Ho-hum

Tuesday 4/5 dawned another glorious morning, cool with steady breezes, clear blue skies and temperatures in the high 70’s.  This is how we would start our trip up the west coast of Florida - fantastic.  We bid farewell to the community at Boot Key Harbor on Marathon Key, which turned out to be a great experience despite our concerns about being moored in the city marina along with 250 other boats.  It is very large protected harbor that the city has taken control of and installed 250 mooring balls, provided access to the city park with tennis courts, ball fields, even Bocce courts.  However, the sense of community and civility among the rather libertarian cruising population in the Florida Keys, is encouraged by providing access to a large activities room the size of a basketball court, filled with books, puzzles, tables for dominoes and bridge, and free WiFi.   Here, people with like interests can meet to pursue them comfortably.  The beauty of this communion is the morning Cruisers Net that broadcasts each morning on the VHF radio with announcements of gatherings, activities in the city, sharing of information, and even a Mariners swap of equipment, toys or excess supplies.  So, for example, we had some concerns about one of the belts on our engine squealing since we had run aground.  We asked for advice from the listeners on the Net and it led to a visit from “Diesel Don” a free lance mechanic who lives in the harbor and makes “boat calls”.  We also learned of a monthly lunch with the members of the Seven Seas Cruising Association, a group that we belong to in Annapolis.  So we ventured out to lunch and met some of the other cruisers staying in the harbor.  We were very luck to meet a couple from St Petersburg, Fl., Jane and Paul, two delightful people who took a lot of time to share with us their favorite cruising spots on the west coast.  They also gave us a lot of just good information about the cruising life, the Bahamas and long term life on a boat.

So we said goodbye to new friends, and actually to warmer weather and set out of the harbor, turning north towards the Florida Everglades.  As we crossed the Bay of Florida and entered the Gulf of Mexico, we actually had a chance to get our sails up for awhile and remember why we own a sailboat.  Both the bay and Gulf are very large but shallow bodies of water, but with attention to the depths and a wind from the east, we had a great day.  We finally arrived at the Little Shark River, known for its natural beauty, fishing and mosquitoes.  We found an anchorage in a cove near the entrance of the river with 4 other boats and after 2-3 attempts finally set our anchor and put on the anchor alarm.  We were a little anxious about the set of our anchor because we were in a spot in the cove where the current curved around the bend, and the wind was blowing in the opposite direction.  This resulted in our rotating clockwise around the anchor for the next two hours, at a rate of a complete rotation in 10 minutes, while all the other boats were still, pointing in the direction that the current flowed.  They were probably worried about our competence as sailors and the integrity of our anchoring.  However, our anchor seemed secure and our alarm was silent.  We experienced a drop dead gorgeous sunset before the mosquitoes chased us into the cabin behind our screens and we woke in the morning sitting quietly in harmony with the other boats.

Dusk in the Everglades

Sunset on the Shark River

Our departure from the Shark River lead us further northward along the Florida coast, past what is known as the Ten Thousand Islands, toward Marco Island.  At this point, if you are interested, I would recommend that you might read a good book that gives you a perspective on the development of Florida; A Land Remembered by Patrick Smith.  It is entertaining as well as informative.  Hopefully, like the blog…  Anyway, our passage through the Gulf of Mexico was some of the most rigorous we have done.  While the morning started with calm seas, the “fetch” (the distance traveled by wind or waves across open water) off Cape Romano was building until the waves were 4 feet plus with a period of only 3-4 seconds.  We had to bring down the sails as the wind shifted to our stern and was pushing the boat more than it was filling the sails.  This pushed us ahead of the waves and made it very difficult to hold the boat on course.  So, with the sails down we could control our speed and ride a little more with the waves, although it was very choppy ride for about 3 hours until we reached the more protected waters north of the cape where the coast line reduced the ability of the waves to build into larger sizes. 

 

Marco Island is actually the largest of the Ten Thousands.  It has a large, calm anchorage which we appreciated after our tense afternoon, surrounded by Tiki Bars, seafood restaurants and Mangrove islands.  Clearly this is a community that caters to boaters and retirees.  As we left Marco we decided not to go back into the Gulf where the winds had not changed much.  So we set out for Naples via what the locals call the “back river”, also known as the western Intercoastal Waterway.  What a delightful trip.  For the entire 3 hours we were surrounded by mangrove islands, water fowl and dolphins.  At one point there was a dolphin swimming with the boat right between the two front pontoons for about a mile.  Eventually this opened up into Naples Bay, revealing homes that rivaled anything that the east coast of Florida could offer. 

