NASA Causeway – St. Augustine
Days 153 – 154
Saturday
We weighed anchor at 10:30AM to reach the Ponce De Leon Inlet at high tide. It is a notoriously shallow and shoaling area.
We traveled through the NASA Merritt Island National Refuge for a number of hours. There is a lot of shallow water just outside the ICW channel. It’s really strange to see people standing in water just off our bow! There were many fishermen seemingly enjoying the weekend.
About 3:00 PM our radar showed a huge cell of heavy rain moving toward us. We were soon in the middle of a heavy downpour that lasted almost an hour. We reached New Smyrna Beach shortly after 4:30PM, just south of the skinny water at Ponce De Leon Inlet. Radar showed another cell, larger and darker than the first, heading our way. This one we could hear! It was accompanied by loud rolls of thunder. We opted to go into New Smyrna Beach City Marina and the security of a dock. The rain started as we arrived. By the time we reached the dock, I was getting drenched as I threw lines to the dock hand. Just as Bob and I finished securing the boat, lightening bolts flashed behind us. That was the first of three heavy thunderstorms that came through in the next few hours.
After enjoying a hot shower and drying out, we joined our cruising friends Rich and Carol Wellman and Bob and Paula Hofgren for dinner. We found a great little restaurant, recommended by the marina, several blocks down Canal Street – The Deli. Bob had sesame tuna and I had filet mignon with fresh crab. Hardly what I would call deli fare! Prices were refreshingly low, and the food was very tasty.
Sunday
We stayed busy with “boat chores” all morning. Life aboard isn’t all fun and games. I defrosted the freezer while Bob emptied and refilled water tanks and cleaned the bilge filter. After doing the wash, changing the bed, and vacuuming (sound like home?) - we took a walk along the docks for exercise. There were lots of people fishing – but no fish were biting.
We joined our cruising friends for pizza and an early evening. It’s anchors aweigh at 7AM to pass through the skinny waters at Ponce Inlet on a rising tide! Rich in “The Great Catsby” will be leading the way in his catamaran as our depth sounder.
Monday
Off as planned at 6:55AM. We passed the last of the dredging equipment near Ponce de Leon Inlet -- just before going aground. “Fourth Watch,” who draws 5’5,” went aground in front of us at 8:10AM. We moved slightly to her port and found a 5’1” shoal of skinny water just south of Red 2. Bob was able to back off. The current pushed us aground again. Rich turned around and came back with the catamaran and found 6’ of water on the right side of the channel. We backed off the shoal, proceeded to deeper water, and waited while Rich pulled “Fourth Watch” off.
We’ve been enjoying watching the pelicans fly this morning. It’s amazing how close they fly to the water. Their wing tips are only inches from it. They don’t make altitude mistakes – if they erred at all they’d splash!
We are headed for St. Augustine City Marina where we will meet our friends Mark and Pauline Wells this afternoon. They’re on a road trip from Greenwich, NY to Tampa, Fla. They’re bringing our mail, some packages, my guitar, and a few items we forgot to put on board when we left last fall. They’ll spend the night with us on the boat before continuing their trip.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Tides and Thunderstorms
Vero Beach to NASA Causeway
Days 150 – 152 April 3 – 5
Vero Beach is a very nice community. The municipal bus is free and stops at the Vero Beach City Marina… couldn’t be handier. I took the bus in to Publix to reprovision, bus schedule in hand. Before departing the bus I asked the driver what time he returned to this stop, he replied “I’ll be back in an hour.” It only took 15 minutes to pick up the few things I needed, but since the store was air conditioned, I puttered for another 40 minutes before heading out into the hot and humid mid-day weather. The bus came promptly at 60 minutes; however, what the driver hadn’t said was he was outbound – not returning to the marina! I waited, or rather wilted, another 30 minutes for the bus to return. Yet another lesson from the school of life – be specific with your questions.
We motor sailed with main 9 hours from Vero beach to the NASA causeway on Friday. Winds were 15-25 SE on our starboard aft quarter. We ran the engine at 1800 - 2000 rpms and still did 8 mph.
We had a number of dolphins playing with us on today. One of them even came up for a photo op!
Last night we anchored behind the NASA causeway. We were glad to have an anchor alarm, winds were 20-25, gusting to 30 all night.
This morning we are waiting to weigh anchor. We need to pass through the Ponce Inlet, where shoaling is a major problem, at mid to high tide which is not until 5-5:30PM. The weather early today is cloudy, severe thunderstorms are predicted for later this afternoon. We’re caught between the devil and the deep blue sea – the tides and the storms. We’ve made reservations at a marina in Daytona for two nights to wait out the weather.
Days 150 – 152 April 3 – 5
Vero Beach is a very nice community. The municipal bus is free and stops at the Vero Beach City Marina… couldn’t be handier. I took the bus in to Publix to reprovision, bus schedule in hand. Before departing the bus I asked the driver what time he returned to this stop, he replied “I’ll be back in an hour.” It only took 15 minutes to pick up the few things I needed, but since the store was air conditioned, I puttered for another 40 minutes before heading out into the hot and humid mid-day weather. The bus came promptly at 60 minutes; however, what the driver hadn’t said was he was outbound – not returning to the marina! I waited, or rather wilted, another 30 minutes for the bus to return. Yet another lesson from the school of life – be specific with your questions.
We motor sailed with main 9 hours from Vero beach to the NASA causeway on Friday. Winds were 15-25 SE on our starboard aft quarter. We ran the engine at 1800 - 2000 rpms and still did 8 mph.
We had a number of dolphins playing with us on today. One of them even came up for a photo op!
Last night we anchored behind the NASA causeway. We were glad to have an anchor alarm, winds were 20-25, gusting to 30 all night.
