Day 100-101 15-16 March

We knew it was going to be a long day when we left Fort Pierce at 9:00 AM without coffee! Java Charlies near the Fort Pierce City Marina was our first stop of the day since they open every day at 7:00 AM...that is every day except Saturday and Sunday. So all we got out of the short walk to downtown Fort Pierce was a bit of exercise and a walk back through the crafts flea market set up near the marina.

We didn't stay long and didn't buy anything. We got back to Windreka and promptly cast off the lines and headed out. The wind was pressing us against the dock as we left and that's always exciting with the dinghy hanging off the davits and sticking out on either side just enough to snag any dock pilings that are too close...and they're all too close when the wind is holding you against the dock. Nevertheless, we got off without incident.

On the way out the well-marked channel, we scraped once but the brief encounter didn't slow Windreka down at all and we continued on our way.

The wind was south when we started out and shifted to the west which made it an ideal day for sailing except that the Indian River channel is narrow and the water shallow on either side for all but the last 30 miles. By then the wind was a steady 20-25 knots with gusts to 45...too much for us to handle.

We arrived at the Cocoa Village Marina and found our slip. Despite the assurance of the dockmaster, we touched the bottom a second time as we were rounding the corner of the northern bulkhead...again not slowing us down. Nevertheless, after a day of breath-holding as we fought the cross-winds and the weekend boaters who don't seem to understand how to keep to their own side of the channel in a cross wind, touching bottom always is a bit startling...especially after seeing a few boats like the one in these photos!

After showers and a quick bite to eat, we were really tired after the long day of fighting with too much wind, so we turned in. Also, since Joe's son and grandson were coming to spend the day and visit in the late morning, we allowed ourselves an extra hour of sleep before they arrived.

Joe and Andrew arrived just before lunch time. After a short visit, we walked to the downtown Village of Cocoa to look for a place to eat lunch and for Sarah to pick up a few souvenirs. We decided to eat at the local Outback Restaurant just over the bridge to Merritt Island. Bill, our waiter, was a New England expatriate and he immediately picked up on Joe's dialect. After we exchanged details of their mutual New England backgrounds, we ordered lunch and practiced our one-handed drink coaster edge-of-the-table "flip up and catch" skills.

After lunch Andrew practiced his helmsmanship skills and we spent the afternoon talking about family, friends, and what was going on in our lives.

While we were talking we noticed a brown floating log in the thoroufhfare between the marina slips. It turned out the log was really a manatee floating on the surface of the water and munching on the grass and weeds in the water below.

It's next to impossible to sight these creatures in a slow moving vessel...in our case, we don't think the dock was even moving. It must be completely impossible to look out and see these slow-moving creatures from the bridge of a power boat moving at 25 mph...the standard speed restriction in any area where manatees gather to eat and do whatever manatees do for a living. Whenever we see one of these creatures, we can't help think about a song about "Hugh the Manatee" written and performed by a Washington couple who perform under the stage name of Magpie (http://www.magpiemusic.com/). With thanks to our friend Allan who did the research, you can listen to Magpie sing about Hugh and read the lyrics at: http://www.sirenian.org/HughLyrics.html !