It was another early morning dinghy ride into the marina. Maureen spent the day taking care of business on the computer and posting a few entries to the blog. Gale and Joel waited around for a few hours trying to connect with Austin, the young man working at the marina, who had offered the use of his truck to go to West Marine and trade out the new dinghy. Gale didn’t like the way the paint was coming away from the floor of the dinghy we purchased at West Marine in Key West. The West Marine in Marathon had the same model and said we could simply trade for a replacement.
By 4 pm, the guys were back with the new dinghy and Maureen had already grown weary from staring at the computer screen. Joel and Gale hooked up the outboard motor, transferred the safety equipment to the new dinghy and we were ready to go again. Instead of traveling back to the boat for dinner, we decided to head for Dockside Lounge where we relaxed and enjoyed a couple of drinks with our dinner. Gale and Maureen shared the BBQ chicken special and Joel went for the Mahi Mahi – both excellent choices!
After dinner, we walked down the dock to see if Tom and his vessel, Sunshine Baby, were still in the slip. The boat was there so we knocked on the hull and Tom invited us aboard for a glass of wine. After a nice visit, we walked back to the restaurant dock where we boarded our dinghy and motored home for the night.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sat, Feb 27, 2010 - Marathon, FL
We headed to the marina in the morning. Joel walked across the highway to purchase a fishing license and Maureen headed to the Publix grocery store to reprovision. While Maureen was doing the shopping, Gale and Joel went back to the boat to work on various projects including polishing the stainless steel, figuring out why the inverter had tripped and “tweaking” the dinghy configurations. When Maureen was finished at Publix, she called a taxi to take her to the marina where Gale met her and ferried her and the groceries back to the boat.
We continued with our projects throughout the afternoon. Maureen made a key lime pie for tonight’s dessert and a lettuce salad for the next several lunches. As we worked, we watched several of the neighboring boats readjusting their anchor lines, setting additional anchors and tying their sterns to the mangroves. The forecast for tonight was for a big blow and people were preparing their vessels. We were already happy with our position and knew from previous experience at this anchorage that we would be fine.
As we were finishing our tasks and thinking about throwing in a couple of fishing lines, our friend, Mark Holt, called. He and Diane have decided to move their boat, Adventure, from Stuart, Florida, to San Diego, California, during the late spring and early summer and invited us to accompany them as they make their passage to San Diego by way of the Bahamas, possibly Jamaica, and the Panama Canal. It sounded like the trip of a lifetime to us and we will do everything we can to make the timing work!
We continued with our projects throughout the afternoon. Maureen made a key lime pie for tonight’s dessert and a lettuce salad for the next several lunches. As we worked, we watched several of the neighboring boats readjusting their anchor lines, setting additional anchors and tying their sterns to the mangroves. The forecast for tonight was for a big blow and people were preparing their vessels. We were already happy with our position and knew from previous experience at this anchorage that we would be fine.
As we were finishing our tasks and thinking about throwing in a couple of fishing lines, our friend, Mark Holt, called. He and Diane have decided to move their boat, Adventure, from Stuart, Florida, to San Diego, California, during the late spring and early summer and invited us to accompany them as they make their passage to San Diego by way of the Bahamas, possibly Jamaica, and the Panama Canal. It sounded like the trip of a lifetime to us and we will do everything we can to make the timing work!
Fri, Feb 26, 2010 - Marathon, FL
The skies were clear, the temperature was 63°F and the winds were from the north at 7 knots as we left Newfound Harbor and motored past the classy Little Palm Island Resort and Spa – another exclusive resort accessible only by boat or seaplane. The photos were taken as we left our anchorage.
We sailed the 23 nautical miles with north winds averaging near 20 knots and arrived at Boot Key City Marina shortly after noon where we registered for dinghy privileges, filled the fresh water tanks and had our holding tank pumped out. We anchored in our favorite protected spot at Sister Creek with the bow tied to the mangroves and a light anchor off the stern.
