We finally made it Vero today and are on a mooring. The skys are dark and it is windy.
When we left Green Cove Springs we had a quiet motor down hardly any current up this way. Nearing Jacksonville we started to get the current with us. Nearing the RR Bridge we noticed it was down and called for an opening. There was a train coming and they would open after. Well a train through here is at least 15 minutes and we have current pushing us there. Finally we go through with a 2.5 knot current with us. The Main Street Bridge opens on request and we are almost 8 knots going under. Now our plan is to stop just below there at Metropolitan Park Marina and we have to turn in and try to tie up to a dock against the current. After a few stressful moments and a few words we get tied up. We are the only ones here and it is free if there are no events going on. So we go for a walk around enjoy the quiet. It is well lit here and it seems like daylight if you wake up in the night. And we did wake up when we heard something on deck a couple of times. Birds landing and walking on us.
Our plan is to leave early in the morning and try to make a tide that should help us some of the way and not hurt us when we turned the corner into the ICW. Up early and FOG. Now we are delayed by about 3 hours and decide to head to Palm Cove instead of all the way to St. Augustine. We should have only a short trip into the ICW with the current against us. So not a bad trip down the St John River , but 2 knots against us as we turn. We only have around 6 miles to go so that is ok. We go through the first bridge and since it narrows going through we have to push against about 3 knots. On to the next bridge and start through. We are slowing down and David increases the speed. Just as we are getting to the bridge we look and see we are not moving, we are just sitting still while the motor is as high as we can get it. At this time a trawler decides to come through the other way. He gets by and we slow the engine and start going backwards. The guy behind us does't understand why we are not going through, but finally moves out of our way. We turn and drop anchor to wait. According to the tide table it should be slack tide about now. We wait an hour and a half and finally go through. The tides are very high and low right now so this was a first for us. We arrive at the marina and enjoy a wine and relax. We really needed to relax.

Planning trips here and working with the tides can be quite a chore. To go from here to St. Augustine we have to consider the current from the St. John River and St Augustine. One tide is pushing in the ICW and the other is pushing from the other direction and you have to hope you can find the middle spot and arrive there so one pushes and one pulls. We did well today and made a quick and enjoyable trip to St. Augustine. Calm and beautiful trip.
We will continue with our story tomorrow.