 

Osprey on the back rivers

 

The beautiful beaches at Naples

 

A character at the Naples farmers market

We stayed in Naples for 3 days.  Bob’s brother and wife – Brian and Ellen met us there in their Nordic Tug 37.  They were finishing up the last of the Great Loop, a cruising route that takes you around the entire eastern half of the U.S. , up the Hudson, across the Erie canal and great lakes, down the Mississippi, across the Gulf of Mexico and then back up the east coast.  We spent the time getting to know the area and found it very convivial.  We had been told that Naples had horrible traffic, but we were unaffected, walking and biking everywhere, the beach, the grocery store, post office and ice cream shop.  We even found a pizza place that delivered to the docks!  We made new friends in the marina, when Cece stopped to admire their 50 foot power catamaran and shared the cruising ritual of “docktails” with them for the next few evenings.

 

So now onto Fort Meyers.  We have pretty stiff winds at 10-15 mph and the seas will be just 1 foot, so we should have a great run out in the Gulf.

 

April Fools

It’s April 1^st and we have now been cruising nearly 6 months.  Our plans and destinations have change nearly as frequently as the direction of the wind.  However there seems to be a particular joy in having the freedom to alter course at any minute or drive resolutely onto a preordained destination. 

This morning we are sitting in Boot Key Harbor enjoying our 4^th week of 70-85 degree weather with breezes that range from gentle to gale force.  This harbor is created by the structures of Marathon Key and Boot Key.  Marathon is a cruisers delight as evidenced by the fact that we are sharing this harbor with at least 250 boats, 80% sailors. Many have been here since January seeking refuge from the northern winters, and some call this their year round home as they live a lifestyle that they feel is less encumbered than the average.  This assemblage has managed to create a “community” despite the comings and goings.  Every morning there is a cruisers net radio broadcast on VHF 68 where the community discuss who is coming and going, who needs help with anything boat or non-boat related, and activities going on in the area (i.e. there is a community theater, a community garden, etc).  There are many families with small children (less than 10 years old, maybe home schooling gets harder after age 10).  Additionally the local community supports this floating community by the facilities they provide at the city marina such as tennis courts, an activity room complete with TVs and WiFi, and a large work room where you can work on your mechanical or non-mechanical projects.  The project room is full of “McIver’s”, if you remember that TV show from the late 70’s where the hero always got out of trouble by jerry rigging solutions from whatever he happened to have with him.

But, we want to bring you up to date on our recent activities:

We left Tavernier, Key Largo, on Easter Monday and sailed what is called the “inside”, north of the keys in the Florida Bay.  Here the waters are shallow but calmer then out in the ocean and you are surrounded by random islands of mangroves.  Eventually we crossed under the “Channel 5” bridge and entered Hawks Channel, which is formed by a long coral reef that runs along the edge of the keys and the coast of the islands in the near Atlantic Ocean.  This was our first entry ever to sailing in the ocean.  We found it choppy (1 to 2 foot seas) but really no worse than a choppy day in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.  This glorious day was marred only by the fact that we ran aground trying to enter a little cove called Curry Hammock State Park (a hammock is a particular arrangement of hardwood trees as the canopy with smaller tropical brush and then mangroves at the water’s edge).  We could not back   Second Wind off the shoal, so we called our tow boat insurance company who dispatched a rescue boat.  But before the rescue arrived, a friendly fisherman with a boat full of children (about 6) gave us a tow and pulled us free.  So we continued on into the cove very cautiously, no longer trusting our charts or our instruments, but believing only what we saw with our own eyes.  Our perseverance was rewarded as we entered the cove you would dream about if you thought about what the Caribbean could offer.  It was totally surrounded by Mangroves with a little white beach and an old deserted resort the only interruption to the wall of green.  The water was clean and still, yet there was a gentle breeze that was sufficient to cool.  We snorkeled, swam and paddleboarded till dusk and again in the morning.  In the morning we woke to yet another stunning day, weather wise, and we found the ocean even calmer then the day before.  So we made our way into Boot Key Harbor to temporarily join this cruising community.  We arrived into the harbor through Sisters Creek Inlet, past a beautiful beach, through the mangroves, and into a large cove with hundreds of boats moored and at anchor.  The size and number of moored boats being greater than anything we’ve seen so far on the water.  We’ll call this home for a week.

