Day 5-Stuart, FL

The route from home to Stuart-158nm or 182 statue miles.

We were awake by 6:00 this morning. It was getting light outside, so we got up. After a leisure breakfast, we filled the water jugs, topped off Blue Moon's water tank and gave her a bath.
At about 8:30, the lock was about to open for east bound traffic. So we hurriedly contacted the lock master, left the dock, deployed the fenders and stood by for our final lock, St. Lucie Lock.
Twenty minutes later, we were at sea level after being lowered 11ft.
At 10:00, we picked up a mooring ball at Sunset Bay Marina and Anchorage in Stuart($30/night).
We put the dinghy into the water, and our old Yamaha started right up, but it was leaking gas. Matt tightened all the connections, but it was still leaking. He thinks the fuel pump is now leaking. So we exchanged the Yamaha engine for my father's 1972 (45 year old) vintage Mercury engine, which we brought along "just in case". Matt diligently tried to get the engine to start, all the while saying "it started right up at home". As he pulled and pulled on the starting cord, I had a flash back to 45 years ago; to the lake in MA and watching my dad trying to get this engine to start so that I could take the boat on a ride on the lake. I suddenly found myself reciting "squeeze the ball...squeeze the ball". Matt finally did get the engine purring and we made it to land.
After we checked in at the marina, we made a beeline to our favorite ice cream shop in Stuart and they didn't disappoint us (for those of you counting, that's ice cream #2 of the trip).
Our next stop was to Pelican Pete's Bar and Grill on the water for an ice cold beer.
Getting into the cruising mode and already having our ice cream and beer, our next stop would be to the Dollar Store followed by a trip to Publix for a few items, the four mainstays of a cruiser's life.
Back on Blue Moon, we stowed the purchases and chilled.
It was 19:00 before we ashore for dinner. We decided to go to Duffy's as we had been there previously and liked it.
The first time there, 5 years ago, Matt had gotten a Duffy's card where we accumulate points for every purchase. Reading the back of the Duffy's card it said the points expire after a year of non-use and we hadn't been there for several years...oh well. But the the waiter checked to see what was on the card, he said that we could get $10 off our meal. That was a nice surprise.
After dinner, we walked back to the marina. The town was busy with people everywhere.
Back on the boat, the sounds of a wonderful band playing nearby lulled us to sleep.
Trip Log-Day 5: 7nm, 1.5 hour, 1 lock
Trip Total-158nm, 29 hours

Left-View of the mooring field from the marina.
Right-Blue Moon on a mooring

Me with ice cream and Matt at Pelican Pete's with beer.

Dad's 1972 vintage dinghy engine and Matt putting it to good use.

Top left-Matt at Duffy's with his Duffy's card & bee
Top right-Stuart at night
Bottom right-By the fire pit at the Marina
Bottom left-One of the never ending trains going through Stuart.