With Covid-19 ramping up, we decided to stay isolated in Cocoa for as long as we could prior to our boat delivery. Thank God we had Parker & Leslie on Scaliwag with us. Leslie was my walking partner. We got grocery deliveries and took turns doing dinners. Was also wonderful to have another boat upon which to spend an evening (they were right behind us). We played a LOT of dominoes and cards. The weather was getting brutally hot, but we still got our walks in. The views along the Indian River were lovely.

Our boats were at the end of a T-head, so we had lovely sunset views every night.

We cooked most of our meals on the boat. Picked up some meals from local restaurants a handful of times to try to support the local economy. Has been heartbreaking watching these small businesses suffer. Cocoa Village is a charming place full of locally owned joints, a place with no Starbucks or McDonalds.

On April 7, Scaliwag departed to their port of Wilmington, North Carolina. They were well provisioned and ready to formally cross their wake on the Great Loop. We took their picture with their white & gold flags as there would likely not be a welcoming party in NC. We were super sad to see them go. Cruising together forms a bond that is very special.

While spending so much time at the docks, you are forced to slow down and look around you. We saw dolphins most days, ospreys, manatees (even a birth off our bow), snakes, tons of lizards, and a myriad of other wildlife. We had a ton of dolphins right off our boat for a long time. I finally grabbed my phone and shot a video; unfortunately, they had gone outside the marina. You can see their fins in the background.

Like I said, it was bloody HOT outside. Never got used to this.

While we should have learned how to knit, or a new language, we pretty much tried to get a long walk in each day, binge watched Ozark, ate and drank each day.

On April 16, 4 weeks after we arrived, we departed Cocoa Village Marina. Ken, the dock master, and his staff could not have been more wonderful to us. It was a wonderful place to be “quarantined.” Departing the dock was a bit of a task with 20-25 knots of wind out of the north and waves coming into the marina. Once we got on the ICW, the wind was mostly behind us. We had some dolphins with us for a good portion of our trip. Always a blessing.

Traveled ~65 miles to Fort Pierce intending to anchor in an anchorage we had been to a few times previously. It was a bit too crowded, so we dropped the hook in a pretty open area. The winds were a bit brisk that night, so not a great night’s sleep.

This was also the day Scaliwag crossed their wake! So, being the good friends we are, we opened our last bottle of champagne and toasted them!

Had some good rain that night (which washed the boat…score!). Took off in some rain and wind the following morning.

Dropped the hook in a new to us anchorage just north of Lake Worth that was fantastic! We were totally protected from the wind, and awoke to a beautiful morning.

The next morning, we took off for Delray Beach, which is only about 20 miles north of Lauderdale. We pulled into Pelican Bay, another known anchorage to us, and set the hook well. Expected thunderstorms came in and swung us, and our 85 feet of chain, 180 degrees setting off our anchor alarm. Kept a good watch, but the weather finally calmed and we had a mellow overnight, albeit super damn hot. Were treated to a gorgeous sunrise the next morning.

Weighed anchor the following morning for the short run to Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale. This is where we were going to stage for shipping Forever Friday on a cargo ship to Victoria, BC. Arrived Bahia Mar late Sunday morning. As I was backing our boat into the slip, the bow thruster was not responding with the wind at our beam. Fortunately, there was a dockhand to assist. Not my finest moment, but we didn’t crash, so all was well. We plugged in and turned on the glorious air conditioners! On Monday we had our bottom cleaned by two local divers–and found the problem with our bow thruster. We are generally moving around so much that nothing has time to attach itself to our hull. Enter a month’s quarantine in Cocoa village, add warm tropical water, and presto! Bow thruster blades were coated with barnacles…severely diminishing the output. After the cleaning we are now back in business!

Our “old” neighbor Ray, who had been next to us at Bahia Mar our last 2 visits, was still there. Was wonderful to see him again, and meet some of his additional crew. Ray is the owner and captain of Sabado, a beautiful Lagoon 42 sailing catamaran. Before the ‘Rona, we shared many a happy hour and sailing stories on each others boats. Our recent happy hours were at a distance.

Two of Ray’s crew members, Sanne (from Holland) and Amanda (from Nova Scotia) became quick friends. They came with us to help bring Forever Friday to the ship that will be transporting her to Victoria, B.C.

Sanne and Amanda were incredibly helpful, and made us this amazing video.

Our journey through the South, the East Coast, the Bahamas and Canada has been utterly amazing. We have been so blessed to have seen so much of our country, the beautiful Bahamas and incredible anchorages of Georgian Bay and the Northern Channel of Canada. We have learned and re-learned much about America’s history, and met some truly incredible people along the way. We have become much better mariners (particularly me), and continue to be humbled by the sea and all of her many lakes, rivers, sounds, bays, banks and tributaries.

Forever Friday should be departing late this evening from Port Everglades en route to Victoria, B.C. where we hope to pick her up as soon as the US/Canada border opens (fingers crossed!). We plan to continue cruising in the San Juan Islands and up into British Columbia. Next year, maybe Alaska!

Thank you to everyone who followed us, and all of the encouragement along the way. Has been an incredible journey for sure. Cheers! M&M

Insert from Mike: What she said!