Marina Life

For just over a month now, we have adapted to a new way of life.  We have become marina “live-aboards”.  No longer just “cruisers”, for the first time in our journey, we have settled into the regime of marina "live aboard" life.  Where there are many similarities to life ashore, there are enough differences that they are worth some reflection.

What follows is a short look at the good, bad, and the ugly as we have experienced marina life in this, our new capacity.  It is perhaps a good time to reflect on this topic, as we are now getting ready to cast off from this place and head to Key West and then on into the Gulf of Mexico to finish this year’s cruise. 

The Good

1)      Second Wind is not just a place on the water where we endlessly pour our money.  But it is also a place where we are forced to immerse ourselves into nature.  Docked in our slip, our stern faces northwest and looks across Community Cove into the mangroves.  The water is so clear that we are able to watch an abundance of sea life under our boat.  Sea birds surround us and perch on adjacent boats.  Cormorants spend their days fishing off our stern. And herons fish along the shoreline totally indifferent to us. A boat is the perfect platform to commune with nature.

 

2)      There has always been something magical about the water itself.  During the day, in different light and weather, it changes in character.  Sometimes the water is smooth and sedate, and at other times dark and stormy.  It sparkles, shimmers, or turns foreboding in response to changes in weather.  We live aboard totally connected to the water and its moods.

 

 

3)      Live aboard life has allowed Cece and I to get active.  We spend our days walking, biking, playing tennis, in our kayak and paddle board, and staying active with boat chores.  We are staying more physically active than we have in years and we love it.  Since a boat moves all the time, even if gently in a marina, we find our muscle tone improving.

4)      We learn to simplify.  As a live aboard, you by necessity learn to keep your possessions to a bare minimum.  Storage of consumables is essential, and a place for food supplies and drinks can always be found.  But space for new stuff requires you to get rid of something in return.  There is no attic or garage to store stuff, and everything onboard either has utility or needs to be gotten rid of.

5)      Spending time together has been a great joy.  Every day I am reminded of why I fell in love with Cece so many years ago.  I did well to marry my best friend.  I do even better to chase a few dreams with her.

The Bad

1)       The community of people we meet is changing daily and long term friendships are hard to develop.  Cece and I have met many wonderful people.  But, we are usually limited in our ability to develop long term relationships out of necessity.  Boats are constantly coming and going.  And although we meet lovely people, it’s hard to leverage these acquaintances into deep long lasting friendships without adequate time. Long term community by a group of people is hindered by the transient nature of marine life.

2)      Accessing life’s necessities can be difficult.  Laundry, groceries, shopping, and yes even haircuts and doctor appointments represent major challenges.  Being so far from home, it can be difficult tracking down the services and supplies we once took for granted.  This week Cece finally had to take a flight back to Annapolis in order to address some of these critical needs.

3)      Although email, phone calls, texting, and face time have allowed us to stay in touch with family and friends that we care deeply about, we do miss the time spent together with them.  The promise that the cruise has a finite end helps remind us that we will be back again in the near future with loved ones.

The Ugly

1)      Weather is much more transparent on a boat than anyplace else on earth.  We check weather forecasts constantly while onboard, because our lives revolve around the wind, temperature, and rain.  When the weather is good, life is very good.  But when the winds are high and the sea fetch is up, life can be ugly.  We will get very little sleep in a strong Northwesterly, and the boat pitches and rolls while the seas slap our hull and winds whistle through the rigging.  We find winds over 30 knots out of the west to north can create unhappy conditions aboard.

2)      We have very little control over the marina environment itself, and rely on the marinas management and our fellow boater’s good conduct to sustain a positive marina environment.  When either fails, it gets ugly.  As an example, marina restrooms, public spaces, docks, and parking lots can quickly deteriorate into slum like conditions without a joint commitment to maintenance.  An extreme example occurred the other day when I walked into the bath house here.  Posted on the mirror was a new sign that read “Please use the toilet for number two and one.  Do not poop in the showers”. Not believing the sign, I asked the cleaning crew if the sign was for real.  I was told “We’ve been having problems, it only takes one bad boater”

 

Baseball

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball.
I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.

                                                                                                 Rogers Hornsby

Wednesday saw Cece and I up early, and headed up the street to “Thrifty” to rent a car for the day.  Our goal was to make a spring training baseball game.  The Washington Nationals were playing the Miami Marlins in Jupiter Florida.   And, the game was "only" 150 miles away.

