South West Cape Hangouts

Thanksgiving

Well it’s Thanksgiving and Mike and his friends have invited me to T-Day dinner. It was a nice feeling to get the invite as it made my Thanksgiving.

Pub Crawling

The next night turned out to be a late one bar hoping around the Cape.

The Overtime Sports bar in South West Cape Coral is a great place for food and drinks with sports games playing on every TV that literally cover the walls.

I don’t believe I found salvation at The Dek but I do love the signage.

Why do I have a Buzz Light year face on my watch? Maybe cuz it’s 3AM and I am just pushing buttons without being able to read my watch?

December 7th a day that will live in infamy

We started it off with a boat ride.

St. James City near Sanibel Island

Dawson Canal is a narrow canal that leads up into St. James City on the southern tip of Pine Island. Lots of good places to tie up the boat and enjoy an IPA.

On our way to Fort Myers Beach

On our way to Fort Myers Beach you pass Punta Rassa. The location was named Punta Rasca (Spanish for “smooth or flat point” and later corrupted to “Punta Rassa“) by the Spanish Conquistadors in the mid-16th century, who unloaded cattle in the area.

We got back just in time to go to Dennis’s Christmas Party. Thanks Dennis for inviting me. It turned out to be a party I’ll remember.

Xmas Bash at Dennis’s Home

This is how you throw a house party in Cape Coral. Complete with catering, live band, tiki bars and so on.

We pulled up a seat on the mobile tiki bar. It’s a tiki bar built on top of a 4 wheeler where the bartender drives the bar around as you are seated.

Spend some time talking with Vince about the PBR circuit and he will amaze you with his stories. Yes, Vince was a professional bull rider who now works as a charter captain.

Claire was my friend to visit with on my morning walks around the marina. Always with a big smile on her face.

The Marina

The next morning I took it easy and walked around the marina.

One of the boats I was told was owned by the band Foreigner’s ex-drummer. Having grown up listening to the Foreigner 4 album I could not resist searching my iPhone for some Foreigner and playing it aboard. I got a strange look from the captain so I’m guessing he was in the band?

Cape Harbour Marina has many nice boats and is surrounded by fancy high-rise towers. You’ll find great restaurants like Fathoms & Rumrunners as well as the V.O. Tiki Bar.

Someone keep me honest on my fish species identification here?

House Partying

If you are into sports like Tom & Chuck you build walls of TVs all streaming different games

Mike’s group of friends were so enjoyable and quickly accepted me into their group of friends. Cape Coral felt like a second home almost instantly.

Cape Coral

While we were anchored in Fort Myers, my phone rang and it was a friend of mine who lives in Cape Coral. Guess where Tim and I are heading next…

Fort Myers to SW Cape Coral via the Caloosahatchee River

The trip west down the Caloosahatchee River took all of two hours moving at 6kts.

Many beautiful canal homes as I approach SW Cape Coral

The Marina my friend Mike suggested was Cape Harbour. Turns out it was recently acquired by Safe Harbor who also acquired my marina up north. My friend Mike was quick to meet us at the marina and soon we were sitting poolside at Mike’s. There is something nice about a screen in pool with bar and furniture poolside.

Next we were off to the V.O. Tiki Bar or Venture Out Tiki Bar. It such a cool little place right along the canal where the boats get in line for the Chiquita lock. The patrons of the Tiki Bar are all locals (Wintering Northerners) who were quick to greet me and Maca. I think I heard more Patriots fans than I did haters.

Next, the party moved from the Tiki Bar to another friends home. Mike’s friends have some beautiful homes in SW Cape Coral. You have to love the way the house opens up to the outside lanai and lit up pool at night.

You can see from the satellite photo (below) that you must go by Rum Runners bar (next to the Tiki Bar near middle of picture) and through the Chiquita lock before turning to starboard to enter Cape Harbor Marina. Because the marina is behind a lock it is very peaceful as you don’t get any wave or wake action.

Being docked along the boardwalk meant I could enjoy my morning coffee and say hi to locals as they walk the docks.

Boat House Restaurant is a nice visit on the beach

The next night it was another house party on a gated island. Another beautiful home and lots of new friends to meet.

The house party ended and the next day it was time for Maca to catch a flight home. It was great having you aboard my friend.

Fort Myers

I took the last few months off from blogging. I think it’s time to capture what happened this winter. so back to our story…

We awoke anchored just inside the lock in the town of Moore Haven . It was early in the AM and there was fog. Quite beautiful on the still waters of Lake Okeechobee

Tied to the dolphins right next to shore it was still 20′ deep

Moore Haven has a picturesque stretch as you leave the lock and head toward the west coast of Florida.

