Freedom’s Turn did fine. There is another way to go, more on the inside with more protected waters, but it would have taken us 2 hours out of our way. Charlie says here is where more local knowledge would have come in handy. Traveling alone, we weighed the pros and cons and then went with our gut feeling. And it was OK but not fun.
This next part will be getting everyone caught up with brief descriptions of the past two weeks.
When we arrived at Ft. Pierce City Marina on April 1, we had just crossed over from the Bahamas the day before. We were ready to move on up Florida’s eastern coast.
We also wanted to be in a good place to entertain our daughter Carrie and our son-in-law Jody who were driving from Michigan to be with us. They delighted us with a wonderful visit from April 6-10. They were with us in Daytona Beach and St. Augustine.
April 1-2 Ft. Pierce City Marina
The highlights here included meeting up with our friends Larry and Margie on Wanderin’ L & M. Larry took Linda to get major groceries since they had the daughter’s car for the time being. Charlie said Linda really helped the local economy. A big thank you from Linda to Larry! Other highlights while in Ft. Pierce included a delicious dinner in a Greek restaurant with Lisa and Jim from Kismet and Larry and Margie.
Six weeks of mail held for us back home in Okemos while in the Bahamas was waiting for us at the marina. Our wonderful house sitter mailed it to Ft. Pierce ahead of time for us. Most marinas will hold mail for boaters.
Linda paid all the bills on line and did eight loads of laundry she had been saving up from the Bahamas, since it cost $15 a load over there! Charlie installed a new battery charger and new batteries, both on partial warranty still. We called family to let them know we were back in the U.S. and emailed family and friends like crazy. We left Ft. Pierce the morning of April 3 with fond farewells to our boat buddies; not really saying good-by, but see you later.
April 3
Dragon Point Anchorage
on the Banana River, just south of Cocoa Beach
The anchorage offered a protected area with a night view of a military rocket launch from nearby Cape Canaveral, about 25 miles away. Another highlight was the dolphins swimming in our wake as we entered the channel.
Below, beautiful homes along the water at Palm Coast.
The Intracoastal Waterway from Northern Florida to Norfolk, Virginia is about 700 miles long. It is basically a series of rivers, inlets, and sounds connected by man made canals forming a much protected waterway except for a few open ocean inlets. The water is a mixture of salt water and fresh water. We have seen mostly muddy looking water lately. We find ourselves watching closely at times for floating debris, especially in populated areas. The waterway has large tides and strong currents in some locations and we are always checking the tidal charts, wind and weather. One day while piloting the upper helm, Charlie counted seeing 6 ospreys, 2 bald eagles, 7 manatees, 10 dolphins, 2 blue heron, and a white crane. Every few miles something interesting will come in to our view to photograph. Some other sights are below.
Fishing along the banks of the ICW is a popular pastime in these parts.
A Naval Ship Yard below 
Cocoa Village Marina port
April 4 Cocoa Beach Village Marina
Coca Beach is known as the surfing capital of the world; considered some of the best waves and weather on the East coast of Florida. Ron Jon’s Surf Shop is found here on the beach and is a popular place to buy beach wear. We only stayed one night and so did not make it to the beach which was on the ocean side of the Intracoastal. Linda wondered how the town got its name so she looked it up. Back in 1898 a group of locals wanted to name their town a short and simple name. One fellow saw a box of cocoa sitting on the counter in their meeting room and suggested Cocoa. It was agreed by all and the city had its name. True Story.
We were curious about the dogs dressed in little outfits being walked by their owners in dog carriers; one was elaborately decorated with flowers. We talked to the owners and discovered there had just been a fund raising competition event to benefit the Coastal Poodle Rescue League. We were told that there are dog rescue organizations specific to the breed. These two Pomeranians took 2nd place in the show. The white cutie is Riley and the sweet lt. brown dog is Shantelle. They are beautiful!
April 5 New Smyrna Beach anchorage at Rockhouse Creek.
