speak to a bunch of loopers. Our takeaway; ICW up sounds good in spots, canals up to the Great Lakes and in Canada sound awesome, TenTom down, we likely would power through and FL and Bahamas would be fun to experience. All in all, it seems like a great adventure. I haven't heard many people say it was not a worthwhile experience.

 

[seighlor]

Peter,

More sprinkles... Depending on your age and how much cruising time you anticipate remains in your life, rather than the loop I'd opt for a slow cruise along the Atlantic coast, Chesapeake Bay and perhaps into Canada. Include the Bahama Islands, some of the gulf coast, Mexico and, perhaps, Cuba. Recent events indicate the possibility that the doors to Cuba may reopen.

Good wishes,

Mac

 

[ranger58sb]

We actually prefer the municipal marina in St. Augustine for a short stay there, but I think Camachee Cove would be a nicer marina for longer-term visits. Not immediately as close to "downtown" but IIRC there's an easy bus service or some such.

We like Halifax Harbor.

Peter, you could probably spend a lifetime on the Chesapeake and never see it all... and it's not such an arduous trip (from FL) as probably would be a Loop or "down east" cruising. And there certainly are a boatload of small towns along the AICW...

-Chris

 

[Sord]

Titusville Municipal Marina is also a good place to stop. Clean showers, laundry facility, small store and limited chandlery, Hardware Store Brew Pub within walking distance, and no tides! A great, if somewhat rustic, marina with a good group of helpful folks running the show.

 

[Jklotz]

Titusville Municipal Marina is also a good place to stop. Clean showers, laundry facility, small store and limited chandlery, Hardware Store Brew Pub within walking distance, and no tides! A great, if somewhat rustic, marina with a good group of helpful folks running the show.

They also have a very active cruiser community there, with happy hours and such, if you like that sort of thing.

 

[mvweebles]

Weebles was splashed yesterday. Fairly long day - 250 mile drive in a one way car rental. Then some touchup bottom paint and zincs along with washing the boat of yard dirt and getting her back in running shape.

We are headed north towards St Augustine at a fairly brisk pace. We have an interrupted schedule due to a doctor's appt this Friday so we'll leave the boat and rent a car for a day.

We switched teams yesterday.
"There are those who have never gone aground......."
Yep. Stabbed a shoal pretty good. Stupid navigating on my part - I got a bit confused and followed a couple boats. We wiggled our way off after 5-mins or so. Color me humbled is all I can say.

BTW - not that it would have made a difference, but the red ATON at the Jupiter inlet has been moved.

We're anchored north of Jupiter in a widening of the ICW that backs up to open space (well, mangroves) across from gazillion dollar homes. Politically, I'm a mutt with a strong lineage of libertarian, but I still cannot get over the wealth along coastal Florida. Last night's dinner was picking food on the back deck as it got dark. Of the 50-100 homes we could see, maybe five appeared occupied --- and this is mid February. Prime snowbird season. God bless America's wealth machine but hard to call Bernie Sanders an out of touch quack.

Peter

Peter

 

[MV Moira]

Oh, you found that shoal, too! Maybe during your visit you saw the furrow we left there some time back. Yup, it grows out from that corner and gives a lesson to those who would cut the corner. This isn't the last time on the ICW that you'll say to yourself "That buoy WAAAY over there can't possibly be in the right spot!" but it is. Especially common where the ICW passes an inlet from the ocean. If you haven't got it yet, get AquaMap with the Corps of Engineers survey charts.

 

[twistedtree]

Thanks Mac. Halifax Harbor is now on the list. Don't know when, but it's on the list. Last time I was to Daytona Beach was for the 500 race 15 years ago.

I asked Cheryll yesterday "do you have any desire to do The Loop?" She replied that she's heard it was a bit anticlimactic. To which I said, "6000 miles is a long way and the Mississippi sounds pretty boring. But what if there were a lot of small towns to stop in? Like along the East Coast - North Carolina? You know, just do the fun stuff?"

She replied "now that sounds fun. Maybe Maine? Nova Scotia?"

And that's how the seeds get planted. Whether they grow is anyone's guess. But it's how we make cruising decisions.

Thanks Mac for sprinkling some fertilizer on the dream.

