Day 146 - February 24, 2013: Ormond Beach and the Palm Coast

We got an early start under clouds and light rain, and with no boat traffic, we departed Daytona to head up the Palm Coast. This stretch has lots of protected areas with thick high foliage that resembles the foliage around Tarpon Springs. In some areas, the ICW is very narrow, with the channel markers almost right on the ends of docks, and homes are packed tightly between adjacent roads and the water.

Many miles of protected areas

Homes squeezed between the road and the ICW

Throughout the trip, I have been fascinated by the many different docks and boathouses. Here, as if by mutual agreement, all the boat lifts are covered by tiled roofs. They line both sides for miles. Perhaps it is because of the frequent rain? We passed through Ormond Beach and Flagler Beach and arrived at Palm Coast Marina before noon.

Miles of nearly identical boat lifts with tiled roofs

A high school friend, Bill, and his wife, Linda, who live in Ormond Beach, picked us up and took us to a Target superstore where we did a major restocking. While most marinas have a grocery store within biking distance, none have had the variety of items we need at this stage of the trip. Additionally, Florida marinas rarely have a courtesy car, and it was nice to have a way to transport lots of bags.

After taking the supplies back to the boat, we took a tour of the area. I was quite surprised to find out you can still drive a car on Daytona Beach where all the racing began. This was fascinating, and we stopped to enjoy the beach.

Driving on Daytona Beach

Linda and Bill with Larry

After passing through Daytona Beach, we stopped to see a live oak tree, named the Fairchild Tree, which is estimated to be 1000 to 2000 years old. It sits in an idyllic setting and is covered with Spanish moss.

The Fairchild Tree

Bill and Linda had us to their home for a great dinner, and we had fun catching up and reminiscing. They definitely made this a special day!