Heading North

Wednesday, March 30th, we left Stuart and headed for Vero Beach. After going east on the St. Lucie Canal for awhile, we finally turned left and are officially headed north up the East Coast! 

We arrived in Vero Beach and are staying at the city marina. 

Went under a train bridge and a car bridge. Waited 40 minutes for them to open.

Our new back yard.

Our new neighbor.

We took a map and walked to the closest restaurant, but there was a long wait, so we kept walking. (Everyone tells us all these tourists/snowbirds will be gone in a month, and the businesses will be empty.)

Such pretty trees on our walk.

Eventually we found a restaurant on the beach! We got to sit and look out at the Atlantic, while we had a drink and talked to a nice couple who are living in Dublin, Ireland. Had a great meal, eventually, that was worth the beautiful wait.

The Atlantic Ocean!

Not a bad view from the bar.

The happy captain.

Across Lake Okeechobee to Stuart

We spent three nights in Clewiston at the Roland and Mary Ann Martin Marina. Apparently Roland was a famous bass fisherman. His ex-wife runs it now. I have never seen so many huge, fancy fishing boats, and small bass boats too. There is a bass tournament there this weekend.

These Iguana live in the rocks at the marina.

Another new bird I've never seen before!

Wednesday, March 23rd, Robbie and Patrick left  Clewiston and headed for Lake Okeechobee. The forecasts had called for such a rough crossing, that I rented a car and took the cats with me. But, we are finding out some of these wind websites are not accurate.

Okeechobee Waterway

They had a pretty easy crossing, then they continued down the Okeechobee Waterway.

Leaving Indiantown, headed back into the Okeechobee Waterway.

Our new spot at the St. Lucie Lock and Campground

There are only five other boats here, all sailboats.

Visitor's Center

Patrick decided to make his own Key Lime Pie. We have been buying them and comparing them, but he looked up a recipe on the Internet, bought all the ingredients, and put it together. We all thought it was better than any we bought!

Robbie and Patrick went on a charter fishing trip on Friday. They only got three fish, a Blue Runner, a Yellow Snapper, a Porgy.

Patrick cooked them up and we ate them, of course. They were delicious!

Chef Patrick 

Last night, Friday, March 25th, four inches of rain fell just north of us. All we got was some rain and a great light show, but no winds, thank goodness.

Today, Saturday, March 26th, Patrick flew back home to Gillette, Wyoming. We will really miss him, he was so fun to have on board, and was such a big help to us!

River Cruising to Clewiston

We spotted an alligator at the St. Lucie Lock and Campground.

Sunday, March 20th, we left the St. Lucie Campground and headed on down the river to Clewiston. 

We had great weather all the way there. 

Approaching a lock, getting ready to grab a line.

Hanging onto lines as the water rushes into the lock to raise us about 8 feet.
Patrick drove us into this one!

Our new home, Roland Martin's Marina in Clewiston.
Expecting winds on Monday, so we will wait here until Tuesday.

Heading Down the Caloosahatchee River

  After traveling for five weeks with Bob and Barbara (Docktari), this morning (Friday, March 18th), we both left the marina in Fort Myers Beach, and went our separate ways. It wasn't easy to see them head in the other direction! We feel so lucky that they were our traveling companions in the beginning of this trip; they helped us in so many ways, and we had so much fun swapping stories, sharing meals and drinks, exploring, shopping, and plotting our next moves with them. And they have the same boat! We will really miss their company. They are going to Key West and then the Bahamas, and we are headed for the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee. 

We wish them fair winds and following seas

 and hope to see them again some day!

Patrick returned from Key West last night, with lobster in an insulated bag! 

Patrick took this before we left. Snowy Egret

Bob and Barbara lead us out for the last time.

Goodbye Bob and Barbara! Have fun! Be safe!

Fort Myers/San Carlos Bay

In the river now, this train bridge stays open unless a train is coming.

Franklin lock, but we only moved up about two feet.
Not like the 85 ft. lock we went through in November!

Instead of a floating bollard, they just threw us a line.

Here are the lobster that Patrick caught while he was diving in Key West.

Tonight Patrick cooked the lobster and we had it with morel mushroom soup that we brought
from a restaurant in Fort Myers Beach. What a delicious meal!