{"id":9362,"date":"2025-04-30T07:48:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T11:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/?p=9362"},"modified":"2025-04-30T08:15:06","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T12:15:06","slug":"merritt-island-fl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/?p=9362","title":{"rendered":"Merritt Island, FL"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A new stop for us that allowed us to reunite with loop friends and visit the Kennedy Space Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where, When and How &#8212; The Stats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Thursday, April 17, 2025:  Fort Pierce to Merritt Island, Florida via Indian River (AICW) and Banana River, Docked at Harbortown Marina Canaveral, Cruising Time 9 hours 4 minutes, Distance 65.3 Nautical Miles <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Calm Seas and Sunshine &#8211; The Good<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Excitement was floating in the air as we reconnected with Carlos &amp; Zulma from Lady Z!  Being their home port, Carlos was able to get us a slip. Thanks to him!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chocolate Chip pancakes with bacon and whip cream being delivered to the boat! Thanks Tina!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visit to the Kennedy Space Center! It was a beautiful day and the 4 couples headed off to explore the history of space travel from its origins in the 60&#8217;s to modern-day privately funded space travel.\u00a0 After touring the exhibits in the center, we boarded the tour bus and saw the launch pad and explored  the Apollo\/ Saturn V Center.  Such an interesting exhibit that starts with a movie showing the original Mission Control Center for the Apollo V mission and the actual Saturn V rocket itself. One of our favorite exhibits included the Space Shuttle Atlantis retired Shuttle Atlantis, which is one of only three space-flown orbiters that are on display in the US.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Breaking bread with our Looper friends. Our first night &#8216;pot luck&#8217; dinner of grilled cheese, Chicken Tortilla Soup and made from scratch corn bread. We sat at the marina picnic tables and it was a beautiful night. The next night we enjoyed dinner at Fish Lips and the next morning was breakfast at Dixie Landing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1756-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1756-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1756-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1756-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1756-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1756-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8780-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8780-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8780-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8780-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8780.jpg 1159w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1764-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9370\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1764-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1764-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1764-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1764-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1764-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1769-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1769-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1769-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1769-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1769-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1769-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1774-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9372\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1774-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1774-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1774-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1774-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1774-1-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/69103eca-0cc9-4d6e-94d4-8bc83981e291-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/69103eca-0cc9-4d6e-94d4-8bc83981e291-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/69103eca-0cc9-4d6e-94d4-8bc83981e291-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/69103eca-0cc9-4d6e-94d4-8bc83981e291-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/69103eca-0cc9-4d6e-94d4-8bc83981e291-1.jpg 1159w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1794-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9374\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1794-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1794-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1794-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1794-1.jpg 1159w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Strong Winds and Currents &#8211; The Not So Good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The marina was huge and a little tough to maneuver and dock.  They only had very small finger piers so getting on and off the boat was quite a challenge! <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The unexpected &#8216;curfew&#8217; of a bridge during rush hour traffic.  In rethinking our mast height, we went for it and with the support of the boat following us, we cleared the bridge!  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250419_094149-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250419_094149-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250419_094149-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250419_094149-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250419_094149-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250419_094149-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"521\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1802-521x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1802-521x1024.jpg 521w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1802-153x300.jpg 153w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1802-768x1509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1802-782x1536.jpg 782w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1802-1043x2048.jpg 1043w, https:\/\/threesons.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_1802.jpg 1125w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 521px) 100vw, 521px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new stop for us that allowed us to reunite with loop friends and visit the Kennedy Space Center.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9377,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-east-coast-spring-2024","category-florida"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9362"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9362"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9384,"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9362\/revisions\/9384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threesons.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}