Just 30 miles to travel today but with no sign of wind it will be engine all the way - we top up the engine oils, tighten the V-belt and give the engine room its daily check up and leave San Sebastian River on the rising tide.

We want to reach the Matanzas Inlet on the high water – this section is seriously notorious for boats grounding as the shoals seem to move with each change of the tide. Today for us – no problem and nothing less than 11 feet.

There is little activity on the water - surprising as it is a lovely day and Saturdays are usually busier with families out and about.

We are heading for one of our favourite anchorages opposite a defunct cement works in a dead end cut off Smith Creek FL, just about a mile north of the Flager Bridge on the ICW. I know, it sounds awful!

The cement works is long closed and the cut, which is only about half a mile long, has a turning circle at the end where the old barges would come in and tie up to off load their delivery then load up with dry cement, turn and exit into the main river. If we are lucky, there will be no other boats there and we can take the prime spot.

The shallow entrance to the cut has only six feet depth at low tide but once over this shallow area it deepens to about 10ft and we continue to the top setting the anchor in the turning circle. We are joined just before sunset by a blue hulled ketch.

The high treelined banks are pretty and the bottom is good holding in thick mud. As always, the bird life is prolific and active – kingfishers, herons, egrets, osprey and pelicans. Under water there also seems to be a lot of activity as small shoals of fish jump for their lives.