Weather Windows II
Some day finally came, the day the wind shifted southerly enough to sail away from Key West before the heat built up to levels intolerable on a boat without air conditioning. On 12 March I set sail for Marathon on a heading of 80 degrees, the wind was at least 125 degrees, life was good.
It was an easy seven hour run and I arrived at the Marathon Safe Harbor Marina fuel dock where I slowed down enough for Doug, my friend from Marco Island, to jump on board. We did a lap around the Boot Key moorings, it is a very down to earth kind of place, regular folks living on the water. I had trouble reaching the city docks on the radio and decided to just anchor outside the harbor.
Doug and I rode my dinghy back to his boat in the Marina. I agreed to come by for a couple of days and help out on some more repairs.
Repairs require parts and parts require a parts run, a parts run requires wheels. We walked into town and the first thing for rent was the Polaris Slingshot you see above. I always wanted to try one of these out! Doug was all in and off we went in our Slingshot. Priorities, first stop, the beach, LOL! Then the parts store on the far end of town, the first happy hour of the day at the Brass Monkey, classic dive bar. The second happy hour at Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, fantastic food, drinks and atmosphere. And then it was time to drop off the Slingshot, Doug and I will miss her.
Third happy hour was at Porkys Bayside Restaurnat and Marina. I mean, we couldn't just walk past it on the way back to the Marina and not stop. Also fantastic local vibe. Marathon ain't pretty but it is fun!
The next day we worked on Doug's boat. We got the winches running smoothly, got the anchor light to illuminate again and tweaked a hand full of other small issues. Most importantly we installed a new cabin fan, a must in Florida when it starts getting warm!
The next day was the annual Marathon Seafood Festival with live music and vendors, it was a great time but I had to head out early so I could make it back to my boat before dark and before the wind picked up. It can be a long wet ride if you don't time it well. Also, I had to head out early, there was a good SE wind to catch.
As predicted, the wind held out and I made haste. My plan was to do an over night, non-stop run all the way from Marathon to Jenson Beach, about 182 miles. It would be my best run yet by a few miles! Also, the keys keep turning more northerly as you go so things were getting easier, except it was blowing about 20 knots, so I had one reef in the main and the jib was rolled in about 15 percent and combined with the current I was making 7.3 knots! By 1pm I added a second reef and shortly after the coast guard released a small craft advisory. Kismet is an ocean going vessel so a small craft advisory just tells me I might get wet. And then I got quite wet, the dark clouds you see in the picture above decided to unload on me. Visibility went down to two hundred feet, and worse, the wind came around from the north. This was not good because I was sailing in Hawk Channel with the Keys to the west and reefs to the East. By this time I was down to the staysail on the bow, but it doesn't have roller furling; after dropping the sail I had to go to the bow to tie it down and was soaked. I motored, slowly, into the rain squall until it began to let up. The whole sky was dark and I was very near the point where I had to navigate over the reef and into the gulf stream to continue north. I was wet, cold, hungry, and unsure how much more rain lay ahead.
I punted and motored strait for the shore of Key Largo to the west, got as close as I could given my deep draft and dropped my anchor. It went clunk on the coral bottom, but it held when I backed down on it. It would have to do. I called the nearest marina but their approach was too shallow for Kismet. I made dinner and then went to bed and listened to the anchor chain dragging around on the bottom. I spent eight hours in bed except the two times I had to get up and reset the anchor which gave up its tenuous hold on the smooth ocean floor, but I got no real sleep. This trip would need a re-plan.
The new plan was to see how far I could get in one day. I set out on 16 March intent on getting to No Name harbor near Miami, at least that is what I told the Coast Guard when they disturbed by breakfast to enquirer as to why I was anchored in the middle of nowhere. But as you can see above, I was making great time once I hit the gulf stream. The sailing was good but Kismet can only do 7.7 knots on her own and it wasn't blowing hard enough for that, I had at least a 2 knot push of current and when I got adjacent to No Name at noon I decided to make another twenty miles of northerly progress while I was making such good speed. Fort Lauderdale it would be. Don't tell the Coast Guard!
On the way south I also stopped here and had difficulties with over crowding and lack of services. This time would be no different. First stop would be Lake Sylvia and it was again, over full. I dropped anchor precariously close to a motor boat, had dinner and then chatted with my nervous neighbor. Sorry, this just isn't going to work out, gotta go. There is a mooring field a half mile away, so I went to check that out, but it too was full. Last chance, there is one more anchorage past the next draw bridge and I got lucky with the timing and went right through and found the Los Olas anchorage to be mostly empty. Great, I have a new home for the next five days while awaiting the next weather window. The 17th was fine, the 18th was so wet I didn't leave the boat all day.
The anchorage was just a wide part of the ICW and one morning this refueling boat anchors near me and then super yachts start refueling there, taking on thousands of gallons of fuel. I know this because the refueler had to be refueled before the next yacht showed up!
Finally as the next weather window approached, I was able to grab a mooring ball on the other side of Los Olas bridge so there would only be one more bridge to time for my departure. Luckily there is a dinghy dock one hundred feet from my mooring which made it easy to go ashore and it was about a three block walk to the beach and all the shops and restaurants. I had also been chatting with a local lady, Marcia on Sea People so we decided to meet at the closest restaurant with a dinghy dock, Coconuts. We had a nice time talking about our sailing adventures. She races on her brothers boat in Annapolis.
As weather windows wait for no one, on 21 March I sailed for West Palm Beach and got a front row seat for the upcoming boat show. I was five days early but the boats were already coming in. And I got to see my favorite sailboat ever, again. Still know idea who made it, but it sure is beautiful!
The next day was a short sail to Jenson beach, about six hours, so I had time in the morning to check out Peanut island. I rowed La Nina over there and had a nice walk around, I even made it for the sunrise.
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