Log: You Know, It's Warm When...

January 17, 2010
Titusville FL

Typing this in Meredith's cabin sitting in my underwear it dawns on me that the warm weather has arrived.

Yesterday's run from Rockhouse Creek to Titusville was wearing. Despite early morning fog the winds built early to the 20 to 25 knots forecast. True wind seemed to average 24 knots on the nose (or over the beam or any other point of sail I suppose) for the last 5 hours of the trip which is to say most of it.

When the true wind is 24 knots on the nose and you are steaming at 6 knots into it then you get 30 knots on deck. Motoring through the endless but shallow Mosquito Lagoon you also get lots of water on deck and up over the dodger. Nothing like a bracing saltwater shower every ten minutes or so applied gently to your face with a 30 knot hand behind it.

Actually we preferred the head on winds at 30 knots. Emerging from the Haulover Canal Meredith found the winds right on the beam, and us in a narrow (50 foot in places) channel. Nothing challenging but it kept the helmsman busy.

Arrival at Titusville saw us thread through the anchorage to find a nice spot protected from the wind. An apartment building and Marina workshed provided shelter enough to reduce the wind to 14 knots and despite the 6 foot depth of water we dropped hook. It was low tide (I checked) and the geology of the Mosquito Lagoon is such that tides are minimal here anyway.

All boats that left Rockhouse Creek this morning were safely in Titusville by 4:00 p.m.. The trawler at berth in the marina (of course), Ciprano and Meredith at anchor.

Three a.m. saw a frontal passage with attendant higher winds and I sat anchor watch for an hour in 25 knots of wind. Some sympathy was felt for those boats anchored out of shelter as I watched my fellow boaters bounce like bucking bronchos, observable from their wildly gyrating anchor lights.

This morning brought a continuation of high winds and we elected to remain in our snug bed. Just now the wind clocked at 25 knots winds and it is cycling through about 90 degrees.

But it is warm. Eau Gallie (pronounced "Oh Galley" by the natives) can wait until tomorrow.