We departed Charleston on time at 7AM during slack tide. The seas were still rough from the storms that had churned off Cape Hatteras for days. Consequently, we motored up the AICW to Georgetown. Dark storm clouds surrounded us and yet the sun shined down on us all day. We arrived in Georgetown in time to enjoy a nice dinner in town.
We departed Georgetown at 6AM the next day. The seas were predicted to be five to seven feet with a wave period of nine seconds. A huge patch of yellow and red still showed on the radar offshore. We decided to make the 89 nautical mile run to Southport on the outside anyway. Although the storms reached up to Cape Hatteras, the farther north we sailed the more blue skies and sunshine we saw. In fact, the sail to Southport was the nicest day of sailing of our entire trip. A push from the ebbing tide started our day with speeds over 10 knots leaving Georgetown, which gave us a welcome head start on a long day.
By the time we reached Southport the winds blew 25 knots from the east, which made docking on the west side of the transient dock a challenge. We could not get close enough to the dock for me to catch the cleats. I threw the aft spring line into the wind at the dock hand. He did not catch it. I hauled the long line, even heavier now that it was soaking wet, back onto Island Chariot. I heaved it again. He missed it again. A little bit of childhood Bobby Sox or calf roping would have gone a long way right then. All of those ballet lessons were not serving me well. Only our pride was damaged during the event. We were settled by 5:30PM. Exhausted, we plopped on the settees in the salon and gave each other the look that means “Are you going to order the pizza or am I?”. I called Papa John’s and 30 minutes later we were devouring a large hand-tossed cheese and pepperoni with icy-cold Yuengling Lagers. Shortly thereafter we fell asleep.
Now it was Sunday morning. The cold front that had wreaked havoc across the south was due to pass over eastern North Carolina later in the day. We thought if we could be settled for the night by 3PM we would beat the rain and higher winds. About four hours into the trip up the AICW we arrived in Wrightsville Beach. We were so close to home. If we stopped now it would take at least two more days to reach Oriental. We decided to press on to the anchorage at Mile Hammock Point. If we had a do-over for that day, we would stop at a marina in Wrightsville Beach and watch the storms from the comfort of a nice restaurant.
About an hour after we passed Wrightsville Beach the rain started. It rained lightly on and off for the next two hours. No big deal. About 30 minutes out from Mile Hammock Point the winds picked up significantly. Our wind gauge was on strike so I cannot say for sure. My assessment was that the winds were somewhere between “up” and “howling”. The sky had opened up so rain was pouring. Visibility dropped to about an eighth of a mile. Finally the lightning and thunder joined in the weather symphony. John worked hard to hold our course. Simultaneously we had the same thought. “What if there is not room for us in the anchorage?” Perish the thought!
Finally we arrived at the channel into Mile Hammock Bay. John masterfully drove Island Chariot despite the winds and rain. We picked our way through the other boats and found a spot in the north end of the anchorage near the Marine Corps boat ramps. Rain poured. Lightning flashed. Thunder boomed. I volunteered to go prepare the anchor. Unfortunately, I could not free the chain. We needed to move quickly as the winds made it difficult to hold Island Chariot where we wanted her. There was room for us, but only if we put the anchor down in just the right spot.
I took the helm and John went forward. Lightning flashed again. I was afraid John would be struck which made it difficult to concentrate. He released the anchor chain. I lowered the anchor. John gave me the sign to back down. I shifted into reverse and revved the RPMs to 1200. Why are we pulling so hard to starboard? If anything, Island Chariot walks to port. John hurried back to the cockpit. The anchor set on the first try. Thank you, God! Oh no. I forgot that we were towing the dinghy. John thinks he drove over the towing bridle. I think I did, not that it matters. The towing bridle fouled the engine propeller and the rudder. Either we bent the propeller shaft or we did not. We would not know for sure until John could don his diving gear and take a look in the morning.
I went down below and noticed the bilge pump was running. “Hmmm. That’s unusual.” In our stateroom I could hear water running. I told John about the water, but failed to mention the bilge pump. He thought the sound was rain through the deck drains – until he entered the room. Water was running under our rack. That could only mean one thing. The towing bridle pulled on the propeller shaft and unseated the bellows. We pulled up the floor and saw water pouring into the bilge by the propeller shaft. Are you kidding me? One day from home after seven months on the water and we are going to sink Island Chariot?! John called for his screwdriver. Like a good operating room nurse I quickly produced the tool. During the longest minute of my life, John reseated the bellows and stopped the leak. The bilge pump quickly pumped out the unwanted water. All was well.
The next morning, instead of heading for home John donned his wetsuit and air tank and went swimming. The cold front brought 47-degree temperatures. Brrrrrrrr! Rain still fell. Winds still blew. Fortunately, the lightning was gone. In only a moment John pulled himself back aboard. The propeller shaft appeared to be straight. Hooray! We did not have to call a towboat. We could continue home. Neither of us had slept well. It would take us about 10 hours to reach home. We decided to spend one more night at anchor.
On Tuesday morning we left the anchorage. The sun shone, but the winds still howled. The wind gauge actually showed up for work so we could see that the winds were 25 knots with gusts to 35 knots. It would be another long day. We unfurled our staysail for speed and stability. For several days the winds had been gusty from the northeast. Consequently, the water was stacking up. We had four fixed 65-foot bridges to clear. As we approached the first bridge, I peered through the binoculars to read the clearance marker. “63-feet.” That is not what the captain of a boat equipped with a 63.5-foot mast wants to hear. On our way south last fall when we encountered the same situation at the Wonderwood Bridge near Jacksonville, FL, we drove around for two hours waiting for the tide to go out so we could pass safely under the bridge. Now we were seasoned veterans. John was unphased. We were heeled over from the wind in the staysail. John was convinced we would clear the bridge. He was right. The second bridge clearance marker also read 63-feet. We sailed under with no problem. We progressed through the Morehead City turning basin and turned north to pass under the third bridge. Now the winds were head on and we were upright. Hmmm. The clearance marker read 63-feet. John approached the bridge at an angle so we would heel over just in time. A sudden wind gust pushed us quickly toward the western pilings under the bridge. John jammed the throttle forward and steered us to safety. With some time before the final bridge, I went below to make us a light dinner. “Hmmm…the bilge pump is running again. That is unusual…” I lifted the floor in our stateroom and water was pouring in again. The sudden jolt to the throttle must have loosened the bellows. This time we were very calm. I went up to the cockpit, handed John the screwdriver, and took the helm. John was back in a few seconds and all was well again. We had plenty of clearance when we passed under the final bridge.
The Adams Creek portion of the AICW is narrow and protected from northeast winds. What peaceful relief. The relief was short lived, however, because Adams Creek opens up to the Neuse River. Now we were three miles from home. The Neuse churned and tossed. Are you kidding me? Eight foot waves?! We felt that “elevator at the top of the building” stomach drop as we crested a wave and surfed down the other side only to ride up another wave, then another. The roughest waters of our seven-month journey were right in our own backyard. How are we going to land at our dock in these winds without help?
As we entered Pierce Creek, the winds dropped from 30 knots to nine knots. The wind direction had shifted to more north than northeast and the trees on the north side of the creek provided protection for us. Thank you, God! We motored passed our home to turn around by Sea Harbour Yacht Club as is our routine. How wonderful that our neighbors saw us pass by. When we arrived back at our dock they were waiting to greet us and to help me with the lines. How wonderful!
With Island Chariot tied up securely John and I walked up the dock to our home. Was our yard this beautiful when we left? Was our home this large and lovely? Where was the wallpaper I was so tired of? Were the weeds still in the yard? I do not know. All I could see was the whole, the beautiful whole.
So what now? I want to keep the lifestyle, the peace I had cruising. All I have to do is make the right choices…
Monday, June 8, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Homeward Bound in Beaufort and Charleston
We sailed up the AICW to Beaufort in about four hours and were anchored for the night by 5:30PM. Our only real plan for the coming week was dinner in Charleston at the home a dear friend of John’s who is also a retired Harrier pilot. We arrived in Beaufort on Saturday. Our dinner in Charleston was scheduled for Thursday. Consequently, we decided to swing on the hook in Beaufort for three nights before moving on to Charleston.
To our delight, Ruthie and Larry on Back Dock were close by in Hilton Head. We found each other on Facebook! Ruthie and Larry were in Hilton Head for a month and had a car. They drove over to Beaufort for Mother’s Day lunch with us. What fun!
The winds were predicted to be 25-30 knots on Wednesday and Thursday, so we moved up the AICW to Charleston on Tuesday. I think the bridge operator for the swing bridge at the end of Elliot's Cut may be a troll! That's all I will say about that. John drove Island Chariot gracefully into our slip inside the City Marina Mega Dock, a much more pleasant experience than we had last fall! Of course, we planned to arrive at slack tide, which is the key to arriving in Charleston with style and grace.
Dick Rowe and the Donna Marie were already docked on the outside of the Mega Dock about 1,000 feet from our slip (hence the term Mega Dock). What a treat to see him again! Dick planned to stay for two more nights before moving on to Beaufort, NC, merely a day’s drive up the coast for the 90-foot Hargrave yacht. For two evenings we had the pleasure of visiting with Dick on his yacht. Our conversations took me back to the joyful times I had with my grandfather while I attended the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He was about Dick’s age at that time.
Although we were in the charming city of Charleston, we did not leave the City Marina other than to have dinner with the Whittles at their nearby home. John and Fred had not seen each other in years and reminisced about their friends and times in VMA-231 during Desert Storm. One of their squadron-mates had been shot down and imprisoned by the Iraqis. That man was now a Colonel and slated to take command of Marine Air Group-14 later in May. John wanted to be home in time to attend the event, which would drive our aggressive schedule for moving northward.
A few glasses of wine and a few hours later, Fred delivered us back to the City Marina. We intended to leave for Georgetown at 7AM. John and I decided that next time a special dinner with friends would be better planned for an evening when we are not moving Island Chariot the next day!
To our delight, Ruthie and Larry on Back Dock were close by in Hilton Head. We found each other on Facebook! Ruthie and Larry were in Hilton Head for a month and had a car. They drove over to Beaufort for Mother’s Day lunch with us. What fun!
The winds were predicted to be 25-30 knots on Wednesday and Thursday, so we moved up the AICW to Charleston on Tuesday. I think the bridge operator for the swing bridge at the end of Elliot's Cut may be a troll! That's all I will say about that. John drove Island Chariot gracefully into our slip inside the City Marina Mega Dock, a much more pleasant experience than we had last fall! Of course, we planned to arrive at slack tide, which is the key to arriving in Charleston with style and grace.
Dick Rowe and the Donna Marie were already docked on the outside of the Mega Dock about 1,000 feet from our slip (hence the term Mega Dock). What a treat to see him again! Dick planned to stay for two more nights before moving on to Beaufort, NC, merely a day’s drive up the coast for the 90-foot Hargrave yacht. For two evenings we had the pleasure of visiting with Dick on his yacht. Our conversations took me back to the joyful times I had with my grandfather while I attended the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He was about Dick’s age at that time.
Although we were in the charming city of Charleston, we did not leave the City Marina other than to have dinner with the Whittles at their nearby home. John and Fred had not seen each other in years and reminisced about their friends and times in VMA-231 during Desert Storm. One of their squadron-mates had been shot down and imprisoned by the Iraqis. That man was now a Colonel and slated to take command of Marine Air Group-14 later in May. John wanted to be home in time to attend the event, which would drive our aggressive schedule for moving northward.
A few glasses of wine and a few hours later, Fred delivered us back to the City Marina. We intended to leave for Georgetown at 7AM. John and I decided that next time a special dinner with friends would be better planned for an evening when we are not moving Island Chariot the next day!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Homeward Bound in Hilton Head
Harbor Town at Hilton Head was a welcome sight after 30 or so hours on the water and the weariness that comes from sleeping in two-hour shifts. We were not as fortunate in our arrival at Tybee Roads as we were in our departure from Ponce de Leon Inlet. We had an ebb tide that made our transit slow – about 4.5 knots – and our ride rough as the wind blew with the waves and against the tide.
We arrived at the marina at low tide. Unbeknownst to us, the marina needs a good dredging. As John began backing into our assigned slip, we felt a jolt. Yes, we were aground. Advice from the marina workers to wait at the fuel dock for the tide to come in a bit would have been nice. Instead, the dock hand grabbed our lines and pulled us into our slip. (The next day he reeked of Ben Gay, bless his heart!) Once we were tied satisfactorily to the dock (not that we were going anywhere) we settled in for a nap.
We awoke in time for a very nice dinner in Harbor Town at the Waterfront Café. It is funny how a window table with a water view used to be so important to me at such a dinner, and is still important to most customers. Now the thought of waiting for the water view just makes me laugh. It is not that I take a water view for granted. It is more that I have had a water view on all sides for almost the last seven months. Outside the Café people crowded on the end of the dock to watch the sunset, cameras at the ready as if they were having a rare experience. Those are the people who need the tables by the windows.
After dinner we walked the short distance back to our slip. Along the way we passed a tiki bar where a guitarist entertained the patrons with his rendition of “Piano Man”. An outdoor stage was just beyond the tiki bar. Two little girls danced and twirled and giggled, their dresses flaring as their parents sat on the benches in the front row clapping. We paused to watch, delighted by the moment. We looked around the harbor and noticed a familiar yacht, Donna Marie, a 90+ foot Hargrave. Dick Rowe, our friend from Sunset Harbor Yacht Club in Miami is here! We decided to wait until morning to say hello. By now the tide was high, up 6.7 feet from when we arrived! John gave me a grin and clasped his hands together making a step for me so I could climb onto Island Chariot more gracefully.
We went to bed early and slept without moving for at least nine hours. We planned to leave at noon to make the four-hour sail up the AICW to Beaufort, SC. Leaving at noon enabled me to do laundry while John washed the salt water off of Island Chariot. The schedule also left time for us to visit with Dick. Retired Marines become fast friends.
At noon and at mid-tide on a picture-perfect day we threw off our dock lines and motored/sailed to Beaufort.
We arrived at the marina at low tide. Unbeknownst to us, the marina needs a good dredging. As John began backing into our assigned slip, we felt a jolt. Yes, we were aground. Advice from the marina workers to wait at the fuel dock for the tide to come in a bit would have been nice. Instead, the dock hand grabbed our lines and pulled us into our slip. (The next day he reeked of Ben Gay, bless his heart!) Once we were tied satisfactorily to the dock (not that we were going anywhere) we settled in for a nap.
We awoke in time for a very nice dinner in Harbor Town at the Waterfront Café. It is funny how a window table with a water view used to be so important to me at such a dinner, and is still important to most customers. Now the thought of waiting for the water view just makes me laugh. It is not that I take a water view for granted. It is more that I have had a water view on all sides for almost the last seven months. Outside the Café people crowded on the end of the dock to watch the sunset, cameras at the ready as if they were having a rare experience. Those are the people who need the tables by the windows.
After dinner we walked the short distance back to our slip. Along the way we passed a tiki bar where a guitarist entertained the patrons with his rendition of “Piano Man”. An outdoor stage was just beyond the tiki bar. Two little girls danced and twirled and giggled, their dresses flaring as their parents sat on the benches in the front row clapping. We paused to watch, delighted by the moment. We looked around the harbor and noticed a familiar yacht, Donna Marie, a 90+ foot Hargrave. Dick Rowe, our friend from Sunset Harbor Yacht Club in Miami is here! We decided to wait until morning to say hello. By now the tide was high, up 6.7 feet from when we arrived! John gave me a grin and clasped his hands together making a step for me so I could climb onto Island Chariot more gracefully.
We went to bed early and slept without moving for at least nine hours. We planned to leave at noon to make the four-hour sail up the AICW to Beaufort, SC. Leaving at noon enabled me to do laundry while John washed the salt water off of Island Chariot. The schedule also left time for us to visit with Dick. Retired Marines become fast friends.
At noon and at mid-tide on a picture-perfect day we threw off our dock lines and motored/sailed to Beaufort.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Homeward Bound - Part II
We stayed for two nights in Vero Beach. The second day was dedicated to laundry and provisioning. Vero Beach has a free bus system with a stop at the marina, which makes the city very cruiser friendly.
From Vero Beach we motored/sailed north on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) to Titusville. We anchored there for one night just outside of the city marina, the same place we anchored heading south last fall. From Titusville we continued up the AICW to an anchorage in New Smyrna Beach near the Ponce de Leon Inlet.
The best parts of the trip between Titusville and New Smyrna Beach were passages through the Haulover Canal and Mosquito Lagoon. Haulover Canal is a short, narrow cut where fishermen abound. Finally we saw wild alligators! I spotted three. Two were small. The third was a monster. It must have been at least eight feet long! For a minute I was ten years old and back on the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland again.
As we approached New Smyrna Beach we came upon the equivalent of a speed trap for boaters - the same Sheriff’s Deputy who boarded us in the fall brought his boat alongside and greeted us. He remembered being aboard Island Chariot. We passed his holding-tank-discharge inspection with flying colors in the fall. We exchanged pleasantries and assured him we were still in compliance with the law. He wished us well and sped off in his speedboat. I liked it that he remembered us. We dropped our anchor for the night in Rockhouse Creek near the Ponce de Leon Inlet.
The next morning we got underway at 7:00AM with Hilton Head, SC as our destination. Slack high tide was at 7:30AM making our inlet passage quiet comfortable and easy. How fortunate for us! We exited the channel, turned northeast, and set our waypoint for Tybee Roads. We sailed all day, all night, and into the next afternoon before arriving in Hilton Head. The nearly-full moon rose just before sunset and set as the sun shone on the horizon the next morning. Beautiful! I took the 11PM -1AM and 3AM – 5AM shifts again. The bright moon guiding the way gave me something to ponder during my watches, like how the sunlight hits the moon to make a concave shadow on it when greater than half of the moon is showing.
It took courage to be alone with my thoughts on the 3AM – 5AM shift, defenses down due to fatigue. My former life full of activity had given me the illusion of a life full of purpose. In fact, I may have been running from thoughts or memories. Transforming from a “human doing” into a “human being” has been a challenging yet blissful journey over the past seven months... My Ipod played Rush Chronicles quietly so I could still hear Island Chariot. I sang along to Subdivisions – “suburbs don’t have the charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth… nowhere is a dreamer or a misfit so alone…”, and Time Stands Still – “freeze this moment a little bit longer, make each sensation a little bit stronger, ... like a captain whose ship has run aground, I can wait for the tide to come around”… Amazing lyrics, amazing band!
From Vero Beach we motored/sailed north on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) to Titusville. We anchored there for one night just outside of the city marina, the same place we anchored heading south last fall. From Titusville we continued up the AICW to an anchorage in New Smyrna Beach near the Ponce de Leon Inlet.
The best parts of the trip between Titusville and New Smyrna Beach were passages through the Haulover Canal and Mosquito Lagoon. Haulover Canal is a short, narrow cut where fishermen abound. Finally we saw wild alligators! I spotted three. Two were small. The third was a monster. It must have been at least eight feet long! For a minute I was ten years old and back on the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland again.
As we approached New Smyrna Beach we came upon the equivalent of a speed trap for boaters - the same Sheriff’s Deputy who boarded us in the fall brought his boat alongside and greeted us. He remembered being aboard Island Chariot. We passed his holding-tank-discharge inspection with flying colors in the fall. We exchanged pleasantries and assured him we were still in compliance with the law. He wished us well and sped off in his speedboat. I liked it that he remembered us. We dropped our anchor for the night in Rockhouse Creek near the Ponce de Leon Inlet.
