Wednesday, 23 March 2016 – Titusville to New Smyrna Beach
We assumed our “usual” positions with Bob behind the wheel and Christina enjoying the sights as we continued our Northerly transit. 
Today we saw lots of wildlife as we left Titusville and motored on to New Smyrna Beach.
Manatees were abundant, especially as we traversed the Haulover Canal, which is a breeding ground for these gentle, slow moving creatures. There were several that swam close to the boat. We kept the speed down and a sharp eye to be sure we didn’t get close to hitting any.
In addition to the manatee we saw many dolphins, a few sea turtles and one bald eagle. Unfortunately we did not get any photos of any of the wildlife to share.
Unlike our transit south a few months ago where we would usually only see a few boats per day , today there was a steady stream of boats going north and we felt like we were in a parade of boats throughout the day.
In Florida there are many legal battles brewing to restrict or eliminate anchoring in waterways and bays. One of the main reasons is abandoned derelict boats that become eyesores. This particular one had been used in a reality TV show according to a sign we saw on the way down. I don’t blame the homeowners for not wanting to be forced to have to this in their “backyard” everyday. But, it is unfortunate that cruisers will have fewer and fewer options for anchorages in Florida in the the future.
Dolphins and pelicans are our neighbors while we enjoy New Smyrna Beach one more time.