This morning we are waiting to weigh anchor. We need to pass through the Ponce Inlet, where shoaling is a major problem, at mid to high tide which is not until 5-5:30PM. The weather early today is cloudy, severe thunderstorms are predicted for later this afternoon. We’re caught between the devil and the deep blue sea – the tides and the storms. We’ve made reservations at a marina in Daytona for two nights to wait out the weather.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Hawk Channel to Vero Beach
Rodriquez Key, LasOlas, Boca Raton, Hobe Sound, and Vero Beach
Days 145 – 14 March 29th - April 2nd
We had a delightful sail through Hawk Channel in beautiful turquoise waters and were again visited by graceful dolphins. At Fowey Rocks, the end of Hawk Channel, we headed 5 miles out to sea to pick up the edge of the Gulf Stream. This was another first for us, and I, as always with new experiences, was a bit apprehensive having heard so much about the potentially treacherous “river that flows in the ocean.” As we neared the Gulf Stream, the water temperature rose from 75.6 to 78.8 and DeLaMer gained 1.2 to 1.6 statute mph speed over ground. I really enjoyed the experience and, once again, was glad I stretched my comfort limits! Our best speed over ground in the Gulf Stream was 9.6 mph. As we neared Fort Lauderdale, the winds picked up to 15-20 kts gusting into the 20’s, we reefed our mainsail and set a course for Port Everglades at Fort Lauderdale. We picked up a mooring ball at Las Olas City Marina and nodded off for the night.
Fort Lauderdale is called the “Venice” of America. The canals and taxis are quite picturesque, although the buildings are in stark contrast to the ancient structures in Venice, Italy. Early Sunday morning, we began the “battle of the bridges” as we headed north on the ICW. This is the section of the ICW known as "the ditch" since both sides are concrete walls for a number of miles. I was blown away by the number of spectacular multi-million dollar homes lining both sides of the ICW mile after mile.
Bob completed his next assignment for the Writing for Children’s Literature Course he has been taking. Appropriate to our voyage, the article is entitled; “The Lure and Lore of Sailing” geared to 12 to 16 year old boys.
While we were in Boca Chica, John and Nelly VanBlois had invited us to their home in Boca Raton. We arrived at their dock shortly after noon. While in Boca Chica John, who has been to the Bahamas many times, shared a wealth of knowledge with Luke, Jan, Bob, and me. Bob and I spent two days with them at their lovely home and had a most enjoyable visit. Nelly graciously hosted a formal dinner while we were there, inviting their son and his family and their good friend Ed Carey (who had come to Bob’s birthday bash in Key West).
After dinner, Ed invited us to his home to show us the carbon fiber Lanceair two-place high performance (retractable wheels, controllable pitch propeller, and variable manifold pressure) airplane he has been building in his garage for the last four years. Bob was most impressed with the meticulous details and high quality of his work, as well as his ingenuity in working around the many problems that arise in building such an airplane. Coincidentally, this is the very airplane that Bob almost bought the kit to build in the late 1980’s. Ed, a retired Navy fighter pilot, now flies internationally for Northwest. Tuesday morning, we bid our hosts adieu and once again began our journey north.
Our plan was to sail offshore along the entire coast of Florida, as we had done on the way south. In good weather, sailing offshore is a lot faster and a lot less stressful than the ICW (no bridges or shoaling or cross-currents or big powerboat wakes…). The weather, however, is not cooperating, and we are imprisoned in the ICW! Hard to believe it was only two months ago I was feeling apprehensive about going offshore -- and now I’m disappointed I can’t be out there!!
Tuesday we motored 48 statute miles from Boca Raton to Hobe Sound. We averaged 6 mph, impeded by 17 bridges. Most of them were on a fixed schedule, forcing us to wait up to 25 minutes for an opening. We anchored overnight in Hobe Sound, at mile marker 1,000, and spent a quiet evening reading and preparing for the next day’s navigation. Only 1,000 miles to Norfolk at seven mph!!
We weighed anchor at 8:25 this morning, accompanied by two playful dolphins. They swam back and forth under our bow for about five minutes. I snapped a picture of them underwater – if you look closely you can see our wake, the anchor and pulpit of the boat, and both dolphins in the picture.
Near Jensen Bridge we overtook a Canadian sailboat, “Whitecap.” The captain, an older bearded man named Dick, radioed us asking if we had a cell phone on board and would be willing to make a call to his wife Mary. We were happy to oblige. He had just made an uncomfortable overnight passage from Marsh Harbor in the Abacos to St. Lucie Inlet in multiple thunderstorms and squalls. His message was, “I’m safe and having a spot of brandy to celebrate. All is well.” He is returning from several years of soloing in South America.
About noon, we motored past the St. Lucie Nuclear Generating Station (St. Mile 975), to which Bob led two evaluation teams during his years working in Atlanta for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. The station is located on Hutchinson Island and generates about 2,500 MW of electrical power for the homes and businesses in Florida.
We should reach Vero Beach in about two hours.
Days 145 – 14 March 29th - April 2nd
We had a delightful sail through Hawk Channel in beautiful turquoise waters and were again visited by graceful dolphins. At Fowey Rocks, the end of Hawk Channel, we headed 5 miles out to sea to pick up the edge of the Gulf Stream. This was another first for us, and I, as always with new experiences, was a bit apprehensive having heard so much about the potentially treacherous “river that flows in the ocean.” As we neared the Gulf Stream, the water temperature rose from 75.6 to 78.8 and DeLaMer gained 1.2 to 1.6 statute mph speed over ground. I really enjoyed the experience and, once again, was glad I stretched my comfort limits! Our best speed over ground in the Gulf Stream was 9.6 mph. As we neared Fort Lauderdale, the winds picked up to 15-20 kts gusting into the 20’s, we reefed our mainsail and set a course for Port Everglades at Fort Lauderdale. We picked up a mooring ball at Las Olas City Marina and nodded off for the night.
Fort Lauderdale is called the “Venice” of America. The canals and taxis are quite picturesque, although the buildings are in stark contrast to the ancient structures in Venice, Italy. Early Sunday morning, we began the “battle of the bridges” as we headed north on the ICW. This is the section of the ICW known as "the ditch" since both sides are concrete walls for a number of miles. I was blown away by the number of spectacular multi-million dollar homes lining both sides of the ICW mile after mile.
Bob completed his next assignment for the Writing for Children’s Literature Course he has been taking. Appropriate to our voyage, the article is entitled; “The Lure and Lore of Sailing” geared to 12 to 16 year old boys.
