The sunshine coast

We again planned our departure from St. Augustine early - before sunrise to take advantage of the lack of tidal current at departure and the presence of current as we made our way south. Even though we only had 25 miles to go to our next stop, it is really good to get in early - it pretty well adds another day to our time in port and provides the time to get some of the boat jobs done. Our first afternoon in Palm Coast, we walked over to the "European Village", a hotel-condo complex that is built in a triangle around a large open plaza. Small stores, bars, and restaurants occupy the ground level and the hotel rooms are in the 3 floors above. Once inside the triangle, we were protected from the cool breeze and we warmed up quickly, and then pigged out at an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. We also then decided to return to one of the other restaurants for dinner. While we ate our lunch we were serenaded by a "crooner" who took to the stage in the middle of the plaza and belted out old standards while the few people who were there ate. This is really getting to be tourist and resort country. The terrain has gradually moved to include less marsh and more solid ground with a larger variety of trees, including various types of palms.
Later, the 10 minute walk led us back to the village. We stopped for a beer ($2.00) - I think that the shops here are hurting; dinner comprised local food at what seemed to be the most popular restaurant in the village. Our return was after dark and it took me very little time to crash, even though tomorrow morning we would have a liesurely get-up.
Ham and eggs warmed up the cabin and filled my tummy on Thursday morning. That day was one of domestic chores - finally getting around to doing the dishes (they had piled up for about 3 days); and then laundry. The latter gave me time to finish off one of the pocketbooks that I had picked up a way back in Belhaven. I now have only one more book to finish - it is the relatively "heavy" one dealing with Islam. Kind of academic and sometimes boring but I am determined - even resolute.
Kent and Karen and I had decided that our last night in PCM would present the chance to pool their and my remaining "goodies" for our sundowner. We polished off 3 part bottles of wine, loads of cheese and crackers and we all found that we had had enough to satisfy our appetites. I was in bed by around 7:30. Tomorrow, it is the land of the Daytona 500 and raucous spring break goings-on. Kent and Karen were delivering their boat to a boat-yard to get some work done on it and I had booked a slip at the Halifax Harbour Marina - the municipal marina right on the Daytona waterfront and next door to Breezaway's boat-yard.
The trip was about 28 miles and we again left early and were assisted by the tidal current, arriving in Daytona shortly after noon. The HHM is huge - over 500 slips. After signing in at the slip I walked over towards K and K's marina and met them along the way. We took a short walk downtown, scoped out a likely restaurant for dinner and found out that we had arrived on the day of Daytona's Christmas parade. The downtown of Daytona is about a mile removed from the barrier island on which the famous beaches are located. It looked as though this town in suffering - there were many empty stores and the remaining ones were almost deserted. We wondered what the Christmas parade would bring.
After a quick visit to West Marine for some engine oil, I walked Caja on the waterfront trail and met K and K - our first stop - an Irish pub for a pre-dinner drink. I had a dark ale - Murphy's - somewhat like Guiness, and then we continued onm down to the restaurant for our excellent dinner. Live jazz entertainment started just as we were finishing up-very skilled players; and we went outside to join the fairly large crowd that had gathered for the parade. It was like most such events - fire trucks, police cars, a few bands, a few decorated floats, marching groups from some of the schools, and local dignitaries out "glad-handing. It was fun, though to see a large group of people enjoying themselves. After a phone conversation with Terry, I crashed shortly after 9 and in my dreams planned my first day for some time, unescorted.
Because my trip to New Smyrna Beach Marina was only about 18 miles, I slept in for about half an hour, and after the usual morning activities, left around 7:45. I was again lucky enough to have a current pushing me all the way and arrived at my destination by about 11:00 a.m. For the first time in a long time, there were light showers to mark my departure from a stop. It soon eased up and the sun finally emerged, raising the temperatures to the mid-70's. I had a quick lunch and did the typical tour of downtown New Smyrna Beach, managing to find a bakery where I stocked up on a few "sweets", and a farmers' market where I stocked up on some fruit - oranges, apples and grapes - the only items that I ran out of this morning. Even though the dockmaster told me that there is no wi-fi here, he added that one can usually piggyback on another unprotected wireless connection. This blog is coming to via that means. It is about 2 in the afternoon right now and boats around me are being decorated. It turned out that my visit here coincides with NSB's Christmas parade as well as with a boat parade later in the evening. I will be "Christmas'ed" out if this continues. However, I still have not started my Christmas shopping and there will be no time to do it once I get back to Fenelon Falls. I had better get moving!
That's it for now; tomorrow I move along to Titusville where I have a slip booked for 2 days. Time to do some engine maintenance. It is about 32 miles so my get-up will return to 5:00 a.m. I wonder what I will do when I get back home?
Mike