After securing the boat, we dinghied to the marina for showers. Back aboard Blue Heron we relaxed and enjoyed the evening.
Thurs, Feb 25, 2010 - Newfound Harbor, Big Pine Key, FL
It was a cool and cloudy morning. Mary and Maureen gathered up the laundry and started a few loads at the marina’s facility. When the wash was going, the four of us walked over to the Cuban Coffee Queen to order coffee and breakfast sandwiches. As the ladies continued with their tasks, the guys walked back to West Marine to trade flat fenders (bumpers) for new ones that would hold air.
Mary and Joel were scheduled to leave for Milwaukee today; however, Joel decided to extend his stay for another week and help Gale out with several jobs aboard Blue Heron. The Dockmaster at Key West Bight Marina informed us that we needed to be out of the slip by noon because she had two boats on their way in and she needed our space. Since we had previously been given a 1 pm deadline to vacate the slip, we had to scramble to get everything done. At 11 am, Joel and Mary left for the airport via taxi. Joel needed to have his departure date changed on his ticket and be dockside once again by noon. Fortunately, the Key West Airport wasn’t too far away and we were amazed to see him back in record time (20 minutes to spare). We were out of the slip by noon and headed into strong winds on the north side of the island. It was nice when we reached the south side and found much calmer seas.
With winds out of the north and northwest from 17 to 25 knots, we sailed swiftly and covered the 29 nautical miles to Newfound Harbor in less than five hours. We found a protected spot for the night and set out two anchors.
Mary and Joel were scheduled to leave for Milwaukee today; however, Joel decided to extend his stay for another week and help Gale out with several jobs aboard Blue Heron. The Dockmaster at Key West Bight Marina informed us that we needed to be out of the slip by noon because she had two boats on their way in and she needed our space. Since we had previously been given a 1 pm deadline to vacate the slip, we had to scramble to get everything done. At 11 am, Joel and Mary left for the airport via taxi. Joel needed to have his departure date changed on his ticket and be dockside once again by noon. Fortunately, the Key West Airport wasn’t too far away and we were amazed to see him back in record time (20 minutes to spare). We were out of the slip by noon and headed into strong winds on the north side of the island. It was nice when we reached the south side and found much calmer seas.
With winds out of the north and northwest from 17 to 25 knots, we sailed swiftly and covered the 29 nautical miles to Newfound Harbor in less than five hours. We found a protected spot for the night and set out two anchors.
Wed, Feb 24, 2010 - Key West, FL
At 7:45 am we motored around Fleming Key to Key West Bight Marina where we fueled up, filled the water tanks and pumped out the holding tank. We had arranged for a slip at their dock for the night since we were without a dinghy. Besides, there were supposed to be more high winds and storms coming in the afternoon and since it was our last night with Mary and Joel, we thought it would be nice to be close to downtown where we could go out to eat and visit Mallory Square for the sunset celebration.
At 11 am, Garrison Bight Marina delivered a new Yamaha outboard motor. Gale and Joel walked to West Marine to shop for a new dinghy and to replace the safety equipment that was lost. Maureen and Mary took Lucy for a walk and then joined the guys at West Marine to see how they were doing. Everyone was ready for lunch by then so we took a break and walked up to Duval Street where we found a table on the porch at the restaurant Bagatelle. As we were finishing our meal, Gale and Maureen both recognized a familiar face from back home. Jane (Joslyn) Gruis and her husband were walking down the street looking for a place to have their lunch. We spoke to them for a few minutes and said we had just been commenting that if you were ever going to run into somebody you knew, this would certainly be a likely place for that to happen.
After lunch it was back to West Marine to finish shopping. We rolled the dinghy to the dock on a cart, lowered it into the water and Gale used the oars to row himself and Maureen around a couple of other docks to our slip.
Joel and Gale spent the afternoon working on attaching the motor and getting the dinghy rigged up so it could be hoisted up on the davits.
