ICW to St. Augustine

After leaving Titusville and the Kennedy Space Center the next two days were dedicated to getting to St. Augustine. While each day is different in what you see, this stretch was less eventful than most. Here we have one last view of the Vehicle Assembly Building from the ICW as we head north.

Our departure routine for us when we leave dockside is that Bob is at the controls and Debi is providing  clearance information  with regards to other boats and structures. You just don't want to meet other folks you had no intention of meeting just because you "bumped" into them. So far so good.

After we depart, Debi usually puts away all the fenders and lines for the day.

Passing under bascule bridges has become a bit of a routine by now as well.

We find we can pass under almost all of them without requesting an opening especially if the VHF antenna is lowered. Each bridge has a "clearance board" that tells you how much space you have under the bridge for your boat.

Many of the bascule bridges are being replaced by larger and much taller fixed bridges that typically provide about 65' of clearance under them. They have turned many of the old bridges into fishing piers.

Some of the bridges have even got caught up in the expenditure for artwork associated with public projects. This one has aquatic scenes stenciled into the cement piles supporting the bridge. I am sure the local manatees are impressed!

At this location there was a construction barge repairing the wooden "fenders" that are on each side of the designated passage way. These fenders act as a breakwater from wakes of the boats as they pass under the bridges... supposedly at near idle speed. When there is a barge in the passageway, it makes what feels like a narrow space seem much more narrow yet!

Of course as you transit the ICW you are likely to run into many different types of boats including small tour boats and yachts that look like small tour boats that have a lot of room on them.

Along the way when you get out of the city areas the terrain varies tremendously.

Very near the ICW you will find very shallow islands with trees growing out of the water...

 and at low tides the huge sandbars get exposed. They do provide a spot for the shorebirds to search for for food. We have often seen huge flocks scouring these newly exposed beaches. These grounded areas are not that far from the boat as we pass by them.

After arriving in Daytona Beach on April 1st, we moved on to St. Augustine on April 2nd for a four day stay.

Nautical Word For The Day: [from seatalk.info]

Yawl;

1. A two masted sailboat having the main mast  stepped forward of the beam and a small mizzen stepped aft of the rudder post.

From Great Loop Jargon:

2. A southern term that roughly translates into "you all" and is part of every greeting when you meet or talk to someone from the South.