Tuesday April 3, 2018 - Fort Pierce to Vero Beach

This morning, I hailed a new friend Keith Stirzel on the radio.  On my way out of the anchorage at Great Sale Cay, he had hailed me on channel 16.  We had chatted for a while and he seemed like a really nice guy that I guessed was also sailing solo.  I also really liked his boat - a 1970 32' Camper Nicholson.  He had told me he was leaving the next morning so I figured it was possible he was within radio range (20 miles).  I was surprised when he responded to my call (to the Rising Sun).  He was still about an hour out.  I planned on being in Vero Beach by around 1pm so I could make it to the hospital - so I decided to wait for him to arrive.  As I assumed, he was also sailing solo and seemed like a really nice guy.  He is from NY and keeps his boat somewhere on the Hudson River.  It is likely that I'll see him again somewhere on the ICW. 

So, I left for Vero beach about 10am.  The tide was flooding so the current coming in the Ft. Pierce inlet would be helping with my speed north.  It took just 2 hours to get to the Vero Beach City Marina.  I had stayed there over Christmas so I knew the marina and how to get around town.  Within an hour, had taken two different busses and was at the Indian River Medical Center.  What an amazing place.  And, what amazing service.  I was very pleased with everything they did and with everyone I came in contact with on the staff.  I was also amazed at how quickly everything was done.  After a CT scan, some blood work, and a urine sample, I was told I had two small kidney stones - one on each side.  But both were too small to be causing any blockage that might cause the pain symptoms.  The doctor suggested that I might have passed a larger stone earlier but I really don't think so.  I believe the back pain I had attributed to a stone was some kind of muscle issue.  In any event, I got a clean bill of health.  So that is a big relief for me and the remainder of my trip home.  I was able to make the last bus back to the marina.  Tomorrow, I'll do some provisioning, upload several day's blogs, and get the boat ready for my trip north.