The Sailing Trip (April 20th to May 1st)
Catch a plane out of Grand Bahama, grab the Durango towards Key Largo, and pick up the boat for a little trip. Getting Sweet Harmony wet was more work than I expected. Num to the rescue! Num is Nat's cousin, and he owns Num Thai, the best darn Thai/Japanese restaurant in the keys, much less Key Largo. Num has a friend, ?, who lives near Pirate's Cove in Key Largo. He could be the nicest guy I've ever met. With no provocation, he let us use the ramp at Pirate's Cove (which, I'm not sure he really is allowed to. Shhh.. don't tell), the “loading” pier to overnight, and (drum roll please) his yard to park the durango and trailer. This alone saved me at least $300 dollars. He deserves a good souvenir, huh?
As mentioned, Pirate's Cove has a tiny ramp and a small pier for loading/unloading. Janna really wanted to stay the night on the boat, so we commendated the loading pier and stayed the night... directly under the “loading/unloading only” and “residents only, no trespassing” signs. What Janna wants...
Before we went to sleep, we headed back into town to eat. After a few circles, we settled on Ballyhoos. Great food, “so-so” prices, and a great bartender (who was just learning to sail). After dinner, we tried to get supplies, but all the stores were already closed (stores closing before 9?! see “Things We Learned” 1). The first night was a mess of mosquitoes and heat (the cove was so sheltered that we didn't have a breeze).
We woke up, got back in the durango, and got supplies.
And we're off! I mean we are really doing it! Of course, we still hadn't made it out of the cove yet, and we still didn't have the mast up even... but we were doing it!
We headed out to Sunset Cove and set anchor with four other boats outside of the Upper Keys Sailing Club. For those who have been in the Florida bay, this is old news, but – it is really shallow. Everywhere! And clear too. You can see the bottom nearly everywhere you go. And the water is pretty. While I wouldn't normally use that feminine of an adjective, having seen the gulf coast outside of Houston, it's really the only way to describe these coastal waters.
It was time to raise the mast.
This is normally an hour long process. But what is normal about this event? So, I've got everything in place, and I'm missing one bolt (of course!). Luck smiled down on us in the form of Jon Strydom. Jon is a local guy who happened to be out on his Dingy enjoying the day (he had a dolphin and hammerhead sighting that very morning). He noticed that I was about to raise the mast and asked to watch (and help) from his Dingy. His faithful companion “Scruff” was there too. When I finally determined my folly, Jon offered to rush me back to Pirate's Cove to pick up my missing bolt. Some days are like that, you know! A quick round trip to the truck, and I was in business.
With the mast up, the sales in place, and everything tuned... we called it a day!
Rather than go into a transient slip at the Sailing Club, we decided to just stay where we were. Grilled crab stuffed salmon. Drank some wine. Life was good.
I've never lived on the west coast, so I've only seen a handful of sunsets like this one. Life is very good.
The battery is dead. And the alternator is not working. Well.. life has a way of balancing everything out, right? Oh well. It had just enough juice to keep the anchor light somewhat visible
In
order to fix the battery problem, we had no choice but to stay in a
slip with power. I had brought a charger, so with a good charge (and
the solar panel), we could make it for quite. In the mean time, I
would need to find somewhere to fix the Honda 9.9 alternator (for
some reason, it would only get up to 5 volts). So, we sailed over to
Mangrove Marina. This used to be Campbell's Marina.
The good - Fairly nice place. The bathrooms were clean, and a winn-dixie was within walking distance.
The bad - Certainly suited for larger vessels (we could barely get down to our cockpit from the high marina piers). Which, is pretty odd, since it was like three foot of water getting into this place. Next, the lady working the office didn't seem helpful (or friendly), nor interested that we were staying there; and the mechanics were less than helpful. Further, we were quoted $1.65 a foot to stay the night, but once we got there it was a $60 minimum and $10 for utilities. Last, we didn't meet a single person there. I guess it just didn't meet my expectations after Galveston.
We walked to the Winn-Dixie. After lunch (a nearby cafe, Anthonys, was great), I got supplies while Janna got a haircut. We caught a cab back to the marina. Dinner on the boat, and to sleep.