Cocoa Village Marina port April 4 Cocoa Beach Village Marina
Coca Beach is known as the surfing capital of the world; considered some of the best waves and weather on the East coast of Florida. Ron Jon’s Surf Shop is found here on the beach and is a popular place to buy beach wear. We only stayed one night and so did not make it to the beach which was on the ocean side of the Intracoastal. Linda wondered how the town got its name so she looked it up. Back in 1898 a group of locals wanted to name their town a short and simple name. One fellow saw a box of cocoa sitting on the counter in their meeting room and suggested Cocoa. It was agreed by all and the city had its name. True Story.
Charlie and I walked into the quaint downtown with its open air cafes and boutiques and enjoyed some very delicious pizza at Ryan’s. We went to an old time hardware store named Travis Hardware. It had a charm with statues of different characters in each isle way as well as parts for everything, it seemed, stored up to the ceiling!
We were curious about the dogs dressed in little outfits being walked by their owners in dog carriers; one was elaborately decorated with flowers. We talked to the owners and discovered there had just been a fund raising competition event to benefit the Coastal Poodle Rescue League. We were told that there are dog rescue organizations specific to the breed. These two Pomeranians took 2nd place in the show. The white cutie is Riley and the sweet lt. brown dog is Shantelle. They are beautiful!
April 5 New Smyrna Beach anchorage at Rockhouse Creek. This location is right off the Intracoastal and there is an island here, offering plenty of beach frontage and camping for the locals that were there. Since we got there on a Sunday afternoon, the place cleared out by evening.
During the day we passed by the shores of Titusville; home of Kennedy Space Center and the Space Shuttle, NASA’s giant vehicle assembly plant, and where many of the high techie’s who work for NASA live. We chose not to stop here and go on to Daytona Beach to meet up further north with our daughter and her husband who were driving from Michigan. "Next time we’ll tour the Cape Canaveral area," Linda said. Charlie asked “Are we doing this again.?" Linda raised her eyebrows and said, “It maybe by car.” (This seems to becoming sort of game we play back and forth.)
April 6-8 Daytona Beach Halifax Yacht Club Marina
Carrie and her husband Jody arrived safely on Monday, April 6 just in time to go to a pub and watch the men’s MSU BBall NCAA Final Championship game over some burgers and beer. They shared our sorrow as MSU went down in defeat to an awesome Tar Heel team. It sure was fun to watch the games though; what a wild ride.
Although a cold front came through with highs in the 60’s, we had a wonderful time together there for two days. Nothing like family to be with!
During the day we passed by the shores of Titusville; home of Kennedy Space Center and the Space Shuttle, NASA’s giant vehicle assembly plant, and where many of the high techie’s who work for NASA live. We chose not to stop here and go on to Daytona Beach to meet up further north with our daughter and her husband who were driving from Michigan. "Next time we’ll tour the Cape Canaveral area," Linda said. Charlie asked “Are we doing this again.?" Linda raised her eyebrows and said, “It maybe by car.” (This seems to becoming sort of game we play back and forth.)
April 6-8 Daytona Beach Halifax Yacht Club Marina
Carrie and her husband Jody arrived safely on Monday, April 6 just in time to go to a pub and watch the men’s MSU BBall NCAA Final Championship game over some burgers and beer. They shared our sorrow as MSU went down in defeat to an awesome Tar Heel team. It sure was fun to watch the games though; what a wild ride.
Although a cold front came through with highs in the 60’s, we had a wonderful time together there for two days. Nothing like family to be with!
We got a great look at the Daytona Speedway by taking the tram tour. We got to ride on the speedway, stand on victory row and walk at the pit stop area as well as sit in the stands. Our guide told us that on the Daytona 500 Race day, there are around 240,000 people total at the track, making it Florida’s 7th largest city during the race! The track’s first race was in 1959 with 41,000 fans. The four corners of the track have a 31 degree tilt which they re-created for us to see at the museum.
Another fun thing was driving Carrie and Jody’s car on Daytona Beach! The hard packed beach made out of coquina shells gives the surface a hard packed velvet like surface that enabled cars and motorcycles to set world records for the fastest times as early as 1935 when a man from England named Sir Malcolm Campbell set a record of 330 miles per hour with his Bluebird V. It is a wide beach of 500 ft. at low tide and long at 25 miles.
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Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory was also one of our destinations. Linda wanted to buy the biggest chocolate bunnies but her idea did not fly with the captain. That was OK, they were $35 apiece.
