Conditions: 10 knot, S wind
Location: Rodriguez Key (part 2)
Although we got up early this morning in Marathon it took us awhile to restock, refuel, and check out of the marina. We didn't leave until 11:30, meaning we would be sailing into the night. The trip back up to Rodriguez was much more comfortable than the trip down. Dad attributed this to our cockpit awning that we erected before leaving the marina. It did a great job of keeping us out of the sun. We motored with the autopilot on almost the entire day, keeping our hands free to read, write this post, and dolphin watch. One such dolphin swam on our bow wake, another swam under our boat with her calf. Before we knew it we were ten miles away from the anchorage and the sun had set. Fortunately for us the moon was big and bright. I sat on bow for a long time keeping my eyes peeled for crab traps. By 9pm shapes started appearing out of the sea before my eyes. Wave crests started to look like black fins. Dark seaweed patches on the ocean floor began to look like rock formations and shadows cast across the water looked like darting sea monsters. Maybe I'm crazy, or have a vivid imagination, maybe I was just tired but I easily understand how sailors came home with horror stories of sea monsters. We got the anchor set in Rodriguez around 10pm. I told Dad that if he snored tonight I would be forced to suffocate him with my pillow.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Log Book: February 10th
Conditions: 82 degrees
Location: Marathon part 2
Dad and I had planned on returning to Key West today but we were so tired from last night that we decided to just spend the day at Marathon. We went to a great breakfast joint called The Stuffed Pig and then hit the beach. Sobraro Beach was a public beach just a mile away, it was pretty small but had great facilities. We didn't meet a single sole on the beach who was actually from Florida, maybe they have their own secret beaches they go to. Most of the tourists on the sand were foreigners and not the Canadian kind, they're just neighbors. I was really surprised at the number of Europeans who had crossed the Atlantic just for a week in the sun. After the beach we went in search for the municipal marina and found it in a large bay on the ocean side of the island. We had originally thought that there were one hundred or so moorings somewhere in Marathon. Boy were we wrong, looking out on the bay I saw the most boats I had ever seen in one place. There must have been three hundred boats on moorings so close to each other they looked like parked cars. It was impossible to believe that they had a waiting list for this many moorings. I think that Dad has already begun making plans and taking notes for next time. At the end of the day we grilled out at the end of the docks and watched the sun set. It wasn't as exciting as our day in Key West but it was much more relaxing. Tomorrow we will head back up the Keys to try and make the Miami Boat Show.
What we ate: ribs & sweet potatoes
Dad and I had planned on returning to Key West today but we were so tired from last night that we decided to just spend the day at Marathon. We went to a great breakfast joint called The Stuffed Pig and then hit the beach. Sobraro Beach was a public beach just a mile away, it was pretty small but had great facilities. We didn't meet a single sole on the beach who was actually from Florida, maybe they have their own secret beaches they go to. Most of the tourists on the sand were foreigners and not the Canadian kind, they're just neighbors. I was really surprised at the number of Europeans who had crossed the Atlantic just for a week in the sun. After the beach we went in search for the municipal marina and found it in a large bay on the ocean side of the island. We had originally thought that there were one hundred or so moorings somewhere in Marathon. Boy were we wrong, looking out on the bay I saw the most boats I had ever seen in one place. There must have been three hundred boats on moorings so close to each other they looked like parked cars. It was impossible to believe that they had a waiting list for this many moorings. I think that Dad has already begun making plans and taking notes for next time. At the end of the day we grilled out at the end of the docks and watched the sun set. It wasn't as exciting as our day in Key West but it was much more relaxing. Tomorrow we will head back up the Keys to try and make the Miami Boat Show.
