Merritt Island, Florida

[ftltony]

This is my home and home port, Merritt Island, Florida. We are basically, Cape Canaveral. East of us is Cocoa Beach (Major Anthony Nelson and Jeanie!) and a little North and you have the (Appropriately named) Mosquito Lagoon and to the South, Sebastian .... but the things I see from my backyard, and in my yard, are just out of this world!!!

Some of these are a little old, but the digital camera FINALLY stopped "acting up"...!

STS 124 on the way to the International Space Station May 31st

Fishing in my backyard produces everything from Trout and Reds to Tarpon and Sheepshead...

This Great Blue Heron I named ..... "Hank"....Get It..?!?!?!?

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

I've down the ICW past your place about 4 times. Did you see me waving???
(Nothing like watching the shuttle take off live, is there?)

 

[ftltony]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

So that was YOU!!! I waved you over for a beer but I guess you couldn't see me!!!!

... and even better than the shuttle taking off is when it takes off at night AND, you FORGET that its taking off at night and you wake up thinking "this is the end...!!!" Fortunately I have only forgotten about it once!

By the way, do you ever make it over to the "sandbar" on the North side of 528?

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Unfortunately, the times I have been on ICW by you, we were on our way to somewhere. Sebastian once, West Palm Beach the other time. So we didn't get to stop and check out the scenery. And isn't is right by you that it's a lot of slow zone? My dad "hates" putting in at Daytona to go to Sebastian, Vero Beach or West Palm, cause of all the slow zone. I did see my first manatee in there somewhere, though.
My parents live over by Lakeland, so you can't hear the shuttle, but you can see it from the pool cage. I can't imagine hearing it at night!

Hank the Heron lives at Wharf Harbor Marina in Peoria during the summer, I think!

 

[ftltony]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Manatee zones differ depending on where you are and you can never assume that one are is like the other!

North of 528 is all no wake because the Canaveral Lock is there and that is how you get out from the Banana River to the Ocean. South of 520 all the way to Sebastian is hit and miss. Most of the time, if you stay in the middle of the channel, you can run. Every bridge that crosses the Banana River / ICW you must slow down 200 yards before and after the bridge.

.. and if you want to see Manatee's, come to my backyard. I live at the end of the canal and, especially when it gets cooler from December thru February, they are EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[lombard]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Friggin manatee zones. Moved down here last year, bought a boat last month. Still looking around for some decent skiing water. All the best water is in no wake zones because of the manatees. Not to mention the hour it takes to get from my buddy's place off of sykes creek to anywhere.

Guess all that slow going saves on gas though...

 

[ftltony]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Friggin manatee zones. Moved down here last year, bought a boat last month. Still looking around for some decent skiing water. All the best water is in no wake zones because of the manatees. Not to mention the hour it takes to get from my buddy's place off of sykes creek to anywhere.

Guess all that slow going saves on gas though...

Have you ever been to that area where Sykes and the Banana Rivers come together South of 520? There seems to be another sand bar "get together area" in that area and its a "full speed" zone and once, I was just out booze cruisin' in the area, I was moving along out of the channel at about 3 mph while everyone was flying by me and the Cocoa Beach Police pulled up along side me and asked if everything was alright with my boat! I guess he wasn't used to people just idling along in that area!

We have also taken the LONG "idle speed" trip along the "barge canal" North of 520 that connects the Banana and the Indian Rivers and when you get to the Indian RIver, South of 528, its a big area of high speed and there are always a lot of people there tubing ....

 

[lombard]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Yeah, I've been in both places. Made the barge canal journey a few too many times. Especially on hot days, that's got to be the most miserable boating out there. Slow, no breeze, baking in the sun.

One of these weekends I'm going to put in at Lee Wenner park (in Cocoa, just off the west side of the 520 bridge going over Indian River) early in the morning. Might find some glassy water a little bit south good enough for skiing. There's an island/sandbar there that people congregate at as well. I think it's the third island south from 520.

