We have been collecting sunsets and laughs. Madcap Laughs that is as we watch certain anchors drop into the water here in Boot Key Harbor. See there seems to be more than one type of anchor control. You know that "person" who is in charge of getting a big metal hook to dig into the earth floor under a body of water. Seems the most entertaining often come at sunset.
A few days ago a 45 +- foot trawler type came into the anchorage and tried to anchor (CQR) in the big open spot near us. There was a poor young lad on the deck and some older chap at the helm. You could imagine the two cans and string between them as the young lad watched the anchor run off the windlass to the bottom. Immediately the captain, the older chap, would start reversing and try to get the anchor to dig into the bottom. continually dragging it west over and over again. As the wide open area quickly became multiple boats they threaded their way through a couple and took the process to the other side of the channel. As they continued the previous process the sunset was dwindling and we retired below. Sometime during the night they found the bottom and were still in the harbor the next morning.
Then a couple nights ago a big catamaran decided to anchor (delta) in the big open spot near us. One, two, three attempts and they were soon passing us by. On past the next boat and then down through the anchorage toward the SW. Hmmm, too far past their comfort zone maybe as they pulled up the anchor and motored toward "the bridge to no-where". Instead of passing through the tried to anchor on the north side of the channel just east of the bridge. All the way up to where they must be on the bottom. Then back. Then up. Finally giving up on the little hole they tried the SE side of the bridge. Are they done? No! After several minutes we could see the mast slowly heading toward us weaving through the tight anchorage with a 20 foot beam. After they passed us again they slowed at the big open spot as to start all over. For some reason they chose not to anchor in the most obvious spot in the anchorage. They continued to slow go all the way down to marker 18. (Just a note: The collection of local boats on 2 or 3 anchors that gather at 18 kept us from squeezing in). Looks like they are hooked up for the night. On one of the random checks you do just because when you are anchored anywhere we found the cat across the channel from us directly in front of one of the channels, not far from the trawler previously mentioned.
On the way back to the boat just before sunset yesterday we found two new arrivals nestled into the big open spot with room for another. Both were 30 something foot sailboats. We also noticed the big cat was not happy and had moved (just to the east of the channel they were blocking) to even a more precarious spot between a large sailboat on a personal mooring and someones seawall praying for a SW or NNE wind not to blow.
So until sunset and the next adventure, enjoy life, don't stress on the little things and remember you can't hook the earth with a 2:1 scope.
W
ps Yes we drag, you drag, everyone drags.
A return to Floyd and Pop Culture references was inevitable.
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