Moving to Stuart, Florida

We got ourselves and Odissea xx ready to leave bright and early - Jesse and Ginny Price on Wind Dust, the Nauticat we are rafted to, have decided to come along with us to Stuart. At the last minute, Jesse looked a little nervous about leaving as he was picking up approaching rain showers on his equipment. We waited about 5 minutes and then Blair made a decision to leave. The next thing you know, up went the lines with everyone springing into action, and away we went. It was great to be underway. We left the rain showers behind us, had a rather uneventful motorsail into Stuart. Wind Dust was in our hip pocket through the trip. We had a minor tense moment trying to line up our approach through the last bridge before Sunset Bay Marina, but it all worked out. Blair called the Marina for a mooring assignment - #51- the bizarre thing is that they gave Wind Dust the same assignment - dear old Ruth..lol!
Weather is gorgeous - warm, sunny - vast improvement over Vero Beach.
We spend the next week exploring Stuart - the restaurants, shopping, and the sights. It is a very pretty town and there have been many improvements over the years. It looks as though it has been "restored" from a kind of "hippy flower power" kind of hangout. We meet up with some friends from last year and that is fun. Mike and Judy McKendy on Sea Sharp arrive from Fort Pierce with their friends, Jacquie and Roger on Audacious - we have a terrific evening on our boat with this bunch singing along with Mike who was on the guitar. We are able to add Mike's signature to our valued Cuban guitar!
As the week goes on, Sea Sharp and Audacious jump at the opportunity to head out and position themselves for an approaching weather window to the Bahamas. We are envious but realize that the window is small and the possibility that it may disappear or shift is real. We need to be home for Christmas and cannot afford to put the boat in a position where there is no safe place to keep her if we can't make it to Ocean Reef Resort in Freeport. So we opt for the sure thing and commit to leaving the boat in Stuart on a mooring while we are at home for the holidays.
The weather is also starting to cool off and we resort to using our heater and the propane stove to keep warm - often the night time temperature is at freezing. I am now looking forward to going home. If it is going to be cold, it will be nice to have a good warm home to enjoy.
Bev and Dave Patzer on their Gemini in the Sunset Bay mooring field have their car here and offer to take us to the West Palm Beach airport. Everyone is making their Christmas plans. I, for one, am glad to be going home as I miss my kids and friends and family. We have a good-bye bash on our boat the night before we leave - Jesse and Ginny on Wind Dust, Dave and Bev on BackRoads, Dave and Joanne on Tropical Breeze, Eric and Ellen on West Wind, and Carl and Laura on Ekotopia. We listen between fits of laughter to the tale of Eric landing in the water off of Ramba's boat - hysterically funny - my retelling does the story little justice. For a truly first hand account, visit the Tropical Breeze website @ svtropicalbreeze.com
On Sunday, December 12th, Dave Patzer drives us out to the airport and we arrive back in Toronto to snow and cold temperatures. Carmen picks us up at the airport and makes a stop at Swiss Chalet. And now begins the frenzy and flurry of activity to prepare for Christmas.
Some Interesting Facts About Stuart, Florida:
Our boat is on a mooring at Sunset Bay Marina which is just west of the Roosevelt and Railroad Bridges. It was once the popular city-owned and operated Southpoint Anchorage. It has since been cleaned up and improved - and although it can tend to be vulnerable to rolling in the mooring field with the wind and passing fishing and power boats, it is still a popular spot - the staff are efficient and go out of their way to make your stay here worthwhile.
The countryside surround Stuart provides a little bit of everything for which Florida is noted: citrus, winter vegetables, flowers and cattle. Although agriculturally important, the emphasis throughout the area has shifted from farming to sport fishing. Both the outside and inside waters provide outstanding fishing.
Downtown Stuart's facelift and revitalization has been a boon for residents and tourists. The restored Lyric Theatre features plays and concerts and the once abandoned city blocks have been transformed into gift shops, art galleries, and trendy restaurants. In fact, it was in one of these antique shops that I picked up some original articles from magazines related to WWII and Hitler for Michael, the history buff. But just to emphasize the importance of the Lyric Theatre, it should be noted that for over 80 years, this theatre has played a leading role in bringing quality entertainment to the Treasure Coast. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this cultural showplace is a keystone of downtown Stuart. The Lyric was built in 1925, and opened in 1926 as a silent movie house with a small stage for vaudeville acts. At that time, it was the largest building in Martin County. Over the years, the building was used for a variety of purposes, including for the Talking Pictures ("talkies"_ which debuted at the Lyric in 1930. Throughout the 1960's and 70's, the Lyric was converted to use strictly as a performing arts auditorium. The Theatre was purchased in 1978 by the New Life in Christ Church as a venue for its weekly services. By 1987, the church had plans to move, and there was talk of razing the Lyric to make room for new offices and shops. A group of community-minded citizens came together to purchase the property and use its restoration as the cornerstone for the revitalization of historic downtown Stuart. Today the Lyric hosts hundreds of shows each year, and is a dynamic catalyst for cultural and economic growth on the Treasure Coast. The original cost of construction of the theatre in 1925 was $100,000.00.