Somebody is getting a new double wide!

This home looks lived in. Maybe they were the ones who ordered the new double wide?

This home had a perfect back yard down to their dock.

You can see the on average 8′ drop in maintained height from Lake O to the Caloosahatchee River.

Weather coming into Fort Myers was looking mighty warm compared to back up North.

Anchored right in front of the Fort Myers Boat show

Okeechobee my Lochloosa

The next morning we were underway at 6:42AM and I was snapping photos as we went.

There are many locks on the trip to Lake O. Below is a clip as we lock-through at the St. Lucie Lock & Dam.

As soon as you pass through the Port Mayaca lock you enter into Lake Okeechobee. I thought about anchoring on the eastern shore of Lake O for the night. I did the math and figured we could cross the lake (22NM) and make it the 33NM to the dolphins just outside the Moore Haven Lock. Moore Haven lock closes at 5PM and all vessels must arrive by 4:30PM to be allowed to enter the lock.

Just through Port Mayaca lock and into Lake O – 22NM crossing and another 11NM of canal before our tie up location in front of Moore Haven lock.

There was a fire in the distance and the winds where carrying ash in the wind and raining it down on the decks of MV Simple Life. We had to be careful not to track the ash inside and stain the carpets.

Osprey are everywhere on Lake O. Seems like every piling has it’s own Osprey.

There is a concrete cylinder in Lake O that I could only guess at what it’s function is or was?

You must be careful to stay in the channel in Lake O as it can get shallow.

The trees and vegetation in Lake O is photo-worthy.

Gators be a lounging in what’s left of the sun…

Florida Gators

This dude was out riding in his air boat with his black lab by his side.

Black Lab Airboat Ride

There is a special feeling that Lake Okeechobee bestows upon me. It’s hard to explain but we all have places that we go to just feel like the world is right. I’ve been listening to the blues lately. More specifically, JJ Grey and the Mofros. The tune “Lochloosa” sums it up.

Where is that place you go to recharge your soul?

Homesick but it's alright
Lochloosa is on my mind
She's on my mind

I swear it's ten thousand degrees in the shade
Lord have mercy knows - how much I love it

Every mosquito every rattlesnake
Every cane break – everything

Every alligator every black water swamp
Every freshwater spring – everything

All we need is one more damn developer
Tearing her heart out

All we need is one more Mickey Mouse
Another golf course another country club
Another gated community

Lord I need her
Lord I need her
And she's slipping away

If my grandfather could see her now
He'd lay down and die

Cause every minute every second every hour
Every day - Lord she's slipping away

Homesick but it's alright
Lochloosa is on my mind
She's on my mind

The sun was getting low and it was creating a mirror on the lake.

I walked out on the bow while underway to attempt to capture just how dreamlike this crossing can get when the sun is low and the water still.

Fantasy on Lake O

We had finally arrived at Moore Haven lock and it was closed for the night. We were stuck in Lake O for the night so I decided to tie to the dolphins for the night. A dolphin is a piling that is supported by many other pilings. You often find large ships laying up against them or tied to them. Tonight I would have to pull the bow up close to one of them to get a line on it. Then I’d have to let that bowline out as I backdown on the piling to my stern. Once I get a line of the piling behind me I would adjust the two lines so MV Simple Life would sit evenly between the two dolphins for the night.

In the morning we awoke to fog on Lake O.

Lake O, I’ll be Baaaaccckkkk!

Plans Change Stuart

Tim (a.k.a. Maca) would eventually have to fly back North so … my original plan was to get the boat close to Fort Lauderdale or Miami international airport. Then as I was passing Jensen Beach I thought ..o0( Why not cut through the middle of Florida so Tim could catch a flight out of Fort Myers Airport on the west coast? ) The plan changed in that moment. I quickly thought up a new anchorage within daylight’s range of Jensen Beach.

Our new location took us into Port St. Lucie and it’s beautiful waterfront homes.

Dolphins are plentiful around Port Saint Lucie and this pod was enjoying swimming along with us.

With the sun was getting low, we only had to get through the Britt Point Railway Bridge and Old Roosevelt (Dixie Highway) Bridge to make it to our chosen anchoring location. When we arrived at the railway bridge we found a very-very long train passing over it.

The train finished the bridge raised and we hailed the Old Roosevelt (Dixie Highway) Bridge on the VHF for an opening. Soon we made it to my chosen anchoring location (shown by the blue dot below)

Winter #3, leg #23 looked like this.

