January 4 – February 2, 2026
After a nice visit at home, we arrive back to St Augustine on January 4. We have contractors scheduled to scrape the boat bottom and do a mobile pump-out. Our diver said the bottom looked good, whoever did the paint job did well. Even better news is the condition of the propellor which had only minimal paint “sanded off” when we briefly touched bottom. He shared photos of the bottom and propellor which was comforting to verify the condition. “Code Brown” contractor arrives in a small boat equipped with a pump and a holding tank to empty our dark water tank. Normally this is a marina provided service however Conch House pump-out equipment was under repair. I decided to scrub the dirt and grime off our electrical cable. My Captain even bought gloves and magic eraser for me. What a guy! This photo shows sections of before and after cleaning. This task is more difficult than it looks!
We also had the filter and fluid changed on the port side transmission since it had been approximately 25 hours of run time since it was replaced. Final step to prepare for departure is a trip to the fuel dock to top off the tanks before we head south.
We head south on January 8. Our departure is smooth, and conditions look good for our trip to Halifax Harbor in Daytona Beach. An hour into the journey, heavy fog arrives. See the bridge, now you don’t! We are not comfortable with the limited visibility and backtrack to a wider section of the waterway. There we sat at idle and watched as other “brave” boaters passed by and vanished into the fog. The “burn off” took about an hour and we went on our way.
In the afternoon, Main Street Draw Bridge over Smith Creek opens for us.
We pass under the Veterans Memorial Bridge (East Orange Ave) while on the Halifax River. Just beyond this bridge is Halifax Harbor Marina, our destination.
We explore the marina and the immediate area. With bars, restaurants, ice cream and fun shops, Beach St quickly becomes our favorite hangout.
At intersections, there are buttons to request a street crossing. The voice amuses us every time. Here’s a video to capture the automated voice.
The airport is nearby and we can watch commercial flights inbound for some fun in the sun. The bow of our boat has sun-pads and we enjoy some rays on warmer days. Bow babe! 😂 We get a rental car to explore the area, grab provisions and enjoy a few restaurants outside of walking vicinity (Pagano’s Italian food and Luna’s breakfast).
While we are here, our helm enclosure is ready and installed.
It is always good to tidy your rope-lines to avoid trip hazards, but they need to be easily loosened for departure. This method of “braiding” accomplishes these objectives. With a quick shake of the tail, the braiding comes apart with no knotting. The blue lines are longer and are “spring” lines. They keep the boat from moving forward or backward. The pastel green lines are bow and stern lines. These lines are shorter and keep the boat from moving away from the dock (sideways movement). No, the lines do not have to be different colors. However, us being nerds, we prefer to color-code so they are easily distinguished.
When the winds kicked up (during the bomb cyclones this past winter), we added additional lines to further steady the boat and add strength against the high winds.
We had hopes of heading further south but due to the successive high-wind weather systems AND the fact we were really enjoying Daytona Beach, we decided to stay put. We made an Amazon order and had it delivered to the marina. We purchased an air fryer. The first effort was an air fried cheese sandwich which is now my favorite method to prepare a “grilled cheese”.
We venture to the famous Daytona Beach where you can drive your vehicle (specific sections of the beach allow motor vehicles). So strange to observe vehicles driving on the beach!
We rented a car and drove south to visit my sister and brother-in-law in West Palm area. We had a lovely lunch. It was a 3 hour drive with an incredible difference in temperature between the two locations.
While in Daytona Beach, the 64th running of Rolex 24 occurs at the International Speedway. The marina is located 5 miles from the raceway, and we can hear the racecars zooming when we are outside our boat.
We discovered a shop called Duck Donuts. All cake donuts, made fresh while you wait. They are frosted while still hot and decorated to your preference. YUM!
Chores on the boat are similar to those at home. Clean, clean, clean! I discovered a cleaner I love to wipe down all interior surfaces on the boat. It also smells great!
Coast Guard Auxiliary will perform boat safety inspections for free and provide a sticker to display if you pass. We did this for 2025 and wanted to renew with a 2026 sticker. We are of the school of thought, displaying a current sticker makes us less likely to be pulled over on the water. Should we be pulled over (boarded), we are less likely to encounter issues. No this is not the same as being water boarded! 🤣 We finally located a local official who has 2026 stickers and availability to perform the inspection. Good for 2026! 👍
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