What we ate: ribs & sweet potatoes
Log Book: February 9th
Conditions: 80 degrees
Location: Key West
We woke up early this morning, went under the seven mile bridge, over the sand flats of Florida Bay, and into Blackfin Marina. At one point traveling over the flats the bottom was a mere four inches below the keel. You might think that it was risky for us to even try to sail in Florida Bay but just yesterday a sailor told us he was taking his boat down to Key West inside and that his draft is four feet but the average depth of the bay is five so quote on quote "no worries." The marina was a tight fit as well. We were forced to K-turn into the slip because the canal was so narrow. Dad took the wheel at that point, it's nothing like driving a car just so you know. Once we were situated it wasn't a bad spot at all. An hour later we were on a two dollar bus ride down route 1, bound for Key West. Route 1 in the Keys was previously an old railway, built by Henry Flagler when the only access to the keys was by boat. Route 1 is the closest thing to a highway around here. It splits almost every Key in half leaving a trail of strip malls and sprawl in its wake. It is essentially the only road that goes anywhere here and it's a shame that it wasn't kept as a railway. Key West was a different story. The scenery here was not unlike Newport or Block Island, plenty of sandals on the sidewalks. If there are no young people in the Upper Keys it's because they all moved down here. Dad and I bar hopped during the day and then caught the show at sunset. On the pier in Malory Square a number of street performers set up their acts just before sunset. We saw a man eat fire, a Rastafarian who played the steel drum, a pair of acrobats, a kissing parrot, and a juggler with his dancing pig. We had been told by more than a few people that Key West had tons of these 'characters' because it was an 'end of the world' kind of place. I think you might describe them as people who don't feel at home in our mundane society so they go on a nomadic search for a place with people more like themselves. They get further away from the office, then further away from the city, then further away from the suburbs, and the very bravest of them go further away from everything until they reach the end of the world. Key West is a common final destination, many compare it to Provincetown, I would compare it to Oz.
Dad and I got confused by the bus schedule and almost missed the last one out of town. We had a great time but we were definitely ready for some sleep. Unfortunately the bus ride back was a different route that took much longer to get out of town. Luckily for us we had a ortraveling band abroad to pass the time. A group of five teenagers got on the bus after us with their skateboards and one guitar. They were about fifteen but knew all the words to 'What I Got' by Sublime. It was the perfect way to pass the time. We got back to the dock in Marathon safe and sound feeling that our next time in Key West we'll have to join a band.
We woke up early this morning, went under the seven mile bridge, over the sand flats of Florida Bay, and into Blackfin Marina. At one point traveling over the flats the bottom was a mere four inches below the keel. You might think that it was risky for us to even try to sail in Florida Bay but just yesterday a sailor told us he was taking his boat down to Key West inside and that his draft is four feet but the average depth of the bay is five so quote on quote "no worries." The marina was a tight fit as well. We were forced to K-turn into the slip because the canal was so narrow. Dad took the wheel at that point, it's nothing like driving a car just so you know. Once we were situated it wasn't a bad spot at all. An hour later we were on a two dollar bus ride down route 1, bound for Key West. Route 1 in the Keys was previously an old railway, built by Henry Flagler when the only access to the keys was by boat. Route 1 is the closest thing to a highway around here. It splits almost every Key in half leaving a trail of strip malls and sprawl in its wake. It is essentially the only road that goes anywhere here and it's a shame that it wasn't kept as a railway. Key West was a different story. The scenery here was not unlike Newport or Block Island, plenty of sandals on the sidewalks. If there are no young people in the Upper Keys it's because they all moved down here. Dad and I bar hopped during the day and then caught the show at sunset. On the pier in Malory Square a number of street performers set up their acts just before sunset. We saw a man eat fire, a Rastafarian who played the steel drum, a pair of acrobats, a kissing parrot, and a juggler with his dancing pig. We had been told by more than a few people that Key West had tons of these 'characters' because it was an 'end of the world' kind of place. I think you might describe them as people who don't feel at home in our mundane society so they go on a nomadic search for a place with people more like themselves. They get further away from the office, then further away from the city, then further away from the suburbs, and the very bravest of them go further away from everything until they reach the end of the world. Key West is a common final destination, many compare it to Provincetown, I would compare it to Oz.
Dad and I got confused by the bus schedule and almost missed the last one out of town. We had a great time but we were definitely ready for some sleep. Unfortunately the bus ride back was a different route that took much longer to get out of town. Luckily for us we had a ortraveling band abroad to pass the time. A group of five teenagers got on the bus after us with their skateboards and one guitar. They were about fifteen but knew all the words to 'What I Got' by Sublime. It was the perfect way to pass the time. We got back to the dock in Marathon safe and sound feeling that our next time in Key West we'll have to join a band.