As for where Sykes Creek and Banana River come together, I cruised down there once. Made the mistake of boating down Sykes from my buddy's place to get there. Just south of Sykes Creek Parkway and north of 520, the channel disappears. It's still marked, but it seems to be washed out. Definitely in need of some dredging. Ran aground half a dozen times going through there. Made my pretty black skeg and prop shiny silver...

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Greeting, Tony. Grew up in that area back in the early 60's. We lived in a trailer park in Port Canaveral. Back when about half of those rockets were blowing up on the pad. We were probably less than 5-6 miles away (near jetty park). Nothing like being shook out bed and catching the dishes!

Almost wore out my old Mitchell 300 cathing trout on the Indian river behind our place.

Also had the eye of Hurrican Donna come directly over us in 1960. Ran outside and down to the beach and realized it was coming back the other direction after the eye passed over!

Sent you a PM about the scallops....see ya.

 

[ftltony]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Greeting, Tony. Grew up in that area back in the early 60's. We lived in a trailer park in Port Canaveral. Back when about half of those rockets were blowing up on the pad. We were probably less than 5-6 miles away (near jetty park). Nothing like being shook out bed and catching the dishes!

Was it "Tingleys" by any chance..?!?!?!? .. and thanx for the PM, I sent one back ...

 

[BillP]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Greeting, Tony. Grew up in that area back in the early 60's. We lived in a trailer park in Port Canaveral. Back when about half of those rockets were blowing up on the pad. We were probably less than 5-6 miles away (near jetty park). Nothing like being shook out bed and catching the dishes!

Almost wore out my old Mitchell 300 cathing trout on the Indian river behind our place.

Also had the eye of Hurrican Donna come directly over us in 1960. Ran outside and down to the beach and realized it was coming back the other direction after the eye passed over!

Sent you a PM about the scallops....see ya.

We might know each other. I moved to Cocoa Beach in 56 and graduated from there in 66. rockets exploding, hurricane Donna, lots of trout and hunting, jetty park was for parking with the girlfried...I remember it well.

Another back yard on Merritt Isl...Banana River, lady fish from Sykes Creek, trout caught off our dock and keeper trout from the old days...

 

[ftltony]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Wow! Awesome pics! I love the one of the table in the shade and if that one pic of the Trout wasn't in black and white, I would say "photoshop" for sure! That's a gator no doubt! ... and the girls really pretty too!

You know, we are getting a few replies on this site, we may have to do a raft up and get to know all of us better! It would appear there are a few of us in the Merritt area....

 

[dsstephens]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

My family is from merritt island - I've gone and visited the places they lived a few times, but haven't had the opportunity to stay down there much. I think they were some of the earliest settlers on the island, actually - the Sams. My granddaddy grew up in a house that is now some sort of archeological site. meaning - if some raft up got organized, I'd probably be up for hauling my boat down from Atlanta just to get some time to tour. My mom lives up the coast a bit and would love to see the grandkids for a weekend.

 

[Bamboo]

Re: Merritt Island, Florida

Good to see some MI folks on the board. I live on S. MI and usually put in at either KARS Park or Kawani's Island. I'm part owner of a dock which I can leave the boat at overnight, but normally just do the day boating thing. Lots of good boating water sports in the area, and the best part is there is no "off" season.

The Barge Canal transit is indeed brutal on a hot summer day. I avoid it as much as possible. The sykes creek area is kind of tricky to get through but it's not bad after you have done it a couple time (and have a GPS with charts )

One area which always confuses me is the slow speed area just south of Kawani's Island/520 on Sykes Creek. The sign just south of the bridge seems (to me) to indicate that it's a slow zone from the 520 to the airport. But, I always see folks running fast, including the water cops. I've looked at the manatee zone map which didn't help a lot either. When I get a chance I'm going to ask an H2O LE officer what the deal is.

Anyway, just wanted to say Hi and Happy Boating!