The next morning we got underway at 7:00AM with Hilton Head, SC as our destination. Slack high tide was at 7:30AM making our inlet passage quiet comfortable and easy. How fortunate for us! We exited the channel, turned northeast, and set our waypoint for Tybee Roads. We sailed all day, all night, and into the next afternoon before arriving in Hilton Head. The nearly-full moon rose just before sunset and set as the sun shone on the horizon the next morning. Beautiful! I took the 11PM -1AM and 3AM – 5AM shifts again. The bright moon guiding the way gave me something to ponder during my watches, like how the sunlight hits the moon to make a concave shadow on it when greater than half of the moon is showing.
It took courage to be alone with my thoughts on the 3AM – 5AM shift, defenses down due to fatigue. My former life full of activity had given me the illusion of a life full of purpose. In fact, I may have been running from thoughts or memories. Transforming from a “human doing” into a “human being” has been a challenging yet blissful journey over the past seven months... My Ipod played Rush Chronicles quietly so I could still hear Island Chariot. I sang along to Subdivisions – “suburbs don’t have the charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth… nowhere is a dreamer or a misfit so alone…”, and Time Stands Still – “freeze this moment a little bit longer, make each sensation a little bit stronger, ... like a captain whose ship has run aground, I can wait for the tide to come around”… Amazing lyrics, amazing band!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Homeward Bound - Part I
Winds from the east remained over 25 knots for the rest of April, which was a lovely reason to stay a bit longer and make a few more memories in Marathon. The once lively west dock at Marathon Marina was now like a ghost town. Most cruisers had headed north and most slips were vacant. The absence of our friends made us feel unsettled – like we should be moving north, too. After a day or two that feeling passed. We relaxed and noticed how beautiful Marathon is in late April. Bright sunshine. Robin’s egg blue skies. Aqua-green water. Trees and flowers in bloom. Balmy 80-degree temperatures. People leave too early.
My birthday was April 25th. John surprised me with my favorite cake, chocolate with chocolate butter cream frosting. I cannot remember when I have been so moved and delighted! The day prior John had ridden his bike five miles to Publix to purchase the cake. He tied the cake box to his bike rack, rode back to the marina, and stashed the round cake in the marina office refrigerator with the blessing of the dockmaster. My favorite part of the cake was the edge where the frosting smudged against the cake box when John hit a bump in the road on his ride back.
When the calendar turned to May, we knew we had to get moving. Our insurance requires us to be north of Cumberland Island, GA by June 1st. On May 2nd, with no relief from east winds in sight, we left Marathon and sailed for Key Largo. By 2PM we arrived at Rodriguez Key, our planned anchorage for the night. It felt too early to stop. We sailed on to Miami. Somewhere between 7PM and 8PM we arrived off of Key Biscayne and then the Government Cut. The sun was setting. It was Saturday night. We knew our planned Miami anchorage would be crazy. We felt great, so we kept sailing. Without meaning to do so, we picked up the Gulf Stream. Our speed changed from 7.5 knots to 9.5-10.5 knots! I did not know Island Chariot could sail at 10.5 knots! Totally awesome!
At 9PM John and I began taking two-hour shifts at the helm. I took the shifts from 11PM – 1AM and from 3AM – 5AM. So peaceful. So quiet. So many stars! During my second shift, somewhere around the Jupiter Inlet, U.S. Warship Number 98 was anchored in our path. Someone aboard the ship had made several intimidating radio calls telling the rest of us to stay at least 500 yards from the ship. The voice spoke so quickly that I missed everything except the warship number and 500 yards. All I could see was something gigantic ahead that was lit up like Los Angeles. I did not realize the ship was anchored. I kept changing course to avoid the ship. No matter which way I turned, it seemed that we were heading directly at the ship. Finally another radio call came. A new voice. Oh! The ship is anchored! Well, okay then. I looked at the radar and chose a path to keep Island Chariot outside 500 yards of the ship. Then it was time to wake John. “Your turn, Darlin’. My shift was uneventful. Eric the Autopilot is driving to the waypoint off the Fort Pierce Inlet.”
We entered the Fort Pierce Inlet on Sunday at 10AM. Miraculously, the tide was slack so our transit was comfortable and easy. By 12:30PM we were settled on a mooring at Vero Beach City Marina and settling down for a nap. My first overnight ocean sail. My first time being alone in the cockpit, completely responsible for everything that happened or failed to happen. Why didn’t someone tell me it was no big deal?
My birthday was April 25th. John surprised me with my favorite cake, chocolate with chocolate butter cream frosting. I cannot remember when I have been so moved and delighted! The day prior John had ridden his bike five miles to Publix to purchase the cake. He tied the cake box to his bike rack, rode back to the marina, and stashed the round cake in the marina office refrigerator with the blessing of the dockmaster. My favorite part of the cake was the edge where the frosting smudged against the cake box when John hit a bump in the road on his ride back.
When the calendar turned to May, we knew we had to get moving. Our insurance requires us to be north of Cumberland Island, GA by June 1st. On May 2nd, with no relief from east winds in sight, we left Marathon and sailed for Key Largo. By 2PM we arrived at Rodriguez Key, our planned anchorage for the night. It felt too early to stop. We sailed on to Miami. Somewhere between 7PM and 8PM we arrived off of Key Biscayne and then the Government Cut. The sun was setting. It was Saturday night. We knew our planned Miami anchorage would be crazy. We felt great, so we kept sailing. Without meaning to do so, we picked up the Gulf Stream. Our speed changed from 7.5 knots to 9.5-10.5 knots! I did not know Island Chariot could sail at 10.5 knots! Totally awesome!
At 9PM John and I began taking two-hour shifts at the helm. I took the shifts from 11PM – 1AM and from 3AM – 5AM. So peaceful. So quiet. So many stars! During my second shift, somewhere around the Jupiter Inlet, U.S. Warship Number 98 was anchored in our path. Someone aboard the ship had made several intimidating radio calls telling the rest of us to stay at least 500 yards from the ship. The voice spoke so quickly that I missed everything except the warship number and 500 yards. All I could see was something gigantic ahead that was lit up like Los Angeles. I did not realize the ship was anchored. I kept changing course to avoid the ship. No matter which way I turned, it seemed that we were heading directly at the ship. Finally another radio call came. A new voice. Oh! The ship is anchored! Well, okay then. I looked at the radar and chose a path to keep Island Chariot outside 500 yards of the ship. Then it was time to wake John. “Your turn, Darlin’. My shift was uneventful. Eric the Autopilot is driving to the waypoint off the Fort Pierce Inlet.”
We entered the Fort Pierce Inlet on Sunday at 10AM. Miraculously, the tide was slack so our transit was comfortable and easy. By 12:30PM we were settled on a mooring at Vero Beach City Marina and settling down for a nap. My first overnight ocean sail. My first time being alone in the cockpit, completely responsible for everything that happened or failed to happen. Why didn’t someone tell me it was no big deal?
Monday, April 20, 2009
Tortugas Off the Stern
As we departed the Tortugas, the winds remained strong. Exactly how strong we do not know, because our wind instrument was still not working. Waves were four to six feet. What fun it was to make almost eight knots surfing down the waves powered completely by wind in our sails! Elvis Ann held onto her perch for dear life in her V-berth cage and held up well through the ride. By noon the waves subsided to about three feet and the winds had weakened considerably.
Our destination was the Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West marina at Boca Chica. We were delighted to learn that Island Chariot can make it through the Boca Chica channel. As we neared the marina, a couple from B-dock greeted us from their RIB. Richard from Calypso was standing by and called us on the radio to let us know where our slip, C29, was. He and others met us at the dock and assisted us with our lines. Although we can come and go from docks by ourselves it is always nice to have a hand. Once we were settled, we quickly became friends with many of the couples wintering there. We enjoyed dinner out with different couples on most of the six nights we stayed.
Naturally, we were exhausted on our first night in Boca Chica. We made an easy dinner and turned in early. The next morning as we enjoyed the scenery from our back deck we heard a familiar sound. Could harriers be at NAS Key West? We looked up into the blue skies and sure enough, those were harriers! We moved the bikes off of Island Chariot and pedaled over to the hangars to see which squadron was in town for training. To our delight, it was VMA-311, commanded by none other than LtCol John “Sugar” Kane. Sugar and John (aka “Greedy”, earned for being greedy for flight time in the training squadron) are great friends. They deployed to the Mediterranean together in 2002. John has been thawing out and melting back into civilian life after retiring last May. It felt good to be with an old friend in a familiar setting.
The entire Boca Chica experience felt familiar. Every evening on C-dock, marina residents equipped with conchs and drinks gathered before sunset. To celebrate another beautiful day in the Keys, we played our conchs in unison. When we arrived, the 10-day Conch Republic celebration was well underway. Groups from the marina went together to the “Drag Races” and “A Taste of Key West”. These “drag races” involved drag queens, high heels, and shopping carts in the 700-block of Duval Street. A Taste of Key West is an aids benefit during which local restaurants set up tents on the water in the Truman Annex and offer one or two food choices for participants. Our group finished the evening listening to the band play 70s music at Sloppy Joes. One of our companions was a petite, delightful young-looking woman who retired in July after 26-years as a neurologist in her own practice. I was proud of myself, because I was not surprised at all!
What we had originally intended to be an overnight stay in Boca Chica turned into a six-night stay. I’m noticing a trend here. Our six month anniversary of being on the water was on Monday, April 20th. We had originally intended to be home in six months. We are back in Marathon now. Winds have been 25 to 35-knots from the east for several days and are predicted to be through at least Tuesday. We will start toward home when the winds relax a bit and clock around so they are not in our faces as we sail to Key Largo.
