Arrival in Port Canaveral, Florida, USA.....Visit to Kennedy Space centre and Rocket launching (18th March to 25th March 2015)

We sadly said goodbye to the Bahamas on the 16^th of March and crossed the Gulf stream to Florida. We arrived 10hrs ahead of our predicted time getting to Port Canaveral at 0200hrs. There were no ships transitting the Port at that time so we cautiously made our way into the harbour. There are no places to anchor so we tied up to a fuel dock outside a marina.. 

We waited until daybreak with the intention of booking a berth for a day for customs clearance and using the marina laundry facilities and filling with water...Before we had a chance to go up to the office a very pleasant and welcoming marina worker greeted us asking us to see the Dockmaster.

After paying $106USD she told us we had to leave by 1300hrs that day, then decided we could stay until 1500hrs. The opening bridge closes at certain times for Cape Canaveral Space employees to pass over so we had to engineer this in as well.

We questioned why we had to leave so early and she said had we prearranged a berth it would have been different and she said. “I know all about sailboats!” Being tired and in a new country it was some time later that we realised that she thought we were trying to get away with berthing and not paying!

What should have been an exciting and relaxed entry to the States became a frantic and anxious time trying to clear customs, arrange a cruising permit, get laundry done, the boat filled with water and internet and phone arranged.

We got back from a long walk to customs and Immigration and after discussing why we had got the cold shoulder Cathy decided to go and have a chat with her. Unfortunately she had gone for the day but more fortunately a very nice chap taking over for the day gave us permission to stay until the next day. ( Usually if you book a day it is all day and a night)

The next morning we untied from the Fuel jetty area and Eric called the Bridge operator to ask permission to pass. The control room has limited sideways vision so he said “I can't see you. Where are you?” Eric radioed back that we were coming from the Cape Marina. Well........All hell broke loose!......

The Dockmaster radioed the bridge operator and asked him not to allow us through as we hadn't paid our bill and said she had called the Sheriff!! Eric called her back and she unprofessionally continued talking on CH 16. When he had the opportunity to reply he suggested she go to a working channel...Well everyone within a 20nm radius who was listening in would have rapidly switched channels to hear the unfolding of the drama! Eric explained that we had been given permission to stay overnight and that we felt we had been unfairly treated and that we would not be returning. She then gave us permission to continue on but that we would not be welcome back there...Eric replying that we would not want to and we would tell our cruising associates about the incident!

We then contacted the bridge operator and as we passed by he had a great big grin on his face and gave us the “Thumbs up”

After passing through the opening bridge we entered the lock which lifted us up to the level of the Banana river and then we continued to the Indian river, part of the Intra coastal waterway.

We stopped at Titusville and spent a few days there, visiting the Kennedy Space centre and watching from the anchorage the launching of the Delta IV rocket carrying an airforce GPS satellite into space on the 25^th of March...

What an awesome experience!! A dream Eric had had since he was a boy was fullfilled!

Cathy under the Space shuttle booster rockets and fuel tank at the Kennedy Space Centre, 

The Rocket Garden

Eric looking at a Gemini capsule

Saturn V

Eric dreaming

Rocket transporter

Launch pad

Delta 1V liftoff from internet photo