Titusville, Florida, Part II

December 20, 2006

Our main intention for stopping in Titusville was to pick up mail, the first of which came yesterday. Well worth the stop! A whole package of Christmas presents and goodies (including Christmas cookies) from Kristen's parents. Yum! The rest of the mail is still in transit, but we're comfortable here in Titusville as the marina is very friendly, there is a great bakery close by and one of the best grocery stores we've seen down the ICW (Publix). So, we may just stay here for Christmas solely to buy all the good food we need for our Christmas dinners (Hans celebrates on the 24th with Swedish food and Kristen celebrates on the 25th with American/English food so we're likely to put on a few pounds, can't wait!). So far on the menu for the 24th: swedish meatballs, prinskorv (little sausages), baked ham, potatoes, gravlax (cured salmon), ris a la malta (a Swedish rice pudding with whipped cream dessert) etc. etc. etc.! For the 25th: turkey (may just be a little cornish hen, stuffing, potatoes, squash, cookies, etc. etc. All to be accompanied by copious amounts of glogg!

We’re going to spend the next few days steadily working through our list of projects that we need to complete before going to the Bahamas where supplies are scarce and expensive.

We met a great family from Toronto on their boat aptly named “Snow Day”. A 30 foot Acadia with mom, dad, two kids, two dogs and a cat. And you thought we’re crazy?! They’re very friendly, relaxed and all seem really happy with what they’re doing. The kids got a trip to Disneyworld the other day and were proudly wearing their souvenir t-shirts!

Sorry, no new pictures today, but here are a couple from the past few days.


A typical house located on the waterway in Florida.


A nice, classic cruising yacht at dock north of Daytona Beach.


Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, no it's...a blimp. Ha!

Titusville, Florida

December 19, 2006

We arrived in Titusville, Florida last night after motoring for two days from St. Augustine. We spent one night in Daytona Beach, Florida, but did not get off the boat and, alas, did not see the speedway. The scenery along the waterway has changed from marshland and barrier islands to paved over marshland and barrier islands with condos and high-rise buildings. We listen to NPR (National Public Radio) quite a lot (what a shocker, right?) and there is considerable discussion on the local stations about the amount of development in Florida with lots of pros and cons on both sides of the issue. Fittingly, on Sunday morning’s broadcast of “A Prairie Home Companion” the guest was Billy Collins, poet laureate, who read one of his poems which joked about the names of modern housing developments being requiems to the animals they displace (Fox Run, Pheasant Hollow, Deer Lane, etc.). The weather, however, can’t be beat and it’s pretty hard to complain about 75+ degree weather a few days before Christmas. But we’re planning on making some more lussebullar, pepparkakor and other Christmas food to remind ourselves that it’s Christmas.


The typical clutter in the cockpit towards the afternoon.


The backside of Daytona Beach in the morning.


The Jay Jay Railroad bridge open for boats to pass through.



Hans hoisted Kristen to the top of the mast last night to install the new and revised SSB antenna (thanks James Baldwin!) so she took the opportunity to take a couple photos of Whisper and the anchorage.