Indian River Cruises

Indian River Cruises In the News

Channel 6
 Cocoa Beach NOW
As seen on TV
Click the picture to view the segment
(Windows Media Player only)		 As seen on Cocoa Beach Now,
Click the picture to view the segment
(Windows Media Player only)

Excerpt from "Road Log: Sailing Into The Sunset"

© 2008 News Channel 13

The following is Scott Fais' weekly blog detailing discoveries made while traveling through Florida and along the road of life.

We take water, wind, and fire, and mix them together for a change of pace this week.

There will be no hikes, no hunting for oranges, and no attempts at performing a sport. This week, we sit and watch the world go all by in style.

The Indian River is part of Florida's famed Intracoastal Waterway. Protected by the rough seas of the Atlantic by Florida's east coast along (the also famed) A1A, this stretch of water is traditionally less choppy than the Gulf or open ocean.  Mix this with a 49-foot catamaran (a boat with two parallel hulls) and you have smooth sailing.

Take a seat in a chair on the forward deck or just lay in one of the nets off the bow and relax.  That's the only thing you're responsible for when you sail with Indian River Cruises.
    
Growing up on Lake Erie, I can attest to the fact that taking care of a boat is a big task (I still have scars on my shins). However, building one is beyond my comprehension.

What started as a dream for Captain Mark Strauchman could have ended in a nightmare, but became a profitable business. The TWA flight attendant was "furloughed" after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.  After American Airlines purchased TWA, Mark found himself out of work.  He used the extended "vacation" to build his own boat.  But this isn't any boat. 

The "S/V Double ShAAfted" (Yes: there is a reference to American Airlines in the title) is quite the yacht.  Sporting twin master staterooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, air conditioning down below, TV, XM radio, all the creature comforts are here.  It's hard to believe the craft was built in Mark's Brevard County backyard before a crane plucked it up and dropped her into the river.

Captain Mark is joined by First Mate Joe Carbone at the helm. The pair offers five different cruises daily.  I set sail for the evening sunset voyage (refer back to the water, wind and fire reference above).  The highlight is just sitting, catching a breeze and watching earth's golden ball of fire sink into the shoreline.   

Also on board is GiGi.  The dog is on each cruise, taking her place behind the helm where she keeps a lookout or enjoys a nap.  Gigi joined me in our weekly postcard (somewhat over exposed this week).

I mentioned my scar from boating.  Here is something you won't see on TV or On Demand: I almost brought home another when I tripped and fell on the deck. 

BAM! 

Everything was in slow motion as I tumbled TV camera in hand.  Fortunately, I landed on my side, cradling the camera.  The camera didn't have any bruises and remarkably, neither did I.  The tumble took place while I was walking and taping at the same time.  It's just one of the hazards of being a "One Man Band."  I've included a still photo of the incident in the slideshow above.   The moral here: watch your step.  But on the Indian River, you won't do much walking since you'll be too busy watching the world go by and feeling the breeze in your hair.

Until next week, safe travels.
-SCOTT

Excerpt from "10 hot spots for romance"

© 2007 Florida Today

There's more in Brevard than dinner and a movie

BY KEILANI BEST
FLORIDA TODAY

Imust admit. When I moved to Melbourne from my little city apartment in Orlando, I was terrified. No longer was a hop, skip and jump away from all of the excitement. No longer could I meet with friends at City Walk after work or experience date nights at the Improv Comedy Club.

And it isn't like I hadn't known people who were stuck in the Brevard County dating rut, their lives playing out like a broken record: dinner and a movie; dinner, a movie, my place; dinner, and a movie . . .

If you're the adventurous type, this can get old after awhile. It even can start to depress you (believe me, I've tried it). But your dating life can be more adventurous -- and romantic. Here are great dates you can go on in Brevard that can make even your big-city friends envious and add some spark in your stagnant love life.

8. Cruise the river

There are a few cruises couples can take on the Indian River, depending on your tastes. There are intimate dinner cruises and loud, party ones.

Speaking of the loud, party cruise, the Indian River Queen, docked in Cocoa Village, offers couples a nice dinner cruise, allbeit, not so secluded. The paddleboat can hold up to 260 people.

Indian River Cruises is a more intimate option. The catamaran can hold up to six people, and will take a minimum of two. Imagine an intimate dinner for two with your own personal chef on a sunset cruise.

Joe Carbone, co-owner and First mate of Indian River Cruises, says he's seen his share of engagements on the cruise.

"There's nothing like this in Brevard County," he says. "We have a casual, family style dinner that I have catered and basically we bring the food on the boat, and we have intimate dining with a personal chef where the chef comes on and creates dinner."

You can create your own menu, and sail away into the Indian River sunset.

Ditch rat race for a catamaran

© 2007 Orlando Sentinel
Published April 13, 2007
By Eric Michael
OrlandoSentinel.com

During more than two years of exploring the adventurous lifestyle on a weekly basis, I've logged more than 10,000 miles on my never-ending quest to find the best active entertainment in Central Florida. And, frankly, every single tick of the tachometer has been worth the time and effort.