 

 

Cece had found tickets online, seats three rows back behind the Nationals dugout.  These were probably the best seats for a major league game we would ever see.  For $21 a piece we were going to sit in spitting distance from Brice Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Taylor, and the rest of the Nationals $142 million payroll.  A three hour drive got us to Roger Dean Stadium an hour before game time.  This, in plenty of time to watch batting practice.  Game time temperatures were in the high 70s, with an abundance of sunshine and a light breeze blowing out to right field.  At 1:05, right on schedule, Wei-Yin Chin threw the first pitch to Ben Revere (the Nationals left fielder) to start the game.  It was a strike.  The 2016 Baseball season had begun for Cece and I.

 

The first two innings flew by as both Wei-Yin Chin for the Marlins and Blake Treinen for the Nationals threw strikes and found there outs.  It wasn’t till the top of the third before the Nationals offense opened up the game with four runs.  Trea Turner scored the first run behind a Ben Revere single.  On the next at bat, Michael Taylor homered to right center field to score three more runs.  This was all the offense the Nationals would need to win.  In the sixth inning, the Marlins scored two against Nick Masset, a Nationals pitcher Cece and I had never heard of.  Final Score WSH 4 MIA 2.

 

Baseball is back for 2016, and hope for a World Series Championship is alive, at least for a little while.

 

Windley Key

About 7 miles from Community Harbor by road, headed south along the Overseas Highway, sits Windley Key.  By bike the distance takes about an hour for us to travel from our marina. Cars and trucks, traveling south bumper to bumper, zip past the bike trail.  Most are headed to Key West.  Under the hot Tropical sun, a bike ride proves tolerable only because of a cooling sea breeze that blows in from the east.

 

We took the day Friday to travel down the highway in order to visit Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological Park.  Located at mile marker 84.9 on the Overseas Highway (miles are counted starting at mile marker 0 in Key West), the park is the site of three quarries.  Also of note, the park has on site the highest ground elevation in the Keys (18 feet above mean low water).  During the great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 (at that time the practice of naming hurricanes had not been introduced) hundreds died in this part of the Keys after 24 feet of water washed ashore virtually submerging the entire land mass.  At that time, the quarry at Windley Key was active in support of a coastal highway project being built during the Great Depression by World War I veterans.  Entire work camps disappeared during the storm.

 

The Windley Key Quarry was first established in order to provide rubble stone for use in the construction of railroad beds for the Key West extension of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway.  Flagler purchased the land, and excavated a limestone / fossilized coral material called Key Largo limestone.  (For a great book on the construction of Flagler’s overseas railroad read Last Train to Paradise by Les Standiford.) Later, the quarry started producing slabs of “Keystone” for use as a veneer in building construction.  The Vizcaya home of James Deering used this type of stone in its construction.  Finally, as land prices in the Keys climbed in value the quarry closed, and in 1960 the property was bought by the state as a Geological park.

 

A quick comment on the stone; It is beautiful.  As the coral fossilized into limestone the old coral patterns were to remain in the stone.  Looking at the stone, it is easy to pick out brain coral, fan coil, conch shells, and a myriad of other sea life in the stone face.  It has a soft beige color, and is very light weight.  Walking the quarry, we walked along 8 foot walls of the stone where excavation once split giant slabs of the stone for construction.

 

Beyond the three quarry areas, the park has a mile and a half of trails through the Hammock.  (Hammocks are subtropical hardwood stands located at higher elevations along the keys).  A rich variety of canopy trees provide a cool cover, a perfect escape from the harsh tropical sun.  Although birds were scarce during our hammock walk, butterflies and a rich variety of trees kept us more than entertained.  Perhaps the most interesting thing about the trees is that they have no tap roots.  The variety of trees have all developed large horizontal root systems that clutch the underlying stone and have adapted to the water scarcity of growing on rocks.

 

 

 

 

Key Largo

Just like Bogie and Bacall
Starring in our old late, late show
sailing away to Key Largo

We’ve finally arrived in the Florida Keys!!!  Sailing from Dinner Key in Coral Gables on Saturday, February 20^th , we spent one night at anchor in Thursday Cove off Key Largo before arriving in Community Harbor in Tavernier. 

 

For the last couple of weeks our time onboard has confirmed a few simple truths: 

·        The value of friendships can never be understated;

·        Warmth and sunshine are wonderfully restorative to one’s health;

·        Settling down in one place, for even a little while, can be most comforting.

