We had another pleasant night at anchor and resisted the alarm's call to get moving when it sounded at 6:30. Dressed in several layers, topped by foul weather pants and rubber boots, I was raising the anchor before sunrise. The chain was coated in mud and it took quite a while to get it and the deck hosed off and clean. I defrosted my hands by holding a warm bowl of oatmeal as we made our way down the Halifax River. Our first notable waterside attraction was the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. We tracked it behind the trees for several miles before getting a full view of the tower beyond the Smyrna Beach Inlet. We recalled previous trips to this area by car when we climbed 203 steps up to the top of the 175-foot tower and enjoyed the view. This was well before we ever dreamed of being here by boat. Shortly thereafter, the George Musson Bascule Bridge at Coronado Beach opened for our passage south toward Titusville. A waterside mini Lady Liberty and an oddly-placed American flag kept things interesting.
There were many more abandoned/derelict boats along the way. This one was notable for the painted message on its side -- Not Abandoned. Will Be Raised Soon. We both laughed and wondered how old the message was. Around 1:00 we got our first good look at the Kennedy Space Center as the launch pads rose out of the distant haze. A sharp right turn took us into the Haulover Canal as we approached yet another bascule bridge. Our good timing continued and we proceeded through the opened span without delay.
The close quarters of the canal provided up-close looks at kayakers, fishermen, and wildlife. This brown pelican cooperated and struck a pose for me. We exited the canal into the wide Indian River. NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building towered over the surrounding landscape. It was built in the early 1960s for the Saturn V rockets and was later used for setup of the space shuttle. The water's surface was as flat as glass and cast near-perfect reflections of several bridge spans. The day warmed up nicely and I spent some time on Fiberglass Beach getting my Vitamin D, trying to re-establish a tan, and watching the dolphin.
We slid through the broad, flat water and decided to call it a day just after 5:00, a bit short of our original destination of Melbourne. We spotted an anchorage already home to several boats, but also with room for us. We ducked in at Eau Gallie and dropped the hook with 72 more miles behind us.
Tomorrow will be a shorter day with a tentative destination of Ft. Pierce. We may even see 80 degrees in the process!
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