CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (80).

CODA : travel and a stormy day in Fernandina Beach

31 March 2025 

Fernandina Anchorage, Fernandina Beach, Florida 

Iconic train station.

Marc-  Travel day today started at 07:20 to make the 07:30 opening of the Bridge of Lions in Saint Augustine.  There were three boats in line as we approached.  Funny that we were the first to call the bridge operator.  The northern migration has begun.  We sort of traveled in a pact of sailboats and slower powerboats that all ending up in Fernandina Beach.  No moorings were available.  No problem, about half of today's travelers, mostly sailboats, anchored.  We were careful in picking a protected location to anchor especially after the Marina manager warned us about severe thunderstorm warnings for this evening.  It all came to pass without any harm although it did get exciting when the wind, rain, thunder and lightning all came together just after we returned in the dinghy from a trip in town.

Northern boat migration.

We were faster than most sailboats traveling today so arrived early.

Smooth sailing between Saint Augustine Inlet and the Saint Johns River.

Music corner in Fernandina.  We were drawn to this friendly street corner bistro. 

They mostly played The Beatles and Jimmy Buffet tunes.  

The Main Street is looking good.

Luckily we were back on Coda before this front came through.

The front came through in about 30 minutes leavings a rather pink sky and a rainbow that seemed to be coming out of a sawdust mound at the Paper Plant.

The dull gray clouds were suddenly transformed into works of art.

And then it was all over with the sunset.  Our last sunset for this year in Florida.

We are anchored less than 1 mile from Georgia.

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (79).

CODA : Stormy day in Saint Augustine

30 March 2025 

Saint Augustine South Mooring Field, Saint Augustine , Florida 

Portrait of La Reina (the queen) at La Reina Restaurant in St Augustine.

Marc-  It has been a stormy day with rain and thunderstorms on and off all day.  We mostly remained on board Coda with two exceptions.  First was Mass at the Cathedral this morning and second was dinner at the wonderful La Reina Restaurant.  The cathedral was packed and is beautiful inside and out.  The restaurant theme is that "everyone is welcome at the Queen's table".  This beautiful 120 year old three story building was once the home of a Maine hardware merchant, Ferdinand Hamblen, and his wife of local Minorcan descent.  Antonia DeMedici Hamblen.  Settlers from the western Mediterranean Island of Minorca arrived in St Augustine in 1777.

It was also a good day to do laundry.  The Marina laundry is also the boaters lounge and open only to boaters.  I discussed the various routes for heading north from here and favorite stops with some the the friendly boaters.  Oriental, North Carolina seems to be one top stopover that we have missed so far.

My phone provides weather warnings for back home.  No hurry to get back to Vermont.

Local radar screen shot this morning at 08:00.  It only got worse.  

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (78).

 CODA : Still in Saint Augustine

29 March 2025 

Saint Augustine South Mooring Field, Saint Augustine , Florida   

This 208 foot stainless steel cross is illuminated a night and marks the Saint Augustine Inlet entrance channel.  It is a sort of beacon that directs modern sailors.  The site is the landing place for the first Spanish Settlement.   A Spanish Mission was established in 1565.  It remains a Catholic Mission. 

Marc-  It was a rather gray day today with moderate wind and mild temperature.  I was able to refinish another 6 foot section of the teak cap rail or gunwale on Coda.  After stripped the wood clean, I apply three coats of fast drying polyurethane finish.  I only sand between the second and third coat.  It is amazing how the warm and windy climate here allows the finish to dry in several minutes. 

My travels on shore were limited to walking over to the hardware store for more polyurethane.  I admired the huge cross noted above from the sidewalk.  I have also seen it from several miles out at sea at the St. Augustine Inlet.  I also walked through some of the downtown and always admire some of the Spanish architectural style found here in abundance.

Michael and I had some fellow boaters over for coffee and muffins this morning (we supplied the Coffee and they supplied the muffins).  Tim and Kim Graf, from Maine, are on a Morgan 40 foot sloop.  Sue and I had met them while snorkeling at the Thunderball Grotto in Staniel Key.  We have been crossing paths ever since.

Saint Augustine's Spanish Catholic Mission.

Flagler College

Flagler College

Methodist Church

Another Sunset.

 

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (77).

 CODA : Onward to Saint Augustine

28 March 2025 

Saint Augustine South Mooring Field, Saint Augustine , Florida   

We heard a lot of radio chatter on VHF 16 today as we approached Saint Augustine and most of it involved boats moving about after a day of sailboat racing.