We’ve been visited by three couples, dear friends all, who have brought their inquisitive spirits, good conversation, and warm friendship onboard.  First Christer and Camilla in West Palm Beach helped bring the boat down the ICW, through Ft Lauderdale, and into Key Biscayne just in time for the Miami Boat Show.  John and Bobbie then joined us in Coral Gables, and after a few days of provisioning and onshore exploration helped bring the boat down past Key Largo to Tavernier on the Florida Bay.  Behind their departure, Tim and Donna joined us for a week of touring by car and boat as we went out to dive the offshore reefs at Grecian Rocks and then took the boat around to Islamorada, Ligum vitae, and Shell Key.  Good company and exploration were the theme of all three visits.  Second Wind proved a great platform for entertaining, with her separate cabin, berth, and private head providing some level of separation for our gusts.

 

Highlights of these three weeks have been numerous, but include:

·        a walk down Collins Avenue in Miami Beach during the Boat Show to see Mega Yachts too numerous to count;

 

 

·        a day trip to Vizcaya in Coconut Grove to see the 38,000 square foot mansion of James Deering (built between 1910 and 1922);

 

 

·        a day trip to Marathon to visit Crane Point Museum and Nature Center. This visit provided a glimpse of an environment, now long gone, showcasing the land as it existed before Flagler’s Railroad opened the Keys to tourism and;

·        a day trip to snorkel off Grecian Rocks in Hawks Channel. 

An adventurous spirit has proven to be the critical ingredient to our time down here, as we have walked, bicycled and mastered the single bus route on the keys.  Without a car, accessing a laundry, grocery store, boat store, or even the beaches requires some resourcefulness.

Warm, sunny weather has also dominated our days since arriving in the Keys.  This, much to Cece’s delight, has encouraged long bike rides, walks, paddle boarding, and kayaking.  The regenerative power of the sun and so much outdoor activity is clearly evident as we now are showing a golden color to our skin and a windblown look to our countenance.  Any residual “stress” left from our previous lives have been driven off by the climate.

 

The keys are very different from the mainland.  They are not islands, but made of coral rock.  So, construction is challenging as also is growing vegetation on the rock.  Stylistically, It looks like the last construction boon occurred here in the 1960’s.  About a third of the houses are trailers and the remaining are either corrugated metal structures or concrete block painted the calming colors of green, blue and yellow.  There are no apparent zoning regulations, with the boat storage yard or auto repair shop right next to million dollar homes (of course anything that is not a trailer is over a million) which are also built adjacent house trailers that have been modified in order to take on all the amenities of a thoughtfully constructed house.  There are very few “subdivisions” and where they exists, they are rarely bigger then 3 or 4 blocks in any direction.  All electricity and fresh water come from the mainland.  Inexplicably there is a paucity of solar cells or windmills for power. 

 

The keys are very narrow and low.  You can walk from the Bay of Florida to the Atlantic Ocean in 10 minutes or less. The population seems to be primarily those younger than 40 or older than 60.  There are many examples of ingenious ways to live on as little income as possible.  One poignant example lives directly off our port (left) stern (rear) as we sit in the slip in the marina.  Imagine anchored in the harbor a 30 foot sailboat that is without a mast, lashed to a 20 foot sailboat that still has its mast.  Tied behind these two boats is what looks to be a floating chicken coop, but we have yet to see any living thing in the cage.  Tied to that is a kayak and a 12 foot motorized dingy, used as their transport back and forth to the shore.  It appears that they live on the biggest boat and use the 20 footer to hold their gas powered generator and other supplies. Then there is the guy who has lashed an old piece of floating dock to the side of his sailboat and uses it as a “front porch”.

 However, with all its quirks, the keys seem to grow on you.  Jimmy Buffet has really captured the laid back life style and the simplicity of the infrastructure, and you really can’t complain about 80 degree temperatures, sleeping with your windows open, and 72 degree water when you fall off the paddle board.

 

Having now traveled about 1,400 miles on Second Wind, we have finally settled into one spot for a little while.  We’ve paid for a month’s lease on a slip in Community Harbor in Tavernier, and plan on staying through Easter.  We write this blog this evening staring across the Harbor to a beautiful setting sun.  A ritual at sun set is for the “ live-aboards” in the harbor to blow their Conch shells with the setting sun.  And so, the sounds of numerous Conchs compete with one another and reverberate across the water accompanied by blazing red explosions of color to our west. 