The sun was down and it was time to bring out the green lights and start fishing.

The battle of the fishermen had begun and the captain walked away with bragging rights 😉

South to Sebastian

When the sun arose the next morning it treated us to an orange sunrise over Mosquito Lagoon.

“Because the sun is low on the horizon, sunlight passes through more air at sunset and sunrise than during the day, when the sun is higher in the sky. More atmosphere means more molecules to scatter the violet and blue light away from your eyes. … This is why sunsets are often yellow, orange, and red.”

Going under the Cocoa bridge – Look up & around and you’ll find workers trying to get right with the world again.

…”The Cocoa Bridge gives male inmates an opportunity to get their lives back on track. The foundation of the program is the Therapeutic Community Concepts, which are essential to maintaining a drug-free lifestyle in social contexts. With clinical supervision, this peer-led, peer-driven environment encourages the men to become active participants in their recovery.”
Bridges of America, Inc.

…”The NASA RR bridge is normally left in the open position, except in the case of approaching rail traffic (infrequent). This bridge is the main thoroughfare for shuttling heavy equipment and supplies to and from the JFK Space Center. Spent solid rocket boosters, rocket frames and other various material for the space program are normally shipped on rail and pass over this bridge.”
ActiveCaptain.com

This boat has a super bright light bar atop of it’s hardtop. Heck it was not even that dark out and that light bar was blinding when they were coming straight at us for a moment. I like the idea of having more lights on MV Simple Life. There are some nights when traveling in the pitch black that it would be a big help. I tend to only put my searchlight on for brief moments to not affect my night vision. Maybe I’ll install something smaller under the bow pulpit for lighting the crab/lobster pots at night without destroying my night vision?

I just love sunsets & stars every night on the boat. Too bad I can’t photograph or video the latter.

Our day’s journey took us from Mosquito Lagoon to Sebastion, FL.

Sebastian has a great live music scene. With visiting bands like, Mumford and Son’s and Joe Bonamassa. If we were not trying to get somewhere near an airport, we’d definitely have gone ashore for some live music.

Instead, we spent the night on anchor just inside of Sebastian inlet near coconut point.

…”Sebastian Inlet is 36.5 miles southward of Cape Canaveral Light. In May 1983, there was a reported controlling depth of 5 feet. It is further reported that the velocity of the tidal currents reaches 10 knots, and turbulence exists between the bridge and the end of the jetties. Anchoring east of the bridge is extremely hazardous, particularly by the stern. Except during flat calms, breaking and confused seas exist off the mouth of the inlet and inside the inlet as far as the bridge. Conditions worsen with increasing seas or winds and on an ebb tide. Small boats departing the inlet on a flood or slack tide can find it impossible to return on an ebb tide.”

By the morning, we had spun around with the Sebastian Inlet’s incoming and outgoing tide

Maca Climbs Aboard

Docked in Halifax Harbor Marina and waiting on Tim a.k.a Maca, I walked the docks and found SV Cool Change which had some interesting additions to the exterior.

Wind and LPG

I first noticed a vertical axis wind generator. Google seems to think it’s something called a “lantern style” and can be purchased from Chinese distributors. Heck, you can find them on Amazon too.

Plastic lantern-style vertical axis wind generator

Next I noticed that there were a total of eight, 20lb (size of your gas grill’s bottle at home) LPG tanks (4 on each side). 160lbs is a lot of propane! For those unfamiliar with sailboats: A few progressive sailors use propane for their dingy outboard.

More common is the use of propane for sailboat stove/ovens. Electric stoves use too much power to be run off an battery/inverter and require a diesel generator which many smaller sailboats either don’t have or want depleting their auxiliary engine’s diesel reserve. I have even spoken with southern sailors who have gone to the extreme of using a solar oven.

When I built MV Simple Life, I chose to outfit with an electric stove over propane.

I hate to think about propane leaks on a boat. I also hate going ashore to find a propane refilling station. MV Simple Life has a 9KW Northern Lights generator and 440 gallons of diesel so why not just start the genset when you want to use the oven and never spend time tanking an Uber to somewhere ashore to refill a propane tank.

NORTHERN LIGHTS M773LW3 – 9kW 1800 RPM 60 Hz MARINE GENERATOR

There are many Chinese systems that can be commonly found on US cruising boats, chinese-diesel-fired-forced-hot-air-heaters is a common one as are the cheap mopeds and much more portable kick scooters that you see everywhere.

