Cocoa to New Smyrna and Palm Coast

his blog will chronicle our (Pat and Patty Anderson's) 

cruising adventures on the Great Loop!

Day 9 - April 9, 2017

Breakfast on the hook

Before leaving Cocoa, I took Baxter to shore at first light before Patty was even up, and after breakfast, we got an early start! What do we eat for breakfast? Pretty much the same stuff we eat at home, toast and jam, oatmeal, eggs and bacon (well, here it is Spam!). When we have power, we cook on the NuWave induction cooker or the microwave, and when we don't, we cook on the Coleman one burner propane stove or Magma grill, which doubles nicely as an oven.

We had an easy time getting the kayak on the roof, and I think we have getting it on and off the roof figured out. Back at Honest John's, I put little utility cord loops through four of the D rings, which makes it easier to lift and move. I bring the kayak up over the bow rails and move the bow of the kayak to the bow of the boat, and Patty manages the skeg and the other end of the kayak. We have not had to do this in the wind yet, but so far, so good.

The most interesting part between Cocoa and New Smyrna Beach was the "Haulout Channel," a cut right through one of the barrier islands. At the far end, there were a gazillion little open boats with people fishing, right in the middle of the ICW channel. It was challenging enough for us to thread our way through them, I can only imagine the problem these guys present for the big boats!

We had checked Active Captain for docking and anchoring options in New Smyrna Beach. There is a free city dock, which has two semi-circular structures to which boats can tie, and one of them has a short floating dock. The floating dock had a boat tied up, and the two semi-circular structures had people fishing off them all long their entire lengths, so there was no way we could tie up there. There was a well-rated anchorage a few markers back, so we turned around went back there.

I got the kayak down and took Baxter to shore, and then on the way back, I paddled over to a sailboat and chatted with the guy on board. He is from New York, keeps the boat in Annapolis, and motors between Maryland and Florida. He said he knew of C-Dorys and really liked them, and asked a lot of questions about Daydream.

With 20-20 hindsight, I wish we had stayed at the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Marina. We were hoping for access to town from the free city dock, but that was not to be. From where we were anchored, we were quite a way from town and on the wrong side of the ICW. New Smyrna Beach dates from the 1700s, and probably would have been one of the most interesting places on the Florida ICA outside of St. Augustine.

Tomorrow we will head for Palm Coast and the following day we will be in St. Augustine, where we are staying two nights. We are both really looking forward to the town tour on the trolley in St. Augustine!

DAY 10 - April 10, 2017

After breakfast and taking Baxter to shore, we headed for the fuel dock at the New Smyrna Marina (NOT the New Smyrna Municipal Marina, how could there be two marinas so similarly named?) and fueled up. We were anxious to see how accurate the Navman fuel flow meter was, and it turns out, not so accurate, but we now know how much it is off and can adjust! We have traveled 248.9 statute miles since launching at Ortona Lock Boat Ramp on April 1st, and on fill we took 63.7 gallons, which by my math computes to 3.9 statue miles per gallon. I am no longer worried about the run on the Mississippie from Hoppies to Green Turtle Bay! We run at 2,200 RPM, which gives us anywhere from 6 to 8 statute miles per hour. With the Mississippi current pushing us, we should do even a bit better. We became slow cruisers a couple of years ago and see no reason to change now! The C-Dory 25 Cruiser truly is the "trailerable trawler"!

Today we left the Indian River and turned onto the Halifax River. We passed a stern wheeler headed the opposite direction at Daytona. I think if was called the Daytona Dolphin or something like that. We really saw nothing else of interest between New Smyrna Beach and Palm Coast, so some pictures of the dog and cat will have to provide all the interest! We are docked at the Palm Coast Marina for the night. Showers in the morning, and then on to St. Augustine tomorrow!

Where is Lucy while we are cruising? Usually in the vee-berth, but once in a while behind her litter box (which is odor free, thanks to the Breeze System). And yes, that is a jar of peanut butter behind Lucy! She comes out at night to eat, poop and bounce off the walls! In the morning, she is usually between our heads, and when I get up she is usually sitting on the back of the forward passenger seat back cushion. She purrs a lot! Where does Baxter sit? Anywhere he wants to! If you want the best seat on the boat, you have to move the dog! He is a seasoned boat dog.

Lucy the Boat Cat!

Baxter's favorite spot is with one of us!

Don't mess with me. This is MY seat!