Marc-  Our boat bottom cleaning was completed this morning by a local diver and off we went.  Coda reached 8.7 knots, with the help of favorable current,  and managed to pass every sailboat that we encountered en route.  I have to think it has something to do with a clean bottom.  The diver did report that we have a slightly bent propeller and the paint is getting thin in spots.  We should have no trouble getting home to Lake Champlain since this is the same "bent propeller"  and thin paint reported by another diver in January.   Most of the salt water creatures will drop off once in the lake. 

We were welcomed to the mooring field by the friendly municipal marina staff and made arrangements for a free launch to pick us up.  I was able to finish putting at least one coat of polyurethane on the starboard teak handrail while we waited for the launch.  Ashore, we met sailboat racers who invited us to join in their festivities.  Nice crowd.  Michael and I found a local ice cream shop named  "MayDay".  In nautical and aviation terms this means that the sender is in immediate distress.  It is an anglicized version of the French term "m'aider" which translates to help me.  The ice cream was excellent and the shop was filled with local college students (both staff and customers).  I did find time to visit our favorite used book shop in town named Second Read Books and found a book.  We did have a good walk about the old town.  There are plenty of people around with any some new shops, art galleries, and restaurants.  The place is quite clean and easy to get around with pedestrian friendly streets.

Coda is attached to mooring number 17 in the Menendez (otherwise known as South) mooring field.  Our Bahamian buddy sailors are directly behind us in #31.  

View of the Bridge of Lions from our mooring.

Cathedral of Saint Augustine

Nice place to stop.

Live music at the racing party tent.

There were lots of racers for the dinner party so three tents.

Cool looking boat for Michael. Note that the transom is a ramp to drive cargo on or off.  She is a Florida Bay Coastal Freighter.  https://floridabaycoasters.com/65-florida-bay-coaster/. 

Sunset from the mooring field and showing the finished starboard handrail.

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (76).

 CODA : Still in Palm Coast

27 March 2025 

Palm Coast Marina, Palm Coast, Florida  

Beautiful manatee mural at Orlando Airport.

Marc-  Not much to report on today.  I spent part of the morning refinishing another 6 feet of teak handrail.  I picked up a rental car nearby and drove down to Orlando to pick up my buddy Michael who will crew for the next several weeks. 

 The airport had a few marine life displays that caught my attention with manatees and sea turtles.  We spent the late afternoon doing more provisioning for the trip to come.

"Sea World" has a store at the Airport and today had a display about its rescue efforts.  I spoke with a staffer who explained how sea turtles can be caught up north in cold waters where they cannot survive.  The condition is called "cold stunning".  In sea turtles this condition is similar to hypothermia, where they become lethargic and inactive due to prolonged exposure to cold water temperatures, often leading to stranding.  A team rescues them from the beach and brings them south after warming them appropriately.  They are released in the warm south Florida waters after a period of rehabilitation.   

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (75).

 CODA : Return to Palm Coast

26 March 2025 

Palm Coast Marina, Palm Coast, Florida 

Marc-  This marina was Coda's winter home from October 2024 until January 2025.  We are only here for two nights to effect a crew change.  The place is good for walking and biking with many trails.

I spoke with a very nice couple on a trawler named Thunderbolt today that waited for me to catch up for a draw bridge to open at Flagler Beach.  The bridge is listed as opens on demand yet the bridge operator tries to group boats for a more efficient use of the bridge.  No problem for us since we never had to stop.  Five other boats waited.  Thunderbolt is tied up next to Coda at Palm Coast tonight.  I learned that it is a hybrid.  It is powered by an electric motor and the diesel powers a generator.  It also has large battery bank to power the motor.  I enjoyed pizza at the European Village Italian Restaurant thus afternoon with Will and Tracy, owners of Thunderbolt.

Motoring up the ICW today consisted of long straightaways and two drawbridges.  Both drawbridges opened as Coda approached.  It took 4 and 1/2 hours to complete the passage.  Unfortunately I turned the corner into the marina canal too tightly a ran aground.  Fortunately I just backed out and tried the center of the channel that showed 9 feet on the depth finder.  Marina staff was present to help me dock.

Coda all tied up on the T dock.

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (74).

CODA : Daytona Beach day 2

25 March 2025 

Daytona Beach anchorage, Daytona Beach, Florida 

Mural at Melbourne Airport.

Marc-  I am still anchored in the same spot in Daytona.  There is a new crop of transient boats here tonight and even one boat crew we saw at the Thunderball Grotto, Staniel Cay,  in the Bahamas.  The crew said hello as they came into the anchorage and we will try to get together in Saint Augustine.