What we ate: 50 cent oysters
Log Book: February 8th
Conditions: 10 knot ESE wind
Location: MarathonWe left Rodriguez Key early this morning for Marathon. I don't know if it was that we are now unaccustomed to being under way, or that we didn't sleep well, or that the sun was beating down on us all day but the trip was exhausting. Dad and I both agreed that it seemed like we had been sailing for days. On the way we saw mile after mile of untamed mangrove islands. There aren't many beaches in the keys because the shores are over taken with the trees. They're gorgeous but after a while we got sick of them. We also saw more than a few Portuguese man o' war and a baby sea turtle that shot off like a bullet away from the boat. I fell asleep on deck and got a sunburn while Dad relaxed behind the wheel with a beer. When we got to the Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon the mooring field we expected to find was no where in sight. Somewhere around here there is about a hundred moorings hidden, we just couldn't see them. We dropped the hook out by a few other sailboats and called up the city marina to see if they had any space available for us. Unfortunately Dad and I had no set plan so we didn't call a marina ahead for a reservation in Marathon, big mistake. Every place we called said that we could get on their 'waiting list'. Finally we got a bite with a marina on the Florida Bay side of Marathon. The marina was only a two hour sail but were so exhausted and already quiet settled that we told them we would get there in the early morning. We plan to take and early afternoon bus into Key West tomorrow and see what all the fuss is about. Dad and I went for a swim to cure the slight seasickness we were feeling and called it a night.
What we ate: leftovers
Log Book: February 7th
Conditions: 80 & sunny
Location: Rodriguez KeyWe left the dock at Key Largo pretty late in the day today so we decided that we wouldn't go far. Dad and I dropped the hook just at Rodriguez, just mile away from the marina. The sun was still high in the sky and it was hot. There was just enough breeze to take out the windsurfer, even Dad took a turn. The water here in mid winter is warmer than the water in New England in August, but the locals still think that 70 degrees is cold. Dad and I had a great time and both concluded that today was a very good day. We made dinner and were treated to an absolutely beautiful sunset.
What we ate: chicken salad
Log Book: January 11th-February 7th
Conditions: perfect
Location: Key Largo
The crossing from Key Biscayne to Key Largo was uneventful. All we saw was the clear blue water and Elliot Key in the distance. We took Hawk Channel down inside the reefs, protections from the ocean swells, but it was still a lumpy ride. When we turned in for Key Largo channel the breeze died away. The narrow channel was surrounded by buildings, creating an uncomfortably hot barrier against the ocean breeze. Within minutes Dad and I were sweating. The canal wasn't too long and after navigating a tricky spot affectionately named "crash corner" we spotted Marina Del Mar, our home for the next month, pool included. A month of no sailing wasn't as difficult as you might think. We met up with friends from home who had brought their boats down and made plenty of new friends too. As it turns out Canadians love Florida, or maybe it's unbearably cold for them in Canada. Regardless of how they all came to be in Key Largo (some flew down, some brought their boats down, some flew down and then bought boats) we had to wonder if the Canadians were planning a secret invasion on two fronts. It was great to hear other peoples stories and adventures from racing to Cuba, because Canadians are allowed to do that, or sailing "the loop" (circumnavigation of eastern North America). The experiences of others helps you appreciate your own, and to strive for a new adventure - at least it has in our case.
After being trapped inside the boat at Key Biscayne Dad and I were both eager to get in some much needed exercise. We biked everywhere, there are excellent bike paths throughout the keys and we learned that it is extremely popular for people to fly into Miami and bike from hotel to hotel down to Key West. We even met a couple who were biking from Los Angeles to Key West, they only had one hundred miles to go! I forgot to ask them how it took them but I think something like that might be my next adventure.
