Log of the ELISSA II: Titusville to Ponce Inlet

05/21: Woke to very threatening skies, radar showing showers & T’storms thru out area.

Took boat to fuel dock for diesel, then a pump out and then stayed for quick showers & dog walk. Walk included a visit the very tasteful and elaborate memorial to the men & women responsible for the nations space program that Titusville (w/the financial support of virtually every corporate entity involved) erected adjacent to their Veterans Memorial Park. Just beat a passing storm back to boat & Departed Titusville, (MM 878) at 1120. Radar had us surrounded with red & yellows of T’storms all the way and we ran thru intermittent showers (but no violent T’storms) all the way to our anchorage at Rockhouse Creek off of the Ponce Inlet to Atlantic at MM 842. We arrived in this delightful anchorage (well protected from both winds and wakes, good holding and strong tidal currents on both ebb & flow). Titusville has some lovely waterfront parks (with so many White Ibis they became common to me!), which included the Memorials to the Gemini and Apollo Space Programs. The Gemini remembers the astronauts with brass bas-relief handprints (except for Gus Grissom and crew with a facial bas relief – sobering reminder of their loss). As Bill said, we just kept cruising north through clear pockets of surrounding storms. One beautiful spot was through the Haulover Canal (part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Sanctuary) – scenery was different with eroded rocks and heavy pines AND a Manatee haven! Dinner: Grilled burgers and corn on the cob