A Good Day To Be On Our Trawler

Fort Pierce to Riviera Beach  |  7.6 Hours  |  45 Miles  

Our anchor presented an unexpected level of resistance this morning. Four days of bobbing and swinging at the mercy of wind and current had left our bridle wrapped around the anchor chain. In the six years we've had Crossroads, I had never seen anything like this. I attacked the problem from the other end and released the ears from the Sampson post to quickly free us. A deep sigh of relief followed and we were underway with the rising sun. My favorite sunrises are ones where the reds and oranges are layered against the blue and whites. We have traveled this stretch of the ICW several times and much of the scenery was familiar. New-to-us sights had us checking Google maps for identification. The Mansion at Tuckahoe in Jensen Beach was once the home of Coca-Cola heiress Anne Bates Leach. It is operated by the Martin County Parks and Recreation Department as a popular event/wedding venue.

We crossed the St. Lucie Inlet and entered the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. During this stretch we saw an abundance of red mangrove knees and bright green foliage. A Grand Banks trawler led us with the current to the Hobe Sound Bridge. The bascule bridge opened and we both accelerated through the opening made narrower by a work barge tied to its starboard fender. Out of nowhere a large northbound Fl*&$ing decided he could not wait any longer and joined us in the narrow space. Nerves were high, but all three boats made it safely. On the opposite side of the park boundary, huge estates began to sprout along the waterway. New construction, established residences, and high-end water toys encouraged much head turning and shaking.  

We were on the lookout, however, for our good friends on Flip Flop who were anchored just off the main channel. We saw Melissa and Jeff on their bow and nothing but happy thoughts existed. We did a slow pass and were able to chat a bit before current and shallows forced us to continue southward. We met Melissa and Jeff in No Name Harbor (Key Biscayne) as we were preparing to make our first cross to The Bahamas in 2019. Our paths have crossed a few times since that trip, and we have kept in touch via social media. We're hoping to see each other in The Bahamas later this year. 

Not long after saying farewell to Flip Flop, we were in the S-curve of Jupiter Inlet. Back to back bridge openings led us past the namesake red lighthouse. For all the bridges that have had to open for us, there are an equal amount that we can pass directly under. Our air draft is 26.5 feet, so we went under the 35-foot Donald B. Ross Bridge. This is where is was a good day to be on our trawler. This bridge has been stuck in the down position for a couple of weeks, meaning all of the sailboats and larger sportfishers must divert and detour to the ocean to avoid the low span. Landscaping always catches my eye and I easily pick out the colorful bougainvillea and hibiscus. Today a large mature banyan tree grabbed my attention. Oh, the stories it could tell of the many hurricanes through which it has stood strong. Shiny metallic pool-side sculptures were impressive, but so were the large pilings on this estate's floating dock. Most marinas do not have pilings as large as these.

A short distance later, Crossroads needed the PGA Boulevard Bridge to open. The golf courses that lined the ICW were very busy today. We had the opportunity to watch a foursome tee off at the North Palm Beach Country Club while we waited for the Parker Bridge, our final of the day, to raise its spans. We entered Lake Worth and proceeded to an anchorage we've used in the past. As we were setting the hook, an impressive black yacht cruised by in dark mode and turned our heads. It was nice to look at, but we agreed its always a good day to be on our trawler.

Note: As mentioned earlier, this route was quite familiar to us. If you're interested other accounts of the same stretch, click on this link for the 2022 blog entry and/or the 2020 blog entry.