While we were in Boca Chica, John and Nelly VanBlois had invited us to their home in Boca Raton. We arrived at their dock shortly after noon. While in Boca Chica John, who has been to the Bahamas many times, shared a wealth of knowledge with Luke, Jan, Bob, and me. Bob and I spent two days with them at their lovely home and had a most enjoyable visit. Nelly graciously hosted a formal dinner while we were there, inviting their son and his family and their good friend Ed Carey (who had come to Bob’s birthday bash in Key West).
After dinner, Ed invited us to his home to show us the carbon fiber Lanceair two-place high performance (retractable wheels, controllable pitch propeller, and variable manifold pressure) airplane he has been building in his garage for the last four years. Bob was most impressed with the meticulous details and high quality of his work, as well as his ingenuity in working around the many problems that arise in building such an airplane. Coincidentally, this is the very airplane that Bob almost bought the kit to build in the late 1980’s. Ed, a retired Navy fighter pilot, now flies internationally for Northwest. Tuesday morning, we bid our hosts adieu and once again began our journey north.
Our plan was to sail offshore along the entire coast of Florida, as we had done on the way south. In good weather, sailing offshore is a lot faster and a lot less stressful than the ICW (no bridges or shoaling or cross-currents or big powerboat wakes…). The weather, however, is not cooperating, and we are imprisoned in the ICW! Hard to believe it was only two months ago I was feeling apprehensive about going offshore -- and now I’m disappointed I can’t be out there!!
Tuesday we motored 48 statute miles from Boca Raton to Hobe Sound. We averaged 6 mph, impeded by 17 bridges. Most of them were on a fixed schedule, forcing us to wait up to 25 minutes for an opening. We anchored overnight in Hobe Sound, at mile marker 1,000, and spent a quiet evening reading and preparing for the next day’s navigation. Only 1,000 miles to Norfolk at seven mph!!
We weighed anchor at 8:25 this morning, accompanied by two playful dolphins. They swam back and forth under our bow for about five minutes. I snapped a picture of them underwater – if you look closely you can see our wake, the anchor and pulpit of the boat, and both dolphins in the picture.
Near Jensen Bridge we overtook a Canadian sailboat, “Whitecap.” The captain, an older bearded man named Dick, radioed us asking if we had a cell phone on board and would be willing to make a call to his wife Mary. We were happy to oblige. He had just made an uncomfortable overnight passage from Marsh Harbor in the Abacos to St. Lucie Inlet in multiple thunderstorms and squalls. His message was, “I’m safe and having a spot of brandy to celebrate. All is well.” He is returning from several years of soloing in South America.
About noon, we motored past the St. Lucie Nuclear Generating Station (St. Mile 975), to which Bob led two evaluation teams during his years working in Atlanta for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. The station is located on Hutchinson Island and generates about 2,500 MW of electrical power for the homes and businesses in Florida.
We should reach Vero Beach in about two hours.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Rodriquez Key to Fort Lauderdale
Day 144 Saturday March 29th
The weather forecast for Sunday deteriorated: 15-20 knot winds on the nose and 3-5 ft seas. We changed our plan and pulled anchor at 6:55AM for a long 10-11 hour day to Fort Lauderdale. The seas are calm, allowing me some time to write while enroute.
Yesterday on the way to Rodriquez Key, we watched a catamaran, flying a colorful spinnaker, approaching from the opposite direction. When the vessel was close enough to read the name, “SuitsUs,” we were pleasantly surprised to find we knew them. It was our friend Scott, with another friend John, from Boca Chica. They were returning from the Bahamas with Scott’s son. Had a nice chat on VHF.
We have been meeting the nicest people cruising. At this stage in life it can be difficult to meet new friends unless you’re involved in an activity. Sailing has certainly broadened our world and expanded the number of folks we consider fortunate to have as friends. Last night we were invited to a potluck supper by Carol and John Welling aboard their lovely catamaran, “The Great Catsby.” Bob and Paula Hofgren from “Fourth Watch” also joined us. We spent a very nice evening getting to know one another. John has spearheaded the group traveling north to the Chesapeake. Another small world experience, Carol and John have cruised the Bahamas with John and Nelly VanBlois.
The weather forecast for Sunday deteriorated: 15-20 knot winds on the nose and 3-5 ft seas. We changed our plan and pulled anchor at 6:55AM for a long 10-11 hour day to Fort Lauderdale. The seas are calm, allowing me some time to write while enroute.
Yesterday on the way to Rodriquez Key, we watched a catamaran, flying a colorful spinnaker, approaching from the opposite direction. When the vessel was close enough to read the name, “SuitsUs,” we were pleasantly surprised to find we knew them. It was our friend Scott, with another friend John, from Boca Chica. They were returning from the Bahamas with Scott’s son. Had a nice chat on VHF.
We have been meeting the nicest people cruising. At this stage in life it can be difficult to meet new friends unless you’re involved in an activity. Sailing has certainly broadened our world and expanded the number of folks we consider fortunate to have as friends. Last night we were invited to a potluck supper by Carol and John Welling aboard their lovely catamaran, “The Great Catsby.” Bob and Paula Hofgren from “Fourth Watch” also joined us. We spent a very nice evening getting to know one another. John has spearheaded the group traveling north to the Chesapeake. Another small world experience, Carol and John have cruised the Bahamas with John and Nelly VanBlois.
Marooned in Marathon
Days 138 – 143 Sunday through Friday
The weather that brought us into Boot Key Harbor in Marathon marooned us there for a week! We had at first hoped to leave on Wednesday, then Thursday; and now, finally, the winds and weather look good for leaving today. Our sail plan is to travel Hawk Channel to Rodriquez Key, where we’ll anchor overnight before continuing to a second anchorage in Biscayne Bay, and then offshore again to Boca Raton.
The Drying of the Mainsail
Since we arrived as a thunderstorm was coming through… we didn’t take the time to put the cover on our stack pack (the canvas that our sail drops into) before taking cover ourselves. That being said, our mainsail was very wet. Sunday morning the air was very hot and humid. Bob opened all of the hatches and port holes hoping for some circulation of air. An hour or so later, he decided to dry the mainsail.
Now this was a first for us. Prior to our trip from Boca Chica to Marathon, we had never sailed in heavy downpours before and put the sail away wet. It quickly became another learning experience for us! One would never think a mainsail could hold so many gallons of water in its folds! The water poured over the deck, into the hatches and port holes, into the main salon, into the book shelves, down the salon cushions, and into storage compartments underneath the seats. We hadn’t anticipated drying the main salon as well as the mainsail today! I captured the mess we had in the cabin with my camera - a picture is worth a thousand words!
Laundry, The Keys Fisheries Restaurant, and Man Overboard
Doing the laundry from a mooring ball added another level of inconvenience… transporting the laundry to shore via our dinghy. With the winds and chop we were experiencing in Boot Key Harbor, loading and unloading the already somewhat unstable dinghy required focus. The laundry facilities, located at the end of a warehouse building, left much to be desired. The washers and dryers were old and rusty. The marina had only four washers and dryers for 260 boats on mooring balls, and one of the washers is was out of order!
During the “Cruisers Net” (on VHF channel 68), we had arranged to meet Bob and Sandy from “Carpe Diem” at the laundry to talk about the possibility of traveling to the Chesapeake together. Upon our arrival, a “dirty laundry line” had formed for the machines - now this was another first for me. Sandy said, “It took me five hours to do my laundry last week!” Several of the women waiting had small feisty dogs on leashes. One overweight black bulldog had an attitude. He was particularly surly and confrontational and was the instigator for several ensuing loud dog altercations. With each confrontation, his owner dragged him away on his leash... while his paws were firmly planted on the concrete floor, and he barked loudly.
Sandy and Bob’s departure plan didn’t match ours. However, we enjoyed meeting one another and found we have a number of things in common. We’ve agreed to stay in touch and try to meet somewhere on the ICW as we travel north.
Having stowed the clean laundry back in the dinghy, we decided to go out for lunch. Sandy recommended the Keys Fisheries, Market, Restaurant, and Marina, about one mile walk away. When we arrived, we found yet another long line. When Bob finally reached the window to place our order, the first question the woman behind the counter asked was, “What’s one of your favorite songs?” He replied, “You Light Up My Life.” We soon discovered that songs are the method they use to call customers when their order is ready. We found a picnic table on the harbor side and were amused by the diversity of songs people had chosen -- everything from Mary Had a Little Lamb, Amazing Grace, and All My Ex’s Live in Texas, to the Star Spangled Banner. We were entertained while waiting for lunch by a resident Egret that walked up and down the picnic tables looking for handouts. Each time someone got too close he’d fly away and perch on an adjoining roof until he deemed it safe to return.
As we left the restaurant, we walked past hundreds of crab and lobster pots that had been refurbished. They are constructed a little differently than those we see in Maine.
We had our first experience with man overboard when we returned to the dinghy. As Bob stepped in, his foot was off center and over he went. Fortunately, the laundry stayed on board and Bob wasn’t hurt.
Fuel Prices
Diesel fuel prices for the boat have increased significantly since we left Maine. In Boca Chica and Marathon, they are charging $4.12 a gallon for diesel. Bob put 100 gallons in our tanks last week by carrying 20 five-gallon containers from the gas station when the price was $3.71. The last time we bought fuel, it was $3.39. Our friends, Luke and Jan, said when they reached Chub Key in the Bahamas, fuel was $5.25 – but the marina was out of fuel. In Georgetown, we are told it’s $6.25 a gallon. We’ll try to use our sails as much as possible on the way north.
Underway
We left Marathon at eight this morning with four other boats that are heading to the Chesapeake. We had a pleasant 50-mile motor sail in Hawk Channel with 10-15 knots of winds and 1-2 foot seas. We’re now anchored at Rodriquez Key.
The weather that brought us into Boot Key Harbor in Marathon marooned us there for a week! We had at first hoped to leave on Wednesday, then Thursday; and now, finally, the winds and weather look good for leaving today. Our sail plan is to travel Hawk Channel to Rodriquez Key, where we’ll anchor overnight before continuing to a second anchorage in Biscayne Bay, and then offshore again to Boca Raton.
The Drying of the Mainsail
Since we arrived as a thunderstorm was coming through… we didn’t take the time to put the cover on our stack pack (the canvas that our sail drops into) before taking cover ourselves. That being said, our mainsail was very wet. Sunday morning the air was very hot and humid. Bob opened all of the hatches and port holes hoping for some circulation of air. An hour or so later, he decided to dry the mainsail.
Now this was a first for us. Prior to our trip from Boca Chica to Marathon, we had never sailed in heavy downpours before and put the sail away wet. It quickly became another learning experience for us! One would never think a mainsail could hold so many gallons of water in its folds! The water poured over the deck, into the hatches and port holes, into the main salon, into the book shelves, down the salon cushions, and into storage compartments underneath the seats. We hadn’t anticipated drying the main salon as well as the mainsail today! I captured the mess we had in the cabin with my camera - a picture is worth a thousand words!
Laundry, The Keys Fisheries Restaurant, and Man Overboard
Doing the laundry from a mooring ball added another level of inconvenience… transporting the laundry to shore via our dinghy. With the winds and chop we were experiencing in Boot Key Harbor, loading and unloading the already somewhat unstable dinghy required focus. The laundry facilities, located at the end of a warehouse building, left much to be desired. The washers and dryers were old and rusty. The marina had only four washers and dryers for 260 boats on mooring balls, and one of the washers is was out of order!
During the “Cruisers Net” (on VHF channel 68), we had arranged to meet Bob and Sandy from “Carpe Diem” at the laundry to talk about the possibility of traveling to the Chesapeake together. Upon our arrival, a “dirty laundry line” had formed for the machines - now this was another first for me. Sandy said, “It took me five hours to do my laundry last week!” Several of the women waiting had small feisty dogs on leashes. One overweight black bulldog had an attitude. He was particularly surly and confrontational and was the instigator for several ensuing loud dog altercations. With each confrontation, his owner dragged him away on his leash... while his paws were firmly planted on the concrete floor, and he barked loudly.
Sandy and Bob’s departure plan didn’t match ours. However, we enjoyed meeting one another and found we have a number of things in common. We’ve agreed to stay in touch and try to meet somewhere on the ICW as we travel north.
Having stowed the clean laundry back in the dinghy, we decided to go out for lunch. Sandy recommended the Keys Fisheries, Market, Restaurant, and Marina, about one mile walk away. When we arrived, we found yet another long line. When Bob finally reached the window to place our order, the first question the woman behind the counter asked was, “What’s one of your favorite songs?” He replied, “You Light Up My Life.” We soon discovered that songs are the method they use to call customers when their order is ready. We found a picnic table on the harbor side and were amused by the diversity of songs people had chosen -- everything from Mary Had a Little Lamb, Amazing Grace, and All My Ex’s Live in Texas, to the Star Spangled Banner. We were entertained while waiting for lunch by a resident Egret that walked up and down the picnic tables looking for handouts. Each time someone got too close he’d fly away and perch on an adjoining roof until he deemed it safe to return.
As we left the restaurant, we walked past hundreds of crab and lobster pots that had been refurbished. They are constructed a little differently than those we see in Maine.
We had our first experience with man overboard when we returned to the dinghy. As Bob stepped in, his foot was off center and over he went. Fortunately, the laundry stayed on board and Bob wasn’t hurt.
Fuel Prices
Diesel fuel prices for the boat have increased significantly since we left Maine. In Boca Chica and Marathon, they are charging $4.12 a gallon for diesel. Bob put 100 gallons in our tanks last week by carrying 20 five-gallon containers from the gas station when the price was $3.71. The last time we bought fuel, it was $3.39. Our friends, Luke and Jan, said when they reached Chub Key in the Bahamas, fuel was $5.25 – but the marina was out of fuel. In Georgetown, we are told it’s $6.25 a gallon. We’ll try to use our sails as much as possible on the way north.
Underway
We left Marathon at eight this morning with four other boats that are heading to the Chesapeake. We had a pleasant 50-mile motor sail in Hawk Channel with 10-15 knots of winds and 1-2 foot seas. We’re now anchored at Rodriquez Key.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
We've Turned the Corner - Heading North
Days 132 – 137
Key West - Marathon
A new restaurant opened on Stock Island several weeks ago, Fishbusterz. It’s a very casual outdoor restaurant at a fresh seafood market on a working wharf. It reminded me a little of Five Islands in Maine, although I must say Fishbusterz takes 2nd place to the setting and scenery at Five Islands! I wanted to try “pink Florida shrimp” – fresh off the boat. Bob had a fresh “mega” snapper sandwich. A shrimp boat had just come in and was unloading its catch – a neat activity to watch. I asked a shrimper how long the boats stay out: “A week to ten days. The last trip brought in $50,000 in shrimp.”
The restlessness that comes with “time to move” became apparent this week. We’ve enjoyed Key West, seen everything we wanted to see, eaten in many good (and a few not-so-fine) restaurants, met many new friends, and done our part to boost the tourist economy.
We watched the weather for several days and saw a possible window for the weekend to sail from Boca Chica, through Hawk Channel, to Biscayne Bay. Our plan was to anchor there in one of the two protected harbors, No Name or Hurricane, to wait out the large front passing through Florida before heading north again. Our Boca Chica cruising friends got up early to handle lines and send us off. We left at first light. The first 3 hours were delightful… all three sails up, 12 knots wind from the S, close reach, and doing 6-7 knots. Then the clouds started to build. We had expected scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms as NOAA predicted – but not all of them over us!! As the winds increased, we reefed the main, then reefed the jib, then pulled the jib in, and finally dropped the main, leaving only the staysail. At the same time, it was neat to watch the cells building on our radar. Bob tracked them, and we slowed down to avoid two heavy downpours. By 11AM, NOAA had changed its forecast, and was describing what we were in the middle of. We made the prudent decision to pull into Marathon City Marina at Boot Key Harbor. As we reached Marathon, a large thunderstorm was 4 ½ miles south and heading our way. Just as we secured the mooring ball – the storm hit.
This morning in Marathon, we listened to the “Marathon Cruisers Net” on VHF 68 at 9AM. Cruisers nets are another first experience for us. A variety of categories are covered each morning: new cruiser arrivals and departures; cruisers looking for “buddy boats” to travel with; things to buy, sell, or give away; questions about anything from anyone; (this morning a cruiser was looking for the phone number of a good engine mechanic); announcements for the day (today there is picnic pot luck on Sombrero Beach at noon); and trivia. The net was facilitated efficiently by one gentleman, and the whole broadcast took less than 15 minutes.
Our big news for the week is we’ve put our townhouse in Saratoga Springs on the market. Bob and I have been talking about selling for several years; this wasn’t a rash decision. The boat gives us the opportunity to offer the house for sale and still have a place to live while we decide where we’ll be next. If it sells, we’ll sail south another winter. If it doesn’t sell, we won’t be disappointed, so it’s a win-win situation.
Key West - Marathon
A new restaurant opened on Stock Island several weeks ago, Fishbusterz. It’s a very casual outdoor restaurant at a fresh seafood market on a working wharf. It reminded me a little of Five Islands in Maine, although I must say Fishbusterz takes 2nd place to the setting and scenery at Five Islands! I wanted to try “pink Florida shrimp” – fresh off the boat. Bob had a fresh “mega” snapper sandwich. A shrimp boat had just come in and was unloading its catch – a neat activity to watch. I asked a shrimper how long the boats stay out: “A week to ten days. The last trip brought in $50,000 in shrimp.”
The restlessness that comes with “time to move” became apparent this week. We’ve enjoyed Key West, seen everything we wanted to see, eaten in many good (and a few not-so-fine) restaurants, met many new friends, and done our part to boost the tourist economy.
We watched the weather for several days and saw a possible window for the weekend to sail from Boca Chica, through Hawk Channel, to Biscayne Bay. Our plan was to anchor there in one of the two protected harbors, No Name or Hurricane, to wait out the large front passing through Florida before heading north again. Our Boca Chica cruising friends got up early to handle lines and send us off. We left at first light. The first 3 hours were delightful… all three sails up, 12 knots wind from the S, close reach, and doing 6-7 knots. Then the clouds started to build. We had expected scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms as NOAA predicted – but not all of them over us!! As the winds increased, we reefed the main, then reefed the jib, then pulled the jib in, and finally dropped the main, leaving only the staysail. At the same time, it was neat to watch the cells building on our radar. Bob tracked them, and we slowed down to avoid two heavy downpours. By 11AM, NOAA had changed its forecast, and was describing what we were in the middle of. We made the prudent decision to pull into Marathon City Marina at Boot Key Harbor. As we reached Marathon, a large thunderstorm was 4 ½ miles south and heading our way. Just as we secured the mooring ball – the storm hit.
This morning in Marathon, we listened to the “Marathon Cruisers Net” on VHF 68 at 9AM. Cruisers nets are another first experience for us. A variety of categories are covered each morning: new cruiser arrivals and departures; cruisers looking for “buddy boats” to travel with; things to buy, sell, or give away; questions about anything from anyone; (this morning a cruiser was looking for the phone number of a good engine mechanic); announcements for the day (today there is picnic pot luck on Sombrero Beach at noon); and trivia. The net was facilitated efficiently by one gentleman, and the whole broadcast took less than 15 minutes.
Our big news for the week is we’ve put our townhouse in Saratoga Springs on the market. Bob and I have been talking about selling for several years; this wasn’t a rash decision. The boat gives us the opportunity to offer the house for sale and still have a place to live while we decide where we’ll be next. If it sells, we’ll sail south another winter. If it doesn’t sell, we won’t be disappointed, so it’s a win-win situation.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Winding Down in Key West
Key West - Days 126 - 131
Tuesday March 11th - Sunday March 16th
The Little White House
Tuesday was a rainy day, the first one in a long time. We became tourists once again and met our good friends Sheila and Jim to tour The Little White House. The building, constructed by the Navy in 1890, was originally quarters for naval officers. The navy has played many roles in Key West. During that period, the Navy’s mission was to rid the Florida Keys of pirateering.
The Little White House has been used by a number of Presidents, most often by Harry Truman who used it as a vacationing home and functioning White House between 1946 and 1952. The building has been restored to that time period.
The tour was well done, educational, and very interesting. Harry Truman, although very well read, never went to college. He adopted the slogan, “The Buck Stops Here,” after seeing it on the desk of a warden at a Federal Penitentiary he visited. He liked the slogan so well, he asked where he could get one like it. The warden said the prisoners had made his and he was sure they would duplicate one for the President. The sign arrived several months later with a hand written letter from the inmates that described the origin of the slogan. Playing poker in the old west, the dealer had a buck knife next to him. When he passed the deal, he passed the buck knife with it. The cards and knife were passed around the table until someone accepted the deal – hence – “the buck stops here.” Truman, an avid poker player, adopted the slogan for himself. Truman was an exceptionally honest man. Upon leaving the White house he wrote a letter requesting that he be allowed to take the desk sign with him since it had been a gift to a President. He was granted permission. It was the only item he took when he left.
While at the Little White House, he and one aide would sit at a small desk each morning and conduct all of the business of the White House. He once wrote to Bess that he signed his name more than 300 times most days. Hardly the staff that accomplishes the work today!!
His salary was only $75,000 a year while in office. All of the entertaining he did came out of his own pocket. Several times during his term he had to take out a personal loan to meet his expenses. When he and Bess left the White House, his popularity had plummeted to an approval rating of only 27%. There was no pension for a President. They purchased their own train tickets and quietly traveled back to her family home in Missouri. He never owned his own home.
Despite the lack of public support when he left office, in February of 2000 Truman was ranked 5th in a poll done by a group of 58 leading Presidential historians. The historians ranked all 41 Presidents on the basis of public persuasion, crisis leadership, economic management, vision, human rights, and overall performance. Ranks one through four went respectively to Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, George Washington, and Theodore Roosevelt. Quite a well earned honor for Truman.
During his two terms in office, from April 12, 1945 to January 20, 1953, his accomplishments were noteworthy. He signed the United Nations Charter and dropped the atomic bomb to end World War II in 1945; in 1947 he created the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan; he recognized the State of Israel, supported the Berlin airlift, desegregated the military, and proposed the Fair Deal in 1948; in 1949 he created NATO; he waged the Korean War from 1950 – 1953; and fired General MacArthur in 1951. Few Presidents have done so much in such a short period.
After a great lunch with Jim and Sheila at Kelly’s, the original home of Pan American Airlines, we spent the afternoon at the Key West Eco Center. Bob thoroughly enjoyed that. Their displays and movie depict the formation of coral reefs and describe the variety of corals and fish living on them.
March 12 – Bob’s 69th Birthday
For his birthday, Bob wanted to sail out to one of the reefs to snorkel. Theresa and Andrew, from Freedom, joined us for an afternoon that will not soon be forgotten.
Patti, Sheila, and I had planned a surprise birthday party for Bob for the evening. Word spread during the week, and by the time the day arrived, many of our dock friends had joined in. Everyone contributed something. We had a four course dinner on the dock complete with Key Lime Pie and birthday candles for dessert. Bob was totally and completely surprised.
March 13th – Sailing and Dining
Patti and Carl, from WindStar, invited Sheila, Jim, Bob and me to sail with them. The water was strikingly blue, the color I’ve only seen here and in the Caribbean – absolutely beautiful! We had a great afternoon followed by dinner at Mango Mama’s. Once again the food was outstanding!
As I write this, I am thinking – this is a pretty good life! Now mind you, there are all of the humdrum monotonous things we do on a weekly basis – like laundry, cleaning, paying bills, shopping, filling water tanks, emptying holding tanks, and routine boat maintenance. Since they don’t fall into the category of memorable experiences -- I’m not choosing to write about them.
March 14th – Hogfish Bar and Grill and The World’s Worst Waitress
The New York Times carried an article on Key West this week that described the Hogfish Bar and Grill as “a lively roadhouse-style joint at a marina a few minutes outside Key West proper, on Stock Island.” The reporter continued, “I came to talk with the owners, Bobby and Michelle Mongelli, about their reputation for nabbing more hogfish than anyone in town. The motto around Key West on hogfish, a flaky, delicate, white-fleshed fish, is “we have it when we have it.” It’s indigenous, but it’s hard to come by: not only does it have to be speared by a diver, but it’s also seasonal.
“There’s a mystique surrounding it,” Mr. Mongelli said. “You know how it is. The harder it is to get, the more people want it.” As an ex-diver with enough connections to make a small-town mayor blush, he gets about 30 to 40 percent of the local pull, but even he runs out sometimes. (He’s been known to spear a few himself, if complaints get too loud.)"
