![\"img_3202\"\n](\"http:\/\/www.idylltime.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/st-augustine-to-stuart-2017\/img_3202.jpg\"\n\t\t "\\"img_3202\\"\n")
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n Several times a day we would see the pirate ship \u201cBlack Raven\u201d and the sailing schooner \u201cFreedom\u201d join the parade of boats as they took paying guest out for a sail. \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n We held our breath each time another boater was assigned a slip next to us. The current here is a fierce 4-5 knots at it\u2019s max and we saw several boats crash into the docks and other boats while docking. Luckily, Idyll Time was spared this injury. <\/p>\nSt. Augustine goes all out each year for their holiday light celebration. Over a million lights are festooned throughout the downtown area. The city is lovely during this time of year. This does however bring hordes of tourists to the town each day. We learned rather quickly to stay away from this area on the busy weekends. \n\t\t
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/p>\nAs our departure date approached, the weather reports looked very favorable for an offshore run to Ft. Pierce. By running the 220 miles offshore, we can make it to Ft. Pierce in one overnight run vs. four days on the ICW. The St. Augustine Inlet is notorious for shoaling and with the recent hurricane Mathew hitting this area, reports from other cruisers had said to avoid this Inlet. A call was made to Sea Tow and they assured us that all buoys were back on station and we should have plenty of depth as long as we stay close to the red buoys. With this news we eagerly prepared for our overnight run. <\/p>\n
We time our departure from the marina to catch the 7:30 AM Bridge opening. As the bridge opens, we see who else but another Krogen 48 heading the other way. We have never seen this Krogen before but it appears to be an older boat. They are heading south on the ICW so maybe we will see them down the line. \n\t\t
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/p>\nAlthough there is always a little tension in the air as we exit the inlets for our overnight runs, we very much look forward to these opportunities. Traveling overnight is always very enjoyable and this trip even more so as we have a special passenger with us. Sadly, Jeff\u2019s Dad passed away in October. With us are some of his ashes which we will place in the Gulf Stream. Being an oceanographer and studying the Gulf Stream, it seemed fitting that this is where some of his ashes should reside. \n\t\t
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/p>\nThe seas are calm and we have a peaceful day on the water. Other than quite a few shrimp boats, we are alone on the North Atlantic. \n\t\t
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n Nate and Primo spend the day in the pilot house with us as we work our way south. \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n During the day we stay only several miles off shore as we pass Daytona with high rise condos one after the other lining the shoreline. We enjoy the nice day on the ocean with only two ft. Seas. As darkness approaches, we ease farther offshore. We see little to no boat traffic. Nearing Cape Canaveral, we make a 90 degree turn and work our way out to the Gulf Stream. Ten miles off shore as we near the Gulf Stream, the seas pick up and the ride becomes quite lumpy. Idyll Time with her stabilizers working overtime, handles the 3-4 ft seas with ease. At 1 AM as the GPS shows us firmly in the Gulf Stream, Jeff ceremoniously deposits his Dad\u2019s ashes into the warm Gulf Stream water. \n\t\t