Vero Beach to Titusville

    We pulled out of Vero Beach at 7 am as the sky was just starting to light up with the morning sun. Since  NOAA weather was calling for a calm morning with winds increasing by mid day I wanted to get some distance in before anchoring in Titusville some 60 miles to the north. It was smooth cruising until around 11 am when the winds started and over the course of an hour built to 20 to 25 knots. Since we were in the ICW it was choppy with salt spray constantly being swept away by our windshield wipers, but the motion of the boat was comfortable (meaning not nauseating!)   Beth didn't like the the boat leaning to starboard but even with maximum trim, the winds kept us in what Beth calls "sail boat mode" Spencer didn't like it at all.  He started to shake when the first waves hit the windshield and kept it up so long that we finally gave him 1/4 of his travelling pill to sedate him and settle him down....He may not make it as a boat dog!

                                                               20 knot winds
                                                                               
                                                                               
     Doc's Holiday handled the waves well....except for when two sports cruisers snuck up on us and badly waked us.  If they had called to tell me they were passing I could have moved over, slowed down and crossed into their wake to minimize the roll, but they didn't.  No VHF call, No sound signals. No nothing.  I didn't see them until they were beside me.  Idiots! I was on automatic pilot and at any time the boat wanders somewhat from side to side.  They could have run right into me! The name on the back of one of them was "No Self Control"!  Right name!  I should have reported them but I was more anxious to get anchored out of the wind as soon as possible.

                                 Nasa Shuttle Launch Station, Cape Canaveral                                      

     Surprisingly we eased into 4 feet of water just north of the mooring field in Titusville and the anchor set on first try.  Whew!  Nice view of the land, somewhat protected from the north west wind which settled to 5 to 10 knots overnight and a great view of the dozen or so boats that were really sparsely separated in this large bay.

                                                                          

                                                         Titusville Anchorage                          


     The wind had loosened our bimini top so we folded it up and tide it down with a rope, knowing that if we move the boat to Daytona Beach the next day we would experience the same wind.  The boat is thick with salt from the spray so we may go only as far as New Smyrna Beach, get a slip so we can wash the salt off the boat and wait for the good weather predicted for tomorrow.

                                               Nice way to end an exhausting day.