It was a Short Trip

Heading out into Manatee Pocket
Port Salerno, FL
November 21, 2024

 Yesterday was intended as a boat day. Finnegan had a grooming appointment near where we reserve our trusty motored-watercraft and so we decided to check out a boat and head to Stuart for lunch while Finnegan was in the shop, so to speak. 

It was a great plan--but it turned out there were some problems. 

The day was bright and, although one of the coldest mornings of the season, the temperature quickly warmed into the mid-70s by 11:00AM when we arrived to head out onto the water. We planned properly and dressed for the cool breeze--Chris was wearing two layers and brought a coat along. I had a pullover. 

The wind was strong stronger on the water and the waters surrounding the marina, which is on Manatee Pocket, had a nice chop. Chris was not amused and I promised her that if it was too rough on the more open waters of the St Lucie River that we would head in rather than continue on to Stuart. 

We were motoring north toward Stuart into a cold north wind. OK, I know the wind was not as cold as what we saw driving snow on last night's NFL game in Cleveland, but we have thin Florida blood. That was the first problem. 

The second problem was that the chop of Manatee Pocket became 2-foot waves out on the river which occasionally, because of the direction of the channel, broke over the boat and got us both wet. And then there were the occasional 3 foot waves. Chris is a flat water boater and I knew I was pushing it with the 2 foot waves, but the bigger ones coupled with the fact that we were not even into the more wide open areas of the river where the wind could really kick up the waves meant this trip was likely going to be short. 

The third problem was that Chris was cold and she hates getting wet--especially on a cold day. We made it about halfway to Stuart, which is roughly the highway bridge which connects Sewell's Point to the mainland. When I reduced speed to go under the bridge, we made the decision to return to the marina rather than press on. Chris donned her coat to get warmer and we reversed course.

In all, we were on the water about 45 minutes. I got my boating fix in for the month and we decided to lunch in the Port Salerno area rather than driving to Stuart.

I am not sure how, exactly, we are going to survive the upcoming holiday trips north into the cold. It should be an experience. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL