Rodriquez Key to Marathon

Days 93-94 Feb 7- 8

Fort Lauderdale to Rodriquez Key

We left the dock at 6:50AM to make the 7AM bridge opening since it doesn’t open from 7:30-9:00 AM. We were outside the Port Everglades jetties by 7:10AM. Keeping a close eye on weather, we knew we had a three day weather window before adverse conditions arrived. Unfortunately the short weather window and the distance we have to travel kept us from stopping at John Pennekamp Underwater National Park. We’ll plan on making time for that on the return trip. Thursday was a beautiful day, fair winds, and calm seas. We decided to push for a 10 hour day at 8 mph to enable us to make Boca Chica by Saturday. We had an alternative plan, to duck into Biscayne Bay, if it looked like we couldn’t make Rodriquez Key. Arriving at Biscayne Bay close to 11AM, we made the decision to continue. This is a significant decision since we still had 48 miles to go and there are no anchorages or marinas between the two.

We arrived at our anchorage in Rodriquez Key at 5:10PM, just 10 hours after going outside. We traveled a whopping 78 miles today – a record for us!

Passing Cape Florida and entering Hawk Channel was a milestone for me. We traveled the entire coast of Florida offshore, 389 miles!! I wonder if this qualifies me for a “Novice Salty” medal or award.

At 2:30 AM our anchor alarm went off. Now this was more than a little alarming since there are two shipwrecks behind us, we are in the largest live coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere and hitting coral results in a $50,000 fine! After we checked and double checked, Bob and I both agreed that we hadn’t moved at all and it must be an electronic glitch!

Rodriquez Key to Marathon Sunrise was spectacular this morning. By 7:10AM we were underway and finally able to put all three of our sails upl!! We sailed all the way to Marathon and had an absolutely delightful day.

We only have 45 miles to go to our final southerly destination, Boca Chica Marina next to Key West! It seems like a very long time ago we left Great Island Boat Yard in Harpswell Maine bound for Key West -- and now we are within a day of it.