I spent the day doing boat repairs, cleaning and doing boat projects.  The guest cabin is ready for our returning crew member, Michael Gilmartin.  I will be happy to have him back on Coda.  Only one mishap today.  I sliced my left foot on a very sharp cotter pin, that was protruding from an upper shroud turnbuckle, while I was refinishing the upper rail in bare feet.  Nothing that our first aid kit could not handle with the cool spray that stops bleeding and a bandaid.  

Tomorrow Coda moves to Palm Coast and I retrieve Michael from the Airport.

Interesting sand sculpture Sue saw at the airport.

Teak refinishing starboard aft quarter.

Teak refinishing starboard mid ship.

This stuff works - glad it was in our first aid kit.

Daytona sunset.

  

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (73).

CODA : Solo to Daytona Beach

24 March 2025 

Daytona Beach anchorage, Daytona Beach, Florida  

Ducks gone wild on the Indian River.

Marc-  I motored up the Indian River just a short distance before raising the Genoa.  I was able to sail on the northern part of the Indian River and then on the lower part of Mosquito Lagoon.  Whenever space became a concern, or traffic and drawbridges, I dropped the sails and just motored.  I was very fortunate to have a favorable current as soon as I entered Mosquito Lagoon (I have never seen a mosquito here).  I rode the outgoing tide to Ponce De Leon Inlet and then the incoming tide from the Inlet to Daytona.  The only problem was coming through the ICW pass behind the Inlet at low tide and having only 5.4 feet of water beneath Coda.  She needs 5.2 feet of water in order to float.  We squeaked through.

There was one exciting moment in the Indian River as I watched a large motor yacht passing me at full speed throwing a huge wake.  Suddenly he slowed down and I thought for a second it was the effect of me coming out in the cockpit and taking photos of his boat.  I soon realized that he had run aground.  Serves them right!  

I came into the same anchorage in Daytona that Sue and I had used on our trip south in January.  Lots of sailboats and quiet.  It did rain a bit.

Daytona Beach anchorage.

The only dolphin that I caught on camera (fuzzy photo).  I saw around 30 dolphins today.

Sun setting through rain clouds.

   

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (72).

CODA : On the move to Cocoa

23 March 2025 

Cocoa Beach anchorage, Cocoa Beach, Florida    

The name drove me to eat two chocolates today.

Marc-  I am solo again on board Coda.  I had lots of help this morning getting untied from my Vero Beach Mooring buddy boat.  Denis was a tremendous help.  I moved over to the space in front of the fuel dock and just stopped to pull up the fenders and pull any loose lines in.  The next thing I knew a Marina boat from the Vero Marina came over to check if I was ok and to see if I needed any help.  The service at this marina is excellent.  I also got my exercise in by walking back and forth to church early this morning.  Holy Cross Church is very beautiful and was full of people at the 07:30 Mass!

The trip north from Vero was easy going up to Sebastian Inlet with only a few fisherman and kayakers out early in the day.  Later to go fast boats and some larger sailboats crossed paths with Coda.  North of Sebastian the Indian River becomes a straight north -south orientation making it easy to use my autopilot.  I even used the autopilot going through some of the bridges.  Luckily all of the old drawbridges have been replaced with 65 foot tall structures with a wide channel opening.  Speaking of the channel, it widens out considerably going north making it possible for sailboats to actually tack upwind.  I gave all the sailboats making that effort right-of-way.  Coda was anchored just northwest of the Cocoa-Merritt Island twin bridges.  It is a very protected spot for southeast winds and I have the company of 2 dozen boats.  I was able to sail during the latter part of this trip.

Tacking.

A southeast wind is great when your headed north.

Some of the boats here (even one from the Netherlands).

A silly television show about the space program.  The Astronauts lived here.

 

CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (71).

CODA : Last day in Vero

22 March 2025 

Vero Beach Mooring field, Vero Beach, Florida   

Even the sea turtles enjoy music.

Marc-  Today was a sad day since Sue is flying back home to Vermont as I type this blog post.  She should be Burlington by midnight.  Otherwise we started the day with our usual walking about this beautiful town.  We returned to a favorite shop for a few gifts and explored a new corner of town.  Cousin Armand and his daughter Michelle drove us up to the airport in Melbourne after stopping for a wonderful lunch at the Squid Lips restaurant in Sebastian.  A great time was had by all.

Favorite Ice Cream Shop in Town.

Live music just outside the Ice Cream shop.

Thank you Armand and Michelle.

Mooring buddies.

I went to dinner with our boat buddy Denis.

This bird appeared with a fish

Since we missed the sunset tonight I inserted this impressionist image sent by Steph.