We slept in a bit, then got prepared to leave. I had my first shower in 4 days... she must love me :-)
Today was the first day I really felt like we were sailing. I was bored. :-) But, it was good. I finally felt relaxed enough to not try to do anything.. just keep the boat on course and enjoy the outdoors. We sailed on jib alone for most of the day. Since we were making 4 knots, I didn't see much urgency in putting up the main, especially since it was supposed to get much windier in the afternoon. But by 2, we were only making 2 knots.... up comes the main... up to 5 knots!
We sailed wing-on-wing for a good bit of the day. You know, the problem with my main is trying to get it down quickly. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the roller furling jib, but the main can be such a hassle. This point was highlighted when we ran aground.
According to the literature I bought beforehand, it wasn't a matter of “if” you run aground in the keys, but “when” and how bad. Today is the day! Luckily, it was pretty minor. Dropped the main, rolled the jib, hit the motor, and raised the keel. Even luckier, it looked as no harm was done either..
To my defense, the maps were woefully optimistic about the soundings around the shoot. We are traveling East to West.. Notice the immediate turn North.
We made it to Matecombe Bight around 4. Not a great distance, but with all excitement for the day, it was far enough. After setting two anchors, we had chicken soft taco (that's fajitas with no veggies for those counting) from the grill and called it an early night.
Uneventful night... thankfully. We got up by sunrise and got ready for the sailing ahead. We were both excited about getting going. Of the 5 sailboats anchored near us, we were the first to leave. Today was the first day that Janna really got a lot of sailing... quite honestly, I think she outsailed me! My problem is that I start jacking around, trying out different sailing configurations, and playing with the traveler... just to see what it will do to my sail shape. Janna just gets the sails about where they should be, then keeps a steady course the entire time.
Our destination is Faro Blanco Marina. According to our guide, this is one of the nicest Marinas in Marathon. Unfortunately, this information must be a little dated. It was supposed to have a bar, two restaurants, drinks by the pool, and all the perks of a resort. However, nothing was open any longer. Something about a change in management and a bad court battle with the previous owners..
But we had already paid, and we were ready to be at a real dockside. But first, we needed some supplies, so we thought we would walk to Publix to resupply. The guide said it was a little far to walk... 3 farkin miles later we drug into the supermarket. Completely exhausted, we bought the essentials (more beer), and caught a cab back. Once back, we were in dire need of a shower. The showers (or Cabanas, as they called them) were nice. Each shower was enclosed in it's own little room, so we could both get in at the same time. Hey... it is the honeymoon.
The lady at the front desk of the resort told us of a place to eat that was within walking distance (great.. more walking). So, we got all dudded up and headed that way. ??? had great burgers, and they served all their beers with a coozy “on loan.” Hehe... I had already brought my own coozy! They got a kick out of that. As the band played Eric Clapton's “You Look Wonderful Tonight,” Janna and I danced danced under the stars. We staggered home (mostly out of exhaustion) past the stinky lobster business and the “Traileroma,” and hit the pillow hard.
The next leg would keep us out for two nights, so we decided to give Marathon another shot, mostly for a little more pampering. So, we cruised up to BlackFin Marina and Resort. Since Blackfin gives a break on slip fees if you get a room, we jumped at the chance to have air-conditioning and a real bed for a night.
Blackfin seems to cater more to sailboats, as well... so we got to enjoy some really great company. There was a really friendly bunch of folks who lived aboard their large sailboats at the pier. Captain Ron and Karen made us feel very welcome and even offered to help with some repairs and resupplying.
We ate at the restaurant in the resort.. the food was pretty good. We had the urge just to veg in front of the TV, and so we did..
My
alternator seemed to be working again (although it went down after a
bit), and we had all the ice, water, and food we could carry... so
off we went. We didn't leave till after lunch, but that still gave us
6 hours of sunlight.
I think this was the best sailing we had the entire trip. The wind was blowing from the SSE, and we had lot of reaches and wing-on-wing sailing. As we sailed to the anchorage I had picked out, I noticed that we were passing by Porpoise Key. Janna loves Dolphins, so I figured it couldn't hurt to stay the night by their signature Key.
As luck (or unluck) would have it, a group of fishermen decided to stay in the same anchorage. They like Tejano music. And to our chagrin, the mosquitoes thought Porpoise Key anchorage was a fun place to hang out too..
