Hillsboro Beach to Titusville, Floride / March 11 - 22, 2015
March 11, 2015
It was a day under the sun, the clouds, the wind, the rain, but a very hot day! We experienced it all! We travelled today through greener areas. The tall condos and apartment towers gave way to houses, but still very luxurious houses. At Jupiter Inlet, the water suddenly changed colour making us realize that the Atlantic Ocean was just ahead. It was blue and beautiful. We also saw a beautiful lighthouse at Jupiter Inlet.
March 12, 2015
We arrived in Fort Pierce today. That city looks very beautiful and appealing. We stayed on Sharon & King's boat at the municipal marina. This allowed us to use the facilities and do our laundry. Salt water is hard on our clothes and everything becomes sticky very quickly. It is so nice when we have the chance to do laundry.
In the evening, we decided to treat ourselves by going out for dinner at a restaurant. That small adventure allowed us to experience the local festivities. There was a large gathering of motorcycles right next to the waterfront and music was playing. The architecture is very different in this city, at least on the edge of the water. At times, it seemed like we were somewhere in Italy.
13-15 March 2015
We went to Vero Beach. We had the great fortune to be staying on Blue Moon for the weekend thanks to Sharon & King’s endless hospitality. For us, their help is invaluable and we are extremely grateful. We do not want to paddle during the weekend. There is too much traffic on the Intracoastal. Even the loopers are not keen on the idea of traveling during the weekend. So we did errands; we went to the dog park with Jasmine; we walked and read; we had a good time with King & Sharon and laughed a lot. In our reading, we learned that the natural environment of Indian River Lagoon generates $ 800 million per year in benefits to the local economy. There is a lot of effort to preserve the natural environment. These efforts bring a wide variety of fish. On a different note, we learned that Fort Pierce Inlet State Park had been a place where the US Navy frogmen trained for the D-Day invasion of World War II.
We also received a very valuable delivery via our good friend Denis. We have a sponsorship for dry bags from Ortlieb. Ortlieb is a great company that manufactures proven and very high quality products. When we contacted them a few weeks ago, they jumped on board our project and provided us with bags that will significantly improve our logistics, our well-being and the following of our adventures. Ortlieb, thank you for your trust and your high quality product!!!
March 16, 2015
We left Vero Beach relatively early because we did not want to suffer too much from the heat. Although we paddled a short distance, the day was extraordinary. We saw so many birds, fish and even a hammerhead shark. We also saw dolphins fishing. We had a headwind which fortunately allowed us to freshen up a bit.
During the day, we paddled next to a park named Sebastian Inlet State Park. We learned that in 1715, a Spanish fleet full of gold and silver from Peru was sunk, close to what is now the park. More than a thousand men managed to get ashore. Several died later, due to the conditions they had to live in, but many survived thanks to the Ais Indians. When help arrived from Havana, the recovery team managed to find half of the loot lost in the ocean.
We arrived at Long Point County Park where we met our friends Sophie and Gilles and Jasmine’s friend Nomade. They welcomed us with beer, wine and a good dinner. We had a great evening and we laughed so much our cheeks hurt. Thank you for the wonderful evening!!!!
March 17, 2015
Last night, late in the evening, Andrew arrived at the campground (Andrew with whom we spent a lot of time in the Keys). He was already asleep in his tent when we came back after our dinner with Gilles and Sophie. We were very happy to see him this morning. We spent the day with him. This will probably be the last time we're with him because Andrew has to return to Boston. He is not very enthused about going back, because it is still cold and snowy. After spending the winter in the south, the idea of swapping his shorts for trousers does not sound very appealing. Andrew thank you for coming to visit us! This time it's true, we will only meet again in several months.
It was very hot today. We spent most of the day in the shade near the water. It is really nice here, and we see more and more beaches on the islands. We know that from now on, we should not have any problems finding a place to pitch our tent.
March 18, 2015
We left Andrew in our wake this morning. We only did a short distance to get to an island named BC38. We were pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the place and the facilities available. There is a picnic table and a BBQ. Although this site is considered as primitive camping (no water, electricity, toilet, shower, etc.), the island seemed very civilized to us. Bravo for those people who made the place so nice and clean.
March 19, 2015
While breaking up camp this morning, we met two fishermen, Larry & Doug. It was a nice encounter. Both brothers live not far from the island (actually we can see their homes from the island). They invited us to come have a beer the next time we are in the region. We won’t be back here soon, but a big thank you for the invitation :)
We paddled a little over 40km today to go to another island called IR35. Beautiful Island! The easiest access to the island is from its northeast side where there is a beach with a gradual slope. We were able to make a fire and we did not have a lot of mosquitoes and flies. It was very windy when we arrived on the island and has been windy all night. The island is beautiful. So far, the "spoiled islands" where camping is permitted are really impressive. On this one, there is a path that goes around it. There are many Australian pines and a beautiful beach.
During the day, we enjoyed the visit of the Blue Angels. They were training for an air show. We had the chance to see them up close. They passed overhead several times while we were paddling. They were close enough for us to see their colours. Really impressive!
March 20, 2015
We left a little earlier this morning because the heat during the day is unbearable. It was 30°C today (29°C yesterday and 28°C the day before). There was virtually no wind either. It was hot, very hot! Our friends, Gilles and Sophie, invited us to come visit at Manatee Hammock County Park. All sites on the campground were taken, but they invited us to set up our tent on their site. We decided to stay and it was a good decision. We had so much fun and we all laughed a lot. By late afternoon, we went to a microbrewery in Titusville, named PlayaLinda. Very nice place! Then we spent a wonderful evening with our friends. Thank you both of you!!!!
Jasmine was very busy with her squirrels. Her friend, Nomade, did not have the pleasure of playing with Jasmine, the independent one.
March 21, 2015
After a hearty breakfast, Gilles and Sophie generously offered us their car to run errands. This is what we did in the afternoon. Then in the evening we enjoyed a big dinner in good company! Lots of laughter and happiness!
March 22, 2015
Gilles and Sophie, thank you for your great hospitality and generosity. We had a very good time with you. We had many laughs and it was great fun to see you. We will see you in Quebec and in the meantime: to the Nomads!
We left around 12:30 and paddled a small distance. We went to visit our friends Sharon & King at the Titusville Municipal Marina. They offered for us to stay on their boat instead of pitching our tent on the neighbouring island. It is calling for rain tonight and all day tomorrow. Taking into consideration the weather the next few days, we have accepted the invitation with great pleasure. King and Sharon, you are angels!
