DAY 12 – December 17th 2011- Daytona Beach – 29 12.220N:081 00.855W
No rush today as we are staying in Daytona for a few days, I have to make a trip back to Ottawa tomorrow. Up anchor and drove back to the Yacht Club, toured the harbour and decided we did not want to stay there, back out into the ICW and into the Halifax Marina where we took Dock #18 and tied up. This will be Doug and Pinots home for three days. What a nice marina, first off we were met with a lovely young lady who took our lines and helped tie up, the she proceeded to check us in right there on our dock. A short walk to the bathhouse and laundry facilities and very, very pretty. This marina is the largest on the East coast apparently, although not near any main shopping. We went for a walk, had lunch then walked north to the Surplus Boat store where we wandered around for an hour. By now my feet were sore and we wanted to head to the beach so we called a taxi and then we met Steve he is to be our new best friend for our stay in Daytona. Steve took us to the beach and we walked along the shore. Daytona has had an influx of seaweed, I mean tons of seaweed, and the whole beach is now covered and apparently cannot be removed as it is has become an eco-development and good for the environment but not for the tourist I tell you. Very little of the lovely white sand is available to sit on anymore. After walking for a while along the boardwalk we come upon an ice skating rink right on the beach. How bizarre, ice and sun. The rink was covered by a canopy which has sides up for the day but nevertheless it was 75o and people skating around to Xmas music, very neat. Popped into Ocean Deck a great little beachside restaurant and bar for appetizers and cocktails, gave Steve a call to pick us up. We were home quite early by 17.30pm checked some email and then showered and did some laundry, many of the boats are covered in Xmas lights making the harbour quite magical, into bed early while listening to a party going on across the harbour into the wee hours.