After four very long, hot and welcome showers, we met for drinks at Turtle Kraals restaurant. From there we walked over to the Raw Bar for oysters on the half shell and some conch fritters. During our dinner, the storm hit with high winds and rain. The wind kept up all night with intermittent rain showers making it very difficult to sleep as we banged against the dock. Again, we missed the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square.
At 11 am, Garrison Bight Marina delivered a new Yamaha outboard motor. Gale and Joel walked to West Marine to shop for a new dinghy and to replace the safety equipment that was lost. Maureen and Mary took Lucy for a walk and then joined the guys at West Marine to see how they were doing. Everyone was ready for lunch by then so we took a break and walked up to Duval Street where we found a table on the porch at the restaurant Bagatelle. As we were finishing our meal, Gale and Maureen both recognized a familiar face from back home. Jane (Joslyn) Gruis and her husband were walking down the street looking for a place to have their lunch. We spoke to them for a few minutes and said we had just been commenting that if you were ever going to run into somebody you knew, this would certainly be a likely place for that to happen.
After lunch it was back to West Marine to finish shopping. We rolled the dinghy to the dock on a cart, lowered it into the water and Gale used the oars to row himself and Maureen around a couple of other docks to our slip.
Joel and Gale spent the afternoon working on attaching the motor and getting the dinghy rigged up so it could be hoisted up on the davits.
After four very long, hot and welcome showers, we met for drinks at Turtle Kraals restaurant. From there we walked over to the Raw Bar for oysters on the half shell and some conch fritters. During our dinner, the storm hit with high winds and rain. The wind kept up all night with intermittent rain showers making it very difficult to sleep as we banged against the dock. Again, we missed the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square.
Tues, Feb 23, 2010 - Key West, FL
The sea was calm and the skies clear when we awoke to prepare for our long passage to Key West. Just as the sun was rising over Ft Jefferson, we pulled anchor and headed out to sea. It was a very pleasant day with clear, sunny skies, temperatures between 69 and 79 degrees, and breezes from the east blowing anywhere from not at all to 10 knots. We saw hundreds of Portuguese Man o’War jellyfish throughout the day. The dolphins, however, were few and far between.
We covered 68 nautical miles between 7 am and 6:30 pm and made it all the way to Garrison Bight Marina where we tied up to a mooring ball for the night. Compared to some of the recent nights, this one was relatively calm and we rested well.
Mon, Feb 22, 2010 - Dry Tortugas, FL
It was a wild night with very little sleeping going on aboard our boat! Myeerah came perilously close to us sometime after midnight and clipped our dinghy line causing the line to break and the dinghy to float away. We were glad to be beside the yacht rather than downwind from her, though. About 2 am her anchor slipped and she drifted quickly upon the two sailboats below her. Fortunately, the yacht captain awoke just in time and moved the boat back to where she had been and reset the anchor. We were up most of the night watching the boats around us and listening to the wind and the rain.
At 6 am, Maureen was in the cockpit watching the big boat and saw her slip again. She called to Gale who then awakened Joel and Mary. We stood by helplessly watching events unfold. In a matter of moments, Myeerah was upon the small Canadian sailboat with two guys aboard and then she slipped down on the 40-foot sailboat, Quest, below her. There were four people aboard Quest. Myeerah was able to keep from pulling Quest loose from her anchor and then freed herself from the Canadian sailboat.
After the sailboats were safe, the captains of the four boats involved (Myeerah, Quest, Blue Heron and the Canadian sailboat) communicated by marine radio making sure no one was injured and reporting any known damages. At 8 am, the park service ranger was contacted by the captain of Myeerah to let him know what had happened. The ranger requested that the four captains come in to the office as soon as it was safe to do so. At that time the winds were still extremely strong, around 30 to 35 knots. Myeerah was moved into the channel and safely anchored. Since we no longer had a dinghy to get to shore, the captain of Quest came by and picked Gale up as well as the captain on the Canadian vessel and they all went ashore to file an official accident and damage report. Myeerah’s captain met them at the dock.