Our destination was the Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West marina at Boca Chica. We were delighted to learn that Island Chariot can make it through the Boca Chica channel. As we neared the marina, a couple from B-dock greeted us from their RIB. Richard from Calypso was standing by and called us on the radio to let us know where our slip, C29, was. He and others met us at the dock and assisted us with our lines. Although we can come and go from docks by ourselves it is always nice to have a hand. Once we were settled, we quickly became friends with many of the couples wintering there. We enjoyed dinner out with different couples on most of the six nights we stayed.
Naturally, we were exhausted on our first night in Boca Chica. We made an easy dinner and turned in early. The next morning as we enjoyed the scenery from our back deck we heard a familiar sound. Could harriers be at NAS Key West? We looked up into the blue skies and sure enough, those were harriers! We moved the bikes off of Island Chariot and pedaled over to the hangars to see which squadron was in town for training. To our delight, it was VMA-311, commanded by none other than LtCol John “Sugar” Kane. Sugar and John (aka “Greedy”, earned for being greedy for flight time in the training squadron) are great friends. They deployed to the Mediterranean together in 2002. John has been thawing out and melting back into civilian life after retiring last May. It felt good to be with an old friend in a familiar setting.
The entire Boca Chica experience felt familiar. Every evening on C-dock, marina residents equipped with conchs and drinks gathered before sunset. To celebrate another beautiful day in the Keys, we played our conchs in unison. When we arrived, the 10-day Conch Republic celebration was well underway. Groups from the marina went together to the “Drag Races” and “A Taste of Key West”. These “drag races” involved drag queens, high heels, and shopping carts in the 700-block of Duval Street. A Taste of Key West is an aids benefit during which local restaurants set up tents on the water in the Truman Annex and offer one or two food choices for participants. Our group finished the evening listening to the band play 70s music at Sloppy Joes. One of our companions was a petite, delightful young-looking woman who retired in July after 26-years as a neurologist in her own practice. I was proud of myself, because I was not surprised at all!
What we had originally intended to be an overnight stay in Boca Chica turned into a six-night stay. I’m noticing a trend here. Our six month anniversary of being on the water was on Monday, April 20th. We had originally intended to be home in six months. We are back in Marathon now. Winds have been 25 to 35-knots from the east for several days and are predicted to be through at least Tuesday. We will start toward home when the winds relax a bit and clock around so they are not in our faces as we sail to Key Largo.
Drama in the Tortugas
For two days and three nights Island Chariot swung on her CQR and Bruce anchors. On Easter night, ten other boats shared the anchorage with us. By Monday night, 20 boats were shoe-horned into place. Carolina blue skies, bright sunshine, temperatures in the upper 70s with light breezes, knowledgeable Park Rangers, and crystal-clear waters made the days exactly the way I envisioned they would be.
On Monday morning, Ranger Chris offered an 0900 tour of Fort Jefferson to boaters before the tourists from Key West arrived by ferry. We joined six other adults and four children for an intimate and informative tour. Ranger Chris has two Master’s Degrees in military history and architecture, specializing in Thomas Jefferson. Cliff Claven himself could not have offered more interesting details about the fort (“Cheers” reference)! Following our tour, we walked all the way around the moat wall and then explored inside the fort for the rest of the day. We are still amazed that 16 million bricks arrived by boat from Florida and Maine in the 1860s to build that amazing structure one brick at a time.
In addition to Fort Jefferson, Mother Nature provided much to enjoy. The Dry Tortugas are home to tens of thousands of birds in several bird colonies, namely sooty terns, brown noddies, and frigate birds. Did you know that sooty terns fly for the first three years or so of their lives? Bush Island (on the southeast side of the anchorage) is like New York City for birds. 24/7 there is something going on! Every night sounded like a sooty tern party. Their cry even sounds like “WIDE AWAKE! WIDE AWAKE!”. I thought of my dear friends, Drake and Skip. They are not bird lovers like I am. In fact, I think if they were there their thoughts would have turned to Alfred Hitchcock.
On Tuesday, the weather was perfect again with clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s. We donned our snorkeling gear and headed to the beach on the northeast side of the fort. Swimming in the crystal clear aqua ocean waters was like swimming in an aquarium. Not even at Sea World have I seen so many varieties of colorful fish in all shapes and sizes! The various types of coral were spectacular, too. When we were too tired to swim any more, we drove the RIB (our dinghy) back to Island Chariot and rested before making dinner.
The highlight of the evening was taking the RIB across the calm waters to the west side of the fort to watch the sunset over Loggerhead Key. Vivid orange, yellow, and red rays streamed from the sun as it lowered in the sky. Suddenly a feeling of foreboding came over us as the sun disappeared not into the sea, but into a sea of dark gray clouds. We motored the RIB back to Island Chariot and checked our weather print-out. NOAA had not predicted storms or high winds. We turned on our VHF radio and found channel two, the NOAA weather station that covers the Keys and Dry Tortugas. What’s this? A very- severe-boaters-take-cover thunderstorm warning for the Dry Tortugas?! Thirty-five knot winds with higher gusts?! The storm should be at the Dry Tortugas by 10PM?! What the??
Cruisers use VHF channel 71 in the Dry Tortugas anchorage. The channel had been quiet all afternoon. Now the chatter began. Cruisers who heard the warning were alerting the others. We all battened down the hatches, zipped our enclosures, checked our anchors and waited. By 2130 clouds full of lightning filled the skies around us. Thankfully, the lightning never passed over the top of the anchorage. However, we were all nervous, because we did not know that would be the case. Having the highest mast-of-metal in a sea of boats is not what you want in a lightning storm!
As predicted (only hours prior!), at 2200, 35-knot winds arrived without build-up. Here we go! Island Chariot and the other boats in the anchorage heeled over and swung around to face into the wind. The trawler next to us was rapidly only about 10 feet from us. We both freaked. The trawler captain noticed, too. He started his engines, pulled up his anchor, and drove off to find a safer position. By this time, most of the captains, John included, had started their engines and were ready to move quickly in case their anchors drug. We planned to leave the next morning, as did several of the other cruisers. Before sunset some of them pulled up one of the two anchors they had set to facilitate an easy departure. Now, their single anchors were dragging and they found themselves resetting their positions. With the anchorage so crowded, we all had less anchor rode out than we would normally use. Spotlights swept through the harbor as everyone kept an eye on each others positions. We were the most southeastern and therefore the most upwind boat. It was imperative we hold our position as all of the boats were behind us. Our hearts pounded as we could imagine our 22 tons dragging and cascading damage onto those behind us.
By 0130 we thought the storm was over. A few people checked in on channel 71 to report that they were okay. We all turned off our engines and prepared to attempt sleep. Unfortunately, it was just a minor reprieve. At 0145 the 35+ knot winds returned. We all raced back up to our cockpits, fired up our engines, and turned on our electronics. A working wind instrument would have been so wonderful! We were dealing with the wind the old fashioned way, as Ponce de Leon himself might have done when he discovered the islands in 1513.
At 0300, drama ensued at the southwest end of the anchorage. A trawler’s anchor had come loose. The trawler blew backwards until his anchor chain drug across the set anchor chains of a tri-maran and a monohull. The tri-maran slid into the monohull and the stays of the two boats became entangled. Eventually the boats broke loose and drove to safety with minimal damage considering what had happened. Not far away, another trawler’s anchor drug. The trawler blew aground on some rocks, but not before its anchor chain unrolled and the final link left the boat. Apparently the long chain was not attached. The trawler's keel had broken and it had to be towed 70 miles back to Key West. Then, between Island Chariot and Fort Jefferson, a schooner’s anchor drug. The happy ending for its crew came when the schooner blew right onto the ferry dock at the fort. Their anchor grabbed and their chain lay across the channel; however, they tied the schooner to the dock and were safe for the night.
By 0500 the storm had finally passed. We went below to grab an hour or so of sleep. By 0630 we were awake and preparing for our departure. When we were ready to leave, both anchors came up easily and completely clean. Although the winds blew and the waves rocked, it was the smoothest departure from an anchorage we have had! Thank goodness!
On Monday morning, Ranger Chris offered an 0900 tour of Fort Jefferson to boaters before the tourists from Key West arrived by ferry. We joined six other adults and four children for an intimate and informative tour. Ranger Chris has two Master’s Degrees in military history and architecture, specializing in Thomas Jefferson. Cliff Claven himself could not have offered more interesting details about the fort (“Cheers” reference)! Following our tour, we walked all the way around the moat wall and then explored inside the fort for the rest of the day. We are still amazed that 16 million bricks arrived by boat from Florida and Maine in the 1860s to build that amazing structure one brick at a time.
In addition to Fort Jefferson, Mother Nature provided much to enjoy. The Dry Tortugas are home to tens of thousands of birds in several bird colonies, namely sooty terns, brown noddies, and frigate birds. Did you know that sooty terns fly for the first three years or so of their lives? Bush Island (on the southeast side of the anchorage) is like New York City for birds. 24/7 there is something going on! Every night sounded like a sooty tern party. Their cry even sounds like “WIDE AWAKE! WIDE AWAKE!”. I thought of my dear friends, Drake and Skip. They are not bird lovers like I am. In fact, I think if they were there their thoughts would have turned to Alfred Hitchcock.
On Tuesday, the weather was perfect again with clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s. We donned our snorkeling gear and headed to the beach on the northeast side of the fort. Swimming in the crystal clear aqua ocean waters was like swimming in an aquarium. Not even at Sea World have I seen so many varieties of colorful fish in all shapes and sizes! The various types of coral were spectacular, too. When we were too tired to swim any more, we drove the RIB (our dinghy) back to Island Chariot and rested before making dinner.
The highlight of the evening was taking the RIB across the calm waters to the west side of the fort to watch the sunset over Loggerhead Key. Vivid orange, yellow, and red rays streamed from the sun as it lowered in the sky. Suddenly a feeling of foreboding came over us as the sun disappeared not into the sea, but into a sea of dark gray clouds. We motored the RIB back to Island Chariot and checked our weather print-out. NOAA had not predicted storms or high winds. We turned on our VHF radio and found channel two, the NOAA weather station that covers the Keys and Dry Tortugas. What’s this? A very- severe-boaters-take-cover thunderstorm warning for the Dry Tortugas?! Thirty-five knot winds with higher gusts?! The storm should be at the Dry Tortugas by 10PM?! What the??
