So! Our plans to sightsee were tossed. Mark and I were just too crook to explore on foot. We spent the day in Fort Pierce alternating between working on Bushranger and resting/sleeping. Mark’s cough was worse and I was wrung out from my migraine. 

With the coolness of evening, we ventured out for dinner at the local Tiki Bar – a hundred metres from Bushranger. Feeling pleasantly full, we strolled the downtown area. We immediately realized we had missed a golden opportunity of discovery. The historic downtown, although most shops were closed, looked a vibrant and interesting area. 

We even roamed around the Manatee Observation and Education Centre. We are amazed at the size of these animals so when we came across the height chart, I snapped a photo of Mark next to it.

With us both rested and on the mend, Bushranger fully provisioned, fueled, watered and pumped out, we decided on a very easy sail of only 2.5 hours to Vero Beach. The weather was sublime. The sailing easy. We docked at Vero Town Marina in a pretty little offshoot of the Indian River.

Vero Beach is an affluent resort community with great shopping and dining. We know: we did both! The trees are adorned with Spanish moss, which gracefully undulate in the wispy air. Tree tunnels span the cobbled roads. Graceful southern architecture embellish the ambience.

It is also where we came face to face with the Atlantic Ocean.

Decided to hop on a free bus to do a circuit of Vero Beach. Quite an eye opener culturally. Drove across the Indian River and wove through sections perhaps not seen by most boaters. It was very entertaining when a few women embarked and spoke a dialect of English we could not understand. Everyone was loud and happy. Perhaps ‘colourful’ would be more apt. 

These few quieter days were just what we needed.

Such is Life!