We were up before the sun today as we wanted to get all the way to Daytona Beach. Florida has very few anchorages and the ones there are aren't very good. As usual, I was at the helm as we left the anchorage as Kirby is the anchor windlass man. It was not really light out with the cloud cover and I didn't see one of the small red markers that meant I should go the way that I didn't go. Oops! All of a sudden I could feel the mud on the keel. I cranked up the engine and managed to keep going. "Touching Bottom" always unnerves me. We see way too many boats at rest in the mud waiting for high tide. We don't sail on the Intracoastal but it is extremely challenging as each day is different from the last and the bottom is always just a little bit away from the keel!

We were planning 10 hours to do the 50 miles but for a change we were lucking and had the currents with us almost the whole day. We averaged over 6 mph and were anchored in 8 1/2 hours. A very good day! The currents in the canal are still a mystery to me. The canal really is rivers and creeks that run to the coast but the tide effects it too. At times we will be running with the current, pass an outlet to the Atlantic, continue on and suddenly be going against the current. That is like putting the brakes on!

Anyway, we had a good day looking at the opulant mansions and high rise condos. In between were lovely trees and palms and lots of birds. Now we are anchored in a wide open anchorage with lots of fetch as the wind is picking up and moving us all over the place. There are even little whitecaps in the anchorage. And only a couple of feet under the keel. We will probably stay tomorrow and let the weather pass.