Peter

If you don't do the Great Loop, or maybe as a warm-up, I highly recommend the DownEast Loop, which includes Maine and Nova Scotia.

 

[mvweebles]

Oh, you found that shoal, too! Maybe during your visit you saw the furrow we left there some time back. Yup, it grows out from that corner and gives a lesson to those who would cut the corner. This isn't the last time on the ICW that you'll say to yourself "That buoy WAAAY over there can't possibly be in the right spot!" but it is. Especially common where the ICW passes an inlet from the ocean. If you haven't got it yet, get AquaMap with the Corps of Engineers survey charts.

Now you tell me!!!! Here's a screenshot of Aquamaps - guessing the blue dashed line is Bob432 and the redline is the edited route (red #2 buoy has been moved). Grr....

QUESTION: we'll need fuel in the next couple days. Any suggestions for best price on diesel between Jupiter and St Augustine?

 

[mvweebles]

If you don't do the Great Loop, or maybe as a warm-up, I highly recommend the DownEast Loop, which includes Maine and Nova Scotia.

I don't think either of us have the desire to do the Loop. But heading up the eastern seaboard sure sounds nice. I've hears great things about cruising Nova Scotia and Maine.

I could sure go for a bowl of fish chowder for breakfast right now.....

Peter

 

[twistedtree]

I don't think either of us have the desire to do the Loop. But heading up the eastern seaboard sure sounds nice. I've hears great things about cruising Nova Scotia and Maine.

I could sure go for a bowl of fish chowder for breakfast right now.....

Peter

The Canadian Maritimes are outstanding. Maine is really nice, but in my opinion completely spoiled by the over abundance of lobster traps and buoys that make navigation very unpleasant. I just stopped going - not worth it, IMO.

 

[MV Moira]

Re fuel prices, you know about the Cruisersnet.Net survey?

 

[mvweebles]

Re fuel prices, you know about the Cruisersnet.Net survey?

Outstanding. Thanks

 

[rslifkin]

I don't think either of us have the desire to do the Loop. But heading up the eastern seaboard sure sounds nice. I've hears great things about cruising Nova Scotia and Maine.

I could sure go for a bowl of fish chowder for breakfast right now.....

Peter

There's also the option of a trip up into the Great Lakes for some cruising there. Plenty of places to go without having to do the loop. The loop doesn't have a big appeal to me either, there's lots of stuff heading down the western rivers that just doesn't strike me as particularly interesting cruising.

Out of curiosity, how tall is Weebles with the hardtop?

 

[Grupet]

On the fuel, often a great price at Pelican Yacht Club in Fort Pierce.....

 

[mvweebles]

There's also the option of a trip up into the Great Lakes for some cruising there. Plenty of places to go without having to do the loop. The loop doesn't have a big appeal to me either, there's lots of stuff heading down the western rivers that just doesn't strike me as particularly interesting cruising.

Out of curiosity, how tall is Weebles with the hardtop?

I haven't measured exactly but hard top is around 14' air draft. Radar and GPS add a couple feet. I could do the loop if desired. The upper areas you mention are definitely of interest. Sounds odd, but a bucket list item for me is King Arthur Flours school in Vermont - so do a road trip through the area. I'd love to improve my sourdough skills

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

I haven't measured exactly but hard top is around 14' air draft. Radar and GPS add a couple feet. I could do the loop if desired. The upper areas you mention are definitely of interest. Sounds odd, but a bucket list item for me is King Arthur Flours school in Vermont - so do a road trip through the area. I'd love to improve my sourdough skills

Peter

You've definitely got plenty of options to head inland and/or do the Downeast Loop at that height. Depending on height with the radar you might be a little too tall for the Western Erie Canal (15'6" clearance) but you should be fine to do the Champlain Canal (17' clearance) and the Eastern Erie and Oswego Canals up to Lake Ontario (21' clearance). The Rideau and Trent Severn Canals in Canada should be do-able as well.

 

[mvdunwaitin]

The Thousand Islands on the St.Lawrence is where I cruise and there are a lot of moorings/Anchorages and Parks Canada docking spots. We are usually Prescott ON (across from Ogdensburg NY) to Kingson Ontario (Cape Vincent NY)>
Lots of fun towns and beautiful parks etc.