The factory where our Freedom's Turn was made!
Seeing the plentiful churches, mostly Catholic, and the fact that it was Easter weekend, made our visit seem quite timely. We visited the site of our country’s first parish mass at the shrine named the ‘Nombre de Dios’ (Name of God) in honor of the Holy name of Jesus. This first service took place on September 8, 1565. There is a cross 204 feet tall here as well, documenting the birth place of Christianity in the United States. It was elevated in September 1965, four hundred years later. We felt a sense of wonder as we walked up to the cross. Linda felt a deeper appreciation of the faith of the people that lived here so long ago.
An example of a new building with the Spanish architecture blending in with the older buildings.
Charlie and I knew some of our 'looper' friends had arrived at the city marina so we met up with them for a quick but friendly visit and photo. In the middle are Bill and Jeannette from the boat Highlander and Jim and Barbara from the boat Golden Lilly. The new friends we have made on our journey have been a wonderful part of the experience!
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St Augustine is the oldest continuously lived in city in the United States; founded in 1565 by Pedro Menendez from Spain. To put the date into perspective, it was 42 years before the English colonized Jamestown and 55 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. It was founded only a year after Michelangelo died and a year before Shakespeare was born.
Another fun thing was driving Carrie and Jody’s car on Daytona Beach! The hard packed beach made out of coquina shells gives the surface a hard packed velvet like surface that enabled cars and motorcycles to set world records for the fastest times as early as 1935 when a man from England named Sir Malcolm Campbell set a record of 330 miles per hour with his Bluebird V. It is a wide beach of 500 ft. at low tide and long at 25 miles.
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Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory was also one of our destinations. Linda wanted to buy the biggest chocolate bunnies but her idea did not fly with the captain. That was OK, they were $35 apiece.April 9-10 Oyster creek Marina, St. Augustine
Carrie and Jody drove 45 minutes (50 miles) to our marina here and spent their fourth night with us. It took us 6.5 hours by boat to get there. Boating seems archaic at times!
Just before entering our marina, we went past the Mainship Factory where Freedom’s Turn was made! The factory has closed down in the past few months and moved to New Jersey. Freedom’s Turn had just completed her own loop (with a small tear!)
The factory where our Freedom's Turn was made!Like all Spanish towns, St Augustine has a plaza at its center from which the streets branch out, making the city a maze of restored houses and buildings. Henry Flagler, the railroad builder, left many turn of the century monuments around town including the Flagler College. One of the city’s main landmarks is the remains of the Spanish Fort named Castillo De Marcos. We had enjoyed touring this site years ago when previously visiting the area.
Seeing the plentiful churches, mostly Catholic, and the fact that it was Easter weekend, made our visit seem quite timely. We visited the site of our country’s first parish mass at the shrine named the ‘Nombre de Dios’ (Name of God) in honor of the Holy name of Jesus. This first service took place on September 8, 1565. There is a cross 204 feet tall here as well, documenting the birth place of Christianity in the United States. It was elevated in September 1965, four hundred years later. We felt a sense of wonder as we walked up to the cross. Linda felt a deeper appreciation of the faith of the people that lived here so long ago.
An example of a new building with the Spanish architecture blending in with the older buildings.
Charlie and I knew some of our 'looper' friends had arrived at the city marina so we met up with them for a quick but friendly visit and photo. In the middle are Bill and Jeannette from the boat Highlander and Jim and Barbara from the boat Golden Lilly. The new friends we have made on our journey have been a wonderful part of the experience!.JPG)
St Augustine is the oldest continuously lived in city in the United States; founded in 1565 by Pedro Menendez from Spain. To put the date into perspective, it was 42 years before the English colonized Jamestown and 55 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. It was founded only a year after Michelangelo died and a year before Shakespeare was born.
We walked on the grounds of the original Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum where we found the exact duplication of the statue of Michelangelo’s David Linda had heard about from her painter friend Florrie. It was awesone! It is third in the world; second is the duplicate in the Piazza del Signora, Florence, Italy and the original is inside the Ufitizzi Gallery in Florence.
Linda considered it a thrill to stand so close to her very favorite sculpture of all time and happening on her birthday, April 10! She had the honor of seeing the original David during her Italy trip with her friend Bev in the fall of 2007. 
