We left Melbourne as early as possible for another 90+ mile day with Palm Beach Gardens as our destination. We had learned some friends of ours were visiting nearby Vero Beach and it seemed like the perfect spot to stop for lunch. We ended up at the Riverside Cafe which had a nice sized dock for transients. The cafe was speckled with country music star Jake Owen paraphernalia and had a nice beachy vibe. I chose the Mahi sandwich which is apparently what Jake usually gets.
I couldn’t quite figure out the connection with the cafe and Jake Owen but if you go on their website, they have a whole music video redone at the Riverside Cafe for his song “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.” In the song he does mention “Cruising to the Riverside…” A quick internet search indicates he is from Vero Beach and got started at the Riverside Cafe!
We said goodbye to our friends and starting cruising further south towards Stuart and Hobe Sound and started seeing more and more palm trees. We cruised thru “The Crossroads” which was a unique four way intersection of the Indian River, St. Lucie Inlet, St. Lucie River/ Ocachobee Waterway connection and southbound ICW on the Indian River. We had read in our guide books that this area could be HEAVY with commercial traffic and weekend boaters so we were glad to be passing thru on a Monday.
Not long after, we entered Hobe Sound and cruised thru Peck Lake. As we passed, I noticed a very familiar sailing catamaran in the anchorage. As soon as I saw a dog get into the dinghy I knew it was our favorite sailing bloggers, Tula’s Endless Summer! Tula is a couple, Billy and Sierra, and their dog, Jetty who live on their boat and record their daily lives. They make a living from the stories they share with everyone through their videos. Check them out at: Tula’s Endless Summer
They are reportedly headed to the Caribbean soon and I would have LOVED to chat with them about our experiences in the islands. However, we had an ambitious 90 mile journey and had already stopped for a long lunch. We had to keep moving. We finally made it to Loggerhead Marina in Palm Beach Gardens around dinnertime. We had a nice refreshing dip in the marina pool and then dinner on the boat. It appeared we were in the middle of a neighborhood and there were no restaurants within walking distance. The marina here is very pretty and well manicured with beautiful pink flowers dotting the edge of the docks. We were exhausted from our long day as fell easily to sleep with the rocking of the boat. Tomorrow we cruise to Miami!