 

[twistedtree]

I haven't measured exactly but hard top is around 14' air draft. Radar and GPS add a couple feet. I could do the loop if desired. The upper areas you mention are definitely of interest. Sounds odd, but a bucket list item for me is King Arthur Flours school in Vermont - so do a road trip through the area. I'd love to improve my sourdough skills

Peter

Certainly give me a shout if you go to King Arthur. I live about 30 minutes from there.

 

[Frosty]

Just curious, but do you not have the Corps of Engineers color-shaded survey layer in Aquamaps? (As shown in @MV Moira 's post.)

Maybe you just turned it off to make this photo clearer...

Now you tell me!!!! Here's a screenshot of Aquamaps - guessing the blue dashed line is Bob432 and the redline is the edited route (red #2 buoy has been moved). Grr....

View attachment 172490

 

[Blissboat]

We actually prefer the municipal marina in St. Augustine for a short stay there, but I think Camachee Cove would be a nicer marina for longer-term visits. Not immediately as close to "downtown" but IIRC there's an easy bus service or some such.

Ditto that. In addition, Camachee Cove is walkable to the recently opened Publix, across the bridge in Vilano Beach. As for downtown, since you'll presumably have your car (coming and going from SPB) you'll be more mobile than the typical transient boater. OTOH, parking in downtown St. Augustine is extremely difficult - you'll be getting your daily steps in, no matter which marina you choose.

 

[mvweebles]

We're anchored about 7-miles south of Melbourne behind a small spoils island. It's a nice spot well protected from the ferocious 5-kt southerly winds expected overnight.

Seems these little islands would be perfect for cruisers with dogs.

We accidentally froze the four eggs we brought with us so it's bacon and cheese quiche tonight with a salad.

We took on 100g diesel at Ft Pierce City Marina. Seems like a nice marina in a decent location. We had Sail Fish IPA a week ago and liked it - their brewery is within walking distance. So we'll stop on the way back.

Docked in the marina there is a custom trawler - around 60-ft I'd say. "Cowboy" hails from Oregon with Bia, an adorable bernadoodle. It's a serious passage capable boat headed to the Bahamas. He is a quiet lurker somewhere here in TF and started following me on NoForeignLand and I've been watching his progress down the coast. Was a lot of fun to connect a face with a name.

I have to say, this stretch of the ICW is beautiful. It's a handful to navigate compared to open ocean but it's great. Really pays to have a comfortable flybridge.

As an aside, I have built a few routes for the stretch to St Augustine. Having a route to NAV really reduces the work and allows us to focus on possible issues. I know not everyone uses NAV, but I'm a big proponent. AUTO is okay, but being able to link so many waypoints has been helpful for us.

Peter

 

[Diep]

I believe Cowboy is a Cape Horn if it is the boat I am thinking of. Steel hull and very sturdy. If so it started as 60 something but quite a bit more as that cockpit was added for fishing. I am always intrigued by the Cape Horns and read everything I find about them. I am glad it is out in the wild putting miles beneath the keel.

 

[nwh10]

I haven't measured exactly but hard top is around 14' air draft. Radar and GPS add a couple feet. I could do the loop if desired. The upper areas you mention are definitely of interest. Sounds odd, but a bucket list item for me is King Arthur Flours school in Vermont - so do a road trip through the area. I'd love to improve my sourdough skills

Peter

Come on up to Lake Champlain! Beg, borrow, steal or rent a car for a side trip to Norwich.

 

[mvweebles]

We anchored last night behind a small island 6 miles south of Melbourne. We did about 70 miles yesterday - from mm 997 to 925. I believe those are stature miles - someone can correct me please.

Somewhere I thought I read that the small islands that for the ICW are "spoils," presumably from old dredging operations. They seem to have elongated sandbars off them which requires a bit of brail navigation to approach. But the effort is worthwhile - nice anchorage. Likely popular with cruisers with dogs.