The first few days in Key Largo were very nice but I was a little out of my league in the company we kept. The fifty-five and over crowd ate breakfast at 7am, took dinner at 5pm and complained about Obama and social security checks. This recently graduated college liberal bit her tongue and sat in silence, I heard they band together when threatened. So I started looking for a younger crowd to maybe stay up a little later with and show me the good spots. It was harder than you think. Everyone seemed to be either too young or too old. Around the corner from the marina is a large park with every playing field imaginable; basketball courts, roller hockey, skateboard ramps, beach volleyball, tennis courts, a baseball field, a swimming pool, and most importantly a soccer field. For days I staked out the field hoping to find young players there and asking anyone in sight if they knew about pickup games. Finally I got a good tip and on Monday night when I came to the field there were a dozen players scrimmaging. I jumped right in and met Kendra. Kendra had been living and working on Key Largo since she graduated college. She knew her way around Key Largo and took me to all the best spots. I knew they were the best because I had attempted to goat it alone and stumbled upon some pretty lame bars with Dad. Kendra and I went to a Full Moon Party in Islamorada, a ladies night in Key Largo aka free drinks for ladies from 530-7, a rodeo in Homestead, and much more. I had never been to a rodeo before, and everyone could tell. I was probably the only person in the arena that didn't have cowboy boots, a cowboy hat or a flannel on. Kendra also took Dad and I on our first snorkel trip in Key Largo with her dad, Steve. We got up close to the mangroves and swam through schools of baby fish, sending them scattering. There were a number of small barracuda and other medium sized fish using the mangroves as shelter. We saw a cluster of Caribbean lobster and a spotted ray. The trip was a blast and i could see that Dad was getting the itch for more underwater adventures.
The next time Dad and I went out snorkeling we went to a place called Grecian Rocks. The reef was mostly made up of soft coral. Large sea fans swayed to and fro in the current. They were shades of dark purple, green, and brown. Guarding the edges of the reef were giant barracudas, these things were monsters that drifted eerily all around us. They weren't in schools but it was clear that they were no strangers to divers on the reef and were unafraid of us. I swam, uneasily looking over my shoulder at all times, keeping my eyes on them. They were the biggest things out here, they were wider than my thigh, longer than my leg, I was more than a little wary of them, that is until I saw something bigger. I saw his profile as he lazily swished his tail back and forth, a ten foot bull shark was swimming at the edge of the reef less than fifty feet away. Oddly enough I wasn't scared the entire time I watched the shark swim. They really are mesmerizing to watch. The shark swam away from us at an angle and disappeared down the reef edge. Once it was gone the creepy feeling I had felt when looking over my shoulder for the barracuda doubled. I motioned to Dad for us to swim for the boat, he looked like he wanted to stay in the water for longer.
We did a ton of other cool stuff in Key Largo. We went to art shows, a blue grass festival, different parks, fishing, new restaurants, weird food, and all that jazz. On our last day in Key Largo we went to the Everglades with a group of people from our Yacht Club who also had boats in the keys. The park was truly amazing and I would love to go back and explore the trails more. The Everglades was actually nothing like i imagined. I pictured the park to be a vast swamp land, with pontoon boats that whizzed you around the alligators. In actuality the park was one long road with access to several different types of environments that made up an ecosystem that exists no where else in the world. The biggest attraction was, as expected, the crocodiles and alligators. We left Key Largo with the feeling that we had as much fun as possible during our stay.
After being trapped inside the boat at Key Biscayne Dad and I were both eager to get in some much needed exercise. We biked everywhere, there are excellent bike paths throughout the keys and we learned that it is extremely popular for people to fly into Miami and bike from hotel to hotel down to Key West. We even met a couple who were biking from Los Angeles to Key West, they only had one hundred miles to go! I forgot to ask them how it took them but I think something like that might be my next adventure.
