CODA BACK IN THE THE USA 2025 (66).

 CODA : Heading North to Jensen Beach / Sue's birthday!

17 March 2025 

Jensen Beach Mooring field, Jensen Beach, Florida  

Two things to celebrate today!

Marc-  It seems like we had two cold fronts come through last night: the first line of thunderstorms came through at 19:00 and the the second line came around 05:00.  The first few drops at 05:00 from the open hatch over my head woke me immediately and I was able to close all the hatches quickly.  The temperature dropped 20 degrees overnight and the winds changed from 25 knots southeast to 17 knots Northwest.  We slept late and gave up any hope of reaching Vero Beach today.  

Our first stop was at the fuel barge anchored within 250 feet of Coda.  $3.99/gallon.

We saw the Margaritaville come back into its slip on the ICW in Riviera Beach.

These colorful condos on the ICW have a new meaning to us with a Publix next door.

Jupiter Lighthouse.

We passed through 10 bridges today (8 of them drawbridges) and the longest wait time was 15 minutes.  If you can do 7 knots you can synchronize the bridge schedules to your advantage.

Back to seeing lots of big ICW homes.

We stopped for the day at the new mooring field in Jensen Beach.

Brown Pelican welcomed us to the dinghy dock.

View of the Jensen Beach bridge and part of the mooring field.  Just shy of the bridge is a rugged dinghy dock and excellent bath, shower and laundry facilities for boaters!

We did not have much trouble finding our mooring.  One nearby boat had this keel become entangled with the mooring chain.  A diver and a tow boat tried in vain to free the boat.  The boat is pointed south when the wind is from the north.  Should not be a problem overnight as the winds have subsided.  Apparently the heavy south winds changing to heavy north then back to south and back to north caused the mayhem.

There is a lot of celebrating going on today.

We found our place to celebrate.

Sue:  We came to Jensen Beach in 2020 on our way South.  The place has been spiffed up some since then.  The municipal mooring field, dingy dock and other impressive boating facilities and park area were not here before.  We took a walk to Publix, mostly for the walk itself.  I looked around for chocolate cake with green frosting and found some, but it was in the form of a package of 6 cupcakes, and I didn't think buying that amount was a good idea.  But we did buy beautiful green grapes and more beautiful strawberries.  Combined with the oranges we bought yesterday, we are in fruit heaven.  

Highlights of the day: 

Lyra Ellen O'Leary, age 2 months and 10 days (below, with Grandpa Michael helping her sit)

Receiving so many BD wishes   

Not having to call a tow boat and a diver like the poor souls nearby.

Taking a little walk.

Doing the crossword with Brian and Marc.

Eating most of the rest of the Publix cake.

So cute.