Off to Vero Beach

Another long day expected. Vero Beach is 55 miles south of Cocoa Beach. The plan was to get up early and underway by 7 am for a 10 plus hour day.

Foiled again by the weather. 6:30 am dense fog. We aren't going anywhere till the sun burns the fog off. 9:15 am saw us away from the dock. A haze still hangs over the waterway, but not sufficient to impede our travel. Today the weatherman said temperatures in the low 80's, calm on the inland waterways, 30% possibility of rain.

Leslie Marsh, have dock box will deliver dinner.

Pelicans are not shy. They don't even move.

Blimp over Loggerhead this morning. 

Peter is still in Mardi Gras mode.


( I am having a terrible time with these photos today. I have no control over where they show within this blog. Perhaps better luck on next blog. Also the script is strange, the way it displays. Hope you can read this one.)


I have decided that dolphins are very shy creatures. By the time you see them and get your camera ready for that wonderful photo opportunity. They disappear.

Now the pelicans are a totally different story. They are so accustomed to boat traffic that they do not even get out of the way or try to change their positions unless you are right upon them and definetly going to run right over top of them.

We got into Loggerhead Marina Vero Beach about 4:30 pm. Made really good time for the 55 mile run from Cocoa Beach.  7 hours. We barely had the boat tied up, when we looked up the dock to see Greg Marsh walking towards us. And then a few moments later, Leslie arrives with chocolate covered strawberries and cookies. What a welcome!

A few brief moments of greetings and quick catching up, and Leslie said that she and another boat were planning a pot luck dinner in the marina lounge room and asked if we would join them. We accepted and suggested that we would bring something. Leslie insisted that they had it all covered. She insisted that we get settled, have our showers, and then join them for dinner.  WOW, what a reception!


This is a very upscale marina with everything you would expect, new washrooms laundry facilities, marina lounge area,  plus a pool area. Of course it is also expensive; $2. per foot with a 10% discount for Boat US members.  The monthly rate is just under $600. So we have had a change of plans. We are signing up for a month with Loggerhead Marina, Vero Bch. This becomes our home port. We will stay 2 weeks here, and then as we move south; there are a number of Loggerhead Marinas that have reciprocal benefits that we can overnight and stay a few days as travel. It seems like a good alternative for our travels.

It sounds like Marathon Marina is full as it is every year. So we will make our way to Rodriguez Key and join up with Steve and Linda Franko. This will be a good jumping off point for the Bahamas. My planning should put us a Rodriguez Key by March 22. Leaving us a few days to provision the boat for the Bahamas.