Cruisers use VHF channel 71 in the Dry Tortugas anchorage. The channel had been quiet all afternoon. Now the chatter began. Cruisers who heard the warning were alerting the others. We all battened down the hatches, zipped our enclosures, checked our anchors and waited. By 2130 clouds full of lightning filled the skies around us. Thankfully, the lightning never passed over the top of the anchorage. However, we were all nervous, because we did not know that would be the case. Having the highest mast-of-metal in a sea of boats is not what you want in a lightning storm!
As predicted (only hours prior!), at 2200, 35-knot winds arrived without build-up. Here we go! Island Chariot and the other boats in the anchorage heeled over and swung around to face into the wind. The trawler next to us was rapidly only about 10 feet from us. We both freaked. The trawler captain noticed, too. He started his engines, pulled up his anchor, and drove off to find a safer position. By this time, most of the captains, John included, had started their engines and were ready to move quickly in case their anchors drug. We planned to leave the next morning, as did several of the other cruisers. Before sunset some of them pulled up one of the two anchors they had set to facilitate an easy departure. Now, their single anchors were dragging and they found themselves resetting their positions. With the anchorage so crowded, we all had less anchor rode out than we would normally use. Spotlights swept through the harbor as everyone kept an eye on each others positions. We were the most southeastern and therefore the most upwind boat. It was imperative we hold our position as all of the boats were behind us. Our hearts pounded as we could imagine our 22 tons dragging and cascading damage onto those behind us.
By 0130 we thought the storm was over. A few people checked in on channel 71 to report that they were okay. We all turned off our engines and prepared to attempt sleep. Unfortunately, it was just a minor reprieve. At 0145 the 35+ knot winds returned. We all raced back up to our cockpits, fired up our engines, and turned on our electronics. A working wind instrument would have been so wonderful! We were dealing with the wind the old fashioned way, as Ponce de Leon himself might have done when he discovered the islands in 1513.
At 0300, drama ensued at the southwest end of the anchorage. A trawler’s anchor had come loose. The trawler blew backwards until his anchor chain drug across the set anchor chains of a tri-maran and a monohull. The tri-maran slid into the monohull and the stays of the two boats became entangled. Eventually the boats broke loose and drove to safety with minimal damage considering what had happened. Not far away, another trawler’s anchor drug. The trawler blew aground on some rocks, but not before its anchor chain unrolled and the final link left the boat. Apparently the long chain was not attached. The trawler's keel had broken and it had to be towed 70 miles back to Key West. Then, between Island Chariot and Fort Jefferson, a schooner’s anchor drug. The happy ending for its crew came when the schooner blew right onto the ferry dock at the fort. Their anchor grabbed and their chain lay across the channel; however, they tied the schooner to the dock and were safe for the night.
By 0500 the storm had finally passed. We went below to grab an hour or so of sleep. By 0630 we were awake and preparing for our departure. When we were ready to leave, both anchors came up easily and completely clean. Although the winds blew and the waves rocked, it was the smoothest departure from an anchorage we have had! Thank goodness!
A Grand Adventure to the Dry Tortugas
In honor of John’s birthday, Easter Sunday, and the first day of the Civil War all of which fell on April 12th, we sailed to the Dry Tortugas National Park (Fort Jefferson). On Friday evening, before we departed Marathon, the remaining cruisers on West Dock and I surprised John with cake, ice cream, and a round of “Happy Birthday” during sunset festivities. We actually surprised him, which is not easy to do!
On Saturday, April 11th, at 0900 after three months at Marathon Marina we left the dock and set our course for Key West (about 50 miles west). After clearing the Marathon channel, we let out the mainsail, genoa, and staysail, turned off the engine, and sailed peacefully on a reach at seven-knots in two-foot seas. Green sea turtles with two-foot-diameter shells popped their heads up to greet us along the way. What appeared to be a mommy and baby dolphin swam with us for a mile or so, playing and leaping in arcs out of the clear aqua-green water high into the air. Amazing!
By mid-afternoon we found ourselves sailing straight into the sun, once again being led by a trail of diamonds sparkling on the water. At 1600 we started the engine, reeled in the sails, and entered the Key West Channel. We dropped our anchor by Wisteria Island with a view of Mallory Square and a Carnival cruise ship on one side and an unobstructed view of the sunset on the other side. Equipped with cold beverages, we relaxed in the cockpit and watched the parasailing tourists go by high in the air. Following a picture-perfect Key West sunset, we went below to dine on beef stir-fry and mashed potatoes. By 2130 we were asleep.
We awoke on Easter morning without an alarm, excited about sailing the final 70-nautical miles to the Dry Tortugas. All winter we hoped a nice weather window would open up and allow for a beautiful pleasure trip to the Tortugas. By 0730 we had weighed anchor and were motoring out Key West channel. Light winds, calm seas, and blue skies made for a picture perfect day on the water. Once we passed the Marquesas, the water depth doubled from about 43-feet to almost 90-feet. The water color changed from aqua-green to a deep and bright royal blue. I have never seen that color before or since. Nor had I ever been in such crystal clear water. Frigate birds soared overhead showing off their glorious six to seven-foot wingspans. A pair of dolphins swam beside us for about an hour. More sea turtles popped up to greet us. I felt like I was in a documentary for National Geographic.
At last we saw Fort Jefferson in the distance. We reeled in the sails and motored into the west entrance at about 1630. We were the tenth boat in the anchorage. We motored into the southeast end. Although our charts said the water depth was only two feet, our depth gauge showed eight feet. We decided it was safe to anchor there. Once our 65-pound CQR anchor was set, John donned his wetsuit and dove down to check the anchor holding. The water was so clear that he could see the bottom all around Island Chariot. He confirmed that we had all the depth around us we needed.
With no cell phone coverage and NOAA weather cutting in and out on our radio, we were as offshore as we had ever been. We might as well have been on the moon!
Later that evening, we decided a second anchor would be a good idea. So, John jumped into the RIB and drove around to the bow of the boat. Using the windlass, I carefully lowered our 65-pound Bruce anchor into the RIB. Once the anchor was safely in the RIB, John began rowing directly into 10-15 knots of wind. I watched as his chest muscles flexed and bulged. He might as well have been on a stationary rowing machine! Just as I was preparing to hoist the Bruce back onto Island Chariot and prepare to lower the motor onto the RIB, our neighbor, Richard, from the trawler, Calypso, drove up in his RIB. He greeted us with a friendly hello and offered to tow John out to where he wanted to set the Bruce. We were delighted to meet Richard, not only because he appeared just when we needed him, but also because he, too, was retired from the military. He told us about the Naval Air Station marina at Boca Chica (Key West), and about how the 60-foot wires are no longer over the entrance channel. Woo hoo! That will be our next stop!
On Saturday, April 11th, at 0900 after three months at Marathon Marina we left the dock and set our course for Key West (about 50 miles west). After clearing the Marathon channel, we let out the mainsail, genoa, and staysail, turned off the engine, and sailed peacefully on a reach at seven-knots in two-foot seas. Green sea turtles with two-foot-diameter shells popped their heads up to greet us along the way. What appeared to be a mommy and baby dolphin swam with us for a mile or so, playing and leaping in arcs out of the clear aqua-green water high into the air. Amazing!
By mid-afternoon we found ourselves sailing straight into the sun, once again being led by a trail of diamonds sparkling on the water. At 1600 we started the engine, reeled in the sails, and entered the Key West Channel. We dropped our anchor by Wisteria Island with a view of Mallory Square and a Carnival cruise ship on one side and an unobstructed view of the sunset on the other side. Equipped with cold beverages, we relaxed in the cockpit and watched the parasailing tourists go by high in the air. Following a picture-perfect Key West sunset, we went below to dine on beef stir-fry and mashed potatoes. By 2130 we were asleep.
We awoke on Easter morning without an alarm, excited about sailing the final 70-nautical miles to the Dry Tortugas. All winter we hoped a nice weather window would open up and allow for a beautiful pleasure trip to the Tortugas. By 0730 we had weighed anchor and were motoring out Key West channel. Light winds, calm seas, and blue skies made for a picture perfect day on the water. Once we passed the Marquesas, the water depth doubled from about 43-feet to almost 90-feet. The water color changed from aqua-green to a deep and bright royal blue. I have never seen that color before or since. Nor had I ever been in such crystal clear water. Frigate birds soared overhead showing off their glorious six to seven-foot wingspans. A pair of dolphins swam beside us for about an hour. More sea turtles popped up to greet us. I felt like I was in a documentary for National Geographic.
At last we saw Fort Jefferson in the distance. We reeled in the sails and motored into the west entrance at about 1630. We were the tenth boat in the anchorage. We motored into the southeast end. Although our charts said the water depth was only two feet, our depth gauge showed eight feet. We decided it was safe to anchor there. Once our 65-pound CQR anchor was set, John donned his wetsuit and dove down to check the anchor holding. The water was so clear that he could see the bottom all around Island Chariot. He confirmed that we had all the depth around us we needed.
With no cell phone coverage and NOAA weather cutting in and out on our radio, we were as offshore as we had ever been. We might as well have been on the moon!
Later that evening, we decided a second anchor would be a good idea. So, John jumped into the RIB and drove around to the bow of the boat. Using the windlass, I carefully lowered our 65-pound Bruce anchor into the RIB. Once the anchor was safely in the RIB, John began rowing directly into 10-15 knots of wind. I watched as his chest muscles flexed and bulged. He might as well have been on a stationary rowing machine! Just as I was preparing to hoist the Bruce back onto Island Chariot and prepare to lower the motor onto the RIB, our neighbor, Richard, from the trawler, Calypso, drove up in his RIB. He greeted us with a friendly hello and offered to tow John out to where he wanted to set the Bruce. We were delighted to meet Richard, not only because he appeared just when we needed him, but also because he, too, was retired from the military. He told us about the Naval Air Station marina at Boca Chica (Key West), and about how the 60-foot wires are no longer over the entrance channel. Woo hoo! That will be our next stop!
