Déjà vu 50 years: Spring Break in Daytona Beach

 

Beautiful weather on Wednesday (16^th) for the easy ride north from Vero Beach to MP 897, right outside the Cocoa Beach fixed bridge, a distance of about 52 miles.  We anchored out off the western shore, among several sailboats.  It was a little choppy, but a good holding.

St. Patrick’s  morning we started up the engine and headed toward the bridge.  Sevilla shuddered and rattled, losing power.  Oh, Oh.  Reminiscent of the transmission failure.  Glen fiddled with the forward and reverse gear, and the noises stopped; Sevilla purred right along, all the way to an anchorage at MP846.5, just southeast of the Harris-Saxon Bridge where there were several sailboats. We had traveled about 50 miles by late afternoon when we dropped anchor, while listening to Sirius’s Irish music special all day.   Neither of us slept well.

On Friday morning, more engine drama as we started the engine and passed through the  George Musson Bridge to New Smyrna where we thought maybe we would pull into a marina.  Just then, the engine noises stopped and Sevilla smoothly moved up river the 15 miles to Daytona Beach Loggerhead.  We arrived in mid morning, so the first thing was to call Don the Diver who came right over and checked out our prop and the zinc that was installed in Miami Beach.

Guess what.  The diver found five feet of line/rope wrapped around the prop—probably picked up at our first anchorage—as well as a loose zinc that was moving up and down on the shaft.  Whew, we breathed a sigh of relief and were determined to enjoy the rest of our stay.

The Daytona Loggerhead has a terrific dockhand named Brandon who has been very helpful.  We liked the harbormaster, his assistants, and the layout of the fairly small marina.  Nice showers, spa and pool.   Caribbean Jack’s is a swinging bar and restaurant pool and waterside.  We enjoyed our dinner there on Friday evening.  I found another Loggerhead tortoise to poise with for a photo.

 


Maria the bridge tender at Main St. Bridge



Saturday, we walked across the Main Street Bridge.  I took Maria, the bridge tender’s photo as we said hello.  She had gently reminded us the day before to keep the green day marker to our right as we headed for her bridge opening.  It was pretty shoally around there.  We had a nice chat later that evening when she met us again at the Captain’s Riverside Restaurant across the Halifax from our marina.



Maureen--the senior Spring Breaker



One of the many fascinating tattoos--the side style is very "in" this year

The post wedding reception on the beach

Imagine the Spring Break that your Mother would never let you go to.  Well, 50 years later, we have been to Daytona’s Spring Break.  The weather is sunny, in the 80s, the college kids (as well as senior breakers and bikers) are gathering, bands are playing,  tiki beer bars are plentiful and beach cops and ID checks are vigilant.  Life is good.  The kids (and us elders) are having a ball.  Their tattooed bare bodies are human canvases.   Even newlyweds in bridal gear are dancing on the beach.  An “older” lady was first up to sing rock and roll Karaoke on the Budweiser Stage.  Her husband was standing next to us.  “She’s 65 years old and still sings this shit.  Can you believe it?”  She was pretty darn good, too.  Quite the scene.

Boot Hill Saloon across the street and Tombstone Jewelry next to the cemetery

 

We arrived at the tail end of Bike Week in big motorcycle town, so  lots of cool bikes were still parading and parking around the many shops and bars that cater to them.  So many pretty bikes.  And a cool yellow Mustang, too.

Our Spring Break ended with the most beautiful moonrise we’ve ever seen.  It seems the moon is closest it’s been to Earth in many years.

Tomorrow, a long day to St. Augustine.

Happy Spring to all.

Maureen and Glen

Daytona Beach

March 19, 2011