Monday 3/10 – Tuesday 3/11

Having a restful night at Eau Gallie , we weigh anchor and once again proceed on the Indian river past Cocoa and make our way thru the Canaveral Barge Canal to the Harbortown Canaveral Marina. While exploring the marina, we meet more loopers and in doing so, we learn from them that the best place to view the Shuttle launching is at anchor on the Banana River. So after making arrangements with the harbormaster, we depart our slip and make way for our anchorage. We spend the calm evening at anchor waiting in anticipation for the night launch which is to take place at 2:30 Tuesday morning. We are able to view the prelaunch program on TV and at the given time, we hear the countdown as Royce and I focus our eyes toward the launch facilities. We see a huge explosion of light erasing the darkness from the sky, followed by a glowing trail upwards, followed by a delayed rumble penetrating the air. We watch as the Shuttle pierces the cloud cover and disappears into the heavens. What a sight! Later that morning we backtrack to the ICW and continue on the Indian River until reaching New Smyrna Beach Marina late in the afternoon. Although the staff has left for the evening, we find suitable dockage and make ourselves at home. Much to our surprise, we meet a couple next to us from Hansville, WA. They cruised their American Tug trawler to San Diego, trucked it to the Texas ICW and subsequently made their way to here. What a small world. They give us the combo to the facilities and fill us in on our new digs. A fellow walking the docks offers us a ride to a recommended Italian restaurant and after ordering dinner there, one of the employees gives us a ride back to the marina. Small town friendliness.


Leaving Eau Gallie

Canaveral Barge Canal

Canaveral Lock

Banana River Sunset

Space Shuttle Launch

Neat Pocket Cruiser

Heading for New Smyrna Beach

Monday 3/3 – Sunday 3/9

Departing Pelican Harbor, we travel on the ICW along relatively narrow waterways and thru the wider body of water of Lake Worth, passing by mostly urban sights like Boyton Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, and Jupiter until arriving at our next anchorage of Manatee Pocket near St. Lucie Inlet. This anchorage is located in a well protected harbor, well off the ICW and is along the route to Lake Okeechobee where one can transit to reach the western shore of Florida at Fort Myers. We, however, continue heading north and start our path on the Indian River, a much wider and less densely populated section of the waterway. The Indian River ICW route continues for some 150 miles to New Smyrna Beach, but well before reaching there, we travel for about 4 hours, arriving at Fort Pierce and secure a berth at the Fort Pierce Municipal Marina. It is here that we have brought our truck and trailer for storage, so we relish the luxury of transportation. We enjoy the days driving to the beaches and exploring the surrounding area such as Vero Beach where we run into our looper friends , Bill & Jill aboard Transition at the Vero Beach Municipal Marina. We also meet loopers Larry & Margie on Wanderin' L&M at our marina. Friday night, Royce and I enjoy the food, drink and dancing to the great oldies live music at the marina park Friday Fest. The next morning, we peruse the wonderful Saturday Farmer's Market where we once again enjoy the food offered by the many vendors and stock up on the fresh veggies. We plan on viewing the Space Shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral on March 11th, so we depart our moorage this Sunday morning and make way back on the wide expanses of the Indian River. Puffin carries us for a long day to the very protected basin of Eau Gallie(o galley)off of the ICW where we anchor her for the evening.

More Bridges

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

Big Boats

Standing Boat

Racing Boat

Sinking Boat

Subcat Boat

Tree Decoration

Unique Poles

Ft.Pierce Marina

Beach Girl

Vero Beach

Friday Fest Oldies Music











Friday Fest Jumpin' Man

Larry & Margie at Friday Fest










Massage Time

Saturday Market

Yummy !

Tuesday 2/26 – Sunday 3/2

Royce and I along with Diane & Betty go shelling at the nearby Haulover Beach in the morning. Later that morning, Passport, Betty B II and Puffin move on to Ft. Lauderdale and go up the New River to the Marina Bay Yacht Club. Royce and I stop on the way at the Las Olas Marina for a pumpout but shortly after leaving the docks, we are hit with an unforgetable extreme wind and rain storm. We high-tail-it back to the Las Olas docks and wait out the gusts and downpour. Our trek down the New River is an amazement of beautiful homes and luxury yachts. With the marina/resort's many amenities of a swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, racketball court, movie theatre, gym and billiards room included at a reasonable dockage rate, we decide to stay for awhile. During our stay here, we get a visit from our Wisconsin friend, Bill Fletcher who is here to check out a sailboat to purchase. Bill & I drive to Boca Raton to survey the boat , and discover the boat unsuitable for purchase. The next day, the three of us drive to Marathon to get our truck and trailer and take it up to Fort Pierce for storage. We enjoy our stay at Fort Lauderdale, but the crew of Puffin decide to move on this Sunday morning. We continue north on the protected passages of the ICW, enjoying the sights of the decadent homes until arriving at a circular man-made cove of Pelican Harbor near Delray Beach where we anchor Puffin, protected from the passing boats of the waterway.




Diane, Betty & Royce at Haulover Beach

Beautiful Bridges

Coming into Ft. Lauderdale

Ft. Lauderdale

Mega Boats

Port Lauderdale and More Mega Boats

Mega Homes

Boats , Boats, Boats

Bill Fletcher and Royce at Marina Bay









Bill & Royce at Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon

Puffin, Sandpiper(Like A Ship), Passport, & Betty B II at Marina Bay

Loopers Having Dinner at Marina Bay











Loopers at Marina Bay

More Mega Homes

Fort Lauderdale







Leaving Marina Bay Under I-95 Bridge