Old Rosie in the Bahamas: Back to Titusville

Standing on the bow, it hits me... I won't be doing this much longer... I better enjoy the sunshine and the scenery as we motor north on the ICW.

One of the best parts of cruising is that you keep crossing paths with people you met months earlier.
In Vero, we chatted with Cath and Dan, who we met in the Chesapeake, about their time in the Bahamas. We've been able to keep in touch with other cruising friends by reading about their blogs and emails.

Winding down the season back at Westland Marina....

Robert nicknamed me "Cap". If the rag is in your pocket, you must be the captain.

Rick really knows how to run a travel lift.

I decided to re-sew the seams to reinforce the wheel house window coverings.
Thanks to Cathy for the use of her sewing machine.

Time out for a singsong...take it away, Dean and Susan!

We were never lucky enough to be in Cape Kennedy for a shuttle launch, but we did get to see the final fly-by of Endeavour, piggy backing on a 747 enroute to Washington DC.

The jet flew south along Coca Beach to Patrick Airforce Base, then returned to fly over the Cape Canaveral area. It was a bittersweet moment for the residents, including former employees of the space shuttle program.

The beach was crowded with spectators.

Last November we saw several rocket launches.
The Atlas rocket is eventually slated for Mars exploration.

We really like the Canaveral-Cocoa Beach area and enjoyed spending time here before Christmas.

This very photogenic pelican and his friends are regulars at the pier.

Terry and Kim were headed southward....maybe next year Old Rosie will catch up with Clarity in the Abacos.

Nothing like a good read on the beach.... Cumberland Island: Strong Women, Wild Horses.
Hiking and seeing the wild horses on Cumberland Is., Georgia is on my list of things yet to do.

Ben is catching a wave....

Finding another 9'6 Robert August board and doing more surfing is on Ben's to do list.

I remember when the crew of the Thomas Leigh moored at Titusville last November. We met them- our first cruising friends- on the Erie Canal, waited out Hurricane Irene with them, and were buddy boats on the Atlantic overnighter along the Jersey coast. It was great to see them again for a celebration we named "Arrival and Survival".