Duck, Duck, Goose

Jane, Sandy, Rich, Rick, Mary, Joe

After we left Titusville we headed a short distance down the ICW to Cocoa where we met up with Mike Pitzer and Tom Baker.  Went over to Port Canaveral where Mike keeps his Nordic44 (Diva).  We had a wonderful dinner of Chicken Parmesean prepared on the boat by Mike we enjoyed beer and a couple of bottles of wine  what a fun evening we had with Mike and Tom.  On Monday Mike came and picked us up and we all went for a sail on Diva out into the Atlantic Ocean.  Wind was blowing very briskly and we were cruising on 4 foot swells about 4 seconds apart.  It was a lively lumpy ride.   We thank Mike for his hospitality and good eats.

Tom, Mike, Joe

Back at Cocoa where we were still anchored we had to wait 3 days to get good enough weather to get going again.  It was very cold in the 30's and 40's at night and 50's during the day winds were 20 to 25 out of the SW.  We knew we would not make much progress with the wind on our bow so we stayed put.  Finally on Thursday we take off and there were freeze warnings out that morning but the wind switched to the north.  It warmed up during our next leg to Vero Beach, about 65 degrees which was a welcome change.  Our plan was to spend the night at the Vero Beach Municipal Marina.  When we arrive there are no mooring balls available so we have to raft up with another boat,  Kallisto, her owner Chris and his girlfriend Jen came out and assisted us.  Now that was nerve racking rafting up to someones boat I tell you.  It is the way that Vero Beach does their marina which isn't all bad just frightening the first time you have to raft up.  This was a very cruiser friendly harbor and we stayed an extra day so we could check it out.  We like the area and there is a free bus to get you to the grocery store and back.  We will go back there some time and take in more of the area.  Sunday we headed to Stuart Florida our cruising buddy and friends on Spindrift had already arrived 2 weeks prior.  Sunset Bay Marina is where we are at now the weather has been in 80's since we arrived mostly sunshine and good weather.  What a relief to be able to wear shorts and a t-shirt.  Here it comes ladies and gentleman we are in the No Sock Zone at last.  WOOP WOOP!!!!.  Lots of cruisers here for the winter both sail and power boats.   We are out on a mooring ball so we dinghy in everyday to take showers and get errands and laundry done.  yesterday the Budweiser Clydesdales were in Stuart.  All those years we lived in Carlyle and we never saw them and we come to Florida and here they are.  We met for the first time Rich and Jane Huhn, relatives of Dave and Barb Huhn members at CSA, they live about 8 miles from here. Joe and I Rick, Sandy, Rich and Jane met here at the Marina and walked to downtown Stuart saw the Clydesdales briefly and decide we all needed drinks so we head over to the boathouse restaurant find some chairs by the water and proceed to have wonderful conversation and good drinks with new friends. We also discover a new rum called Black Coral made around here locally.  I love Mojitos.
Today we are in the cruisers lounge doing computer work and staying out of the heavy winds we are experiencing today.  It is 80 degrees here and partly sunny.  We are about 100 miles north of Miami.  We are heading to the keys next week to get some much awaited snorkeling and diving in I can't wait.

Oh you are probably wondering about my title of this blog.  On several occasions we have witnessed ducks swimming near the boat and then we will see a dolphin come up under the duck and goose him the duck goes crazy and flies off and the dolphin I am sure is getting his jollies from goosing the duck.  Just a funny thing  we have seen.  TTFN