No wind today. I began to thank Ray for his advice to get more gasoline. My little 3 gallon tank just wouldn't have cut it today. The extra 12 gallons (per his recommendation) certainly came in handy.
But before we left, I thought I would readjust the engine so that it was tilted correctly. It was currently tilted down a little bit, so that a little work was wasted trying to push the boat up out of the water. Now.. there are two ways to attack this problem, modify the engine tilt or modify the mount tilt. Since the mounting wasn't moving easily (the mount allows me to take the engine out of the water), I thought I would try the later solution.. and maybe it would help the “moving” problem as well. So, I removed a nut and began working the bolt out... and the engine practically dropped in the water. What I didn't realize, that while yes.. this was the correct bolt and nut to move, it should never be touched while the engine is mounted as it is the lever that holds the weight of the engine.
Well.. crap.
Using the stern pulpit, the boom, and jib sheet wench, I rigged a make-shift cherry lifter. I wish I would have taken a picture of it. Two hours later, and the engine was correctly mounted again. At this point, I modified the engine tilt. Two minutes later, and the original problem was solved. Live and learn.
We steamed off towards the gulf.
At our northern most position, something almost unbelievable happened. We made the turn to port into glass like water that was so clear, it seemed only a few feet deep. I had to check the depthometer twice... 20 feet deep. We positioned to a portion that was sand bottom, and it was like being in our own pool. We stayed for lunch and a quick dip.
By the time we made it to Johnston Key, the wind had picked up, so we sailed to our anchorage.
Storms from our of the gulf made the night a little bumpy. We actually went 360 degrees around the anchor. To my delight, the 15 lb hooker barely moved. At the break of dawn, I resituated the anchors. About 9, we decided to head out towards Key West. Outside the shelter of the Johnston Keys, we were hit by huge swells, breaking waves, and 20 knot wind. “Screw this.” We headed back into the anchorage.
At noon, they appeared. While I tried to figure out how to get weather info from my VHF, the family of Dolphins calmly strolled by five feet from the boat. By the time I could get Janna's attention they were a few boat lengths away. We pulled up anchor, and followed them.. but they must have zigged when we zagged.
Since the anchor was up, we went ahead and made a run for Key West. It was still quite choppy with a small vessel advisory in effect. Great. The 3-5 foot seas felt much larger. The winds was coming from the NE, and the swells were coming from due North. To be honest, I didn't know the best place to sail.. closer to the shore or further out? I decided on keeping at the 20-30 foot depth. Although getting battered, it didn't seem as bad as being closer to shore... and I didn't feel too comfortable with being any further out. So, on we went with just the Jib out, and we bobbed like a cork for 4 hours.
(Btw.. the first bit of our tracks were deleted by my GPS... so you didn't get to see the circling around in the Johnston Keys)
To be honest, I started to feel comfortable with the shaking and jiving. Sweet Harmony began to dance with the Gulf. I would look over at Janna at the starboard side of the stern pulpit, and she would be just below the next swell.. then moments later she would be hovering over the horizon. Since she never stopped reading, I suppose she too adapted.
Although tiring.. I was still enjoying this leg of the trip. Until about 2 miles till the SouthEast turn. At this point, things got a little out of hand. The swells were getting so big that we were starting to slide down the front of them, then stop at the trough, tip to the right 45 degrees, tip to the left 45 degrees, and repeat till nausea. I tightened the jib to give us a little more protection from the heeling effect and turned on the engine to help us move over the swells a little easier. Both helped considerably.
Then we turned into the wind. We had to put the Jib away, as it would no longer help. We were now taking the big swells on our port side, and the smaller (but more feirce) waves from the wind were now head on. I routinely thought about the little piece of fiberglass holding our swing keel in place. I told Janna that everything was going to be “ok,” but honestly I was thinking about our safety. She looked (appropriately) razzled, with her life-jacket on and emergency bag in hand. I would not have to say “abandon ship” twice.
We would slam over waves, then heel from a swell, over and over. The little outboard honda was doing it's best.. but we were barely making 3 knots. Since I didn't have a moment to secure the keel, I could hear it swinging after each wave. Thud, thud, thud as it slammed back into place. It was a very long hour before the shelter of the keys calmed down the wind and the swells enough for me to catch my breath. Janna took the helm, while I tried to plot a course to the Galleon Marina.