After the report was filed and everyone was back aboard their respective boats, Myeerah’s captain called on the radio to let us know that he had a check from the owner of the boat to reimburse us for the loss of the dinghy, motor and safety equipment. He dropped off the check and Gale signed a liability release. We weren’t certain what kind of deal was worked out for damages to the other two boats, but we were happy with our own outcome.
Around noon, we saw Myeerah leave the safety of its anchorage and head out into some very tough sea conditions with 25 knot winds and 7 to 9 foot seas. There was no question that the boat was seaworthy; however, we doubted that the people on board would enjoy the cruise back to Key West very much. Quest also chose to pull anchor and made her way toward Key West. We stayed put, made sure our anchors were the way we wanted them and settled in for the rest of the day. The four of us worked on a group project related to the head that wasn’t the most pleasant job but one that needed to be done.
The rain quit during the afternoon and the winds decreased to 20 knots. Gale and Maureen were able to nap for about an hour in the late afternoon while Joel and Mary fished off the back of the boat. They caught several fish and even attracted the big grouper who decided to hang out beneath the boat and grab every fish he could as soon as it was on the hook!
Before evening, we weren’t totally surprised to see Myeerah coming back into the channel. It must have been a miserable trip for them to turn around. We were hoping that Quest would come back, too, but we didn’t see her again.
At 6 am, Maureen was in the cockpit watching the big boat and saw her slip again. She called to Gale who then awakened Joel and Mary. We stood by helplessly watching events unfold. In a matter of moments, Myeerah was upon the small Canadian sailboat with two guys aboard and then she slipped down on the 40-foot sailboat, Quest, below her. There were four people aboard Quest. Myeerah was able to keep from pulling Quest loose from her anchor and then freed herself from the Canadian sailboat.
After the sailboats were safe, the captains of the four boats involved (Myeerah, Quest, Blue Heron and the Canadian sailboat) communicated by marine radio making sure no one was injured and reporting any known damages. At 8 am, the park service ranger was contacted by the captain of Myeerah to let him know what had happened. The ranger requested that the four captains come in to the office as soon as it was safe to do so. At that time the winds were still extremely strong, around 30 to 35 knots. Myeerah was moved into the channel and safely anchored. Since we no longer had a dinghy to get to shore, the captain of Quest came by and picked Gale up as well as the captain on the Canadian vessel and they all went ashore to file an official accident and damage report. Myeerah’s captain met them at the dock.
After the report was filed and everyone was back aboard their respective boats, Myeerah’s captain called on the radio to let us know that he had a check from the owner of the boat to reimburse us for the loss of the dinghy, motor and safety equipment. He dropped off the check and Gale signed a liability release. We weren’t certain what kind of deal was worked out for damages to the other two boats, but we were happy with our own outcome.
Around noon, we saw Myeerah leave the safety of its anchorage and head out into some very tough sea conditions with 25 knot winds and 7 to 9 foot seas. There was no question that the boat was seaworthy; however, we doubted that the people on board would enjoy the cruise back to Key West very much. Quest also chose to pull anchor and made her way toward Key West. We stayed put, made sure our anchors were the way we wanted them and settled in for the rest of the day. The four of us worked on a group project related to the head that wasn’t the most pleasant job but one that needed to be done.
The rain quit during the afternoon and the winds decreased to 20 knots. Gale and Maureen were able to nap for about an hour in the late afternoon while Joel and Mary fished off the back of the boat. They caught several fish and even attracted the big grouper who decided to hang out beneath the boat and grab every fish he could as soon as it was on the hook!
Before evening, we weren’t totally surprised to see Myeerah coming back into the channel. It must have been a miserable trip for them to turn around. We were hoping that Quest would come back, too, but we didn’t see her again.
