New Smyrna to Jacksonville w/the Rohrs May 10-17, 2014

May 10-17, 2014

Saturday, after throwing seaweed clear of the anchor chain and stowing my garden/anchor gloves at Titusville, we cruised to New Smyrna Beach City Marina, arriving early afternoon. En route we were entertained by sightings of manatee though they are certainly not the performers dolphin are!

A Tiger!!!

We were greeted with news of the weekly antique car show in historic downtown New Smyrna soon to begin. The downtown district activity appealed to each of us, so we busied ourselves with housekeeping tasks in preparation for our guests who were to board the next day and accomplished a monumental amount of work in a relatively brief period of time. Sheets laundered, check. Trash and recycling dumped, check. Fly bridge washed, check. Leftovers planned for dinner, check. Off we went to pursue our land-based activity, the highly-popular and well-attended car show. 

Louisiana's Masonic Temple has a lot more class!

As we entered the fairway of the car show (aka the very attractive main street of historic downtown), Clay and I were time-warped back into the 40's, 50's and 60's and submerged into a sea of colorful cars reminiscent of a hopper of bubble gum or a bag of M&M's. I'd forgotten how colorful the cars were back then. Although I didn't tarry over the cars, I simply had to call Sus when I spotted a '68 bright lemon-yellow Firebird convertible similar to the maroon one we drove during our Mizzou years. The VW Bug, the Corvettes and the various others (Caddies, Mustangs, Chargers) brought on a wave of nostalgia, and I found myself briefly re-living snippets of my younger years. I left Clay in charge of the cars, the smile of enjoyment on his face as genuine as all the others I saw, and off I went to browse the main street up one side and down the other, people-watching and window-shopping.

Sally under an old Live Oak with a lot of moss

Kerwin and Barb Rohr and Sally and Clay (l to r)

Barb and Kerwin Roar

Having gotten a recommendation or two from harbor master John for jogging/walking routes for Sunday morning, I offered our known options to Clay over coffee. I was amazed when Clay suggested we tackle the 4-mile challenge of the loop over the two fixed bridges, over the drawbridge, then turning onto Peninsula Drive, and circling back to the marina. Really? 1:22:44 later (at Clay's brisk pace of 22+ mph) we arrived back at the boat; his cell app logged roughly 3.75 miles. A good start to the day!

Noon's arrival also signaled the punctual arrival of our friends Kerwin and Barb Rohr for a week aboard. We introduced them to SaSea Sally, gave them a get-acquainted tour then off we went for lunch at nearby Dolphin View Restaurant with its open-air pavillion and scenic waterfront view which was PACKED with Mothers Day celebrants. We noticed the restaurant staff seemed fairly well-prepared for the crowd as we placed our order at the counter; our basket lunches arrived with only short delay (well, Kerwin's was a little longer than short). We noticed the crowd subdividing as cruise-ticket holders boarded the New Smyrna sightseeing boat; only then did we realize this restaurant deck was also the port of call for the sightseeing boat...duh, and the boat was docked right there! The accompanying noise left no doubt that the boarding passengers were prepped to have a delightful journey!

Ruins of a fort at New Smyrna near the marina

Post lunch we four made our way to Wal-Mart on a provisioning run. Blending our taste buds with the Rohrs' as we made our way up and down the aisles, we came up with meal and snack choices guaranteed to keep us all happy and well-fed. The banter back and forth among the four of us began in, as I recall, the hand weights aisle (or was it the Rit dye or propane tank aisle?) As we giggled and exchanged one-liners, Barb commented to Kerwin, "Oh Kerwin, we're gonna have fun!" I hope so! And, I felt the same (because pre-boarding I really didn't know these people; Kerwin was a high-school classmate of Clay). If I didn't know them before, I was sure gonna know them soon...after 5-6 days aboard 43x16 sq ' (max) of space! And they, us!