So, as I think back over the past 28 months of nearly nonstop action, I'm left with a single overwhelming feeling -- I deserve a break.

Sometimes even the most adventure-addicted personalities need a quiet moment to push pause, reflect and recharge. And I can't think of a better way to unwind than with a leisurely sail on a slow boat to nowhere, colored by the soft amber glow of the setting sun.

Sound relaxing?

Oh, yeah. But you don't have to invest a full-day's travel to some tourist-clogged resort destination to enjoy this kind of experience. There's a comfy deck chair waiting for you on board the "Double ShAAfted," a sleek white catamaran operated by Indian River Cruises out of Cocoa Village Marina. And the service is almost as good as the scenery.

Flying . . . on water

For Indian River Cruises captain Mark Strauchman and first mate Joe Carbone, an unexpected career detour led them to a new life on the water.

When the former flight attendants found themselves laid off after Sept. 11, 2001, they took a collective plunge, starting a charter business with the 47-foot catamaran that Strauchman had been building by hand in his backyard for 12 years. With the help of a crane, they lifted the beauty into the river and were in business.

Since that first trip in October 2005, the two crew members have been carrying tourists and locals alike along their favorite stretch of the Indian River for a midday lunch, an afternoon sail or a sunset cocktail party. And they're quick to offer a welcoming smile, a cold beverage and a dose of local history.

A dolphin 'pod-cast'

I could feel that gnawing, workweek tension melting away with that first step on board the Double ShAAfted.

Boat mascot Gigi, a toy poodle, greeted me with a lick while our hosts ran through instructions on safety and operating the cockpit cooler, which held complimentary water and sodas and moderately-priced adult beverages.

"Make yourself at home."

Leaving the berth, Strauchman pointed the cat into the wind and headed north as we settled into a gentle rhythm of drinking, chewing and chatting. With the guest list limited to six passengers (they'll sail with as few as two), the Action Wife and I had ample room to share a private moment or to socialize with the two other couples on board that afternoon.

While the others took in the view and munched on free chips, cookies and other bagged snacks, we took turns riding in the bow pulpit. The small wooden seats bolted above each bow were my favorite spots on the boat. There, we enjoyed a feeling of flying above the water with feet dangling in midair. Just off the starboard side, a pod of dolphins joined our group, emerging every few minutes to take a breath and say hello.

At the Beachline causeway, we tacked 180-degrees and began a slow meander south along the shoreline, while Carbone offered an entertaining history lesson. Apparently the present day cities of Cocoa and Rockledge were once home to bustling resort hotels around the turn of the century, supplied with tourists from Henry Flagler's railroad. He illustrated his tales with a scrapbook of vintage 1900s postcards depicting the sights. He collected the mementos at flea markets and antiques shops in the Midwest during layovers when he was still flying the friendly skies.

But the sun was inching ever closer to the horizon, so we migrated to the port side to enjoy the finale. And when the glowing orange globe disappeared below the horizon, I swear I heard a collective sigh from all on board. My prescription for rejuvenation had been filled -- and I'll be back for a refill long before my symptoms return.

Eric Michael can be reached at 407-420-5259.

emichael@orlandosentinel.com

Cruising the 'Love Boat' on the Indian River Lagoon

© 2006 Hometown News
Published May 5, 2006
By Mark Koopmans Staff writer
myhometownnews.net

Recently, as she waited for a traffic light to change, Dr. Andrea Miller noticed a new billboard on the side of the road.

"It was 7:45 a.m. I was on my way to the office when I saw this wonderful image of a catamaran under full sail," Dr. Miller said. "I love being out on the water; however, I was still new to the area and hadn't found the right opportunity to go out on the right boat."

By the time Dr. Miller, who is the medical director at Wuesthoff's Brevard Hospice & Palliative Care center in Viera, made it to work at 8 a.m., she had already booked her first trip on the sailing vessel Double ShAAfted, a 47-foot-long ocean-cruising catamaran.

Later, while on her trip, she talked with the owners of Indian River Cruises, Capt. Mark Strauchman and 1st. Mate Joe Carbone.

Discovering that Mr. Strauchman and Mr. Carbone were also the ship's builders and had specifically designed their vessel for the waters of the Intracoastal Waterway, Dr. Miller came up with an idea, she said.

"I've always had a particular passion for implementing innovative ideas for the delivery of palliative and hospice care," she said. "Though their former career was very different than mine, Mark and Joe understand what it means to treat someone with respect and dignity."

Saying that a trip on the water can be a healing experience, Dr. Miller decided to buy tickets on the boat for one of her patients.

"After 17 years as flight attendants with TWA and then American Airlines, we've seen and dealt with every imaginable situation," Mr. Carbone said.

With this background, he said they know how hard it is - and how much appreciated it is - when someone who feels "different" is treated the same as anyone else.

Both crewmembers are Coast Guard certified, and Mr. Carbone said he and Mr. Strauchman spent more than 12 years working on the catamaran, which was launched in May 2005.