Floating into Key West during sundown is an interesting thing. There are about 10 sunset cruises leaving the port, and each vessel is wonderfully huge. Along with the majestic cruisers, 15 other sailboats and power boats, and even some sea roaches (jet skiis) peppered the bay. Luckily, Galleon is a straight shot from the Northwest Channel, so we got there quickly.
By the time we tied down, I was delirious with exhaustion. I think Janna was delirious with adrenaline. We bathed (I honestly think I fell asleep in the shower), grabbed a quick bite, then headed back to the boat. I was asleep by 9.
We stayed at the Galleon the entire time. For $75 a night, we had all the amenities of the best resort on the island (ok.. minus a queen size bed and bath tub). The location was great (on the boardwalk) - the local restaurants were plentiful and Duval street was 2 blocks away. Many sailors came and left the marina, so we were never without interesting company. We spent a day around the resort's Tiki bar and swimming pool.
Janna bought one of those shirts that listed all the bars on Duval. We tried to visit every one of them. I think we came close to succeeding! Actually, It took us three seperate attempts. One attempt was cut short by the entertainer at Irish Kevin's. After finding out we were from Austin, TX; he swore that Texas women could drink more Tequila than anyone else. Unfortunately, Janna lost to a Brit. You still have to give her “props,” she guzzled cheap tequila for over 10 seconds. But she was asleep within the hour.
We visited the Hemingway house. We rented a scooter and toured the key... with the obligatory touristy photo at the Southernmost point. We watched entertainers on the boardwalk during the sunset. We ate great food the entire time and wondered how people stayed skinny around such good cuisine.
Discount for a moment that this was our honeymoon - we both longed to have our Austin friends with us to enjoy the interesting places we visited while in Key West. Most things about Key West seemed best enjoyed with a large group. Maybe we were just getting a little homesick.
Early in the morning, I caught a cab to the Greyhound station, then a bus to Key Largo. Although I wanted to thank our gracious host for keeping the Durango and trailer in his driveway, I didn't want to wake him on a Sunday morning.... so I hooked up the trailer and headed back to Key West without bothering anyone. Getting the boat back on the trailer is always an adventure, and this time proved no different.
I had to move the boat from Galleon to the Municipal Marina. The path consisted of a shoot that gets hairy when the tide is coming or going. At 1pm, it was cruising out at 5 knots. Did I mention the fastest my engine will push me is 6 knots (on a good day)? I inched underneath the fixed bridge at a whopping half knot.
Boat on the trailer.. and we head back!
Publix (the local grocery store) closes earlier than Austin grocery stores..
The people who should cater to Tourists, don't really seem like it's important to.
I determined this from a few differnent sources. First, was the Upper Keys Sailing Club. I emailed them a week in advance, asking for advice about putting my boat in the water and transient slip rates. The responded late, with little information. I noticed that they were having money problems... shocker. Second, while trying to find a ramp to put Sweet Harmony in the water, I visited the Caribean Cafe (?). They had a big sign out front that says “This is where the famous Key Largo movie was filmed.” But upon entry, the bartender basically said “if you aren't local, get out.” How weird. Third was the Mangrove Marina. This little marina looks like it needs a whole lot more people like me to shell out $70 a night, but the attitude was less than cordial. Almost like they were a little put out that I was asking to stay there.
A GPS unit interfaced with a laptop is the only way to cruise around the keys. I have a Garmin GPSMap 76 with the Mapsource bluecharts. It's kinda an expensive option, but so worth it. There a many places that waypoint where only so useful... actually being able to look at the maps while seeing my waypoints made a huge difference. The only thing I would have changed is the GPS unit I picked. I should have bought the larger one with better mounting options. However, I would definitely still gone with Garmin. The map integration is just so good.. and I think most of the other cruisers would agreed, as I noticed many of their boats were also fitted with Garmin units.
Don't jack with the engine mount with the engine mounted.
Bluetooth cellphones with internet access are the coolest freakin' things every invented. We were able to check email even when there was no trace of human presence for miles.
Our boat is too small. We love her.. lots of fun, trailerable, got some great features.. .but she's needs a shower (heck.. working water would be nice). And more ballast. And AC. :-).