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning
Yesterday morning, John and I arose at 0640 to say goodbye to two more couples we have come to know and love. Last evening only Kip and I were left to blow our conchs at sunset. Today the temperature and humidity combination moved us to turn on our air conditioners. All are signs that the winter cruising season is coming to a close. The feelings I have are reminiscent of the last day of school as a high school senior. I have every intention of staying in touch with all the people on West Dock that we have enjoyed so much for the past three months. I hope I do better than I have with my high school friends!
Right now I feel grateful, happy, contemplative, peaceful, sad, … You’re wondering how I can feel all of those emotions in such rapid succession, aren’t you? I like where we are and I like where we are going. Home in North Carolina is hard to beat. And yet, I will miss the cruising culture here at the Marathon Marina West Dock. It turns out the RVers have a similar culture. We learned that when John’s mom and Pearl came to visit and stayed at Sunshine Key. Sunshine Key is an RV park just across the Seven Mile Bridge from Marathon.
Imagine if everyone lived like cruisers and RVers. Allow me to explain. Living close together we see each other several times each day. We gather together before sunset to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate living another day on the right side of the dirt. When one of us starts a boat fix-it project, the others join in lending their hands, their tools, and their expertise. We help each other without expectations. Sometimes we trade. Sometimes we use the dock currency, a bottle of wine, in return for skills like a haircut. Conversations quickly dig beneath the surface of “reporting” to discussing what we value, what keeps us up at night, and how we think and feel about various issues. Friendships become meaningful so much more quickly by sharing in depth. We live in the moment, and in any particular moment there are no problems. I hope the cruising culture is truly inside of us so we have it no matter where we are.
Right now I feel grateful, happy, contemplative, peaceful, sad, … You’re wondering how I can feel all of those emotions in such rapid succession, aren’t you? I like where we are and I like where we are going. Home in North Carolina is hard to beat. And yet, I will miss the cruising culture here at the Marathon Marina West Dock. It turns out the RVers have a similar culture. We learned that when John’s mom and Pearl came to visit and stayed at Sunshine Key. Sunshine Key is an RV park just across the Seven Mile Bridge from Marathon.
Imagine if everyone lived like cruisers and RVers. Allow me to explain. Living close together we see each other several times each day. We gather together before sunset to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate living another day on the right side of the dirt. When one of us starts a boat fix-it project, the others join in lending their hands, their tools, and their expertise. We help each other without expectations. Sometimes we trade. Sometimes we use the dock currency, a bottle of wine, in return for skills like a haircut. Conversations quickly dig beneath the surface of “reporting” to discussing what we value, what keeps us up at night, and how we think and feel about various issues. Friendships become meaningful so much more quickly by sharing in depth. We live in the moment, and in any particular moment there are no problems. I hope the cruising culture is truly inside of us so we have it no matter where we are.
February Fun and March Madness
Three months of winter have never passed so quickly. Making new friends and visits from our families have been the highlights of our time in the Florida Keys.
Since our arrival in Marathon, FL on January 8th, we have made several trips to Key West by car. Shopping on Duval Street; eating at Margaritaville, Kelly’s and Azur; watching street performers at sunset in Mallory Square; touring the Truman Little White House, the Butterfly Conservatory, Mel Fisher’s Museum, and the Hemingway House; standing at the (almost) southernmost point – we still did not see everything. Each experience was amazing. When I remember this trip years from now, I will probably remember the food before anything else. The Key Lime Pie at Kelly’s has an Oreo cookie crust, after all!
While my mom and dad were here, we all went to the Theater of the Sea in Islamorada. Dolphins, parrots, and sea lions entertained us. Despite my love of parrots, the sea lion show was my favorite. That sea lion was so expressive. He almost seemed to have a sense of humor. He certainly had a flare for the dramatic. When he missed a trick, he simply tried it again, and then clapped for himself when he was successful.
Back in Marathon, we made two trips to the Turtle Hospital. We took my mom and dad one week, and John’s mom and her friend, Pearl, the next week. We enjoyed seeing the variety of sea turtles up close. Some are there, because they have been struck by boats, others, because they have diseases. I am afraid the future does not look too bright for sea turtles. A very large percentage of them in the wild suffer from a viral disease that is thought to be either genetic or sexually transmitted. And then there is the fact that they wait until they are 30 years old to lay their first eggs, and they will only lay their eggs on the beach where they were born. Have you seen the Atlantic coast lately? Condominiums have sprung up from Florida to North Carolina over the past 30 years! Most of those beaches are gone for turtle egg-laying purposes. (Political commentary: As we watched the turtles swim and learned about their care, it occurred to me that their care is likely better than human care will be when the government decides and dictates what treatment we rate.)
Just down the road from the Turtle Hospital, we toured Crane Point with my mom and dad. We walked miles of trails and learned about all the varieties of Mangrove Trees and other Keys plants. A wild bird rescue facility provided a fascinating surprise at the end of one trail near the Bay waters. The Crane home was closed for renovations. The Cranes must have spent incredible days on such an amazing property, especially with so much privacy and such pristine sunset views!
People continue to ask us if we will be back next year. I’m willing!
Since our arrival in Marathon, FL on January 8th, we have made several trips to Key West by car. Shopping on Duval Street; eating at Margaritaville, Kelly’s and Azur; watching street performers at sunset in Mallory Square; touring the Truman Little White House, the Butterfly Conservatory, Mel Fisher’s Museum, and the Hemingway House; standing at the (almost) southernmost point – we still did not see everything. Each experience was amazing. When I remember this trip years from now, I will probably remember the food before anything else. The Key Lime Pie at Kelly’s has an Oreo cookie crust, after all!
While my mom and dad were here, we all went to the Theater of the Sea in Islamorada. Dolphins, parrots, and sea lions entertained us. Despite my love of parrots, the sea lion show was my favorite. That sea lion was so expressive. He almost seemed to have a sense of humor. He certainly had a flare for the dramatic. When he missed a trick, he simply tried it again, and then clapped for himself when he was successful.
Back in Marathon, we made two trips to the Turtle Hospital. We took my mom and dad one week, and John’s mom and her friend, Pearl, the next week. We enjoyed seeing the variety of sea turtles up close. Some are there, because they have been struck by boats, others, because they have diseases. I am afraid the future does not look too bright for sea turtles. A very large percentage of them in the wild suffer from a viral disease that is thought to be either genetic or sexually transmitted. And then there is the fact that they wait until they are 30 years old to lay their first eggs, and they will only lay their eggs on the beach where they were born. Have you seen the Atlantic coast lately? Condominiums have sprung up from Florida to North Carolina over the past 30 years! Most of those beaches are gone for turtle egg-laying purposes. (Political commentary: As we watched the turtles swim and learned about their care, it occurred to me that their care is likely better than human care will be when the government decides and dictates what treatment we rate.)
Just down the road from the Turtle Hospital, we toured Crane Point with my mom and dad. We walked miles of trails and learned about all the varieties of Mangrove Trees and other Keys plants. A wild bird rescue facility provided a fascinating surprise at the end of one trail near the Bay waters. The Crane home was closed for renovations. The Cranes must have spent incredible days on such an amazing property, especially with so much privacy and such pristine sunset views!
People continue to ask us if we will be back next year. I’m willing!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Dive! Dive! Dive!
John is a certified diver. He has not dived in years, because he does not own any diving equipment. That is, he did not own any diving equipment until last week. One of his goals in cruising the Florida Keys was to find a great deal on all the gear he needs. He wants to dive on our trip while I snorkel and he wants to start cleaning the bottom of Island Chariot himself. After three weeks of searching and researching, equipment found John a piece or two at a time.
First came three large yellow tanks and a mini tank. The tanks had not been certified since the year 2003. John brought them to a local dive shop in Marathon to have them certified and filled. He purchased a 60-foot hose so he can leave the tanks on the dock when he cleans Island Chariot. The missing piece for boat bottom cleaning capability was a gauge to show how much air is left in the tank. Mark at the dive shop had this to say about that. “Dude, when you’re getting low on air, you’ll hear PHFFFFT, phffft and you won’t be able to breathe. Just come up then. It’s kind of dangerous, but you don’t really need a gauge.” Having served as the Safety Officer for the entire Second Marine Air Wing during his final two years in the USMC, John was uncomfortable with that solution.
While his newly acquired tanks were at the dive shop, a buoyancy compensator, regulator, and several other pieces of equipment found John. It was his good fortune to find a couple whose diving days were over and who were very pleased to have the equipment out of their house. Cleaning out is so cleansing to the soul, whether it is our physical space or our unfinished relationship business. John was pleased to be part of their cleansing experience.
We are still deciding how and where to store the tanks. Some people like to store them on deck. We like the deck uncluttered. Perhaps a deck box is in our future.
First came three large yellow tanks and a mini tank. The tanks had not been certified since the year 2003. John brought them to a local dive shop in Marathon to have them certified and filled. He purchased a 60-foot hose so he can leave the tanks on the dock when he cleans Island Chariot. The missing piece for boat bottom cleaning capability was a gauge to show how much air is left in the tank. Mark at the dive shop had this to say about that. “Dude, when you’re getting low on air, you’ll hear PHFFFFT, phffft and you won’t be able to breathe. Just come up then. It’s kind of dangerous, but you don’t really need a gauge.” Having served as the Safety Officer for the entire Second Marine Air Wing during his final two years in the USMC, John was uncomfortable with that solution.
