We had to leave the dock at 8:00 am so as to make the low tide at the dreaded Palm City Bridge. You see I need 54.6 ft of clearance and the bridge only has 54 ft. at high tide. We thought about sticking around Stewart for another week, but this was the last good low tide and boy did we need it! Last winter we had a lot more stuff on the boat (think supplies) which lowered us in the water. Now the boat is lighter and so floats higher. When I say we are talking inches here, I mean inches.
So we approach the bridge this morning and I confidently predict, "I bet we get under without even touching! We won't tap the radio antenna on the bottom of the bridge like we did last year."
Seconds later I was eating those words as I stared wide-eyed at my antenna. It was whipping the bottom of that bridge the same way my dad used to whip us with his belt when we were incorrigible youngins! Ouch! Fortunately it had enough bend to make it through unscathed. Once again Joanna missed a chance to make an easy buck by not betting me!
BUT WHO CARES???? We made it through and the last I looked the antenna is still there!
Challenge #2 for the morning came at the Old Roosevelt lift bridge. The tender is a bit of a wiseguy. Doesn't like to communicate with his customers in a prompt and timely way and left me hanging as to whether I could go through his open bridge safely before it closed. I made it but he never did answer my frantic calls for clarification.
From then on things went smoothly and we arrived at Vero Beach Marina at 3:30 pm. We are now on a mooring buoy which we are sharing with another boat containing John and Connie, nice folks!
We will be here for a few days as weather looks iffy until the weekend. Pictures to follow!
Still in paradise, but 50 miles closer to home base!
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