The weather keeps getting warmer and warmer. Today was actually hot. There was no wind at all. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was blue, the air was clear. A perfect day, except for one minor, unpleasant incident.
We needed fuel. Diesel is expensive in this state. We'd seen several signs advertising diesel for nearly $2 a gallon, so when we saw as sign for diesel at $1.39, we figured we'd better get it. The sign pointed to a marked channel and said the channel was eight feet deep. Apparently that meant eight feet at high tide, because it was actually six-and-a-half feet deep, but that was okay. We chugged slowly up the channel, looking for the fuel dock but not seeing it, although we could clearly see a Texaco star. It looked as if we'd have to go straight in to find the fuel dock, and there wasn't much room to turn around or maneuver in, so Roy decided to get out while he could. We were just about at the end of the narrow channel when he swung the boat to port to start a U-turn. Immediately, we were aground. He gunned the engine and turned the wheel to starboard. Slowly, very slowly, the bow began moving, but as the bow turned back into the channel, the stern swung in the opposite direction out of the channel, so we were still stuck. When the bow was free, it occurred to me that a little extra weight on the bow might help raise the stern enough to get it off the ground, so I walked up to the bow. Right away, the stern pulled free. Roy said my weight didn't have any effect on it, but it seems awfully coincidental that we got loose as soon as I went up to the bow. Anyway, we were free, Roy completed the turn, and we headed back to the ICW.
The rest of the day was delightful. We're getting into the ritzy part of the state now. We passed mile after mile of beautiful water-
front homes, each one more palatial than the one before. The weather was so warm that I dug out my summer clothes and packed away my winter clothes.
Evening was approaching when we reached Vero Beach. We were wondering where we were going to spend the night and where we were going to be able to get fuel. The ICW is a narrow channel surrounded by very shallow water. There aren't many places where a boat that draws six feet can pull over and anchor. Then Roy saw a sign for the Riomar Bay Yacht Club that said "Fuel Dock" and "Transients Welcome". It also said "8-Foot Channel", but after our previous experience, we were a little leery. I radioed the club and was assured there was plenty of water. He said we could tie to the fuel dock. Diesel was $1.319, and dockage was $1 a foot. It looked like a really nice place. The depth gauge kept showing less than six feet, but apparently there was a lot of silt that gave a false reading. We didn't have any problem reaching the fuel dock. Filled the tank and then pulled the boat to the other end of the dock for the night.
What a beautiful place! Really luxurious. We don't mind paying $1 a foot when we get something for our money. The restrooms and showers are the nicest we've seen in a long time, there's a big swimming pool and tennis courts, the landscaping is attractive, everything is first class.
The first thing I did after paying was take a shower. After two nights of anchoring out, that felt really good! I put on a pair of shorts and a light, short-sleeved top. It's summer in January!
While I was taking a shower, Roy was changing the oil and making a big mess, but not as big as he used to make. I needed to buy some groceries and get out of his hair, so I got in my Royak and paddled across the river. The dockmaster had told me there was a Winn-Dixie on the other side and to go up any of the canals. I went up two canals, but didn't see any sign of a supermarket. Worse, I didn't see any place to land. Everything looked like very private property. The walls of the canals went straight up, with no toe holds or steps or anything to hang onto, and even if I'd managed to climb up the wall, I'd have been in somebody's yard. It was getting dark, so I decided to hightail it back to the boat and try for groceries in the morning. It's a good thing I headed back, because it was getting so dark, I had a hard time finding the boat. Roy turned on the masthead light, and that helped.
By then, Roy had cleaned up the mess and taken a shower, so he was feeling good again. We strolled around the neighborhood, looking for a place to eat. There was a restaurant at the yacht club, but it looked too ritzy for us. We could see through the windows that all the men were dressed in suits and white shirts and ties, and the women were in fancy dresses. Even though Roy and I were wearing what we considered our "good" clothes, we looked like bums by comparison, so we tried to find a place to eat where we'd feel more comfortable. It was a beautiful residential area, with expensive houses and lovely grounds. The air was fragrant and cool. The trees here are so magnificent! They're not only tall but also vast. They spread their branches all over the yard. We don't know the name of these trees, but we certainly admire them.
We walked to the highway and saw a great many banks and some small shops, but no restaurants of any kind, so we returned to the boat and ate what we had.
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