While his newly acquired tanks were at the dive shop, a buoyancy compensator, regulator, and several other pieces of equipment found John. It was his good fortune to find a couple whose diving days were over and who were very pleased to have the equipment out of their house. Cleaning out is so cleansing to the soul, whether it is our physical space or our unfinished relationship business. John was pleased to be part of their cleansing experience.
We are still deciding how and where to store the tanks. Some people like to store them on deck. We like the deck uncluttered. Perhaps a deck box is in our future.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunsets in Marathon
Three weeks in Marathon have flown like they did in Miami Beach! Neither John nor I had ever been to Marathon before we chose it as our cruising destination. Fortunately, it is as beautiful and cruiser-friendly as we had hoped.
People on our dock at Marathon Marina are very social. Many of them are regulars here in the winter. Happy hour at sunset is a daily, well-attended event. Every evening, fellow live-aboards grab their conch shells, which have been drilled out and made into horns, and gather on the dock near Island Chariot. Our dock has a clear view of the sun dipping into the ocean. Just after the sun sinks out of sight, everyone raises their conchs to their lips and blows into them like bugles to signal the end of the day. The sound is like a cruise ship honking upon entering a channel. Last Saturday at the Big Pine Flea Market, I purchased a conch so I could join the choir. It’s the closest I’ll get to a Pamlico Community Band experience in Marathon! Just prior to sounding the conchs, we all wait with heightened anticipation for the illusive “green flash”. When conditions are right, just as the sun disappears you can see a split second of green light. Conditions are rarely just right. We were fortunate that only three days after our arrival we witnessed the “green flash”. Beautiful!
Elvis Ann is enjoying Marathon, because we have made so many new friends. She frequently entertains the happy hour crowd with parrot tricks while we all wait for sunset. More than anything, Elvis Ann loves attention. She sits on John’s hand. He holds her talons and gives the commands. She swings, hangs, cradles like a baby in his arms, lays on her back into his other hand, falls over dead when he points his finger at her and says “bang!”, and turns around in a circle. The “bang” trick is a real crowd pleaser. John gives everyone a chance to “shoot” her and say “bang!”. Elvis Ann performs perfectly every time!
We have made many good friends here and are in no hurry to leave…
People on our dock at Marathon Marina are very social. Many of them are regulars here in the winter. Happy hour at sunset is a daily, well-attended event. Every evening, fellow live-aboards grab their conch shells, which have been drilled out and made into horns, and gather on the dock near Island Chariot. Our dock has a clear view of the sun dipping into the ocean. Just after the sun sinks out of sight, everyone raises their conchs to their lips and blows into them like bugles to signal the end of the day. The sound is like a cruise ship honking upon entering a channel. Last Saturday at the Big Pine Flea Market, I purchased a conch so I could join the choir. It’s the closest I’ll get to a Pamlico Community Band experience in Marathon! Just prior to sounding the conchs, we all wait with heightened anticipation for the illusive “green flash”. When conditions are right, just as the sun disappears you can see a split second of green light. Conditions are rarely just right. We were fortunate that only three days after our arrival we witnessed the “green flash”. Beautiful!
Elvis Ann is enjoying Marathon, because we have made so many new friends. She frequently entertains the happy hour crowd with parrot tricks while we all wait for sunset. More than anything, Elvis Ann loves attention. She sits on John’s hand. He holds her talons and gives the commands. She swings, hangs, cradles like a baby in his arms, lays on her back into his other hand, falls over dead when he points his finger at her and says “bang!”, and turns around in a circle. The “bang” trick is a real crowd pleaser. John gives everyone a chance to “shoot” her and say “bang!”. Elvis Ann performs perfectly every time!
We have made many good friends here and are in no hurry to leave…
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Arrival!
We woke before the sun on Monday, January 5th, excited about heading southwest to Marathon, FL. For more than 10 years John and I have imagined sailing south to the Florida Keys for the winter. Taking our time, seeing the sights, then landing in the Keys is #66 of 104 items on my bucket list.
Exactly one month after arriving at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in Miami Beach, we pulled away from slip E-109 at 7AM and headed toward Key Biscayne. Rather than heading out to sea the way we came, we stayed inside the Biscayne Bay and exited at the Key Biscayne Channel into the Hawk Channel. The Hawk Channel runs about a mile offshore inside the reef separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Keys. We unfurled the mainsail, staysail, and genoa, then set our course for Rodriguez Key. Under robin’s-egg-blue skies and fluffy white clouds we sailed on a broad reach at 6.5 – 7.5 knots. The clear, blue-green seas were one to two feet with winds at 12 knots. Eric the autopilot held our course. John and I reclined on our cockpit cushions and grinned as we rode gently up and down on the waves.
We sailed about 50 miles on the first day and stopped for the night at the Rodriguez Key Anchorage opposite Key Largo. Fortunately, most boaters had reached their destinations so the anchorage was nearly empty. The water was so clear we could see the bottom eight feet below. The bottom was sandy and grassy, which made setting our 60-pound CQR anchor challenging. Once we were satisfied that the anchor would hold us for the night, John donned his wet suit, fins, mask, and snorkel and dove on anchor just to be sure. By 9PM we were asleep. John awoke at midnight to ensure we were not dragging the anchor as the winds picked up and clocked around to the east. All was well. John awoke again at 3:30AM. This time we were dragging. In fact, we had moved backward about three boat lengths. Thank goodness no boats were behind us and the east wind kept us from dragging aground. We were not in danger of running into anything, so we decided not to move the boat or reset the anchor. It seemed like the anchor had dug in again as we did not drag any further. John kept one eye open for the rest of the night. We had experienced another first that we had heard so much about, the anchor dragging.
As soon as we saw the first signs of daylight, we weighed anchor and headed for Marathon and, specifically, Boot Key Harbor. The winds were steady at 16-18 knots. With all the sails unfurled we maintained speeds of 8+ knots in two- to three- foot seas and 20 feet of water. We were frustrated at the tremendous number of lobster traps in the channel, which were difficult to see and challenging to avoid in the waves. Crab and lobster traps have small floats attached to thick lines attached to traps that sit on the bottom. Had we hit a trap, the line would likely have become wrapped around our propeller and pulled the shaft out of the boat causing us to take on water and possibly sink. With thousands of traps along the Keys it is hard to imagine there are any lobsters alive!
By 1:30PM on Tuesday we were pulling into Boot Key Harbor and Marathon Marina. NOAA weather forecasted a cold front and storms by Tuesday night or Wednesday, so we were delighted to be docked before the front arrived. We had finally arrived at the destination for which we set sail in October. Blue skies, 80-degree temperatures, light breezes, blue-green waters, manatees, mangrove trees, tiki bars, hundreds of fellow cruisers…we had seen it all in our minds for ten years, and the Keys are as breathtaking as we imagined them to be.
Exactly one month after arriving at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in Miami Beach, we pulled away from slip E-109 at 7AM and headed toward Key Biscayne. Rather than heading out to sea the way we came, we stayed inside the Biscayne Bay and exited at the Key Biscayne Channel into the Hawk Channel. The Hawk Channel runs about a mile offshore inside the reef separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Keys. We unfurled the mainsail, staysail, and genoa, then set our course for Rodriguez Key. Under robin’s-egg-blue skies and fluffy white clouds we sailed on a broad reach at 6.5 – 7.5 knots. The clear, blue-green seas were one to two feet with winds at 12 knots. Eric the autopilot held our course. John and I reclined on our cockpit cushions and grinned as we rode gently up and down on the waves.
We sailed about 50 miles on the first day and stopped for the night at the Rodriguez Key Anchorage opposite Key Largo. Fortunately, most boaters had reached their destinations so the anchorage was nearly empty. The water was so clear we could see the bottom eight feet below. The bottom was sandy and grassy, which made setting our 60-pound CQR anchor challenging. Once we were satisfied that the anchor would hold us for the night, John donned his wet suit, fins, mask, and snorkel and dove on anchor just to be sure. By 9PM we were asleep. John awoke at midnight to ensure we were not dragging the anchor as the winds picked up and clocked around to the east. All was well. John awoke again at 3:30AM. This time we were dragging. In fact, we had moved backward about three boat lengths. Thank goodness no boats were behind us and the east wind kept us from dragging aground. We were not in danger of running into anything, so we decided not to move the boat or reset the anchor. It seemed like the anchor had dug in again as we did not drag any further. John kept one eye open for the rest of the night. We had experienced another first that we had heard so much about, the anchor dragging.
As soon as we saw the first signs of daylight, we weighed anchor and headed for Marathon and, specifically, Boot Key Harbor. The winds were steady at 16-18 knots. With all the sails unfurled we maintained speeds of 8+ knots in two- to three- foot seas and 20 feet of water. We were frustrated at the tremendous number of lobster traps in the channel, which were difficult to see and challenging to avoid in the waves. Crab and lobster traps have small floats attached to thick lines attached to traps that sit on the bottom. Had we hit a trap, the line would likely have become wrapped around our propeller and pulled the shaft out of the boat causing us to take on water and possibly sink. With thousands of traps along the Keys it is hard to imagine there are any lobsters alive!
By 1:30PM on Tuesday we were pulling into Boot Key Harbor and Marathon Marina. NOAA weather forecasted a cold front and storms by Tuesday night or Wednesday, so we were delighted to be docked before the front arrived. We had finally arrived at the destination for which we set sail in October. Blue skies, 80-degree temperatures, light breezes, blue-green waters, manatees, mangrove trees, tiki bars, hundreds of fellow cruisers…we had seen it all in our minds for ten years, and the Keys are as breathtaking as we imagined them to be.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
A Holly Jolly Christmas Week in Miami Beach
“Nothing is ever as over as Christmas.” That’s a quote from John’s mom that sums up our feelings yesterday. Yesterday morning, John and I took down the Christmas lights and put away all of the cards that had made our salon so merry. Two weeks ago, we ran 130 feet of white lights from the top of the mast forward and aft. People could enjoy the lights for miles around, because our mast is 63.5-feet high. Fellow cruisers anchored nearby have visited us in their dinghies just to tell us how much they enjoy our lights, which made us smile broadly and swell with pride.
