01/13/2025 ICW Day 13 : See Life

by Brian · Published January 13, 2025 · Updated January 23, 2025

We had a great night on the vacant lot - one of our best sleeps! Then we landed on a beach and walked to the grocery store. We wanted to do a big day because we saw favorable conditions. We enjoyed the peaceful morning in the inner waterway - having it almost entirely to ourselves again until noon. I even saw my first manatee. Like clockwork, boats appeared in droves again at 12pm, so we made an escape to the peace of the open ocean.

It was an ebb tide and we knew that the exit channel was particularly narrow. Millions of gallons of water were exiting, making it into a fast moving river. The waves were small, but lots of confused water that we used to call “potato patch” back in our kayak days. It’s the kind of water that would have terrified Janet in her kayak, but now that she has gotten more experience in the Hobie TI, she didn’t even scream once.

Out in the ocean, the seas were confused, but I had seen on my weather app that the Gulf Stream comes very close to shore here. In fact, the Stream was moving North at 2kt, meaning that if we simply drifted, we would go almost as fast as pedaling - for free. We aimed for the deeper water and achieved long periods of 5kt - on a relaxing downwind run. We delighted in watching flying fish from every angle, glinting in the angled sun light.

Janet took the controls several times so I could attend to eating and injections. Our rudder controls are unified, so I could feel her adjustments to the rudder, and I noticed that she is naturally getting a feel for how to adjust the rudder subtly to maintain speed while not falling off course. Also, even when 3 feet of chop came at us from every which way, she didn’t scream. Janet may be coming to love the freedom of the sea too now!
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Photos:

Here is our parking spot for the supermarket. No one is going to open their car door into ours.

Check out this special crane that allows the guys to work on the underside of the bridge.

We get so much attention on the boat. I was expecting that we would see other boats like ours in the ICW, but apparently it is quite novel. People take photos of us more than they do on the tandem. Today a woman and her caregiver called out to us from shore. They wants us to retrieve a huge pumpkin that was bobbing in the water.

Where’s Lobster? 🦞 Can you see Red Lobster parked on the beach?

This is our campground on Peanut Island. It is another “spoil island” created from dredging material. It is an official campsite, so we have water and even found a post with electricity!

View from tonight’s camp - the first camping where water was less than a mile away.

The fast moving water is whitish blue. Notice how the strong Gulf Stream current comes really close to Florida right before Palm Beach? We decided to hitch a ride like when Marlon, Dori, and Crush rode the East Australian Current in “Finding Nemo” 🐠

Strava Comments:

Mark G.

Did you make it over to Rafiki Tiki Bar & Grill👍

Mark G.

So cool! I love that video of Janet riding Lil Red Lobster

Brian L.

Mark Glenesk - ha, thanks! I saw your message after we set up camp and arrived. Maybe tomorrow a special date night for our day off. We did do your “Easternmost point in Florida,” though!

Mark G.

And what a moon tonight and tomorrow for date night

Nancy P.

Is lobster 🦞 to the left of the left pier🤷🏼‍♀️. I’m disappointed you didn’t stop in at Mar-A-Lago …

Janet W.

Good job Nancy Prier , yes red 🦞 is to to the left. We started to go ashore between the piers, but that’s the swimming area - No 🚤 on the beach!

Janet W.

Hi Brian Lucido, I am learning more about sailing, thanks to you, and you are especially getting much better at it! Happy to have a day off - and date night with you - even if it is eating frozen burrito and sardines in camp!