The next section may be of entrepreneurial interest to Steve and Stephanie!!!
"The marina where the Hogfish sits is one of the last undeveloped deep-water ports on the East Coast, and talk turned to the future. There’s a lot of buzz about what will happen to Stock Island if and when Cuba opens up. For now, though, Stock Island remains a quiet refuge from bustling Key West — a place where locals come to show out-of-towners what Key West used to be like, where commercial shrimp boats still pull in from three-week journeys at sea. “That’s Ricky Toomer’s boat,” Mr. Mongelli said, pointing across the marina. “He just came back with $50,000 worth of shrimp. It’s loaded to the gills with shrimp.”
So… having just read the New York Times article on Hogfish, and having had two wonderful meals there, we headed for one last taste of Hogfish before leaving the Keys. Arriving just ahead of the dinner crowd, we got the last table – a picnic table on the water.
A middle-aged burly, broad, blonde with a surly attitude accosted our table. Lucky us – she was our waitress!! She plied us with, “We can make anything you want, any way you want.” What she didn’t say was – do not ask me ANY questions! Each inquiry brought a brusque “Point to it on the menu!” Not having received the answer to his 1st question, Carl had the audacity to ask her a 2nd! Not the right thing to do! She replied, “I said point to it on the menu!” After a few seconds delay, undaunted, she attacked the next person with, “Since he can’t make up his mind, I’ll come back to him later. Point to what you want on the menu!” This scenario was repeated around the table. She was taking no prisoners! We all finally managed to order something by following the Witch’s Rules - pointing to it on the menu. Patty was the only who complied with her demands and pointed to barbecued spare ribs. When the meals came, the waitress brought her barbecued shrimp! Despite the rude and slow service, the food was delicious, and the sunset spectacular.
March 15th – Another Small World Experience
This morning we bid our friends Sheila and Jim a sad farewell. We’ve spent a great deal of pleasurable time together over the past few weeks and developed a real liking for one another. They plan on flying to Maine this summer (Jim is a retired American Airlines pilot) to sail with us. We are looking forward to that!
A new boat arrived at Boca Chica Marina yesterday, with a Maine registration. It’s in the slip next to ours. “Walkabout” is a 1980 Cape Dory 26 trawler. Being the gregarious person I am, I went over and introduced myself to the couple and asked where in Maine they are from. Betty replied, “We’re not from Maine. We bought the boat in Maine and had it hauled out in October to have work done on it – then we had it trucked to Maryland.” I said, “My son and his wife have a marina in Maine, where did you have the work done?” Bob said, “Harpswell.” You can see where this is going! “Which marina?” I asked, to which he replied, “Great Island Boat Yard.” What a small world!! There are extremely few boats leaving Maine that end up at the Naval Marina in Boca Chica in the Keys! Prior to their buying it, the boat had actually been kept at GIBY since before Steve and Steph bought the business.
March 16th – Dolphins and Tarpons
This morning we were treated to three large dolphins playing and fishing between our dock and the next one. Fish hide underneath docks and boats to find shade and escape the sun. Bob was fortunate to get the best show when he saw one of them chase a fish on top of the water a few seconds – just long enough to dash across the channel and catch his prey! After the dolphin, two large tarpons (one was 4 ½ feet; the other 6 feet long) swam under the docks – again looking for their breakfast. Haven't seen many small fish this morning - they've probably been ingested! Today is a quiet down day for us, writing the blog, beginning to plan our route north, and looking at navigational charts.
We talked with our friends, Mark and Pauline Wells this morning. They plan to join us for a few days of sailing in April, which we are looking forward to. Later on our cruise north Mark has committed to do the overnight(s) with us from the Delaware Bay to an as yet undecided point north.
Tuesday March 11th - Sunday March 16th
The Little White House
Tuesday was a rainy day, the first one in a long time. We became tourists once again and met our good friends Sheila and Jim to tour The Little White House. The building, constructed by the Navy in 1890, was originally quarters for naval officers. The navy has played many roles in Key West. During that period, the Navy’s mission was to rid the Florida Keys of pirateering.
The Little White House has been used by a number of Presidents, most often by Harry Truman who used it as a vacationing home and functioning White House between 1946 and 1952. The building has been restored to that time period.
The tour was well done, educational, and very interesting. Harry Truman, although very well read, never went to college. He adopted the slogan, “The Buck Stops Here,” after seeing it on the desk of a warden at a Federal Penitentiary he visited. He liked the slogan so well, he asked where he could get one like it. The warden said the prisoners had made his and he was sure they would duplicate one for the President. The sign arrived several months later with a hand written letter from the inmates that described the origin of the slogan. Playing poker in the old west, the dealer had a buck knife next to him. When he passed the deal, he passed the buck knife with it. The cards and knife were passed around the table until someone accepted the deal – hence – “the buck stops here.” Truman, an avid poker player, adopted the slogan for himself. Truman was an exceptionally honest man. Upon leaving the White house he wrote a letter requesting that he be allowed to take the desk sign with him since it had been a gift to a President. He was granted permission. It was the only item he took when he left.
While at the Little White House, he and one aide would sit at a small desk each morning and conduct all of the business of the White House. He once wrote to Bess that he signed his name more than 300 times most days. Hardly the staff that accomplishes the work today!!
His salary was only $75,000 a year while in office. All of the entertaining he did came out of his own pocket. Several times during his term he had to take out a personal loan to meet his expenses. When he and Bess left the White House, his popularity had plummeted to an approval rating of only 27%. There was no pension for a President. They purchased their own train tickets and quietly traveled back to her family home in Missouri. He never owned his own home.
Despite the lack of public support when he left office, in February of 2000 Truman was ranked 5th in a poll done by a group of 58 leading Presidential historians. The historians ranked all 41 Presidents on the basis of public persuasion, crisis leadership, economic management, vision, human rights, and overall performance. Ranks one through four went respectively to Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, George Washington, and Theodore Roosevelt. Quite a well earned honor for Truman.