Sun, Feb 21, 2010 - Dry Tortugas, FL
We woke to the sounds of the thousands of birds nesting on Bush Key, the island very near to our anchoring site. About 80,000 Sooty Terns nest annually on Bush Key and it is the only important breeding colony for this species in the continental U.S. About 4,500 Brown Noddies also breed on Bush Key where they place their bulky nests of seaweed and sticks in the bushes and mangrove trees. Long Key contains the only current nesting colony for the Magnificent Frigatebird in the continental U.S. They first nested in this area in 1988, and may be the same population that nested for 25 years at the Marquesas Keys until driven away by human disturbance. The Frigatebird spends 90 percent of its life in the air.
Our plan for the day included joining up with one of the guided tours given by the crew of either of the two excursion boats arriving daily from Key West. The Dry Tortugas are a cluster of seven islands located almost 70 miles west of Key West. With the surrounding shoals and water, they make up Dry Tortugas National Park, an area noted for bird and marine life and shipwrecks. Fort Jefferson, its central cultural feature, is the nation’s largest 1800’s masonry fort.
By 10 am we had dinghied to shore and watched the tour boats arrive. We joined up with the group from the first tour boat and listened to the guide give the history of the Fort as we walked through the structure and grounds. It was interesting to hear about all of the great ideas gone wrong during its construction which began on Garden Key in 1846, went on for thirty years, but was never finished. During the Civil War the Fort served as a Union military prison for captured deserters. It’s most famous prisoner, Dr. Samuel Mudd, was convicted for conspiracy after he treated President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin’s leg when he broke it trying to escape after the shooting. The Army abandoned the Fort in 1874 and in 1935 it became a National Park.
We found out why the emergency lights had been flashing out in the channel last night. A man and a woman who were camping at Dry Tortugas had taken their kayak out in the afternoon and not returned. The only facts given were that the man was rescued but the woman was not. Her body was found today. Very sad.
The skies clouded up around noon and we experienced some light sprinkles. The four of us headed back to the boat for lunch. The men put on their rain gear to fish in the dinghy for the afternoon but they didn’t have much luck catching anything. We shared some snacks of Wisconsin cheese, crackers and sauce for happy hour. Maureen made a tuna casserole for dinner since we didn’t quite have enough fish.
During the evening hours the wind started blowing 25 to 30 knots out of the east northeast. Myeerah, the big motor yacht anchored near us, began swinging around in a very wide arc.
Our plan for the day included joining up with one of the guided tours given by the crew of either of the two excursion boats arriving daily from Key West. The Dry Tortugas are a cluster of seven islands located almost 70 miles west of Key West. With the surrounding shoals and water, they make up Dry Tortugas National Park, an area noted for bird and marine life and shipwrecks. Fort Jefferson, its central cultural feature, is the nation’s largest 1800’s masonry fort.
By 10 am we had dinghied to shore and watched the tour boats arrive. We joined up with the group from the first tour boat and listened to the guide give the history of the Fort as we walked through the structure and grounds. It was interesting to hear about all of the great ideas gone wrong during its construction which began on Garden Key in 1846, went on for thirty years, but was never finished. During the Civil War the Fort served as a Union military prison for captured deserters. It’s most famous prisoner, Dr. Samuel Mudd, was convicted for conspiracy after he treated President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin’s leg when he broke it trying to escape after the shooting. The Army abandoned the Fort in 1874 and in 1935 it became a National Park.
We found out why the emergency lights had been flashing out in the channel last night. A man and a woman who were camping at Dry Tortugas had taken their kayak out in the afternoon and not returned. The only facts given were that the man was rescued but the woman was not. Her body was found today. Very sad.
The skies clouded up around noon and we experienced some light sprinkles. The four of us headed back to the boat for lunch. The men put on their rain gear to fish in the dinghy for the afternoon but they didn’t have much luck catching anything. We shared some snacks of Wisconsin cheese, crackers and sauce for happy hour. Maureen made a tuna casserole for dinner since we didn’t quite have enough fish.
