Heading South....Fast.

Staying in Annapolis for the Sailboat show seems to get us to north Florida in time for Thanksgiving. Brrrrr! Northern Florida is cold in late November. We have sat huddled around our propane oven as our turkey cooks for too many years! This year we high-tailed it to southern Florida as quickly as we could. We moved almost every day and did a mix of offshore and ICW depending on the area and the weather. For the most part the weather was warm although we had to sit and wait for some strong winds to pass. We traveled from Annapolis to Stuart, Florida in less than 3 weeks. Below are some of the highlights.



Sunrise as we had Charleston, NC in sight after our offshore run from Beaufort, NC. (Pronounced "bowfort")




One of the many beautiful anchorages. This is off Bull Spit just north of Beaufort, SC. (Pronounced "byoofort")




We headed out Port Royal Sound near Hilton Head to overnight to Fernandina Beach, Florida. The Stingrays where leaping left and right. One leapt right next to us. This photo is courtesy of Google Images.





Love that we are seeing pelicans and dolphins on a regular basis again.






These White Pelicans are heading south too.




Heading out of Fernandina Beach in the twisting, narrow and sometimes shallow ICW. This Tow and Barge passed us and just plowed through the shallows.




When you get to an intersection on the ICW and there are no traffic lights, who has the right of way? This big, honking freighter does!




Titusville, Florida is known for a number of good things. You are more likely to see manatees here than anywhere, it is very close to the Kennedy Space Center and we are likely to catch up with our friends Ben and Jane as they prepare Old Rosie to head south.


Manatee getting a drink




Beautiful sunrise leaving Titusville with the space center in the distance.




We made it safe and sound. We are in Stuart, Florida on a mooring. Our neighbor took this picture of Freedom the night of the full moon. Thanks Tom!