 

 

 

The Color of Money

We have finally arrived in Miami, the southern most major city in the continental U.S.  The most striking thing is that you are surrounded by green, natural and otherwise.  The water, which is everywhere, is a clear emerald green, both in the inland waterways and the ocean.  Unlike most of the waterways we have travelled, which are either turbid or tannic, the water here is crystal clear with visibility of 4-5 feet.  I can say that the water is finally warm enough to put your feet in.  I’m not crazy about swimming in 68 degree water, although the natives do a lot of surfing and kite boarding in wetsuits.

Kite boarders at Key Biscayne

We have been moored in a county park for the last week where, in addition to the marina, there is a beach, golf course, tennis center and miles of hiking trails.  We have been able to spend a day on the beach here.  We really like the fact that the beaches have palm trees on them so you don’t even have to carry an umbrella.  The beaches are barren in the Mid-Atlantic area. 

Bob and the beach at Key Biscayne.

 

Miami skyline and boat traffic.

We timed our visit to Miami to coincide with the Miami Boat Show which is the largest boat show in the U.S.  Here we were exposed to the other predominate green in the area – the amount of money that exists here.  You start to get a flavor for this as you enter the Ft Lauderdale area and pass down the waterway into Miami.  There are mile after mile of waterfront mansions that make others that we have marveled at previously on the ICW look like fish camps.  The extraordinary condo buildings here are also full of million dollar units.  Parked in front of the waterfront real estate are massive yachts, 90-150 feet long, complete with helipads and speedboats as tenders.  We saw Skyfall, the yacht used in the James Bond movies, including the helicopter on board.  Finally, the Maseratis and Bentleys on the street seem to be everywhere.  I really feel like Dorothy, and we are not in Kansas anymore.  Besides the “local” money, the boat show has also brought in all the international “high rollers” who are here to pick out their $15 million yacht, because the current one is now 5 years old.

This one is a little out of our league... 

We went to the boat show with friends, Christer and Camila, who were staying on the boat with us for the week.  This show is so big that it is held in 3 different locations around Miami.  They had shuttle buses and shuttle water taxis to move people between the sites.  At one point, we had a 45 minute water taxi ride to one of the sites that almost ended in disaster.  The water taxi ran out of fuel about 600 yards from the dock.  With the strong winds of February and fast currents, we quickly were drifting towards the concrete supports of a nearby bridge. The pilot had called for a tow but the rescue boat did not arrive until we were within 20 yards of the bridge.  They quickly threw a line for a tow and pulled us away just before disaster.  The problem then was that the boat that rescued us was another water taxi, so they had no idea how to land two boats at the dock when one had no rudder or control.  So we did crash into the dock, but it was a much more controlled crash and the wooden pilings were much more forgiving then the concrete bridge ever would have been. 
 

Being towed from possible disaster!

After that experience, we decided to take Uber back to the marina when it was time.  We have become big fans of Uber, and Bob gets each person who stays with us to register on Uber’s app so that he constantly is getting discounts for our rides.  We have been able to move pretty much wherever we want to get in any city either using their bus system, our bikes, Uber or just walking.  Kudos go out to Vero Beach for the most efficient bus system and it is completely free!

As I sit here today and write this, the winds are blowing at 27 mph.  We do not take the boat out in more then 20 – 22 mph, being somewhat fair weather sailors.  We have had some spitting rain this afternoon, but we are secure on a mooring (no more dragging anchors), snug and dry in the boat.  It’s 73 degrees here; finally warm climes.  My condolences to all our friends and family back in Maryland who are experiencing freezing temperatures and more snow.  For the first time in 40 years, Bob and I did not have to worry about either how to get to work, or how to be sure that others would get to work through the weather.  This retirement thing is good, but doing it in the south is even better!!! 

Sunset

A Sleepless night

As we have dear friends planning to join us in Ft Lauderdale, it was time to reluctantly leave Vero Beach and continue our migration south.  Tuesday, February 2nd, we woke early, fueled, and set our course south.  Warm weather was promised, and we set our day's goal as a quiet anchorage outside Jupiter in Peck Lake.  The day would take us through Ft. Pierce, Past Stuart, and the junction with Okeechobee Waterway (a cross state canal to the west coast of Florida), and finally alongside Jupter Island to lovely Peck Lake.  An uneventful day on the water brought us into the anchorage which proved to be more crowded than we had hoped.  Squeezing past about a dozed boats, we found a tight anchorage in close to shore.  After two unsuccessful attempts to anchor, dragging ancor both times, the 35 lbs. CQR anchor we use finally bit. 