Halifax Harbor Marina had given me some tourist maps when I arrived. Lots to do and see…

Tim arrived and we set out south down the ICW. We passed many interesting sights that first day.

As the sun sunk low we prepared to anchor in Mosquito Lagoon that first night.

Our day’s journey looked something like this.

W03L021 –
Daytona Beach – Mosquito Lagoon

Daytona Jay

While sitting on anchor in Daytona, I connected with my friend Jay who I had not seen in years. Jay mentioned that there was a marina a block from his house so I gave them a call and requested a slip. The marina replied that MV Simple Life was too big for their slips as they stop at 42′. When I explained “that was too bad as my friend lives right around the corner”, the marina manager said “if you want to attempt to come in, we’ll find a spot for you on our fuel dock”. I kindly accepted and weighed anchor and headed the 5NM south to the small marina.

When I arrived at the entrance channel the wind was honking and the channel was very narrow. I had to crab the boat into the wind (keep the bow pointing into the wind while moving sideways) and squeeze through pilings that mark the channel edges. Once inside the dockhands were helpful in catching my lines that I had pre-set draped over the sides of the hull.

MV Simple Life safely tied up at Seven Seas Marina in Daytona Beach. You can see the wind in my American flags is hard against my port side.

Once tied up Jay pulled in and off we went to grab some Mexican food.

It was a ton of fun to connect with Jay and we started by stopping over a friends house who introduced me to his dog. He told me it was a Corgi-Pit mix. So I had this picture in my head.

I’ll let you decide how accurate he was…

Corgi-Pit mix doing some tree trimming

Soon it was time to find some live music so we set out on a tour of Daytona Beach’s hot spots.

Daytona Taproom

Booze and axe throwing… seems legit.

I’m not sure I’d want my girlfriend practicing her axe throwing?

We decided to make a run to New Symrna Beach and we found some 80’s music.

Any Way You Want It

We walked into the back door of a pub and found friends of Jay’s playing on stage.

The Click Playing in a small venue in New Symrna Beach

At some point we wound up in a smokey little dive bar called YAYAs for some karaoke. What to sing?

NIB

I returned to MV Simple Life and snapped this picture… I’m thought it was me that was blurry?

By the morning’s light the wind had let up enough to get off the dock. I had a friend flying into Daytona International Airport and this marina is on the wrong side of the ICW. I called Halifax Harbor Marina and rented a slip that was as close to the airport as I could get.

The marina was a great place to visit. In the morning I grabbed a coffee and walked the docks and more.

Memorial Bridge Anchorage

The trip from my Pine Island which is just north of St. Augustine, FL to Daytona, FL looked something like this.

As I came into St. Augustine there were surfers who were catching some pretty good waves in the St. Augustine inlet. I tried to video the surfers but with the current on my stern, I was passing a bit too fast to capture it.

Next I had to hail the famous Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine on VHF CH#09 to let them know I would be waiting on their next opening.

The Bridge of Lions bridge tender let me know that only half of the bridge would be opening. This meant that with a strong current and only one side of the bridge opening, I’d have to hail any north-bound vessels and arrange which boats go through the narrow opening first. The rarely known convention is that the vessels with the current on their stern go through first.

While passing through St. Augustine I had a nice view of the city and some boats.

Just south of Flagler Beach, FL I came across this amphibious excavator driving on the water.

Amphibious Excavator on the ICW

The weather was warm but showed the next few days were going to be cold.

I was coming to Daytona, FL to hopefully meet up with an old friend from high school as well as pickup a childhood friend who was flying into Daytona airport to come aboard and travel south with me for a week or more. I chose this anchorage (located just south of the closest ICW bridge to the airport, Memorial Bridge) because it is only 5 miles or so from Daytona International Airport.

Daytona Beach International Airport located next to Daytona International Speedway – Nascar as well as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

The weather when I awoke on anchor was cold and rainy.

Storms were moving across the area.

But my anchor was holding fast. This screen capture of my Anchor alarm app shows the boats motion as I swing back and forth with the wind & current on anchor.

Screen Capture of my Anchor! iPhone App. The colored lines are my path as I swing about on anchor.

While I sat on anchor I was treated to the woman’s crew team rowing by for most of the day. I’m not sure if this woman’s crew were affiliated with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University or the Halifax Rowing Association? Update: After actually watching the video and seeing the “H” on their oars… I’m going with Halifax Rowing Association (grin).

Woman’s Crew Team

Now off to find my friend Jay…

Cumberland Island to Pine Island

It’s 3AM do You Know Where Your Boat is?

