Great Loop Date 04.13.2011: Endeavour...

Day #244 (Wednesday): 3567.7 total miles (41.0 miles)

Port #82: Titusville, FL

The run from Indian Beach to Titusville was along more of the undeveloped urban stretches sprinkled with populated cities (Sebastian, Melbourne, Coco).  We passed Jones Fruit Dock without even seeing it, although I probably wasn't really looking for it either.  It is a popular stop for Loopers that offers an  inexpensive dock.  The 88 year old owner, Richard Milton Jones, passed away in March.  Old Mr Jones dedicated a lifetime to growing citrus on this farm and resisted all attempts to acquire the land for development.  Unfortunately, no one knows what the future holds for this little gem of Floridian charm.

Between the Bennett Bridge and the Merritt Island Causeway Bridge, we came upon this hulk of a ship anchored and aground in the Indian River. 

Princess Grace, the former USCGC MALLOW, WLB-396, seeking safe harbor from Tropical Storm Fay, was granted permission to pass from the ocean into the river via Port Canaveral, Canaveral Lock and the Barge Canal.  That happened in August 2008, and the Princess Grace has been anchored there ever since.  The US Coast Guard has been in contact with the owner.  They are concerned should a storm of large enough size dislodge the ship, cause damage enough fearing the potential of a fuel spill.  Of relevance is the larger amount of fuel aboard!

Todd deviated OB from our course heading just past the Bennett Causeway Bridge.  We moved east in the Canaveral Barge Canal.  Good diesel prices were advertised at Harbor Square Marina on Merritt Island.  The island was full of scrub brush and not much else.



Way down past that bridge is the Banana River and Cape Canaveral.  Cape Canaveral is actually a town located on a long barrier island with many other small towns along it.  The barge canal and a lock separate Cape Canaveral from the actual Air Force Station that houses the launch pads for our space rockets.  We didn't take OB that far.

Of course, we had to be in constant vigil for the ever present crab pots.







I was hoping to see the launch pad with the shuttle, Endeavor, as I looked north from the canal. All I could see was brush.







Satisfying OB's thirst for fuel and back on the Indian River, we could clearly make out the assembly building at Kennedy Space Center.

We passed through the bridge at the NASA Causeway.

Pushing my little Olympus camera for every pixel it could squeeze out, I was able to see the gantry tower and Endeavor as she waited for her launch date.

We took OB into the Titusville Marina and made arrangements for a rental car to take to Kennedy Space Center the next day.  Of course, we enjoyed another wonderful Florida sunset.