Head over the the restaurant to get some coffee at about 8:00. Decide to buy our water taxi tickets now, in case there's a crowd closer to the departure time of 10:00.
Show up at the taxi dock about 15 minutes prior to departure. We're the only ones going to Peanut Island on this trip.
There are hundreds of boats anchored around the island and lots of people on the beach. VERY crowded. It is a Sunday and we were warned that this might be the case. Our goal is to see the Kennedy bunker and Coast Guard Museum.
Upon arriving at the entrance it seems to be closed but a Scout leader thinks they open at noon. We express obvious distress so he suggest we might be able to convince the care taker to let us in early. We walk around trying to find someone and fortunately, we do. The guide says she will give us a tour just as soon as she changes into her uniform (she is wearing civilian clothes).
We are joined on the tour by two Coast Guard guys. First a tour of the museum then on to the bunker.
Pretty interesting. David got to chat with the CG guys about some boat trip issues. The Peanut Island excursion was fun and worth the time. We catch the water taxi back to Sailfish Marina and get ready to head out.
The Delray Harbor Club Marina was the right place at the right time. The day before, we realized that the toilet was not flushing. David checked the switch and it seemed to be working so our fear was that the pump was bad. Upon reading the manual, it stated that the pump would go off if the holding tank got full so as not to over-flow. This seemed like good news because all we had to do was empty the tank, which we plan on doing in the morning when we get gas. Easier said than done.
The Sailfish Marina does not have a pump out so we are directed to a facility about a thousand feet away located on what appears to be the busiest water way in the state. We ask the kid working the gas area about a tank pump out. He states that their pump has taken a crap (I know, but he REALLY did say that) and that he can't do it. He suggests the place we just came from plus another. I call the second place and they suggest we come in tomorrow as today, they are too busy. When I inform the person on the other end that we can't possibly wait until tomorrow, she suggests another place. I call them and they can accommodate us for a small fee of $5. To have a working toilet again, priceless, so off we go.
Well not quite. David is pumping the gas for about ten minutes and is thinking that we used more that he calculated. Upon looking at the numbers on the pump, they read 52.5, or at least that was David thinks. He asked the kid what the gage reads and the kid says, "five point two five". After all that time, only five and a quarter gallons have been pumped. David tells the kid that at this rate, it will take all afternoon to fill the tanks. The kid replies, "Sorry, man. I forgot to turn on the pump." So back to the office to do that, which is a bit of a hike so he takes his bike along with David's credit card so he doesn't have to make two trips.
The pump goes on and now the gas is flowing. The tanks are filled and David is waiting for the kid to come back with the receipt. Twenty minutes later, David walks up to the office and there stands the kid waiting for someone to bring him a key because he's locked the credit card in the office. We're now being held hostage by Clueless Dude. The kicker is that the gas from this place is more expensive than the marina we were staying at AND we can't get the potty tank pumped out. The place that DOES have a pump out is about four miles away. After getting our card back, we proceed onward.
Arriving at the next marina, we report in and a kid is sent out with the pump out cart. He forgets something and has to go back up to the office. Upon his return everything seems to go well and we are optimistic that this procedure will take care of the broken toilet.
It does not. Now what? David decides he needs a voltage meter to test the power going to the pump so while enroute to our next destination, I work the web to locate the devise. There is a marina AND a Radio Shack in Delray Beach so that's where we are headed.
It's about 3:30 when we arrive at the Delray Harbor Club Marina. The Radio Shack closes at 5:00 so we quick tie up and hustle over to get the meter. The marina office closes at 6:00 so I take care of checking us in while David works on the biff pump. The meter says the pump is getting power so we think the pump is bad, which distresses us both.
David calls our boat mechanic, Roger. Roger says he thinks the wire might just be loose so try jiggling it. David thinks he hears the pump working. The liquid in the toilet goes down but the paper is still there so David removes the paper by hand and Hallelujah!, the toilet is fixed. Just a paper jam.
The toilet is working so we get cleaned up and head off to dinner. A web search reveals that there is a well reviewed restaurant, called the 5th Avenue Grill, about a half a mile from the marina so we decide to go there. We both had the salmon special, which was topped with artichokes, mushrooms, olives & tomatoes could not have tasted more wonderful. The ambiance reminded me of a supper club my parents took me to when I was a kid but it doesn't feel dated. The whole evening was a lovely experience. The walk back was lighted by the "pink" or Paschal moon and the breeze & temp couldn't have been more perfect. A pleasant ending to a roller coaster of a day.