The first few days in Key Largo were very nice but I was a little out of my league in the company we kept. The fifty-five and over crowd ate breakfast at 7am, took dinner at 5pm and complained about Obama and social security checks. This recently graduated college liberal bit her tongue and sat in silence, I heard they band together when threatened. So I started looking for a younger crowd to maybe stay up a little later with and show me the good spots. It was harder than you think. Everyone seemed to be either too young or too old. Around the corner from the marina is a large park with every playing field imaginable; basketball courts, roller hockey, skateboard ramps, beach volleyball, tennis courts, a baseball field, a swimming pool, and most importantly a soccer field. For days I staked out the field hoping to find young players there and asking anyone in sight if they knew about pickup games. Finally I got a good tip and on Monday night when I came to the field there were a dozen players scrimmaging. I jumped right in and met Kendra. Kendra had been living and working on Key Largo since she graduated college. She knew her way around Key Largo and took me to all the best spots. I knew they were the best because I had attempted to goat it alone and stumbled upon some pretty lame bars with Dad. Kendra and I went to a Full Moon Party in Islamorada, a ladies night in Key Largo aka free drinks for ladies from 530-7, a rodeo in Homestead, and much more. I had never been to a rodeo before, and everyone could tell. I was probably the only person in the arena that didn't have cowboy boots, a cowboy hat or a flannel on. Kendra also took Dad and I on our first snorkel trip in Key Largo with her dad, Steve. We got up close to the mangroves and swam through schools of baby fish, sending them scattering. There were a number of small barracuda and other medium sized fish using the mangroves as shelter. We saw a cluster of Caribbean lobster and a spotted ray. The trip was a blast and i could see that Dad was getting the itch for more underwater adventures.
The next time Dad and I went out snorkeling we went to a place called Grecian Rocks. The reef was mostly made up of soft coral. Large sea fans swayed to and fro in the current. They were shades of dark purple, green, and brown. Guarding the edges of the reef were giant barracudas, these things were monsters that drifted eerily all around us. They weren't in schools but it was clear that they were no strangers to divers on the reef and were unafraid of us. I swam, uneasily looking over my shoulder at all times, keeping my eyes on them. They were the biggest things out here, they were wider than my thigh, longer than my leg, I was more than a little wary of them, that is until I saw something bigger. I saw his profile as he lazily swished his tail back and forth, a ten foot bull shark was swimming at the edge of the reef less than fifty feet away. Oddly enough I wasn't scared the entire time I watched the shark swim. They really are mesmerizing to watch. The shark swam away from us at an angle and disappeared down the reef edge. Once it was gone the creepy feeling I had felt when looking over my shoulder for the barracuda doubled. I motioned to Dad for us to swim for the boat, he looked like he wanted to stay in the water for longer.
We did a ton of other cool stuff in Key Largo. We went to art shows, a blue grass festival, different parks, fishing, new restaurants, weird food, and all that jazz. On our last day in Key Largo we went to the Everglades with a group of people from our Yacht Club who also had boats in the keys. The park was truly amazing and I would love to go back and explore the trails more. The Everglades was actually nothing like i imagined. I pictured the park to be a vast swamp land, with pontoon boats that whizzed you around the alligators. In actuality the park was one long road with access to several different types of environments that made up an ecosystem that exists no where else in the world. The biggest attraction was, as expected, the crocodiles and alligators. We left Key Largo with the feeling that we had as much fun as possible during our stay.
Log Book: January 7th-10th
Conditions: 60s and rainy
Location: Key BiscayneIt was an easy trip this morning from Marine Stadium to No Name Harbor. Dad and I went for a swim as soon as we arrived. The water was aqua, no other word for it. It was as if someone had put food coloring in the water, it was gorgeous. No Name happened to be a basin in a state park. When we anchored in the morning there were four other boats in the harbor, by sunset there were fifteen. The harbor was at its limits, clearly we all had the same idea to hang here to wait out the storm. Dad and I explored the park and found bike paths, hiking trails, and a lighthouse museum. The park also supported two restaurants and a public beach. The town of Key Biscayne was only a short bike ride away. It seemed that the harbor was in the perfect spot. Except it rained, and rained, and rained. Dad and I saw more rain in Key Biscayne than we saw the entire trip. No exaggeration. Dad and I tried to keep busy. We went to the library, went for bike rides in the rain, went up the lighthouse, visited a nature conservatory, and for the last day of our stay biked the ten miles to and from Miami. After three days at Key Biscayne we were finally ready to make the sail for Key Largo.
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