Sail Destiny

OK, I’ve been very lax in keeping the blog updated, and I felt a little guilty when a blog follower posed this question recently.

Truth is that Destiny has moved from one hemisphere to another since the last post on Ibiza.  We spent a delightful fall season in Menorca and Mallorca before Destiny shipped from Palma to West Palm Beach in late October, 2012.

Cala Coves is a small harbor on Menorca that is famous for caves. . .

and primative carvings.

Mallorca had its share of small anchorages with remote beaches that could only be reached by boat.

Jolie enjoyed the tiny beach at Cala Calobra on the north coast of Mallorca near Soller. . .

but also thought the scenery at Soller was pretty spectacular.

To recap all our adventures in the Spanish Balearic Islands is impossible. . .but I am certain we will return at some point to this magical part of the world.

We made wonderful friends, Carol and Pat Kelly in Soller on the north coast of Mallorca and visited their lovely home in Deia.  

Soller is a charming village on the north coast of Mallorca with a protected harbor. . .

where we met Pat Kelly on his Hinckley Southwest 50 yawl. . .two flag blue boats with American flags caused quite a stir in Soller.

We toured the sites of world famous Palma known for its quiet sophistication and world class restaurants and outdoor cafes.

One of Palma’s many street cafes. . .

had the added attraction of street performers. . .music and movement, all very sensual.

Palma is a world class port, with impressive architecture.

Palma’s Gothic Cathedral is surrounded by lush gardens, walkways and fountains. . .

and dominates the harbor even from this birdseye view.

Then as fall approached, Kent readied Destiny for shipping arranged by Peters & May.  Next thing we knew Destiny was offloaded in West Palm Beach in early November, and we were back in the good ole USA.

A typical day in the ICW off West Palm Beach is CRAZY!!!

We wintered on the East coast of Florida, visiting and making friends along the way.  Thanks to the hospitality of Rick Howard we spent a pleasant Thanksgiving in Vero Beach and were welcomed by Mike Bachman for Christmas and New Years in Stuart, Florida. 

Christmas at Mike’s Place. . .Creekside south.

Our impression of Florida has definitely changed having spent the last several months traveling down and now up the coast.

But selling Destiny is still a priority so now we are heading north to the Annapolis area to take advantage of the spring selling season there.  We have been on board for about 13 months now except for brief breaks and are looking forward to heading to Montana for a couple of months this summer.

Our trip north, primarily on the ICW is quite a different experience for us.  First of all the water is shallow and there are lots of bridges.  The channel is narrow so it keeps us on our toes.  We had become accustomed to the deep water of the Med and adjusting to the fathometer reading 5 ft. or less is unnerving.

We know the ICW fixed bridges have clearance of 65 ft. and our mast is 61 ft. but as you approach it doesn’t seem possible that we can clear.

The wild life is amazing—manatees, dolphins, hawks and eagles inhabit the area. 

Pelicans seem to guard every bridge. . .

while Manatees appear to be kissing as they come alongside. . .

but the “wildlife” at the famous Dixie Crossroads Restaurant in Titusville is very tame. . .they are famous for red shrimp.

Titusville, where we spent several days this week is a 20 minute drive from the Kennedy Space Center, which is “out of this world”.  The interactive exhibits and IMAX productions were amazing.  We rode in a Mars landing craft and shuttle simulators and saw distant galaxies through the Hubble telescope in a 3-D IMAX film, along with our friends, Bill and Jean on Soliel Sans Fin who just returned from the Med this fall too. 

The entrance to the Kennedy Space Center includes a moving tribute to the former President.

We made a simulated landing on Mars. . .

and we both tried our hand at landing the space shuttle. . .crashes!!!

Not all the action at the Kennedy Space Center was serious.

Jean took this picture as we were “lost” in a mirror maze at the Angry Birds in Space exhibit.

Our trip north will take us through St. Augustine, Savannah and Charlestown—all promising new experiences, but I have to admit that I miss the Med, the culture and our many friends in the cruising community.  More adventures to follow.

April 9, 2013 was a perfect day in all respects as we headed from an anchorage off Dragon Point near Eau Gallie, Florida to Titusville approximately 30 NM north on the ICW.

Destiny in the ICW with a happy captain. . .actually sailing.

The day started with a blue sky tinged with pink as the sun rose.  The wind was light from the SE but picked up later in the day giving Kent the opportunity to sail more than half of the 5-6 hour trip.  

Jean on Soliel Sans Fin captured some amazing pictures of Destiny that day.

Jean got this panoramic shot of Destiny with a bridge in the background. . .

and another couple as we approached a bridge. . .

yes, we made it. . .with inches to spare.

It is really nice to be traveling with someone so handy with a camera.

Here we are anchored after a long day.

Thank you, Jean for these memories.