Southbound ’17 – Travel Day 27: Daytona Beach to Cocoa

FROM: The Captain

Conditions: Sun, clouds, fog, occasional showers – a mixed bag.  Winds variable from calm to  10 mph.  

Distance traveled:  58 nautical miles

Time underway: 7 hours

Average Speed: 10 knots

Max Speed: 18 knots

Fuel used: 61 gallons

With an expected easy day ahead there was no particular need to rush out too early so we untied the lines at a very manageable 9am.

Halifax Harbor Marina is a big place and as we mentioned in our previous post the office is quite a hike from where we were docked.  So they have a departing procedure that was a first for us.  As they had given us gate keys to use during our stay we needed to return them.  You hail the marina as you’re preparing to depart and on your way out of their basin, you pull up close to their fuel dock without tying up at which point a dockhand extends a very long boathook with a basket to within your reach and you drop your keys in.  It was an oddly cool little experience…

We headed out of the marina and back on to the Intracoastal Waterway bound for Titusville.  It was a logical next stop at about fifty miles away and our friends on Ranger were also on their way there having set out at 7 am (according to Ranger’s Captain Steve, Nordavns may be “slow as a slug” but “they’re stable as a table”).  We figured departing two hours later even only traveling at ten knots we’d eventually catch up to them.  

It’s again a mostly straightforward part of the waterway with lots of stretches where we were all by ourselves and a handful of spots, particularly near bridges, when we had to make passing arrangements with a bunch of sailboats.

And dolphins!  So many dolphins!  You just can’t help but smile as they play in your wake, seemingly watching you as you enjoy the show and I am certain they are smiling.  It never gets old.

The big event of the day – which shouldn’t be a big event in Florida – was when we finally got to put on t-shirts and run OLOH from the bridge!

It was such a good moment.  Unfortunately, it was short-lived as the clouds took over and rain began to fall followed by some pea-soup fog.

We hate fog as has been well-documented here but it’s entirely manageable on stretches of the ICW that are free of other hazards and when traffic is light or, in our case today, non-existent.  In fact, we were having such a good, easy day despite the change in weather that we decided to reach out to Cocoa Village Marina (great recommendation Capt. Pete) in hopes that they would have a protected slip available for us.  And they did.  So we tacked on another twenty miles to our trip which will keep our travel days a bit more balanced in the days ahead.  We never did catch up to Ranger but did hear them pulling into Titusville about thirty minutes before we passed it.  The only regret is we will miss a hang with the Ranger crew and Jasper will miss a return to the amazing Titusville dog park next to the marina.

As we pulled into Cocoa Village Marina and stepped out on deck to dock OLOH the sky opened up, soaking the entire crew (Jasper included).

Not a worry as it was still relatively warm and Jasper needed a bath.  This marina is extremely well-reviewed for its Dockmaster and staff, facilities and the great little town that’s a quick walk away.  Having now spent some time here we can say the reviews are well deserved.  Ken could not have been friendlier or more helpful when he took our phone reservation.  He guided us into the marina and tied OLOH up perfectly, enthusiastically told us everything we needed to know about the town and, perhaps most importantly, had treats for Jasper.  We met the extremely-helpful Tricia the next morning and it was clear that she loves working in the boating community and making the waterway a better place.  Thanks Ken and Tricia for exactly the level of hospitality every marina should strive for.  We will be back.

It’s feeling like Vero Beach will be next… see you out there!

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