Back to the boat, I stowed the numerous WMT purchases which gave Barb and Kerwin time to orgainze as well. Clay and I had little indoctrination to this New Smyrna port, and thus restaurant choice for dinner which sneaked up rather quickly was luck of the draw just as lunch had been. We queried fellow boaters, a great resource, who were quick to offer their favorites of which there were many. Thankful for Rohrs' van (wheels!), we made our way toward the beach (would have been a longggggg walk!), selecting That's Amore for casual dining. We nibbled on pizza and pasta as the bugs nibbled on our ankles. Their bites became more pronounced a couple days later, so we raided the first aid kit for hydrocortisone cream to soothe the itch and swelling. Many times during their days aboard Barb made comment on coming Boy Scout prepared; I could tell she and I think alike! (Barb, should I give any credit to Kerwin here?)

Monday morning Barb emerged from their front stateroom making comment about her hairdo and needing a haircut. Appropriately, my comeback was, "I have a hairdresser for you!" which brought forth a giggle from all four of us simultaneously. I am tolerating this new 'do of mine, knowing full well that I can do little about it. Until my hair grows, it simply is what it is! Oggi's Christine (of Melbourne fame) pronounced the style "chic." I swear "sleek" is more appropriate; she must have been preparing me for a Pinewood or Soapbox Derby or maybe the Preakness or even a swim meet against Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte. There is no drag on this lady currently! Also no fluff, no lift, no body, but mucho ease and simplicity! I must remind myself to enjoy it while I can. I later found out Barb was a cosmetologist prior to her earning her teaching degrees (and winning many teaching awards over the years, by the way!); thus, her reassurance that this 'do suits me and that I wear it well was a huge confidence boost. (Barb, where are you now? I need another boost!)

 








 




Clay chose Marineland Marina for our first day's cruising destination where we arrived around 4 p.m. We checked in with harbormaster Eric who gave me a high five (and that's all) in reply to my request for any discount to which we might be entitled. (Heck, it doesn't hurt to ask. And, Clay has fully submerged himself in this Loopers' experience, having acquired memberships in about as many organizations as there are letter combos in the alphabet:  MTOA, AGLCA, LMNOP and so forth! And many memberships are accompanied by discounts as are having insurance with Sea Tow and Boat US, and affiliations with Active Captain, Waterway Guide, etc.)

 
I guess the appeal of Marineland Marina to Clay was the recommended 'Behind the Seas' tour offered at Marineland the following day because there was little else here. Hello? Captain, you now have TWO women aboard...where is the dining? The nightlife? The shopping? The trolley? But laying just beyond the harbor was an absolutely beautiful beach to which we walked early eve before focusing on dinner prep. We had a wonderful dinner of marinated pork tenderloin, grilled asparagus, wild rice, with a few pieces of leftover That's Amore pizza thrown in for good measure. 

Eric had highlighted the River-to-Sea Trail for our morning walk to which we looked forward the following day. Not! Clay and I had walked not 50' onto the Trail Tuesday morning before his cry of 'mosquitoes' rang out loud and clear. We are OUTTA here...and quickly. Even Clay made haste (and that's saying something!) Please note that the River-to-Sea Trail was a dense canopy of lush vegitation where our footsteps were cushioned by a bed of almost-a-natural mulch...a delight to the average hiker had we been prepared for a hike. But absent bugspray, long sleeves and long pants, it was a nightmare in the making. Flying like a flash, with my flash being only a bit faster than Clay's (and I was in a dead run!), we both still acquired a few welts.

We emerged from the Trail, 'when, what to our wondering eyes should appear but'....no, not 'a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer'...but a cascade of farmers market tents and a shopping opportunity in the making! Clay's reputation was saved! He and I detoured thru tent city to make a quick pit stop, to regroup and to redesign our morning walking route. And as we did, I was surprised (or not, really) to find Barb and Kerwin already threading their way through the maze of fresh produce, coffee beans, homemade soaps, relishes, spices, free-trade jewelry, homebaked goods, and the like. Post walk, I purchased a pound of Sumatra fresh-ground coffee beans, a free-trade gift item while Clay gravitated toward some cranberry-orange muffins. Fresh baking doesn't happen on the SaSea Sally...at least not yet. But I grill a mean burger! And, Clay didn't bring along a chef's hat, but if he ever had the notion, I think I could quickly fashion a pillowcase into an amazing similarity. (An empty beer box would do in a pinch!)