Stability and comfort are trademarks of large multi-hulls, and the Double ShAAfted is no exception, he said.

Offering lunch, sunset and day sailings, the catamaran has many creature comforts, such as air-conditioning, television and XM satellite radio. And, Mr. Carbone said, the two restrooms look and operate just as they do in a home.

"To keep things on a personal level, we've designed our boat to only take six people out on each cruise," he said. "We work very hard to give each passenger the best experience we can."

Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice has been caring for the emotional and physical well-being of Brevard County patients and their families for more than 20 years, said Valree Peralta, community outreach specialist.

"Hospice care is provided when the life expectancy of a patient is expected to be six months or less," she said. "Our focus is to provide comfort and support for patients and their families who are dealing with advanced illnesses."

Ms. Peralta also coordinates an initiative called Labor of Love.

Set up last fall, the program rewards local caregivers for their unselfishness and dedication to a loved one.

Nominated by a family member or friend, one winner is chosen every month. Recipients win an appreciation package donated by local businesses.

"Several companies sponsor the program, including the Melting Pot in Viera, Studio 7 Salon in Rockledge and Melbourne's Designs of the Times," Ms. Peralta said.

After Dr. Miller's patient went on a sunset cruise with several of her family members, Indian River Cruises approached the Hospice to ask if there was anything they could do to help support Labor of Love, Ms. Peralta said.

"They were so willing to help, and future winners will now receive a gift certificate for a cruise," she said. "Mark and Joe understand what it means to give back to the community, and we're proud to have them come on board, so to speak."

Mr. Carbone said he saw the family making lasting memories while on their cruise.

"We could tell that everyone was just relaxing and enjoying themselves," he said "It was nice to know we could help provide an opportunity to preserve a wonderful and happy family moment."

For more information, or to nominate a loved one for the Labor of Love award, e-mail a short letter explaining why to valree.peralta@wuesthoff.org.

For more information on the Indian River Cruises, call (321) 223-6825 or visit www.indianrivercruises. com.

Sail away: Catamaran skims the Indian River for afternoon and sunset cruises

BY BREUSE HICKMAN
FLORIDA TODAY ADVERTISEMENT

It's a windy, late afternoon. But it's smooth sailing aboard the "Double ShAAfted," a catamaran owned and operated by Indian River Cruises at Cocoa Village Marina.

It's perfect for viewing a sunset and even catching a glimpse of a dolphin.

But you can have just as much fun slamming back a Corona or two on the deck or dining with friends or family members downstairs in an intimate dining area.

After a quick tour of the surroundings, you sense the 47-foot-long boat is actually bragging that it's unlike the imposing cruise ships that draw tourists by the hundreds.

The boat can only accommodate up to six people -- in addition to captain Mark Strauchman and first mate Joe Carbone (and, of course, their toy poodle, Gigi).

And the locals like it that way -- a surprise to the crew at first.

"About 90 percent of our business is local," Carbone said. "And when we started this business, we thought it would be something for the tourists."

Some are even repeat guests, such as Sharon Mitchell of Cocoa and Lisa Kalaf of Melbourne, who recently met while taking in the sunset during a recent voyage.

"I'm a Floridian, and nothing is more special than being part of what I grew up with," said Kalaf, executive director for Wuesthoff's Brevard Hospice & Palliative Care. "I'll come out here just to relax while being reminded that, hey, this also is my home."

Carbone and Strauchman never expected to launch such a business. The two did expect to eventually live on the boat one day -- after they retired. But that juncture came quicker than expected.

A little back story: Carbone and Strauchman worked as flight attendants for TWA.

During his free time, Strauchman was building the catamaran in his backyard as a hobby.

American Airlines bought out TWA. And then came Sept. 11, 2001. The two were laid off, and, well, hence the name of their boat.

"We knew what we didn't want was real jobs," Carbone said. "So we decided to get the boat finished out, put it in the water and start a business."

For two years, the boat has made daily runs through the Indian River Lagoon. Passengers can select from several packages to accommodate their lifestyles. They can enjoy cocktails at sunset or go as far as to settle into a cozy dinner prepared by a chef.

The cruises mostly follow the intracoastal waterway between State Road 520 and Pineda Causeway. But routes can change, depending on the weather. To help guests plan ahead -- and avoid the kind of weather changes that can cramp a peaceful day -- Strauchman regularly monitors weather services, including real-time weather via a Sirius weather satellite.

Storm warnings can curtail sojourns, but high winds usually aren't a problem. Guest may get a different view, though.

"It's much better to go into the wind, but hug the shoulder and point out the historic homes," Carbone said.

It helps that Strauchman designed his boat -- from blueprints, not from a kit as some guests might assume -- specifically to navigate the Indian River.

Contact Hickman at 242-3789 or bhickman@floridatoday.com.

Gift Certificates Available

Indian River Cruises accepts credit cards
Indian River Cruises accepts Visa and Mastercard

Call for Reservations
321-223-6825

Email us for more information