Sailing off to Key West...

Sound familiar? Well this is the story of three wee boats left from the Wee Armada.  First was s/v Earendil to leave Bahia Honda.on there was back to Boot Key Harbor.  Once they rounded the island their engine was no longer cooperating.  As I sailed into the channel s/v Wee Happy hailed them on the radio as their sails should have been up by now.  They were planning on going back to Bahia Honda to evaluate the situation (turns out just a fouled prop).

First boat down!

About two miles down Hawk's Channel I received a hail from Wee Happy they just lost their jib!  Not knowing if they meant they furled it to just use the main if they had catastrophic failure, I gave them some time to sort things out.  Once I realized they were no longer on course I came about to head back to their location.  When I called on the radio they were talking options and plans.  The easiest and quickest would be back to Bahia Honda.  I thought I would have enough on board to repair what they needed so back they went (ends up they were repaired before I got back).

Second boat down!

Since both boats were on their way to Bahia Honda and I needed to tack at least once I sailed out to sea on the first leg.  Once I was east enough to sail through the bridge I made the final tack to approach.  The Genoa caught slightly on the stays and backfilled.  She slid over to port on her own power and I tightened the sheet.  As I leaned back against the cockpit ready sail into Bahia Honda Park I looked up to see a 4 foot rip in the mid section of the sail.  I furled the sail and started the motor to limp into Bahia Honda.  Having to motor through the same grass drift that took out Earendil of course I fouled the prop.  While clearing the motor I was visited again by homeland security and all four of their engines.  "Hi guys it's been a couple days...from Bahia Honda....out two miles....back to Bahia Honda...Oh, can I get a better pic this time?"

Third boat down!

With all three boats back in Bahia Honda with Dreamer it was time to figure out dinner.  I offered to cook pasta and it grew from there.  Christina was surprised when she returned from work since she and Kurt were the only ones she expected to be here.  Lobster pasta with Mexican apps (since she didn't know Christina brought dinner for her and Kurt)

Lobster Pasta

• Two pounds of cooked lobster
• Two pounds of pasta cooked
• Two bottles of Alfredo sauce
• Two tbls of lobster base
• One tbls of Italian seasoning
• One tbls of blackening seasoning
• One tbls of crushed garlic
• One red and one green pepper saute'd with one large portabello mushroom

Cook pasta and then add Alfredo sauce, seasonings, lobster base, crushed garlic and saute'd peppers and mushrooms.  Bring to serving temp and then add lobster.  Serve immediately with sunset, conch horns and friends.

Well the first two turn out to be simple repairs, over the side and up the mast.  Gemini Dreams on the other hand had to have the Genoa pulled, folded, bagged, Tom gave me a ride to Marathon (saved me from getting up at 4:45am to catch the first bus THANK YOU), north bus 31.5 miles and then repaired by Lesley at Behind the seams on Islamorada.  She fit me in the next day and it was complete and ready to go in less than 2 hours!  THANK YOU! I totally recommend her on her service!  Now I had to wait an hour in Islamorada for the first bus back, and then 1:45 wait in Marathon but the sail is now in Boo Boo Tin Tin and ready to go back on.

With all three boats up Earendil has gone to Boot Key leaving Wee Happy and Gemini Dreams ready to try one more shot at Key West and the Dry Tortugas in the morning.

Fair winds
w