We enjoyed a beautiful evening with 12-15 mile an hour winds out of the southeast. After dinner, we set up the computer, found an open WIFI connection, and turned on the Duke / Georgia Tech. basketball game.  We were in our berth by 11:00. 

And then, it happened.  Cece and I woke to a loud horn blaring.  Rushing on deck, we found that the wind had built to 20-25 knots, veered further south, and we had dragged anchor into another boat.  In the pitch dark, for the moon had not yet risen, we turned on the engines, pulled forward to retrieve anchor and cable, and hunt for a more secure spot to drop anchor.  All we could find was a spot along the southern edge of the anchorage in 4'4" of water.  The anchor bit, and because of the long fetch we spent a sleepless night listening to the pounding water against our hull and checking the anchor every two hours.

Lots of lessons learned from this one, and tomorrow is in a marina, so we can catch up on our sleep.

Velcro Beach

On Friday January 29th, Cece and I left Eau Gallie, and made a 7 hour run down the Intercoastal to Vero Beach, Fl.  We had read that Vero Beach had become a favorite for cruisers headed south.  So popular in fact, that many cruisers stop here on their southern migration, only to become "stuck".  It's often been referred to therefore as "Velcro" beach.  It is said that more than one boat crew has reached Vero, only to say "That's it, it's too nice to move.  Here for the winter"

Our impressions of the area only reinforced this reputation.  A sheltered mangrove harbor hides a cruiser friendly marina and mooring field from the ICW wakes.  The snug, protected harbor abuts a walkable, affluent beach community complete with good restaurants, parks, art galleries, theaters, and great recreational facilities.  Our first afternoon off the boat brought us to a quiet ocean side bar, where we sat with a couple cold beers and a plate of nachos watching the day disappear.  We were  accompanied by a soft, gentle surf and views of an immense ocean.  It was as close to paradise as we've been on this journey.

Saturday morning we were up early, and headed to a farmers market held in the center of Vero. Fresh fruits, oranges, breads, and more found their way into our bags, as we provisioned for the week.   We then found a free local buss service that ran us to the local grocery store where we completed our provisioning.  From there, we were back to the boat for a lazy afternoon in the sun, catching up on a couple more of the ever present "boat chores" that have become so much a part of our daily lives.  Saturday night we were treated to a fantastic fireworks display, whose purpose seemed to remain a secret to everyone.

Sunday we were up late.  Breaking out our bicycles from the forward hatch, we set out on a ride through the residential neighborhoods of Vero.  With the "Zillo" real estate application on our phones, home shopping has become one of Cece's favorite past times.  Before mid-afternoon, we had checked out dozens of houses.  Fortunately, we lack readily available financial resources to buy another house, or I am certain we both would have written a check before sundown.

Monday became a off the boat day.  Cece found a local salon.  I set out for the local tax office to file for a Florida Sojourners Boating registration.  Florida registration is mandated if you keep a boat in the state for more than 90 days, and we wanted to stay one step ahead of the tax man while on the boat.  All things considered, we find Vero Beach one of the most pleasant stops on this journey.  A place we will definitely return to again, god willing.  But for now, we'll unstuck and continue further south.

Weather

"I cannot command winds and weather."

                                              Horatio Nelson

 

Somehow, weather seems so much more important on a small boat.  Cece and I live by it, and move by it now.  For three months, we have traveled south, trying to keep up with acceptably warm temperatures.  We've lived by a 45 degree rule (If nighttime temps drop below 45 degrees, we tie up at a marina and swallow the higher cost to plug in the heater).  If small boat advisories (winds over 25 knots) are forecast, we stay where we are.  And, when heavy rains come, we would much rather hunker down in the cabin with some hot tea, than sit out in a wet cold cockpit.  We have become fair weather sailors.

 

 

 

I write todays blog from Eau Gallie, Florida.  We are holed up for three days waiting for stormy weather to pass.  Heavy rain throughout the day has resulted in a Scrabble challenge day with periods set aside for boat cleaning and laundry.  We are also starting to catch up on our reading.

 

Of course, the big news up north this week has been the blizzard that struck DC, Baltimore, and New York.  The same storm crossed Marineland, FL. where we were docked, and brought with it high winds, storms, and colder temperatures (40s - 50s).  But, behind the storms a high pressure system has allowed us three good days to continue our passage south.  We've run short days (7 hours), and stopped in South Daytona Beach, Titusville, and now Eau Gallie.  The Space Coast of Florida has proven to be a beautiful environment whose waterways included the Halifax River and the Indian River.  Much of the shoreline is lined with palms and tropical vegetation of all sorts.  These waters are dense with birds, pelicans, and dolphins.  The daily runs have gotten progressively warmer, and we're beginning to think that colder temperatures may finally have been left behind. Of course it is almost February.

