Happy New Year Family and Friends,
On the 20th of December we found Linda Arnold on Kuhela in Titusville and dinghyed in to see her. Harry was out doing slave labor during the Christmas crunch for his busy daughter’s bourgeoning card business. We would see him later. We determined that if Linda, Barb and I returned to Jupiter’s Smile we would be better positioned to see the launch of an Air Force Delta II rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in about an hour. We got up on the bow and then I climbed onto the boom and we continued to watch two launch towers for signs of any action on either one. They appeared to be equally busy and we were able to imagine smoke near one and then the other – or was it just a cloud? As we watched expectantly, about 30 degrees to the right of the objects of our attention I saw the rocket lift off and shouted to Linda and Barb to “look right!” The rocket curved to the south, seaward and away from us so the engine noise was less than I had expected, but we were there to witness our first real rocket launch. Very Cool!
We dinghyed back into the marina and after Harry returned we had a nice reunion over dinner and drinks and shared the news about our adventures and those of sailing friends from last season. Cruising friends are so dear to us.
On the 21st we traveled the ICW to Cocoa Beach and anchored near their town park. We went ashore and walked through most of the old part of town and several shops enjoying the fruit of the Historic Cocoa Village Association’s labors. Barb thought that we might find some hummus for my sandwiches at a corner grocery, Hop’n John’s. They had no hummus, but were going to be making some for a party and we could get some in about an hour. So we walked around some more and when we returned the hummus was just about ready. We were told to help ourselves to some beer. They have their own beer tap set up with microbrew beer and 6 oz glasses – free. They know what they are doing because while we sipped and waited, Barbie found some good dips and gnocchi to purchase as well. The hummus was wonderful too. Find it north of the docks just past the block long hardware establishment, S.F. Travis & Co. Cocoa Beach was highly recommended by Kathy Lee and we now know why – and we agree.
On the first day of winter we arrived in Vero Beach. The town does not allow anchoring, but has an extensive mooring field where boats are single, double or more commonly rafted up three together on one mooring. This offers an opportunity to get to know people on the neighboring boats. The boat with which we shared the mooring was not occupied much. A single fellow who worked on shore and only slept on his boat owned it. He was pleasant enough, but we had lots of privacy. We dinghyed to the marina for showers often enough and usually found people ready to socialize after we were clean. Vero Beach has an extensive shuttle bus service that makes it convenient to get to any kind of shopping we could wish for including the thrift shops. We needed to get food for the crusisers Chirstmas party and it was easily accomplished.
About 100 people gathered in the picnic area Christmas afternoon. Food dishes were lined up on the washers and dryers in the laundry room where diners could file in one door with their plates empty and out the other with their eyes wide and their stomachs about to be overwhelmed. It was Christmas among strangers about to be friends; wearing shorts, tee shirts and sandals; sharing good food in the warm sunshine under the live oak trees. It wasn’t as good as family, but it wasn’t bad either.
We walked and biked around the beautiful barrier island and its beaches. The sand is fine and groomed so we found no sea glass, but Barbie was able to find a sea heart for her collection. For a few days, I noticed that both of us were coughing especially while biking near the beach. Other beach visitors were coughing as well. On the second day, Barbie heard that the red tide had come in that it was the cause of the irritation that caused the cough. The next day, we biked and approached the beach cautiously, but we were not bothered again by the cough. I learned something so it was a good day. Vero Beach has the nickname “Velcro Beach” because people get hooked there for longer than they expect. So we stayed twelve days.
One couple we especially enjoyed were teachers from Pennsylvania and Island Packet owners, Hayden and Radeen Cochran on 35’ Island Spirit. They are wintering in Vero Beach and they are working online towards another master’s degree while they are on sabbatical from their schools. We shared visits to each other’s boats and I admire Hayden and Radeen’s knowledge of the boats we love and contributions to the Island Packet community with Hayden’s Island Packet Photo website. I have to thank him especially for the suggestion that I try equalizing our battery bank to bring our waning electrical energy capability back to like or better than new. They drove me around Vero Beach in search of a charger and while we found no charger, I enjoyed their help and company. I have to thank Bob and Sherri Feeley on Shamal as well. Bob overheard me as I used the phone calling around without success for a battery charger that could effect the equalization and he offered to lend me his.
With his charger aboard and nasty, windy, cold weather approaching we left the mooring and went to a slip to plug into shore power. We not only plugged in the charger, but we also turned on the heat and filled our water tank with city water. Overall the equalization process took about twelve hours during which I prepared and connected the charger, disconnected the DC circuits to protect them from the 15.5 volts of potential for the eight hours of continuous charging of the already 100% charged batteries. I slept lightly, waking periodically throughout the night to check the voltage and temperature of the batteries as they equalized. I noticed that it was 38 degrees outside at about 3 AM, but it was 68 degrees inside. It was a good move to plug into shore power and get heat this night. Early this morning I started to put the battery bank back together, returned the charger and after a shower and paying our bill left the slip heading directly into a 20+ knot wind and light chop in the anchorage. I held the boat just steady enough for Barbie to collect the remaining dock lines as we hovered in place (almost) and considering how difficult it would be to raft up to our old neighbor in these conditions, we headed out into the small craft advisory conditions on the ICW for Fort Pierce.
As I type now it seems that the process has indeed improved our battery’s performance. We are anchored all by ourselves at the end of a channel opposite Ft. Pierce in Faber Cove. Winds reached 34 knots, but we are safe and sound. Tomorrow we collect our December mail in Ft. Pierce if things go as intended.
Again, Happy New Year and be well – till next time,
J&B
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