We made our way to the noon 'Behind the Seas' tour at Marineland, then set sail to arrive at St. Augustine Municipal Marina just prior to 4 p.m. Having provisioned for eating 'in' two dinner meals, we opted to dine out this Tuesday evening at nearby O.C. White's in the garden terrace. (When will we learn that Florida spawns a healthy crop of bugs? Nothing a little Off won't handle...we were remiss.) But the lure of outside dining with live music under a canopy of twinkling lights (sounds good, but I don't really think they twinkled) hooked us and reeled us in for a nice evening meal.

Friend Kerwin had researched tour train/trolley options for Wednesday, and being not only thorough, but...well, that pretty much describes Kerwin and his approach to most everything we faced...he chose the red train tour which boarded right at the Marina entrance! Historic St. Augustine is one of those cities which almost requires a riding tour and tour guide to get an overall picture, so we boarded the little red train and rode the next 1 3/4 hours, taking in the sights as our driver navigated the coastal streets and narrated our sightings. We took a break over the lunch hour to regroup, eat, close up the fly bridge (not gonna let the forecasted shower penetrate again), then re-boarded the little red train, with the fort as the guys' destination and the shops directly across the street from the fort for us gals! Don't know about the guys, but Barb and I talked, laughed and giggled as we meandered thru the shops lining St. George Street. Actually, I do know something about the guys; they must have really enjoyed the fort tour as we didn't see them for the next 2+ hours. They found us nearing the gazebo on St. George as we concluded our shopping expedition. As a local high school jazz band set up in the gazebo for an early evening concert, Barb and I found our way to the fine jewelry store across the street, knowing the fellas would be entertained. I stepped in gum while window shopping while Barb tried on an offering of rings by a St. Augustine designer Alex Reubel. (You can guess which one of us had more fun!) Actually we both had fun, chatting with the shop keepers while listening to the jazz band music drift through the open doors.

Back to the SaSea Sally after a full day of touring, we were ready for a glass of wine in preparation for dinner at A1A Ale Works, another casual gathering spot nearby. Of note is the great location of this St. Augustine Muni Marina, again in close proximity to the downtown area and its offerings of restaurants and bistros, tour vehicles, shopping, parks and riverwalks (of sorts) and a rich and notable history to explore. Further, the Marina's location near an inlet to the ocean provides beaucoup current, wind and sloshing noises...a natural lullabye to rock you to sleep each night.

Thursday morning had Captain Clay incorporating that beaucoup current and wind into his departure plans without asking for a dock hand (First Mate Sal always accepts help when offered and has even been known to ask for help in extenuating circumstances). Well, those extenuating circumstances arose as SaSea Sally pulled out of the slip with Sally still on the dock. Oops. (I'll never admit it was my fault; I was simply following the captain's orders in releasing lines as directed). Barb had been temporarily upset over having misplaced the Ladies' Shower Room key; all of a sudden, her concern over that plastic card flew out the window in the face of this recent development. I truly think she was awestruck to see me still on the dock as Clay battled wind, waves and current AND tried to figure a way to retrieve me. All the while, I was happily waving from the dock, knowing they wouldn't leave me; knowing that Clay would figure a way to get me back on board; and having already been offered a temporary, or permanent...I'm pretty good crew, home aboard the Hunky Dory as its captain laughed at the absurdity of our predicament (he's probably been in a similar fix at one point in his boating career!)

Crafty maneuvering by Captain Clay, coupled with his vast knowledge and past experience, had me onboard in no time. He factored in winds and current, letting Mother Nature work in his favor...and mine. Kerwin had offered to handle the dock lines prior to our departure, but I guess I might have realized this situation to be a possibility; I figured I could out-jump Kerwin...and probably land ON the swim platform and not IN the water. Barb could now go back to worrying about the lost key; she chose the right one to lose as it was a swipe card, where coding could easily be changed, and it had required no deposit.

The canvas top DIDN'T LEAK!!!

