Sleep Inn Fort Pierce

MM 966.1 Fort Pierce City Marina

by grandmaR

This marina is on the south side of the inlet. There is a vicious current out at the transient docks.

We got in just as the marina was closing.
Hours of operation: 7am-8pm (Sun-Thur) 7am-10pm (Fri-Sat)

The marina cost is $1.00/foot plus $4.00 for 30 amp and taxes of $2.86

They give BOAT/U.S. discounts: $0.10 off per gallon on fuel, free pump out!

"Located in the heart of downtown Fort Pierce, Fort Pierce Marina is operated by the city and features two yacht basins. The outer basin accommodates vessels up to 175 feet and has 93 floating, concrete docks. A breakwater offers wave protection. New wiring, cable TV and telephone hook-ups are available at each slip. The dock master is on duty, and the fuel dock is open, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., seven days a week. The attractive harbormaster's building houses modern tile showers, restrooms, a laundry and offices. In close proximity to the marina are car rentals, shopping and provisioning assistance, limo, and hotel referrals for guests who are unfamiliar with the area. Fax and copier services are also available. Gas and diesel are competitively priced. The grounds are beautifully landscaped. Additional 220-foot and 156-foot alongside tie-floating docks have been built to accommodate 100-foot mega yachts. New Deep Water Channel to be completed in 2003." 240 Floating and fixed docks!
Electricity: 30/125A, 50/220A, 100A Shore side services
Fresh water
Cable TV
Pump out
Laundry services
Local transportation available
Ice
Texaco marine fuel
Local ATM at Dockmaster's office
Gift shop
Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, Discover, Texaco
Marine services: mechanical, canvas, fuel filtration, electronics, electrical, refrigeration, air conditioning, boat cleaning and detailing services, and yacht brokerage.

By Land: Take I95 or Turnpike to Fort Pierce exit. Take SR70 (Okeechobee Road) east to US 1, head north to Ave.A (approx. 2 miles), then turn right. This will take you directly to the marina.

2003, December 3 Melbourne to Miami via Ft. Pierce

by grandmaR

"December 3, Leaving Melbourne"

We see wind gusts from the SE of up to 25 knots although the weather is still saying the wind is east. We run the engine driven refrigeration and it is making a funny noise.

0823 - As we come past an anchorage at the spoil islands, a grey hulled sailboat named ELAN came out and passed us. They pulled out their jib and eventually Bob pulled out the staysail. He says the wind is borderline too strong.

We are getting too much spray on the windward side of the boat for me to risk the digital camera.

ODYSSEY, the power cat that passed us in Bucksport and again after McClellansville passed us again at 0950. We are about halfway to Ft. Pierce now.

We had hot dogs for lunch. Ominous clouds are building up. It is still really windy. We pull in the staysail when we get to Wabasso where it is a bit more protected. Bob goes out and washes off the curtains so he can see a bit better.

1400 - ABOUT TIME, an Albin 40 passed along with GNATLOOP (another trawler). I see a pontoon boat from the Harbor Branch marine studies laboratory on the east. We go by Vero Beach and I finally get a picture of the boats rafted on the moorings.

We get to the North Ft. Pierce bridge, which has a barge anchored in front of it - in front of us are two more sailboats and the two trawlers. ABOUT TIME asks about the clearance and the bridge tender says he won't be able to see because of the barge, and just to wait that he is opening. So the bridge opens for the trawlers and the sail boats also eventually get through.

We can't make it so we throttle back. Eventually two more power boats pass us so the bridge opens again.

We get to our slip (H15) after a certain amount of maneuvering - there are two slips and Bob doesn't know which one to go to - since the dodger (windscreen) is buttoned down he can't hear me.

That means that he has to turn the boat sharply in a restricted area to get in the nearer of the two slips (there is a big power boat in the way so he can't see). This causes the sailboat on the other side of the power boat to think that we have bow thrusters!!!

Anyway, the end of the finger pier is right next to the shrouds so we have to go out the gate and walk along outside the lifelines and then step over onto the finger pier.

We get tied up after a total of 887 nm and a trip this day of 46.9 sm at an average of 5.9 mph.

ABOUT TIME is here too over on D dock (also leaving tomorrow), and AFTERNOON TEA (we saw in Dowry Creek and Georgetown among other places) is here getting some hoses replaced.

I went up and did email. Bob was upset when I came back because he can't make the 110 refrigeration work. The pump works, but won't turn on. He has fixed the problem with the electric plugs on the port side though.

There was a short brief shower with the sun still up which gave a nice rainbow. I took a film picture of it (top).

Then we went and ate dinner at the marina restaurant - Since I knew to ask for the early bird specials (4-6 pm), we each ate for $9.95 which included soup or salad, one of four entrees (crab cake, broiled flounder, strip steak or pasta primavera) rice, pasta or baked potato, vegetables and key lime pie. I had crab cake which proved to be fried and VERY large, and Bob had flounder.

Then I went and got the black Dell and hooked up to the internet to get it's virus definitions updated and took some night pictures of the pelicans in the trees.

"December 4, 2003"

Bob washed the boat, and I wrote emails. The 110 refrigeration is now working again. I was thinking of going up to use the pool, but I didn't - I did go up and get a shower and we ate dinner at the restaurant again.

The weather report says that there are going to be strong winds and big waves on Friday, plus possible showers and it will be even worse weather Sat and that a front will go through.

We had planned to go to Miami on Friday, getting there on Sat. But I think we will stay here until the wind dies down and the waves subside.

Next : Offshore to Miami