The Greatest

Port Canaveral

As we were walking back from a restaurant yesterday, we didn't pay much attention to the goings on at the port until we noticed the many excited photographers.

It finally dawned on us that across the channel, the pipe being lifted was in fact the reusable portion of the Falcon 9 Rocket we had seen from Ft Pierce as it was blasting off here at Cape Canaveral.

Pretty amazing that not only can they land this thing on a barge way the hell out in the open sea, but it rides home upright, on a flat bottom barge, in such rough conditions.


Impressive, Spacex.

Ocean Club Marina at Port Canaveral is a fine marina that's nice and clean with good WiFi and floating docks... and a great inlet - Cruise ship inlet - Deep and wide.
The marina staff are very nice folks.

Cheers

Purposeful Meandering

A thought I just had and a term I just googled — found this.

"Not all who wander are lost." 

 Since leaving Memphis and all the responsibilities of our once chosen professions, Mel and I have enjoyed and become accustomed to a life aboard of drifting without much long range intent or forethought.

After all, bumping around on our boat is our pleasure and has little or no bearing on the lives of others. Hence, when asked about our plans, we say, "We're not sure.". We often don't know until we're cranking up Istaboa and forced to pick a direction.

This sometimes annoys those who don't realize; we're not being coy, we're just enjoying one of the last free personal luxuries we can take pleasure in. The critical point option: Meaning, we'll stay fluid till we must decide.
Back on land, there's plenty of responsibilities and obligations waiting for us.
But for now — If you're reading this expecting to follow us on an epic voyage you're going to be disappointed.

So with all that said, we're in Cocoa Village, FL and having quite a nice time. We stopped for a day and it's now been 2... we may leave today and make the short run to Cape Canaveral and Ocean Club Marina, but that's up to the lock master at the Canal.
Part of that land based life, installing WiFi at marinas, Ocean Club is on our list of marinas. We're casually cruising and stopping at each one to take our time inspecting and testing those systems. We enjoy this.

Plugging that little WiFi company: The guys at onSpot have done a phenomenal job. I'll say it myself with confidence and pride, it's the best service I've encountered at a marina or even one of the fine hotels we stay at from time to time.
Unfortunately, Cocoa Village Marina is not on our list. It's a fine marina in a cool little town, but we're forced to use a cell connection to write this. Still, not bad. We'll stay here every time we pass by. The marina folks are very hospitable.

Our stops so far have been Bahia Mar in Ft Lauderdale, Admiral's Cove in Jupiter, Ft Pierce City Marina, and Loggerhead Vero Beach. All onSpot marinas and all very nice places to spend time. And, yes, the WiFi at each is really fast and always on.

Now I can say it — we're cranking up and Loggerhead Ocean Club at Cape Canaveral is our next stop.

Unless something changes our mind and direction.

Adios,

 

Decisions

North or South?

All went fairly well on our shake-out cruise. A few minor glitches but nothing I couldn't fix myself. It was good we were aboard Istaboa as one of our ACs had a clogged drain line and condensation overflowed it's pan. Mel woke me up to point out there was water dripping from the ceiling. After a semi-frantic scurry we figured it out but not before soaking one of our ceiling panels.
Luckily, a local company had some of the material and the repaired panel is already on the boat.

So it's decision time. North or South? Good reasons to head in both directions and one has yet to overcome the other — I guess we'll figure that out when we leave.

Happy problems.

Cheers,

Shake Out Cruise

Thankfully, nothing shook out. (Yet)

Beach Days

So every morning Little Mud and I take off for a good walk down Ocean Blvd then return north via Jupiter's Dog Beach.

I've said it before, Jupiter has a great beach for dogs. Unleashed, smiling, splashing, swimming, running... the canines and their humans have a blast.

Radar has reached the stage in his life where he likes the beach, but, "put me in the car and drive me to it" is what the look in his eyes seems to say.

Young Mud? Always ready for a long walk.

There's a boat trip coming up soon. Mel and I are still working out the details, but the beach walks and our times at home are just as enjoyable. So, it's all good.

Adios,

Remember That Little WiFi Company?

https://onspotwifi.com/

Cold Day In Nantucket

Never been to Nantucket but business gave me an opportunity so ... here we are.

A fairly easy flight to Boston and a beautiful hop over to Nantucket. Looking down I could see it's a great area to cruise.

hhmm.....

Cape Cod Canal

This may be in our near future.