We left New Smyrna around 9am Monday 5/6, after Rusty’s big play date with Coda. Our target was Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast FL, about a 50 mile trip upriver to MM 803.
It is amazing how much a river looks like a river. There are houses along the banks, families swimming and fishing along the banks, and boats going in both directions. It is very peaceful. The sky was clear and bright with only a few fluffy white clouds.
Most of the trip is traveled at almost no-wake to protect the manatees and the homes along the embankment.
If you want to have some fun, ask Kermit about the manatees. He can go off for 15 minutes on his view of speed zones to protect manatees that he believes really aren’t there at all since he can't see them!!
I was busy with clients all morning so didn't see these things but we had a lot of stuff to see.
We saw a beautiful red light house just north of New Symrna.
Kermit saw a P51 Mustang fly overhead - restored WWII fighter plane!
More sunken boats. We love those... Not sure why. I guess sunken boats are a symbol of the strength of the wind and water. And a warning that there but the grace of God goes thee.
We passed under a broken bridge. You don't think about what "infrastructure upgrades" means until you are stopped from forward progress by a broken draw bridge. The bridge tender at least had a sense of humor about it. He and Kermit joked about "getting it up" for a while! .
Later we heard that bridge tender talking in the radio about how he was no longer able to get it up at all. The repair barge was in place next to the bridge and folks were crawling all over it. But getting it stuck open is just as bad as getting it stuck closed. Someone is inconvenienced due to maintenance. It is the boating equivalent of orange barrels.
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| Houseboats! |
You might notice I use "river" and "ICW" interchangable. That is because the ICW runs through the Indian River on this side of Florida all the way from south Florida. The river is quite shallow in most of these places although it is dredged to a depth of greater than 10 feet in most places. Notice in this photo how long the docks stretch into the river. That is because the water is shallow at the edges and dredged deeper in the middle.
We stayed at Hammock Beach Resort and Marina at One September's suggestion. We could have gone a little further down the road to Marineland but we opted for comfort over jumping dolphins.
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| The outdoor deck on the marina side of Hammock Beach |
The marina is on the starboard side of the river at MM 803. We just slid into the marina slick as can be.
This place is amazing. It is a condominium community with a marina on the riverside and a huge high rise condo complex in the Spanish style on the ocean side.
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| The pool on the marina side |
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| Statue right by Good Karma on the river side |
The marina side is kind of deserted. The main condo building has a lobby with a huge community tv, a fitness center, and bathrooms to die for. You don’t even have to bring a towel into the shower. They supply towels, shampoo, body wash, and lotion, plus hair driers. I guess they could dry you off and that would be an added service they didn’t think of. We are definitely taking showers in the clubhouse before we leave!!
The deck is set up for big parties with heaters and outdoor lounge chairs and couches overlooking the pool
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the adult pool - no kids allowed - warm
water courtesy of the water heater
not the children |
Monday night we grilled out along the river and ate on the boat. We are getting a little tired of eating out. Steaks, roasted potatoes, and grilled asparagus!! YUM!!
It was great to chat with Tom and Char Houser while cooking dinner on the grill they gave us as a going away present! We might be able to connect with them in New Bern in a month or so.
Tuesday I had a client until about noon. Then we called the shuttle and went to the main complex. What a complex! Restaurants, a fabulous fitness center, and a bunch of pools.
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| Lunch around the adult pool |
We spent about an hour in the fitness center. They have top of the line equipment like nothing we have seen before. It is meticulously maintained. The posters on the wall are actually helpful. My favorite machine was a rope climb. You put weight on the machine and pull on a rope like you are climbing or lifting. It was a great workout! We were sweaty and happy! Sorry no pictures in the gym.
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Lunch around the adult pool. Notice
the dark clouds in the sky? |
The weather has been kind of odd. The weatherman has not gotten it right for ages. It was supposed to be 70 with light wind and crystal clear. It actually was windy and chilly until later in the afternoon. The sky was filled with big black angry clouds. Someone was getting a storm somewhere near here. It didn't rain here but it sure looked like it could any minute. Tomorrow is supposed to be clear, low wind, and in the 70s too. We'll see.
We rode the lazy river, ate salads around the adult pool, and slept and read the afternoon away.
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Later in the afternoon the water was
calm and the sky pretty clear. So pretty. |
A couple was getting married on the beach!
You should see the golf courses!!
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| Good Karma with Honey Fitz |
When we returned to the marina after our adventure at the ocean side part of Hammock Beach to discover a new neighbor backed up to Good Karma – the Honey Fitz!!