During his two terms in office, from April 12, 1945 to January 20, 1953, his accomplishments were noteworthy. He signed the United Nations Charter and dropped the atomic bomb to end World War II in 1945; in 1947 he created the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan; he recognized the State of Israel, supported the Berlin airlift, desegregated the military, and proposed the Fair Deal in 1948; in 1949 he created NATO; he waged the Korean War from 1950 – 1953; and fired General MacArthur in 1951. Few Presidents have done so much in such a short period.
After a great lunch with Jim and Sheila at Kelly’s, the original home of Pan American Airlines, we spent the afternoon at the Key West Eco Center. Bob thoroughly enjoyed that. Their displays and movie depict the formation of coral reefs and describe the variety of corals and fish living on them.
March 12 – Bob’s 69th Birthday
For his birthday, Bob wanted to sail out to one of the reefs to snorkel. Theresa and Andrew, from Freedom, joined us for an afternoon that will not soon be forgotten.
Patti, Sheila, and I had planned a surprise birthday party for Bob for the evening. Word spread during the week, and by the time the day arrived, many of our dock friends had joined in. Everyone contributed something. We had a four course dinner on the dock complete with Key Lime Pie and birthday candles for dessert. Bob was totally and completely surprised.
March 13th – Sailing and Dining
Patti and Carl, from WindStar, invited Sheila, Jim, Bob and me to sail with them. The water was strikingly blue, the color I’ve only seen here and in the Caribbean – absolutely beautiful! We had a great afternoon followed by dinner at Mango Mama’s. Once again the food was outstanding!
As I write this, I am thinking – this is a pretty good life! Now mind you, there are all of the humdrum monotonous things we do on a weekly basis – like laundry, cleaning, paying bills, shopping, filling water tanks, emptying holding tanks, and routine boat maintenance. Since they don’t fall into the category of memorable experiences -- I’m not choosing to write about them.
March 14th – Hogfish Bar and Grill and The World’s Worst Waitress
The New York Times carried an article on Key West this week that described the Hogfish Bar and Grill as “a lively roadhouse-style joint at a marina a few minutes outside Key West proper, on Stock Island.” The reporter continued, “I came to talk with the owners, Bobby and Michelle Mongelli, about their reputation for nabbing more hogfish than anyone in town. The motto around Key West on hogfish, a flaky, delicate, white-fleshed fish, is “we have it when we have it.” It’s indigenous, but it’s hard to come by: not only does it have to be speared by a diver, but it’s also seasonal.
“There’s a mystique surrounding it,” Mr. Mongelli said. “You know how it is. The harder it is to get, the more people want it.” As an ex-diver with enough connections to make a small-town mayor blush, he gets about 30 to 40 percent of the local pull, but even he runs out sometimes. (He’s been known to spear a few himself, if complaints get too loud.)"
The next section may be of entrepreneurial interest to Steve and Stephanie!!!
"The marina where the Hogfish sits is one of the last undeveloped deep-water ports on the East Coast, and talk turned to the future. There’s a lot of buzz about what will happen to Stock Island if and when Cuba opens up. For now, though, Stock Island remains a quiet refuge from bustling Key West — a place where locals come to show out-of-towners what Key West used to be like, where commercial shrimp boats still pull in from three-week journeys at sea. “That’s Ricky Toomer’s boat,” Mr. Mongelli said, pointing across the marina. “He just came back with $50,000 worth of shrimp. It’s loaded to the gills with shrimp.”
So… having just read the New York Times article on Hogfish, and having had two wonderful meals there, we headed for one last taste of Hogfish before leaving the Keys. Arriving just ahead of the dinner crowd, we got the last table – a picnic table on the water.
A middle-aged burly, broad, blonde with a surly attitude accosted our table. Lucky us – she was our waitress!! She plied us with, “We can make anything you want, any way you want.” What she didn’t say was – do not ask me ANY questions! Each inquiry brought a brusque “Point to it on the menu!” Not having received the answer to his 1st question, Carl had the audacity to ask her a 2nd! Not the right thing to do! She replied, “I said point to it on the menu!” After a few seconds delay, undaunted, she attacked the next person with, “Since he can’t make up his mind, I’ll come back to him later. Point to what you want on the menu!” This scenario was repeated around the table. She was taking no prisoners! We all finally managed to order something by following the Witch’s Rules - pointing to it on the menu. Patty was the only who complied with her demands and pointed to barbecued spare ribs. When the meals came, the waitress brought her barbecued shrimp! Despite the rude and slow service, the food was delicious, and the sunset spectacular.
March 15th – Another Small World Experience
This morning we bid our friends Sheila and Jim a sad farewell. We’ve spent a great deal of pleasurable time together over the past few weeks and developed a real liking for one another. They plan on flying to Maine this summer (Jim is a retired American Airlines pilot) to sail with us. We are looking forward to that!
A new boat arrived at Boca Chica Marina yesterday, with a Maine registration. It’s in the slip next to ours. “Walkabout” is a 1980 Cape Dory 26 trawler. Being the gregarious person I am, I went over and introduced myself to the couple and asked where in Maine they are from. Betty replied, “We’re not from Maine. We bought the boat in Maine and had it hauled out in October to have work done on it – then we had it trucked to Maryland.” I said, “My son and his wife have a marina in Maine, where did you have the work done?” Bob said, “Harpswell.” You can see where this is going! “Which marina?” I asked, to which he replied, “Great Island Boat Yard.” What a small world!! There are extremely few boats leaving Maine that end up at the Naval Marina in Boca Chica in the Keys! Prior to their buying it, the boat had actually been kept at GIBY since before Steve and Steph bought the business.
March 16th – Dolphins and Tarpons
This morning we were treated to three large dolphins playing and fishing between our dock and the next one. Fish hide underneath docks and boats to find shade and escape the sun. Bob was fortunate to get the best show when he saw one of them chase a fish on top of the water a few seconds – just long enough to dash across the channel and catch his prey! After the dolphin, two large tarpons (one was 4 ½ feet; the other 6 feet long) swam under the docks – again looking for their breakfast. Haven't seen many small fish this morning - they've probably been ingested! Today is a quiet down day for us, writing the blog, beginning to plan our route north, and looking at navigational charts.
We talked with our friends, Mark and Pauline Wells this morning. They plan to join us for a few days of sailing in April, which we are looking forward to. Later on our cruise north Mark has committed to do the overnight(s) with us from the Delaware Bay to an as yet undecided point north.
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