Nice real estate

Because the weather forecast included a high percentage chance of rain and possible storms, Clay had not confirmed his choice in destinations, but just as any good captain, he had earmarked four or five possibilities along our route. Final choice would be determined by weather. I was urging air conditioning with Kerwin giving two thumbs up to that suggestion. He and I (and I'm sure Barb, had she been present during the discussion) were in firm agreement in ruling out overnight bugs and sauna-like conditions. We had just enough rain to proclaim Cocoa Village's seam-sealing a huge success, but not enough to force early retreat to a marina with lesser accommodations than the one in which we landed mid-afternoon...Metropolitan Park Marina at the 'base' of the Florida Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. Good choice! Advertised as a 'free' dock

Cruise ship docked at Jacksonville

(really?), this marina offered free water as well as payment-required electricity in 24-hour increments. Kerwin was quick to ante up the electric fee at the pedestal kiosk at the top of the catwalk, thankful, as we all were, for air conditioning; we knew the high percentage chance of a steamy night ahead, at least until midnight. Neat and efficient set-up this was! Way cool! Plus the dockage was free. Knowing we'll pass this way again, I will surely make note of this location.

Dry dock at the ICW & St John River

We dodged raindrops as we grilled burgers and romaine, and ended the evening with ice cream and cookies, with no one willing to finish off the last of the container of ice cream. We laughed, told stories and continued the barrage of one-liners, never nearing depletion of the artillery housed within us. At any point during the trip, our conversations lent themselves to comedy skits for any stand-up comedy stage.

Homemade sail boat built by a Dutchman and sailed across the Atlantic by him, his wife and teenage daughter.  Going on the freighter this week to return to Holland.

Friday was to be our last cruising day with friends Kerwin and Barb aboard, so, after a morning walk through the waterfront park neighboring the Gator Bowl, we unplugged the power cord, disconnected the water hose, untied and coiled the lines, and off we motored under beautiful sunny skies toward the Ortega River. Kerwin has become quite adept at all of those tasks, and I've offered to relinquish my first mate title; he's declined each and every time, happy to be crew. Because the Ortega River is not a part of the Intracoastal Waterway system, Clay peppered both Kerwin and me periodically with questions as to our current location, bridge height (yep, that be important!) and sightings of markers along the way.

Ocean barge being loaded with containers by semi-tractors

We arrived after a short hour at the Marina at Ortega Landing which was to be our home-away-from-home for the next week while necessary, routine maintenance work is done. Clay opted to rent a car for a week. Just as, early on in our journey I didn't know how to handle being car-less, I now don't know what to do with the one we have. My, how life changes. A huge part of acceptance lies in the proximity of the marina to services and amenities nearby. We hit the jackpot on this one! Within two short blocks (the back way) are Publix (grocery store), Starbucks, Panera, Stein Mart, and an armada of restaurants and an array of mom-and-pop small businesses.

After check-in and orientation by dockmaster Scott, we four ate lunch aboard, purging the frig of accumulated leftovers in the process. Barb and I made quick note of the fact that Ortega Landing offered free laundry machines, so off we went with books in hand, knowing we'd spend more time talking than reading; books were back-up in case we ran out of conversation. Really?

I would venture a guess that the guys spent much of our laundry time researching online: Clay, maintenance issue resources; and Kerwin, road trip ideas for the remainder of their trip. So nice to have good internet connectivity here. We regrouped for a nice dinner at Bonefish Grill, then overnighted at the boat before Saturday's trip to New Smyrna to return Rohrs to their car.

Saturday we navigated the 1.5 hour trip to New Smyrna late morning, deciding to end our time together where we started...at the Dolphin View Restaurant for lunch. The dining deck was much less crowded than Mothers Day the week before. Again, we enjoyed our basket lunches under the shade canopy, then wandered across the park to the Farmers Market, accompanied by groans from Kerwin who was sure he'd be spending at least the next hour wandering through the maze of tents. We gals did a whirlwind tour of the tents, spending only few minutes and even less money. Hugs and a fond farewell among the foursome soon found the Rohrs heading south and the Logans heading north for our week at Ortega Landing. It was a week of memories none of us will soon forget.