Selene Owners Rendezvous

Fort Pierce  

We were able to have the ports open overnight as we slept. That's a sure sign we are getting closer to our kind of weather ... warm. Right after breakfast we lowered the dinghy into the water and started our 20-minute trek across the ICW to the dinghy dock at Fort Pierce Marina. We were pleasantly surprised by how nice the docks were. The welcome murals were a nice bonus. Neither Barry nor I had been to Fort Pierce before and we were excited to explore new territory. Today's main attraction was the Downtown Fort Pierce Farmers Market occurring from 8:00-noon. Advertising claims say it is "Ranked #1 in Florida and the top 5 nationally for America's Farmer's Markets." We arrived at 8:30 and benefitted from lighter crowds and a full selection of merchandise. I always enjoy seeing the colors and presentation of the fruits and vegetables. 

The aroma of fresh-baked bread and pastries pulled us in to a very well-stocked booth. We purchased a loaf of Sourdough and an almond croissant. At this early hour, there was still sitting room on the seawall. We found a good spot and pulled out our treat to share. Thankfully Barry had his knife with him and was able to slice the gooey goodness in half. Powered by a fresh sugar high, we walked through all 70 booths twice and even paused to enjoy some great live music. In one area was classic rock and on the opposite end was jazz. 

We then set out on the Aldi 5K -- a walk to and from the grocery store to pick up a few items. The sign announcing high-speed train traffic caught our eye and made us look both ways a few times before crossing. For a short distance, a bird followed beside us as we made our way to Route 1. We passed the West Marine, but to my surprise Barry said he could not think of anything he needed. We zipped through Aldi and were able to pick up most everything on our list. The backpack and insulated bag were full, but not as heavy as they could have been. We took a moment to examine the 25-foot Leap of Faith sculpture beside City Hall. Quick Google research informed us that the piece represents history-rich Fort Pierce looking into a rosy future. We also reached out to Kelly and Richard (Untethered) to find they had arrived at the Farmer's Market.   

Back at the market for its final hour, it was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people. It also seemed that everyone (but us) had a dog on a leash. The bread and produce were in limited supply. We were very glad we picked up our loaf when we did. We needed to get our groceries in the refrigerator so we headed to the dinghy for a quick run back to the anchorage. The clouds were moving in, but it was still pleasantly warm enough for another trip to the marina to meet Kelly and Richard for lunch at Crabby's.

Large, docile pelicans reluctantly shared the fairways with us. On our way to the dinghy dock, we spotted a Selene tied up in a slip and went over to take a closer look. We recognized it as the 53-foot SaltyMare, but we did not see anyone onboard. While waiting for our meal, I emailed Susie and found out they actually were onboard. On our way out, we all stopped by to say, "Hello" while having our own mini rendezvous. The Selene owners community is full of wonderful folks. Susie and Todd met us on their finger pier as we pulled close to their boat. We spent a while chatting, sharing stories, and comparing notes before returning to Crossroads for the evening. We hope to see everyone again tomorrow. All three boats will be heading to The Bahamas soon.