Was so tired last night that I didn't even wake up once until 8:00 this morning. Heather & Shad are picking us up for breakfast at the Pancake House. Yummm!!! I'm on this goofy diet that let's me eat anything I want once a week and guess what? Today's the day! Eggs Benedict, crepes and apple pancakes, look out! As we sit down, David's sister & her husband just happen to walk in. What a nice surprise! So we all get to socialize for a bit before we head out on the next leg of our journey.
The plan today is to dock in West Palm Beach. I read that Peanut Island is a fun place and the site of a bomb shelter built for JFK while he was president. Tours are available so thought it would be fun to see the island and do that tour. Heather & Shad recommended Sailfish Marina.
Left the dock around 1:00. Rather slow going on the ICW this leg but lots to look at in the way of beautiful homes and boats as well as some very unique water craft.
Noticed a few boat dogs and no, we are not getting a dog.
The toilet is not working so we will have to address that issue when we dock this afternoon. Hopefully, the problem is easily remedied.
Arrive at Sailfish Marina at about 4:00. The docking is challenging, to say the least, with a ripping current from the south combined with strong winds, also from the south.
David was able to steady the boat while I put lines around the forward pilings. I thought we did really well. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this boating stuff and becoming a competent swab. Perhaps by the end of the trip, I will be promoted to mate.
To celebrate our masterful docking prowess, we head up to the bar for our reward and to check in with the dock-master's office.
I ask about the water taxi to Peanut Island in the morning and find out that the service does not start until 10:00. Check out time is 11:00 so the attendant says we can checkout tonight, then leave whenever we get back from the island. Perfect!
After a drink at the bar, we decide to bike around the south end of Singer island then back to the boat for a shower and get ready for dinner. Since our potty is not working, we are using the bath house at the marina. I decide to shower there as well. It's a nice facility plus I get to use a continuous stream of hot water rather than the sink spritzer style nozzle, on the boat, that one has to hold to release the water.
We finish our showers just in time to view a lovely sunset then off to dinner. In the marina, there are scads of fish that people are feeding, which is quite entertaining. After a great appetizer meal, we head back to the boat. Another day in paradise.
Even though I knew the alarm was set for 6:00, I did not get to bed until midnight, which would have been OK if I had not gotten up to "freshen up" at 3:00 and could not get back to sleep. I might have dozed a bit those next three hours but not much, so my day began with about four hours of sleep. When I whine about not getting enough sleep, David always says, "Welcome to MY world!"
The TnT (Tom & Trish's boat) and Claim 2 Fame (our boat) fueled up and were under way at 7:55, five minutes earlier than the planned departure. Along the way, we encounter some interesting bridges.
Were able to cruise at top speed across Lake Okeechobee and made it to the other side and the next lock in about an hour. Lucky for us, the lock was open and we cruised right in without having to wait. The water level difference at the last lock and this one was minimal so did not take long to close the back door and open the front. On to the 1:00 lock.
Made really great time making for an early arrival, around 11:30, at the St. Lucie lock. Anchored and had lunch. David took a nap and I researched our next nights port. Tonight (Friday, 4/15) we will stay at the dock of our niece's husband's aunt, who has a house on the St. Lucie river but that's as far as our plans got. After some fast, serious surfing, I determine that West Palm Beach is the next place to dock. Lots of reviews raving about Peanut Island so I call a nearby marina and make a reservation as there is no place to dock on the island.
Finally, it's 1:00 and our group of anxiously awaiting boats pull up anchor and start engines, only to hear that the west bound traffic will be handled first. The other locks took about 20 minutes but this one took 45 before the gates opened and released the west bound boats. As we all file in, we hear that the water level will drop eleven feet. At this lock it must take less time to drop the level that to raise it because we were done in 20 minutes. Almost there.
About an hour later we call my niece, Heather. She and her husband, Shad, are heading toward the dock to meet us. What a gorgeous location!
After helping us tie up and get settled, we all head to Heather & Shad's to see their place. Heather makes me a fabulous Key Lime Martini then we go out for dinner.
We make plans to do breakfast in the morning and after a lovely evening and long day, we head back to the boat to crash.