During the evening hours the wind started blowing 25 to 30 knots out of the east northeast. Myeerah, the big motor yacht anchored near us, began swinging around in a very wide arc.
Sat, Feb 20, 2010 - Dry Tortugas, FL
In the middle of the night, the skies cleared and the stars shone brightly. We slept well and arose early enough to have breakfast and complete our boat chores in time to pull up anchor and leave shortly after 7 am. Around sunrise, the clouds came in again but we hoped it would clear up once more so we could enjoy some sunshine and warmer temperatures. The winds were out of the northeast around 12 knots which allowed us to use the sails for a boost in speed. The ride was a little bumpy and we were very glad to have extra crew along to share the time behind the wheel.
The fifty mile trip to the Dry Tortugas took us eight hours and we arrived at the park dock at 3 pm just as the excursion boats were leaving for the day. We were told that we could tie up to the dock until sunset and walk around Fort Jefferson on a self-guided tour.
We spent some time exploring the Fort and marveling at the structure itself and the difficulties that must have been encountered as the massive construction project was undertaken. Back at the dock, the guys decided to throw in a couple of fishing lines and pulled in several nice mangrove snappers for dinner. We were told to reel any catch in quickly or the huge Goliath Grouper lurking beneath the pier would grab it for himself!
After the fish quit biting, it was time to move the boat out into the anchorage. It was quite windy, but we were able to find a good spot where we set two anchors. Just as we finished with the anchor bridle, the 91-foot super yacht, Myeerah, entered the designated mooring area and squeezed into the space between the three sailboats already anchored. The park ranger advised them that it was not a good anchoring spot for vessels of her size and recommended that the captain anchor at Bird Key. Myeerah’s captain replied he had anchored here for the last seven years and never experienced any problems in the past. He continued to slide her into the small space as he dropped anchor.
After watching Myeerah settle in for the night, we relaxed in the cabin and shared a fantastic dinner of fresh snapper and rice. A little later in the evening, we noticed flashing blue and white lights out towards Loggerhead Island and into the channel. We turned on the VHF radio but weren’t able to pick up any transmissions that would give us an idea of what was happening. We thought the park ranger might have been assisting a fishing vessel or a pleasure craft into safe harbor.
Fri, Feb 19, 2010 - Marquesas Keys
The northeast wind blew a steady 15 knots all night. The waves weren’t quite as big as the night before and everyone seemed to have rested better. We pulled anchor at 7:30 am and ventured out toward the Marquesas Islands and the Dry Tortugas. The temperature was 58°F, skies were cloudy and the wind was chilly. Once we were away from Key West about 5 miles, we turned to the southwest and kept the wind over the starboard beam which made for very nice sailing.
We arrived at Boca Grande Key about 11 am and checked out two possible anchorages for the night. From there we traveled another 5 miles to the Marquesas Keys to see if we liked that spot any better. The Captain and crew did not feel comfortable trying to sound our way all the way into Mooney Harbor with a water depth of only about 2 or 3 feet at high tide. We had a long sailing day ahead of us tomorrow and needed to leave in the morning at about the time the tide would be at its lowest so there was some concern about our ability to get out. The final decision was to drop the anchor in about 3 to 4 feet of water outside the entrance to the harbor where there was still good protection from the wind and the waves.
After a nice lunch, Gale and Joel lowered the dinghy and set a second anchor for safety. When they were satisfied with the holding, they grabbed a couple of fishing poles and ventured out on a mission to bring back fresh fish for dinner. Maureen and Mary were happy to stay aboard Blue Heron where it was warm and dry. The fishermen didn’t bring back any fish, but they did have a beautiful orange starfish with them that we all admired and then released back to the sea. We enjoyed our backup dinner of hamburgers and baked beans after the sun went down and spent a couple of hours reminiscing about the adventures Gale and Joel shared growing up in the same neighborhood.
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