A fantastic day on the water

The weather forecast was just perfect; light winds and plenty of sun. So we decided to head out on the water. We left the dock later in the morning and made our way down the Manatee Pocket, to Cross roads and turned north-east towards the St. Lucie River.

Only a few boats crossed our way. A perfect day to relax and enjoy the boat. Since the sails were still at the sail loft for inspection, we motored all the way, which gave us plenty of time to further discover the environment.

In some areas, the St. Lucie River is wide and deep enough to sail, with a boat which is drawing 5 feet, and tack from one shore to the other while being in protected waters. It would be also a perfect location for an overnight stay. Just make sure to be away from the channel. The current can be fairly strong.  We encountered up to 2.9 knots of current while being at anchor. It certainly would be a good idea to have a floating line out on the water, if you intend to swim. We always throw 50 feet of a floating line with a floating rescue cushion attached at one end and securely fastened at an aft cleat.

Returning from Cross Roads to the Manatee Pocket

Looking back towards Cross Roads and the St. Lucie River

The docked boat in the evening

Even if not venturing towards the Atlantic Ocean, the area has got a lot to offer! It's the Treasure Coast.

The new controller is installed!

Already the first day after arrival, we started to replace the old, corroded and very stiff single lever controller, the shifter and the throttle cable. After all, it was a straight forward process, with a fantastic result!