We only stayed one night and unfortunately did not go on land. We had heard about Cumberland Island as being worth a walk around. The next morning, we went past Kings Bay Submarine Station. Even though we were showing depths of 14 feet during the night at our anchorage, passing through this area showed us depths of 45 feet that had been dredged out for the military. This photo above is a platform that is used to lift submarines out of the water.
More of King's Bay submarine station as seen from our boat. There was a security boat patrolling the area as we passed by.
April 12-14 Two Way Fish Club Marina, near Brunswick, Georgia
Freedom’s Turn has seen serene marshlands with big open sky since coming into Georgia. It has been quiet and soothing cruising for the most part. Until today.
Currently we are in our second day at Two Way Marina. Located on the Altamaha River just off the Intracoastal at Brunswick, this marina is named Two Way because of the flow of both salt water and fresh water coming together. The current is always moving extra fast here, even moving within the slips something like two mph Charlie estimates! There is a lot of river debris in our slip.
We wait out a two day bad weather window before heading north again. Today there was a tornado watch with wind gusts up to 40 mph and strong thunderstorms all evening. We are grateful to be a marina with floating docks so as the river rises, we rise right with it without adjusting the lines! And after three paid nights, it is the same cost as the weekly rate so the rest of the week is free if we need to stay longer. We will see what happens. We will be staying three nights for sure. Tomorrow we will take a rental car and drive 60 miles to see the Historical Downtown District of Savannah.
Linda considered it a thrill to stand so close to her very favorite sculpture of all time and happening on her birthday, April 10! She had the honor of seeing the original David during her Italy trip with her friend Bev in the fall of 2007. Charlie and Linda enjoyed Carrie and Jody's special visit more than we could ever tell them. We all said good-by with a bittersweet “see you in four short months” parting. Then they asked with a smile if their visit would qualify them to be in the blog and we said aha! (and yes of course)
April 11. Cumberland Island Anchorage
Freedom’s Turn went under the St Augustine Bridge of Lions and headed for an anchorage at Cumberland Island. We had just crossed into Georgia! It was late afternoon when we arrived. We saw lush, sub tropical land with a few resort looking buildings but a mostly desolate view for us. Charlie and I spotted some of the island’s wild horses. This photo is for our horse lover friend and neighbor, Sharon. Sorry, we don't know their breed but they looked beautiful!
We only stayed one night and unfortunately did not go on land. We had heard about Cumberland Island as being worth a walk around. The next morning, we went past Kings Bay Submarine Station. Even though we were showing depths of 14 feet during the night at our anchorage, passing through this area showed us depths of 45 feet that had been dredged out for the military. This photo above is a platform that is used to lift submarines out of the water.
More of King's Bay submarine station as seen from our boat. There was a security boat patrolling the area as we passed by.April 12-14 Two Way Fish Club Marina, near Brunswick, Georgia
Freedom’s Turn has seen serene marshlands with big open sky since coming into Georgia. It has been quiet and soothing cruising for the most part. Until today.
Currently we are in our second day at Two Way Marina. Located on the Altamaha River just off the Intracoastal at Brunswick, this marina is named Two Way because of the flow of both salt water and fresh water coming together. The current is always moving extra fast here, even moving within the slips something like two mph Charlie estimates! There is a lot of river debris in our slip.
We wait out a two day bad weather window before heading north again. Today there was a tornado watch with wind gusts up to 40 mph and strong thunderstorms all evening. We are grateful to be a marina with floating docks so as the river rises, we rise right with it without adjusting the lines! And after three paid nights, it is the same cost as the weekly rate so the rest of the week is free if we need to stay longer. We will see what happens. We will be staying three nights for sure. Tomorrow we will take a rental car and drive 60 miles to see the Historical Downtown District of Savannah.
And it will only take one hour to get there!
Hope you are well and having some good spring weather wherever you are. A special hello to our wondeful neighbors back home in Okemos. We miss talking over our back and front yards with them!
Sincerely,
Linda and Charlie
Hope you are well and having some good spring weather wherever you are. A special hello to our wondeful neighbors back home in Okemos. We miss talking over our back and front yards with them!
Sincerely,
Linda and Charlie
