Grills Riverside
We hadn’t circumnavigated Merritt Island in a while, so the merry crew of Captain Andy, Dinghy Admiral Annie, Skipper Troy and Boat Bunny First Class Miss Audrey Hopburn motored out of Marina Village on Friday afternoon and dropped anchor at Ski Island, just West of the Port Canaveral Cruise Ports.
The next day we proceeded counterclockwise through the NASA Haulover Canal, down the Indian River, and anchored off of Grills Riverside. Grills riverside has a great dinghy dock so we launched Bonus Track and with Annie at the helm we docked there and had a delicious lunch of fresh fish and frozen drinks. They even had a dinghy dock valet!
Annie, Troy, and Seadee at Grills (look closely over Annie's left shoulder for Seadee).
Back onboard, we rounded the southern tip of Merritt Island and snuck under the Mathers Bridge before anchoring for the night.
Saturday night was the very important rematch between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils. Fortunately, the Tar Heels trounced the Blue Devils and everyone went to bed happy.
Sunday morning proved to be windier than anticipated and we were almost trapped on the south side of Merritt Island, but we did make it home by mid-day. We even fit in an impeller change on the way home. You never know what to expect in a weekend of boating!
The southernmost tip of Merritt Island once held a dragon sculpture known as Annie. The remnants of the green dragon can still be seen today.
LED Replacement Blubs
We’ve made the move to LEDs in all of our ceiling fixtures (not on dimmers) and have seen a big savings in power draw and a decrease in heat generation. The G4 wafer replacements install with little effort (make sure you get the Warm bulbs). However, the first bulbs we found for the reading lamps were “flood light” style heavy bulbs. They worked, but not as appealing as the ceiling replacements. Now we see a new IMTA replacement that is a much better, and cheaper option. Nice light and less bulky. Here’s a link to price shop.
Read MoreLong Range Wifi
We’ve all struggled with grabbing, and holding WiFi signals while cruising outside the States. While in the Abacos this year, Annie and I tried a new device called the Wirie. All I can say is – It works. We never found ourselves without a solid connection anywhere we anchored. Here’s more info:
The Wirie is a complete wireless solution for the boat and RV, that’s easy to use, easy to install, and most importantly, greatly increases your ability to access wireless networks from the comfort of your own boat or RV!
• Simply mount The Wirie, install the included software, and plug the USB cable into your computer.
• Practical Sailor reviewed and tested, offers highest performance on the market, greatest flexibility, upgradeable, marine grade. (See the Practical Sailor review for full details).
Merritt Island Weather
