As usual, we were on our way with the sunrise. I was glad we chose not to stay in Daytona for the week – I don’t think it would have been my scene – but it wasn’t a bad stop for the night. With the current running hard against, at points we were down to 3.8 kts over ground.
The Ponce de Leon Cut was beautiful, taking us past mangrove-lined islands with a nice view of the lighthouse. Then we were into the Indian River, which looks deceivingly wide open but is a long, narrow dredged canal with rapid shoaling on either side. It was more than a little nerve-wracking whenever a north-bound boat passed. But the whole time, we were passing by little deserted islands covered in palms and mangroves, and dolphins were everywhere.
One thing I’ve really been hoping to see is an alligator in the wild, but I was beginning to doubt I would. We’ve been using the Waterway Guides all along our trip, and they’ve been an invaluable resource for us, helping us avoid trouble spots, find anchorages and decide on destinations. I always keep the relevant edition on deck and consult it frequently, and they noted that the Haulover Canal is a great place to see all kinds of wildlife including alligators, so I had my camera at the ready. Sure enough, just before we passed through the drawbridge (with quite the cranky operator), there was a big gator on the right-hand bank. Unfortunately we couldn’t stop or slow down, but I managed to get a couple good shots as we passed by.
We made it to Titusville by 2:30 and snagged the last available mooring at the Titusville Municipal Marina, then dinghied ashore and walked around town a bit. Titusville seems to be a bit down on its luck, but there are signs that it’s making a comeback. And honestly, I’m fine with spending more time aboard this week. I’ve loved all the exploration I’ve gotten to do, but it’ll be nice to spend my mornings reading on deck and watching the world go by.
