We Made it! (to the Keys)

 Friday January 31st 2:30pm


We made it to the Keys!  Just dropped anchor off Johnston Key, between Marathon Key and Key West, having made the 47 mile crossing from Cape Sable in Everglades National Park.  Three months ago we started talking about the Keys as a possible destination.   Two months ago  I started putting together a travel itinerary - beginning to envision how long might it take.    My first 'hard' itinerary (with stopping points, miles between, and estimated days brought us to Marathon Key on January 30th - traveling an estimated 759 miles.    We have arrived within a day of the original itinerary having brought Navigator 735 miles.



We fought through some adversity (the weather primarily along with a couple of breakdowns).  We learned something new about the boat almost every day.  We adjusted the plan where it made sense, taking advantage of a weather window - and Otto's availability - to make the crossing.  Taking advantage of a chance to catch up with Bill & Molly aboard Salty Paws and hunker down as a front moved through Ft Myers .  We ate well thanks to Liz and Molly, had occasional sweet snacks thanks to Bill (Black Cherry ice cream at Scoops on First in Ft Myers and Sweet Annie's in Marco Island to die for!).  Played some cards.  Dealt with dragging anchors.   Found some cool anchorages (especially in Everglades National Park.   And all in all had fun.   

We are incredibly fortunate.

Sunset over Key West



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

You don't get to choose your problems

Image
On Friday afternoon, February 27th, just hours after tying up at the slip, my good friend Miles sent me the following email:   "The Atlantis Marina looks pretty upscale. I'm wondering if this is a re-supply or whether you've had a system failure you can't fix.  Hope it's a re-supply." Miles is a close friend from college who, like me, studied geology, and geography.  He is an experienced boatman, with years of experience running whitewater river rafting trips on the Green & Colorado Rivers.   And although he eschews mobile phones, he is pretty dialed in - in particular he follows Navigator on the Marine Traffic app.   He detected our U turn and bee line from Cambridge Cay to Nassau and sent that message within hours of us arriving in Nassau, at the Atlantis marina.    The day before we had departed Cambridge Cay with the intention of heading further south extending our stay in the Exuma's for another few weeks.   But we did...
Read more

Swiming with the Pigs

Image
March 13th,  Day 47 of voyage, Day 37 in the Bahamas Pig Beach, Big Major Cay Never been to Disney World.   Don't really like cruise ships.  Never been to Santa's Village.  Not a fan of tourist attractions in general but yesterday we visited Big Major Island where people "Swim With The Pigs".    This is a uniquely Bahamian thing.   It started with unruly pigs that folks were raising on nearby Stanley Cay - a populated island.  In the 90's those pigs just got too much to handle and they were banished to Big Major Cay.   The farmer continued raising them and tended to them every day.   The pigs quickly learned that the boat meant food and as soon as they heard the boat coming, they would swim out to meet it.   It didn't take long for others to notice, and finding it amusing,  they would tag along to see the show.   Eventually, someone (probably the farmer) figured out this was a way to make mone...
Read more

Searching for warmth in Florida

Image
Pine Island at Dawn Even though it is just a week, it seems so long ago!  Back on the morning of the 29th, we woke up anchored at Pine Island on the Tombolo River in Northern Florida - our first anchorage after leaving Georgia - and it was cold,  34 F, again.   So much for Florida being warmer!   The cold was keeping us motivated so by 7:30  we were continuing south .    By 9 we passed through the Bridge of Lions - downtown St Augustine - with lovely morning sun lighting up  Castillo de San Marcos and downtown Flagler college.  As much as we had enjoyed St Augustine last trip, we had no desire to linger any longer than necessary wishing instead for something warmer.   We pushed on, passing Daytona Beach and putting in another long day: 10 hours and 83 miles, reaching Calsita Creek,  just south of New Smyrna Beach by 5:30 pm.   Bridge of Lions Castillo de San Marcos Calista Creek Anchorage On Friday the 30th ...
Read more