Cape Canaveral

The Atlantis, the last space shuttle, one of the many that did 135 missions into space to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and build the International Space Station.

We visited the Kennedy Space Centre yesterday and I would highly recommend it.  It was fantastic! We spent part of our time on a bus tour of the facility where we saw the launch pads and the humongous crawler that moves the launch pads with the space shuttles with the rockets attached from one place to another. 

            The building where the rockets are built. Each star on the flag is six feet across. 

Then we got to tour a facility that explained the Apollo program. It took place in the sixties as a result of the space race between Russia and the U.S., the end result was men walking on the moon. 

The actual mission control equipment that was used to send astronauts to the moon. I got goosebumps as we listened to a launch sequence. It has been over 40 years since I sat in front of the TV with my family and watched as it all happened in real time. 

They had the rockets in three stages in the building, they were absolutely huge. 

The capsule from Apollo 13, the ill fated mission where the team had to abort a mission and return to earth, the whole team worked to fix the problems that occurred and the men came home safely.

We returned the space centre and toured the Atlantis exhibit, it was one of the shuttles. Here is the shuttle bay of Atlantis with the Canada Arm's in full view. 

How the astronauts had to sleep, hooked to the wall. 

We could have spent another whole day there, taking in the exhibits. We also visited the "Explorers wanted" building, where they talked about what is in the future for the space program. They had the three types of Mars rovers in there, the ingenuity and precision that went into building these vehicles was just unbelievable. 

Sailing Info.

We are using "The Intracoastal Waterway, Norfolk to Miami, A Cockpit Cruising Handbook" by Jan and Bill Moeller. It is a small guide with few pictures and has references to bridges, anchorages and marinas by the mile number along the waterway. We just purchased some old cruising guides Waterway Guide published by Boating Industry Magazine. We got it at a Sailor's Exchange and it cover Florida, east and west coast, the Keys and some of the Gulf Coast.  We are using it only for anchorages and ideas of what to see in places we visit. 

St. Augustine FA 

Stayed at a mooring at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina

$20/night, wifi in Marina bldg, a lounge, laundry $2/load/ nice showers 

A bit noisy as you are close to shore, cruiser bus $5/person, will drive you around and pick you up. 

Daytona Beach, FA

Anchored in 4m. Good holding, no protection, open to waves from ICW

No info. on services

Shallow spots in anchorage, proceed with caution. 

Titusville, FA

Mooring ball for $20/night. Good showers, wifi at Marina, laundry

Good access to groceries, within walking distance

Went to Kennedy Space Centre, taxi. $40 each way, worth it.