 

The shoreline south of St Augustine is full of coquina rock - not your usual white sandy beaches of Florida.

 

We were able to watch the trainers with the dolphins at the Marineland research facility. It was a crummy weather day as you can tell by the sky.

 

This little fella wanted to join us for lunch!

 

Just hanging out in someone's front yard.

 

For friends that wonder what a boat day looks like underway, the routine has become set.  We'll climb out of our berths about 30 minutes after first light.  After checking boat electrical systems (refrigerator, anchor lite, heating systems, etc.) we start the day with our weather apps and a cup of coffee.  Breakfast and boat preparation follow, usually with a 9:00 departure.  Cece loves to start the day at the helm with her hot tea, and usually communes with the waterway till about noon, siting interesting birds and each pod of dolphins. The undeveloped areas of the waterway are best for these observations.  We will trade rolls about noon and Bob will take the helm.  We try to either anchor or pull into the slip by 3pm.  This allows us time to explore the area were we will dock. We will explore the area usually till sunset, which this far south is now 6 pm. Then there are chores around preparing dinner.  Our evenings are spent reading, playing Scrabble or, if we have any reception we will catch up on e-mail or even Dowton Abby, or college basketball. Of course this pattern will change when we arrive somewhere where it is warm enough to stay put.  That means the water has to be 70 degrees and the air at least 75degrees.  Until we reach that mecca, this daily routine will hold.  

 

Searching for the land of warm breezes and palm trees!!! 

Under-Way In A New Year

A more blessed holiday, we've never had.  We celebrated in Ponte Vedra Florida, before the holiday, with my 92 year old father and his wife, Keith.  Still living on their own, they continue to amaze us.  We spent Christmas in New Orleans where our daughter, Ryanne, and her fiancé, Andrew, hosted us in their new home and new city.  Our son, Bobby, and Chelsea also joined us.  Truly, a holiday visit we'll always remember.  Finally, we traveled back to Annapolis for a New Years celebration with family and friends.  A glass was raised with close friends, family, Justin, our daughter in law, and two granddaughters.  The joy and warmth of these visits, should sustain us for a long time.

But, we have now returned to our voyage south.  Embarking back onboard Second Wind in Jacksonville, we steered south through Saint Augustine and now we are docked in Marineland Florida.

Saint Augustine was founded in 1565 by the Spanish. It was named "San Agustín", for the feast day the Spanish settlers celebrated when they first sighted land in Florida.  The city served as the capital of Spanish Florida for over 200 years, and remained the capital of East Florida when the territory briefly changed hands between Spain and Britain. It was designated the capital of the Florida Territory until Tallahassee was made the capital in 1824. Since the late 19th century, St. Augustine's distinct historical character has made the city a major tourist attraction.  We docked at the city marina located in the heart of the historic district, just south of the "Bridge of Lions".  Docking was complicated by some of the strongest cross currents we've had to maneuver against.  Once docked, we went ashore to walk the historic streets of the city.  We walked by the Castillo San Marco, Cathedral, Flagler College, the old city, and the numerous historic districts that surround the city.  In the evening we enjoyed the St Augustine lights, a beautiful holdover from the Christmas holiday.

Wednesday, we  again got underway. This time we headed to Marineland, Florida.  In June 1938, "Marine Studios" (the name "Marineland of Florida" would later be adopted) began operations as a film studio, including a main attraction of trained bottlenose dolphins open to the public.  With its popularity, the studio gave way to tourist marine shows, with attractions and dolphin shows expanding through the 1950s and 1960s. Both of us remember going to the shows as children and taking our children there in the 1990's.

Apparently, by 1999, when major Hurricanes impacted the coast, the infrastructure of Marineland was near collapse.  In 2003 and 2004 demolition began on the original 1938 oceanarium and the age of the original dolphin show at Marineland ended. Today the park has reopened as a hands-on educational facility.  In January 2011, Marineland was sold and it is currently being operated as a subsidiary of the Georgia Aquarium, offering several dolphin programs as well as educational programs.

We are enjoying a few days touring the facilities, hiking the adjacent nature trails, and taking advantage of the educational programs offered before we continue south again.  We also plan a short sojourn across the state to St Petersburg Florida to visit with Cece's mother for a few days.  All in all though, we are glad to be under-way again.