Overnight, we are using roughly half the power we did in Central America about 10ah (12v) compared to well over 20ah. I attribute this to (1) cooler weather means less work for the fridge and 12v freezer; (2) smaller freezer - we replaced the large Dometic with a cheap no-name of half size (Dometic is fine, just expensive and didn't want to leave it in the cockpit); and (3) no Starlink which is a power hog (Gen 2). I am less apt to make any upgrades to our solar LFP system as a result though I'm sure the inner geek will win out sooner or later with a pained but triumphant swipe of the credit card.

We're headed to Cocoa today where we'll grab a marina slip, rent a car, and drive 4-5 hours to our home near St Petersburg. I have a routine doctor appt tomorrow morning and we'll return tomorrow afternoon.

Any recommendations for eats or breweries in Cocoa?

Peter

 

[DWJensen]

Any recommendations for eats or breweries in Cocoa?

Peter

We like Pub Americana for burgers and such, Ryan's for pizza and wings. Both are right in the village.

Let me know when you're going to be at CVM, our Heritage East is there and we're running back and forth from our new boat at Camachee Cove. If we don't meet up in Cocoa, maybe when you get to St Augustine.

 

[Judy at JWY]

We're anchored about 7-miles south of Melbourne behind a small spoils island. It's a nice spot well protected from the ferocious 5-kt southerly winds expected overnight.
View attachment 172507
Seems these little islands would be perfect for cruisers with dogs.

We accidentally froze the four eggs we brought with us so it's bacon and cheese quiche tonight with a salad.

We took on 100g diesel at Ft Pierce City Marina. Seems like a nice marina in a decent location. We had Sail Fish IPA a week ago and liked it - their brewery is within walking distance. So we'll stop on the way back.

Docked in the marina there is a custom trawler - around 60-ft I'd say. "Cowboy" hails from Oregon with Bia, an adorable bernadoodle. It's a serious passage capable boat headed to the Bahamas. He is a quiet lurker somewhere here in TF and started following me on NoForeignLand and I've been watching his progress down the coast. Was a lot of fun to connect a face with a name.

View attachment 172508View attachment 172509
I have to say, this stretch of the ICW is beautiful. It's a handful to navigate compared to open ocean but it's great. Really pays to have a comfortable flybridge.

As an aside, I have built a few routes for the stretch to St Augustine. Having a route to NAV really reduces the work and allows us to focus on possible issues. I know not everyone uses NAV, but I'm a big proponent. AUTO is okay, but being able to link so many waypoints has been helpful for us.

Peter

M/Y Cowboy is a 2003 Cape Horn 74. She started as a CH 65 but the original owners had her hull extended with a cockpit while still under construction to accommodate their ability to fish in faraway waters. This owner bought her in June 2024 - so glad to see him enjoying this incredible passagemaker.

 

[rslifkin]

As an aside, I have built a few routes for the stretch to St Augustine. Having a route to NAV really reduces the work and allows us to focus on possible issues. I know not everyone uses NAV, but I'm a big proponent. AUTO is okay, but being able to link so many waypoints has been helpful for us.

I haven't run the ICW down there, but in more open waters I'm a big fan of Nav mode (although I do keep mine set to prompt before switching waypoints). In more confined waters or where I'm likely to be reacting to lots of other traffic I tend to just keep it in Auto and adjust as needed as it's harder to dodge in Nav. I just keep an eye on the course over ground line on the plotter to make sure I'm still heading to where I want.

 

[mvweebles]

I haven't run the ICW down there, but in more open waters I'm a big fan of Nav mode (although I do keep mine set to prompt before switching waypoints). In more confined waters or where I'm likely to be reacting to lots of other traffic I tend to just keep it in Auto and adjust as needed as it's harder to dodge in Nav. I just keep an eye on the course over ground line on the plotter to make sure I'm still heading to where I want.

Topic comes up from time to time and I'm always surprised at the number of people who won't use NAV (or whatever other brands call follow-route). NO-DRIFT is decent but it's really relaxing to have a route plugged in. When we have an oncoming boat, we go to AUTO and move to right of channel, then resume NAV. My old Comnav had a usable DODGE function. Simrad.....not so much.

I don't have any issues letting the MFD continue to next waypoint automatically. We get an alert when there's a course correction.

Some of the waypoints have been very close together. I had to adjust some of the AP settings, specifically reduce "Arrival Circle" which tells the AP when to initiate the turn. It was too big so the turn started too soon.

Peter