Christmas morning aboard Island Chariot was a bit like Christmas morning in Whoville before the Grinch returned everything he stole from the Whos. We did not have a Christmas tree or stockings or plates full of decorative and delicious cookies. Gifts we gave and received were simple and meaningful. Holiday Kleenex boxes, two strands of white LED lights and Christmas cards from friends and family on both sides of the salon created a festive atmosphere. Without the usual hustle and stress, John and I had time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. Many people call themselves “seekers” of God. Actually, God seeks us and did so in a major way by sending his only son to save us. He’s right here. All we have to do is accept Him and His amazing love for us. No further God-seeking is required. And, we paused as we do each day in moments of gratitude to name everything for which we are grateful at that time. Although we missed our families, we felt joyful and peaceful.
Later on Christmas Day we prepared a tossed salad and an appetizer of cheeses and crackers for nine of us, then drove the dinghy over to Hale Kai for a cruisers’ Christmas dinner. Hale Kai is a large Beneteau sailboat piloted by Richard and Sharon. We think Richard may be in the witness protection program. Here is the evidence: He changes his appearance every two years or so, has Delaware as the hailing port of his boat, lives in the mountains, and keeps his boat in Oriental, NC. I know what you’re thinking. I could be describing almost any cruiser! At any rate, we were an eclectic mix of people who had a delightful time together despite the fact that we would make an unlikely dinner party on land. I’ll say it again; the people we meet are the best part of cruising.
We all enjoyed each other so much on Christmas that we did some South Beach sightseeing together the next day, walking to the Holocaust Memorial and the Botanical Gardens before stopping for refreshments on Lincoln Road. The Holocaust Memorial recapped the horrors of what human beings are capable of doing to one another. I was glad we started the day there. My spirits were lifted again admiring the beauty of the flowers, shrubs and trees at the Botanical Gardens.
A few days later, we took a dinghy trip up the Miami River under bright sunshine and blue skies. We are used to creeks in rural settings. The Miami River feels like a creek; however, it runs through downtown Miami. It was strange seeing skyscrapers on the cement banks of the narrow river.
As we crossed the Biscayne Bay on our way back to Island Chariot, we fished a cane out of the water. It had a golden dragon’s head at the top with gold designs down the black cane. The owner had placed a return address label near the top, most of which was still intact. It was our pleasure to look up the owner’s phone number online and inform her that we would ship the cane to her in Pittsburgh. We called her to ensure she was still at that address. She was amazed that we found the cane and that we were returning it to her.
Earlier in December soon after our arrival in Miami Beach, we found a man’s designer dress shirt in the street still wrapped in plastic and on a hanger from leaving the dry cleaners. It was a Saturday night and the dry cleaners was closed. On Monday, we brought the shirt back to the dry cleaners. The numbered tag on it enabled the staff to identify its owner. They, too, were amazed that we would return the item. Isn’t that a sad commentary?
Then, again, is the story of my sunglasses. On the day we went to Parrot Jungle I left them in the shower room at our "gated, exclusive yacht club". Thirty minutes later when I realized what I had done, I went back into the shower room only to find them gone. I checked with the office staff and no one turned the sunglasses in to lost and found. So, I brought the case into the shower room with a note telling the person who found the glasses to take the case to protect them since I did not need it any more. But, I digress...
Wrapping up the holiday week, we took pleasure in a quiet New Year’s Eve celebration. Being lovers of sci-fi movies, John and I watched Transformers on Blu-Ray DVD, and then switched to the FOX network celebration in Las Vegas. The FOX celebration took place at the Mirage Hotel where we stayed when we were married in Las Vegas. Daughtry and David Cook performed, both of whom I enjoy, which is what made us choose that particular TV party. At midnight, we emerged from the salon up into the cockpit of Island Chariot and reveled in fireworks surrounding us from downtown Miami to South Beach.
The next morning brought us the Tournament of Roses Parade followed by much college football. The highlight of New Year’s Day was watching my alma mater win the Gator Bowl. It has been so long since the Huskers have had a winning team!
Normally, my resolutions, affirmations, and goals for the year ahead would be complete by now. I'm holding over last year's affirmation "I'm feeling energetic and lean weighing 118!" for another year. That's all I have so far. The problem with that goal wrapped in an affirmation is that I'm feeling too energetic and great weighing 128. Anyway, John and I decided that January 1 is an arbitrary date. We agreed to revisit our goals for 2009 and beyond on February 8. No, there is no particular reason for the date.
Today we joined several others at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in celebrating Clare’s birthday. John met Clare and Steve when he brought our boat home for the first time. Part I of her party included mimosas and danishs at 10AM. Part II is a bar-b-que at 6PM. What a delightful way to spend a beautiful Miami Beach January day!
It is hard to believe our month in Miami Beach is up on Monday. It feels like the time-space continuum has folded. We can’t have been here for 31 days!
Marathon here we come!
Christmas morning aboard Island Chariot was a bit like Christmas morning in Whoville before the Grinch returned everything he stole from the Whos. We did not have a Christmas tree or stockings or plates full of decorative and delicious cookies. Gifts we gave and received were simple and meaningful. Holiday Kleenex boxes, two strands of white LED lights and Christmas cards from friends and family on both sides of the salon created a festive atmosphere. Without the usual hustle and stress, John and I had time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. Many people call themselves “seekers” of God. Actually, God seeks us and did so in a major way by sending his only son to save us. He’s right here. All we have to do is accept Him and His amazing love for us. No further God-seeking is required. And, we paused as we do each day in moments of gratitude to name everything for which we are grateful at that time. Although we missed our families, we felt joyful and peaceful.
Later on Christmas Day we prepared a tossed salad and an appetizer of cheeses and crackers for nine of us, then drove the dinghy over to Hale Kai for a cruisers’ Christmas dinner. Hale Kai is a large Beneteau sailboat piloted by Richard and Sharon. We think Richard may be in the witness protection program. Here is the evidence: He changes his appearance every two years or so, has Delaware as the hailing port of his boat, lives in the mountains, and keeps his boat in Oriental, NC. I know what you’re thinking. I could be describing almost any cruiser! At any rate, we were an eclectic mix of people who had a delightful time together despite the fact that we would make an unlikely dinner party on land. I’ll say it again; the people we meet are the best part of cruising.
We all enjoyed each other so much on Christmas that we did some South Beach sightseeing together the next day, walking to the Holocaust Memorial and the Botanical Gardens before stopping for refreshments on Lincoln Road. The Holocaust Memorial recapped the horrors of what human beings are capable of doing to one another. I was glad we started the day there. My spirits were lifted again admiring the beauty of the flowers, shrubs and trees at the Botanical Gardens.
A few days later, we took a dinghy trip up the Miami River under bright sunshine and blue skies. We are used to creeks in rural settings. The Miami River feels like a creek; however, it runs through downtown Miami. It was strange seeing skyscrapers on the cement banks of the narrow river.
As we crossed the Biscayne Bay on our way back to Island Chariot, we fished a cane out of the water. It had a golden dragon’s head at the top with gold designs down the black cane. The owner had placed a return address label near the top, most of which was still intact. It was our pleasure to look up the owner’s phone number online and inform her that we would ship the cane to her in Pittsburgh. We called her to ensure she was still at that address. She was amazed that we found the cane and that we were returning it to her.
Earlier in December soon after our arrival in Miami Beach, we found a man’s designer dress shirt in the street still wrapped in plastic and on a hanger from leaving the dry cleaners. It was a Saturday night and the dry cleaners was closed. On Monday, we brought the shirt back to the dry cleaners. The numbered tag on it enabled the staff to identify its owner. They, too, were amazed that we would return the item. Isn’t that a sad commentary?
Then, again, is the story of my sunglasses. On the day we went to Parrot Jungle I left them in the shower room at our "gated, exclusive yacht club". Thirty minutes later when I realized what I had done, I went back into the shower room only to find them gone. I checked with the office staff and no one turned the sunglasses in to lost and found. So, I brought the case into the shower room with a note telling the person who found the glasses to take the case to protect them since I did not need it any more. But, I digress...
Wrapping up the holiday week, we took pleasure in a quiet New Year’s Eve celebration. Being lovers of sci-fi movies, John and I watched Transformers on Blu-Ray DVD, and then switched to the FOX network celebration in Las Vegas. The FOX celebration took place at the Mirage Hotel where we stayed when we were married in Las Vegas. Daughtry and David Cook performed, both of whom I enjoy, which is what made us choose that particular TV party. At midnight, we emerged from the salon up into the cockpit of Island Chariot and reveled in fireworks surrounding us from downtown Miami to South Beach.
The next morning brought us the Tournament of Roses Parade followed by much college football. The highlight of New Year’s Day was watching my alma mater win the Gator Bowl. It has been so long since the Huskers have had a winning team!
Normally, my resolutions, affirmations, and goals for the year ahead would be complete by now. I'm holding over last year's affirmation "I'm feeling energetic and lean weighing 118!" for another year. That's all I have so far. The problem with that goal wrapped in an affirmation is that I'm feeling too energetic and great weighing 128. Anyway, John and I decided that January 1 is an arbitrary date. We agreed to revisit our goals for 2009 and beyond on February 8. No, there is no particular reason for the date.
Today we joined several others at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in celebrating Clare’s birthday. John met Clare and Steve when he brought our boat home for the first time. Part I of her party included mimosas and danishs at 10AM. Part II is a bar-b-que at 6PM. What a delightful way to spend a beautiful Miami Beach January day!
It is hard to believe our month in Miami Beach is up on Monday. It feels like the time-space continuum has folded. We can’t have been here for 31 days!
Marathon here we come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)