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| It is a narrow boat, only 16 feet wide - Good Karma is 14' |
This is the Presidential Yacht used by John F. Kennedy and four other president: Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson, and Nixon. For the price of a new t-shirt and hat, we toured the boat and chatted with the crew.
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| The one guest cabin |
The Honey Fitz is a 92 foot wooden yacht built by Defoe in Bay City Michigan in 1931 for Montgomery Ward's Sewell Avery from Chicago.
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| The Presidential toilet - Kermit couldn't resist |
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| The saloon |
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| Guess who? |
Avery evidently clashed a lot with FDR so in retaliation (supposedly) FDR appropriated this yacht from Avery for use in WWII as a mine sweeper off New York. Truman used it as a tender for the 244' Presidential yacht he used.
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| Kennedy family photos |
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| Presidential seal |
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The fellow who owns the yacht now is the
grandson of the fellow who went to school with JFK |
Kennedy used it most often as a way to escape the White House with his family. It is now most associated with Camelot. The boat is loaded with pictures of the famous people who spent time on this yacht and photos of the family relaxing on the decks.
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| The view of Good Karma from the deck of Honey Fitz |
There is only one cabin plus crew quarters so it was intended as a day sailor only, not for extended cruises. You wouldn't take this boat on the Loop.
A great article on Honey Fitz appears in Power and Motor Yacht Magazine this month.
Check out the website for more information.
The current owner purchased the boat in the 1970s. His grandfather attended Princeton with JFK so he has a sentimental attachment to all things JFK. It just finished a complete retro fit and is on the water raising money for charities and available for charter. It is beautiful!!
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| Still life with snacks |
Honey Fitz left Hammock Beach at about 8am on its way to Jacksonville. It will stop every day for tours on the way up to Cape Cod then back down to West Palm Beach for the winter. Stop and tour it if you run into it the summer.
At the end of the day we watched the sunset with Rusty along the river with a glass of wine and some snacks.
Life is good.
We left New Smyrna around 9am Monday 5/6, after Rusty’s big play date with Coda. Our target was Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast FL, about a 50 mile trip upriver to MM 803.
It is amazing how much a river looks like a river. There are houses along the banks, families swimming and fishing along the banks, and boats going in both directions. It is very peaceful. The sky was clear and bright with only a few fluffy white clouds.
Most of the trip is traveled at almost no-wake to protect the manatees and the homes along the embankment.
Kermit saw a P51 Mustang fly overhead - restored WWII fighter plane!
More sunken boats. We love those... Not sure why. I guess sunken boats are a symbol of the strength of the wind and water. And a warning that there but the grace of God goes thee.
We passed under a broken bridge. You don't think about what "infrastructure upgrades" means until you are stopped from forward progress by a broken draw bridge. The bridge tender at least had a sense of humor about it. He and Kermit joked about "getting it up" for a while! .
Later we heard that bridge tender talking in the radio about how he was no longer able to get it up at all. The repair barge was in place next to the bridge and folks were crawling all over it. But getting it stuck open is just as bad as getting it stuck closed. Someone is inconvenienced due to maintenance. It is the boating equivalent of orange barrels.
You might notice I use "river" and "ICW" interchangable. That is because the ICW runs through the Indian River on this side of Florida all the way from south Florida. The river is quite shallow in most of these places although it is dredged to a depth of greater than 10 feet in most places. Notice in this photo how long the docks stretch into the river. That is because the water is shallow at the edges and dredged deeper in the middle.
The marina side is kind of deserted. The main condo building has a lobby with a huge community tv, a fitness center, and bathrooms to die for. You don’t even have to bring a towel into the shower. They supply towels, shampoo, body wash, and lotion, plus hair driers. I guess they could dry you off and that would be an added service they didn’t think of. We are definitely taking showers in the clubhouse before we leave!!
You should see the golf courses!!
The weather has been kind of odd. The weatherman has not gotten it right for ages. It was supposed to be 70 with light wind and crystal clear. It actually was windy and chilly until later in the afternoon. The sky was filled with big black angry clouds. Someone was getting a storm somewhere near here. It didn't rain here but it sure looked like it could any minute. Tomorrow is supposed to be clear, low wind, and in the 70s too. We'll see.
Kennedy used it most often as a way to escape the White House with his family. It is now most associated with Camelot. The boat is loaded with pictures of the famous people who spent time on this yacht and photos of the family relaxing on the decks.
At the end of the day we watched the sunset with Rusty along the river with a glass of wine and some snacks. 
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