Woke up this morning, around 9:00, after a pretty good sleep. We were not sure how long it would take to get to the first of three locks so figured we needed to get crack -a -lackin'. I wanted to go to the marina store to get two more gallons of drinking water and a tooth brush, as I forgot mine and was suffering from a bad case of fuzzy teeth. Got dressed and went to grab for my purse but it was not in its usual resting place. Looked EVERYWHERE and no purse. Now I'm upset because I can't remember where else it might be and if it's lost, every card will need to be canceled. Am also upset because I'm feeling like I'm ready for Aricept. WTH did I do with my purse? I decide it's either fallen in some crevice on the boat or I've left it at the restaurant from the night before.
I call the restaurant and no one answers but am prompted to leave a message. I try not to sound too panicked while relating my dilemma and ask for someone to call me back with any info re: the awol purse. David & I look in the most unlikely places on the boat, at least twice, possibly three times, but nada. It's now about 11:00 so we walk back to the restaurant. The side door is open and a chef is the only one there. I explain what I think happened and he graciously looks under the cash register but to no avail. He informs us that the person who has a key to the office will not arrive until 1:00. If the purse is there he will have someone call me. We thank him for his efforts and trudge back to the boat. I'm feeling stupid and depressed.
We make the decision that if the purse is at the restaurant, it can stay there until we return from our trip. If the purse is NOT there, I will start calling all the cards to cancel. Either way, we will continue on the trip. In case we are without credit cards for a few days, cash is retrieved from a cash machine so we can eat and buy gas. David says he's going to the marina office to get some info on this next leg of the journey. I'm cleaning up the cabin/galley area and David is sitting at the aft seating area. I hear, "Hey, come here!" so I go topside. David has found the purse.
The night before, he was zipping the window in the Eisenglass and stepped on the seat cushion. As he did, it caved and flipped sideways. His foot fell through and I screamed. David was not hurt and I forgot all about the incident. Well, my purse was on the seat cushion and it went down into the storage compartment without either one of us noticing. And that's where it was!
So we finally departed at about 11:20 and got to the Franklin Lock at 12:10. Come to find out that the one and only time the lock will open, in the afternoon, is at 1:00, so we lucked out but have to wait 50 minutes. No problemo, we'll do lunch! There are other boats waiting as well.
At 1:00 the lock gate starts to open. The waiting flotilla all bring in their anchors and get ready to bolt, as fast as idle speed will take us, at the green light.
The lock passage was uneventful and now it's on to the next one.
There are three boats that are traveling at about the same speed so we make it to the next lock together. While hanging on to the side ropes. David strikes up a conversation with the captain of the boat behind us. He tells David that they arrived at the Franklin lock at 9:00am because they were told the lock would open every two hours on the odd hour. Today, that was not the case. The schedule was changed in the morning and wasn't posted on the internet until then so no one was aware of the change. We felt very lucky to have arrived when we did and did not miss our one chance to get through.
Arrived at Roland Martin's in Clewiston, on the west side of Lake Okeechobee, at around 5:00pm. Very easy dock in.
Took a hot shower, dressed and went to the outdoor Tiki Bar for dinner.
Were joined by the couple from the other boat, the TnT. Had a lovely dinner and conversation with Tom & Trish. They are heading in the same direction as us tomorrow so we exchanged info. The last lock we have to get through has only one opening at 1:00 in the afternoon, like the first lock, so we will have to wake up early to make it there in time. If we miss that, the next opportunity is at 7:00 in the evening, and that will make us very late for dinner.
Better get some Z's 'cause we've got an early get-up.
David & I have been wanting to take our boat from Cape Coral up the Calusahachee River, through Lake Okeechobee over to the east coast of Florida, down to the Keys and back to Cape Coral. We finally took the literal and proverbial plunge on April 13, (our lucky number) 2011.
Can we make it the whole way, living in a space smaller than some bathrooms, without losing our minds or our marriage? Find out and enjoy!
Day 1 Official Beginning
Left today on Wednesday, April 13th, at 4:00 pm. Only went as far as the Ft. Myers Yacht Basin (about and hour from our house by boat). Got gas, pumped out the tank and are ready for the leg to Roland Martin's in Clewiston, in Lake Okeechobee.
Had a lovely dinner at the Twisted Vine about two blocks from the marina in downtown Ft. Myers. After dinner, it's back to the boat to enjoy the fabulous weather, a glass of wine and some internet surfing. Also wanted to get the blog up and running.
As our dear departed hay man used to say, "God willing & weather permitting". Off we go!
