Northbound

After anchoring in Fort Pierce we didn't feel like dealing with customs right away.  We waited to call an 800 number the next morning with our passport numbers, our location, and the personal info that they required.  We were then directed to head to the nearest customs office within 24 hours.  We were a little apprehensive about questions we might be asked about why we didn't call in immediately and exactly when we arrived etc., etc.  As it turned out the customs official at the Fort Pierce International Airport asked only for our assigned number from the earlier phone call and for our passports.  It took him all of 5 minutes to do the paperwork and to send us on our way.

With all the time it didn't take to clear customs we had enough time to motor up to Vero Beach.  As we approached Vero we could see an impressive lightning show in the dark ominous clouds ahead of us.  The radar showed them to be about 2 miles ahead.  Luckily, we only saw a few drops of rain before we picked up our mooring in the Vero Municipal Marina mooring field.  Melbourne airport (about 30 miles north) reported a record 1.8 inches of rain and 53 mph gusts in the squalls that just missed us.

The view from our mooring in Vero.  Nice view, good laundry & showeres -
easy access to town on the free shuttle.  Delicious breakfast at TooJays
Deli - maybe the best deli south of NYC.

We took advantage of Vero's free shuttle bus system to visit an Optical Store for a badly needed sunglass repair  and to re-provision at Publix.  The optical store opposite Publix was great.  They spent 20 minutes working on the glasses and charged nothing.  Maryanne did laundry while I cleared the fuel vent and added a strainer to our fresh water system.

Here I am posing with some of the original
people of the City of Cocoa.

I loved the redneck wineglasses but not enough to buy one
in Cocoa Beach.  

We had heard that the City of Cocoa was worth a visit so we headed there - 8 hours away.  It was worth the visit.  We landed at a lovely waterfront park and after a very short walking tour had a wonderful breakfast at Ossarios.

Ossario's threat to inattentive parents.
Great breakfast - pastries to die for.

We decided to do a shorter hop north to Titusville to give us time to do an oil and oil filter change.  The fan belt is problematic since it can't be aligned perfectly so we find ourselves doing adjustments on it every couple of days.  Our engine maintenance chores went smoothly.



We are trying to push north as fast as we can but after our 7+ hour motor with nice currents pushing us up to 8 knots we decided to take a lay day in St. Augustine.  We did a tour today at Flagler College, formerly the Ponce de Leon Hotel.


The setting that the Flagler students have is unbelievable.  Their college was built as a luxury hotel for the wealthy elite of the East Coast back in the late 1800's.  In its heyday you had to have a written invitation from Mr. Flagler to be allowed to pay him the minimum 3 month stay in the hotel.  If you did not have the proper social standing you had to look elsewhere.

Our guide at Flagler College.  Her dining room
is nothing like any other college I have seen -
Tiffany windows, tiffany chairs, and
elaborately painted ceilings.

A detail of the dome at the entrance to Flagler.
This woman is supposed to represent
adventure.  Do you see any resemblance
to Maryanne?

St. Augustine Lighthouse ca 1874