A Perfect November Boat Day

Chris at the Helm
ICW off Jupiter island
November 19, 2025

 Yes, it is November, but here in South Florida it was a fantastic boating day. I had reserved my favorite boat from the Freedom Boat Club at Pirates Cove Marina allowing Chris and I, along with Finn, to head out for a day of fun on land and sea. 

The water was calm, the winds light, and the temperatures were almost hot! Yup, it was a great day to be on the water. It felt as if we were alone as there were few other boats on the water. 

Jupiter Island Beach
Hobe Sound, FL
November 19, 2025

Given the low traffic on the ICW, Chris had the opportunity to pilot our vessel, which allowed her to hone her skills. I believe it’s crucial for her to be able to pilot the boat in case of an emergency. She thoroughly enjoyed the chance to be at the helm, and it gave me the chance to prepare the boat for our planned beach landing. She did an excellent job keeping the boat in the middle of the channel! Her loyal first mate, Finnegan, was always by her side.

Finn Trying on a Shirt
Stuart, FL
November 19, 2025

We beached the boat on the east shore of Peck Lake.  I was able to get the bow and stern anchors readied while Chris was piloting the boat in a wake restricted portion of the ICW. After disembarking, we walked our supplies about 100 yards across Jupiter Island to the Atlantic Ocean beach. 

We spent a delightful and serene morning on the beach. The waves gently crashed in a rhythmic pattern and the sun, while bright, was not too hot to be uncomfortable. As we were the only boat on the beach we relished the solitude. It was a stark contrast to other beach visits where we’ve encountered upwards of 12 boats vying for space to land. The boat I chose for the day had a bow ladder, which was a convenient feature. 

Dolphins in the St Lucie River
Stuart, FL
Novermber 19, 2025

After enjoying the beach, we packed up our supplies and re-boarded our trusty craft for the trip to Stuart. We love docking at the Stuart City Docks and walking into town for shopping and lunch. Arriving in Stuart about 12:20 PM, we were ready for lunch and, after securing the boat, walked to the Osceola Cafe. The cafe has become our favorite lunch stop in Stuart and they provide watering bowls for dogs when seated outdoors. Finn was very happy for the water and enjoyed meeting the other dogs who were also enjoying lunch with their masters.

We did some shopping after lunch and Finn had to suffer trying on both a collar and a plaid shirt. He looked so very cute, but Chris decided the price point of the shirt was too high and even though he was the cutest dog on the planet, we did not come home with either the collar or the shirt. But she had fun at Finn's expense. 

Once we were tired of shopping, we returned to the boat and began the trip back to the Manatee Pocket and Pirates Cove Marina. Along the way, in the St Lucie River, we came upon two pods of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins. We slowed to watch them for a while. We were advised, by another boat, that the dolphins calf in this area. It was enjoyable to see the dolphins and I was able to get some usable images while we monitored the them from a safe distance. 

Wow! What a great day on land and sea! And people wonder why I love living in south Florida! Our temperature today was 82 degrees. I checked the Elkridge, MD, weather and the high there was 46 degrees. I'm not boating when it is that cold!!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL