Tortuga Tour Day 6: Daytona
Today’s destination was Daytona Beach. We started a bit late because we had some last-minute chores taking advantage of the marina amenities before anchoring again tonight. The Captain and Admiral were in great form pulling away from the dock. It did help that the strong wind of yesterday was now a gentle breeze. By the end of this journey, I will be the expert at taking care of the lines and securing the fenders. When you are traveling on the water you can’t leave lines hanging from the boat or tangled up in a pile. They need to be stowed so they don’t fall off the boat or get caught in the propeller. You also want them coiled in a neat manner, so they are ready to be used when you tie up at a marina. The fenders also need to be stowed. If you leave them hanging off the boat, they bounce around which can put a strain on the rope they are attached to. They can also affect your speed and fuel consumption if they are dragging in the water. Fenders protect the side of the boat in a marina, and they are expensive to replace.
The day was long, but the weather was great! We pulled up the church service this morning but lost the connection just as Dale was finishing his sermon. While we had it on, it was hard to hear so I ended up holding the computer up at an angle and right next to Fred so we could get the speaker closer to both of us. It was quite the sight.
The ICW in Florida is very different from South Carolina and Georgia where you are traveling through the winding, twisting marshland. In Florida it runs mostly parallel to the ocean, and as you saw from previous pictures is very built up. There is so much development and in many places the houses are built right up to the water’s edge. The boat traffic is much heavier, so we did a lot of rocking today. I am getting used to it, but I prefer to do my rocking in a rocking chair.
I did something today I could never do on our first Betty Lou. I made tapioca pudding on our little stove. I even managed to keep it from slopping out of the pan as we rocked along. We had some tonight and it was delicious.
We are now securely anchored by the new Memorial Bridge in Daytona. It used to be one of the low bridges you had to request be opened to go through. It is beautiful.
Captain’s Comments:
River’s Edge Marina was definitely a homey (literally) backwater spot, with lots of long-term residents and a casual approach—completely different—and cheaper–than the downtown city marina where we’ve stayed previously. The dockmaster brought doughnuts Saturday morning. Did I mention cheaper?
I always appreciate a fresh-water rinse (rain) after I wash the boat. Saturday evening obliged with a downpour as a big front moved through. Several boat crews scrambled to put out extra lines, as did we. More rain and another front early Sunday, then perfect weather. By the time we anchored in Daytona it was cool, clear and a gentle breeze was blowing from the north. The pictures below are of the new Memorial bridge just north of our anchorage.
The anchorage we chose (actually, that the admiral chose) is shallower than we’re used to, so we paid extra attention to water depths and tide predictions. The extra low tide and full moon reminded me of long-ago classes that tried to explain the connection. Living it helps bring it home. Peace. Fred