It’s 3AM, the wind is gusting and I’m up checking weather and tides.

It’s almost low tide and I’m anchored in a narrow creek with the wind blowing me towards the creek bank. Oh great, I only got another 3 hours and 19 minutes till the that burning disc comes up.

The USCG Gale Warning is still in effect till about noon today.

USCG Gale Warning Still in Effect

Into the Mystic

OK, the sun is up and I’m underway with that still ominous sky above me.

The offshore cold front has dropped the temp. Fog is building on the waters surface. It’s a strange thing to be piloting straight down a river that has the fog blowing by you from behind.

King’s Bay Naval Base

At the end of the above video you can see the USCG boat appearing out of the fog. Below is a video of them circling around me before hailing me to explain that the US Navy was carrying out exercises in Cumberland Sound that could interfere or damage my electronics if I got too close. They wanted to know what my intentions were. I explained that I was an ICW boater and would be crossing Cumberland Sound bound for the Amelia River in Fernandina Beach and points south. They politely asked me to stay 2000 yards from the naval ships or as far away as possible while still safely navigating.

USCG Approaching MV Simple Life

USCG Boat moored on the CG mooring ball near entrance to Amelia River

Cumberland Sound is home to the King’s Bay Naval Submarines Base. There are six Trident-class submarines stationed here. There is a a long deep channel cut through the shallow coastal shelf and muddy tidal Cumberland Sounds, to the Atlantic ocean. This allows for the submarines to pass. Every time I cross Cumberland Sound I have interactions with the Navy security boat or USCG. Recreational boaters are not permitted in the King’s Bay area west of the ICW Channel.

Entering the Amelia River I passed this USCG boat.

USCG Boat in the Amelia River

Welcome to Florida!

The St. Mary’s River divides Georgia from Florida. The town of St. Mary’s is on the northern Georgia side of the river and Fernandina Beach is on the southern Florida side. When you sail into Fernandina Beach you’ll find the WestRock Industrial wood pulp plant and CHP (Combined Heat & Power) plants along the shore. Industry began here after the great depression with a wood pulp plant. Now there is a cluster of both power, wood and packaging plants located here partly due to the railway and harbor.

I think it was Hurricane Matthew that caused a lot of damage to the Fernandina Beach area and boats.

Hurricane Matthew Oct 2016 just offshore of Amelia Island

MV Acadia had followed me through the Navy exercises area and was now breaking off to go anchor in the Amelia River. I’ve anchored in the Amelia River a few times. Today however, I planned to use of all the daylight to get south of Jacksonville, FL. That would allow me to make Daytona Beach the next day.

FV Gina Ann with all her gear proudly displayed

I often see this police line-up of birds on the shore. I wonder why they group like that?

It was lunch time and I have to keep the boat moving so I bring all my ingredients to the helm and make my lunch while I drive.

Soon I came to Jacksonville, FL and I cross over the St. John’s River and into Pablo Creek heading south. There is a tight bridge that I have gone under many times but as I approached it I could that the strong current was producing 2-3′ standing waves on the down current side of the bridge.

Pablo Creek Bridge Jacksonville, FL

I use a user sourced digital cruising guide called Active Captain to keep me aware of all the marinas, anchorages and hazards along my route. Below I pasted my review of the AC strong current hazard located at Pablo Creek bridge.

Please note: There is a current station for this bridge. In order to see it in Aqua Maps, I had to zoom way in. It was hidden under the tide station located just north of the bridge. The current station is named. “Pablo Creek bascule bridge”.
I have been under this bridge 4 times without concern. This time I hit it right at max ebb 5.67kts on a full moon with strong opposing winds (gale warning ended 2hours earlier). There were 2’+ standing waves on the down current side of the bridge. The strong current was catching my full keel causing me to make huge port and starboard rudder corrections.
It’s narrow between the bridge fenders. With no boats behind me… I kicked it in neutral and it spat me out like a toddler does to their first taste of broccoli.
I chose to anchor in the Active Captain Anchorage called “Atlantic Blvd Br.” Just NE of the bridge. I waited for it to slow down a bit. Waiting meant I’d have to burn more fuel to get to my chosen “Pine Island Anchorage” before dark. I’d rather pay a fuel bill than a fiberglass bill. Be careful if you are a full-keel trawler with low power and/or a small rudder.
Capt Mahty

Waiting for the current to slow slightly had cost me time and I would not make it to my chosen anchorage until dark. I still say it was the right move rather than risk getting slammed into the bridge’s fender boards.

This leg of my winter journey looked something like this.