Memories of Cocoa Beach

From Grampa

The first time I visited Cocoa Beach area was probably in 1969. A colleague at the University of Florida Nuclear Engineering Department had a house in Cocoa Beach. He organized a trip for the faculty to watch the launch of a rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS).

We were to overnight at a government facility of some sort near the south gate to CCAFS. We all took along sleeping bags and slept on the floor until the time of the scheduled launch (night launch). Turned out the launch was canceled, so we returned to Gainesville the next day unfulfilled.

The next visit to Cocoa Beach (actually across the Banana River in Titusville) was to watch the launch of Apollo 11, the first moon landing. Scott was with us, and that is the topic of another remembrance.

For a number of years, I was employed by a nuclear consulting firm in the DC area as a project manager and lead technical consultant. I provided safety services associated with the launch of (primarily) NASA spacecraft to the outer planets (Mars and beyond), 1975 thorough 1990. This involved duties during the launches, and required my presence during the period preceding and through the launches themselves. This often was a month or so, especially when there were two launches involved, for example the two Viking missions to Mars and the two Voyager missions on a grand tour to the outer planets. Other launches were the LES 8 and 9 missions, the Galileo mission, and the Ulysses mission.

I took the opportunity to spend time in the Cocoa Beach area in support of those launches to combine it with family vacations. (I am still involved with these type of missions, including the Pluto New Horizons mission that launched in January, 2006 and the Mars Science Laboratory, scheduled for launch in 2009).

In those days we stayed at the Polaris Motel in Cocoa Beach. That was a favorite of the original seven astronauts too, I understand. While there, I remember spending time with my colleagues at the Mouse Trap (a bar and restaurant in front of the motel), eating dinners at the Old Fisherman’s Wharf (now defunct, but then feeding the catfish that gathered to receive patron’s offerings), and enjoying the beach and the laid back atmosphere of the area.

It was during one of these vacations that I took Scott when he was about 7 to a showing of Jaws which permanently traumatized him, according to his accounts. In my defense, I also took him to a bar on the Cocoa Beach pier, which from my last visit looks like it has also disappeared, to learn how to play pool. Because he still beats me at this game, I infer that he had a positive experience there. These days, Polaris is a Best Western.

One time I recall us arriving in Cocoa Beach early in the morning after an all night drive. We arrived at about 5 am, before anything opened, but across A1A from a MacDonald’s (that I think is still there). We parked and walked the beach some, waiting for MacDonald’s opening. While walking, someone (either Scott or Kristin) found a $10 bill, which paid for our breakfast. No such thing as a free lunch, but maybe there is a free breakfast!

Scott asked about breakfast spots in Port Canaveral. I remember a place where the breakfast chef did a mean omelet and I stopped there every morning. But that was in the days before Port Canaveral became the home to major cruise ships. Commercial fishing boats were the mainstay of Port Canaveral, and their crew frequented the establishment. Haven’t been back to check on the old breakfast spot.

I missed the webcam shots from Split Decision during the sail past the launch pads on KSC and CCAFS. I have always seen the pads from the aspect of the road from the south gate up to the industrial area, and from inspections of the pads themselves, never from the sea. Hopefully Scott will capture some images on the way north.

Other tips for Cocoa Beach:
Denny’s has a great Key Lime Pie (or at least did the last time I tried it). About a mile south of the causeway just north of the A1A split.
Bunky’s Raw Bar; nice ambiance and good prices for good food (520 causeway).
There are a couple of other seafood restaurants near Bunky’s which are also good.
Pig and Whistle English Pub, just south of the A1A spit. However, they have been in the process of relocating and I’m not sure that they have reopened. But this is a pub that the locals have recommended to me and I have enjoyed it while it was open before the relocation.

All of these would require some local transportation, if Scott's budget can afford it. Of course, a visit to Ron Jon’s is almost mandatory.

Pic is the Apollo 11 launch, computer enhanced from a faded snapshot.