The Kraken and Florida Bay, 1/9/14 - 1/11/14

After Raymarine failed to warrant the tiller pilot and we hated the replacement we are always in the cockpit.  This makes crossing from the bridge to the keys a little longer than we would like but we heave-to at night and let the wind slowly take us south.  Or at least we hope this is what happens.  Still keeping watch but trying to get some sleep also.  A shift in the wind of course sends us off on a tangent which almost always says we should go to Key West instead of Marathon.  So we battle slightly upwind to save the 50 miles back from Key West to Marathon.  

Sunset day one

This pelican played leap frog for almost an hour before we became boring to him

Falling back a hundred feet to only arrive again and again.

Sunset day 2 with a light breeze

We were escorted by several pods of dolphins once we could see the keys

Several of these pods had young ones with them

This went on for almost 10 miles as we made up the "Easting" we had lost over the last two days

Under the bow

finally a breeze that of course was from the SE

Sunset day three across East Bahia Honda Key

As we approached the 7 mile bridge we thought about anchoring not far from where the sunset photo was taken for about 3 hours.  The light wind finally died and the current was going to change in a couple hours to our favor so we continued on.  We were expecting to have a little help with the current as we approached the cut in the old 7 mile bridge but we kept getting slower.  A checked to see if we were dragging a crab pot but did not see one.  I even pulled up the dinghy to make sure it wasn't dragging one either.  We just kept getting slower.  It was not dark also.

As the opening in the bridge came near we were practically crawling through compared to what we expected.  Other than our speed all was correct.  As we cleared the old bridge and started to go under the new bridge we were swept sideways.  For what ever reason we were being slowed down now we were in the cross current but at full speed sideways.  We were not able to correct with the tiller!  Ayrton jumped to the call and handled the light and the tiller.  I manned the outboard and turned it as far as I could to fight the sideways drift.  With both of us working together we managed to not only avoid going west between the bridges but stayed off the fender as well.  Once we were within the fenders of the bridge the side current was broken and we proceeded south.  Rather quickly.  Actually the fastest we had been all afternoon.  It blew us out almost to marker R4, our turn to the east.  When we turned to the east it felt once again like we were sitting still in the water.  The iPad said we were doing 1.9 knts and lighting up a couple of crab pots agreed.  The motor wash on the other hand was like we were tied to the dock.  (Bridge issue 3)

It was also at the turn to the east that we realized we were in the oncoming wind and waves vs the outgoing tide.  With the steep waves full abeam. Rock, Rock, Rock, Putt, Putt, Putt, Vroom was the pattern.  About 3/4 mile east of the turn a final Rock, Rock, Rock and then Wheeeeee!  The Kraken lost it's grip and we were free.  Freedom was great now we were fast enough to ride the instead of rocking.  Also with the increased speed we were out of the opposing forces sooner.  We dropped hook outside Boot Key Harbor with two other sailboats and a sport fisher.

Surprisingly the SW wind wasn't as rocky as I expected during the night.  Or perhaps I was just more tired than I thought.

W

Taxi Rides.

After the fiont passed and stated to wind down t under 20 knts we pulled the anchor and headed for the last few miles of the ICW.  All the Miserableness of if, the Miserable Mile.

mm 1 complete with 15 knt cross wind and rain.

As we approached the bridge in San Carlos Bay I asked the crew if they wanted to go to the keys or Publix. "Publix!" was the answer and our day was cut short at four miles.  Well 13 didn't seem to care.  We anchored on the south east side of the bridge just as the rain subsided.

Our next issue was to cross the large shallow bank between us and the shore.  It was near low tide and the exposed bar took us about half a mile before we could cross.   The wind was rolling over to the east more and pushing us in the correct direction.  Perhaps too much in that direction as we found a small cut and tried to cross.  The port oar caught on something in the sand and the wind pushed us on top of it breaking the blade on the oar.  Good think we still had a spare blade.

Once on shore and in the grove we tied the dinghy to the roots and started to walk the mile and a half to publix

The great taxi cab rip off.  We decided to take a cab ride back from Publix instead of packing the load the whole way back..  The ride from Publix in Marathon to the Marina is 4-5 bucks depending on the cab company so we withdrew $12.  More than enough to go less than 2 miles, or so we thought.

When the cab finally arrived after about 40 minutes we were glad to set off.  It was at the first red light that I realized things were amiss.  The cab driver had taken us for a grand tour of the parking lot, the full loop around.  Then he took us out the wrong (illogical) exit.  This put us stopped at a long light ringing up quarters on the meter.  That is where he told us that the address we gave him was wrong and that was not the road's name.  I just told him to turn left at the light and pull over to the left just past the two buildings on the left.  We passed the road sign reaffirming our address.  Then gave him a "heads up" before the left turn.  He refused to turn!  He then merged into the right lane and we asked to be let out "Here!".  He refused.  Farther up the road he pulled into the last place to turn around before the toll bridge.  We demanded he let us out here before he sat through another long light.  He finally did and we ended up walking about a half mile back to the dinghy.  By now he ran us up to $12 for a $7 cab ride and was trying to get us to $14 or more.

Then next day we headed off toward the keys with less wind.

W

Hamsters on a Wheel, 12/28/13 - 1/7/14

12/28:  We left Mad Beach expecting not to get far because the wind was against us and the tide was rolling in also.  We did expect to get farther than just under the bridge though.  Just as we cleared the bridge with the tide and wind pushing us back under we had motor failure.  After all the stress of using the dinghy to pull us away from danger and a few breaths of air we tried again.  With the same results.  We could spend anther night in Mad Beach or we could head south using the small motor.  Off with the new and on with the dinghy motor.  Just down the way we stopped for the night at Boca Ciega Isle.  

12/29:  The next day we putted down the ICW toward the Sunshine Skyway  Parkway. As we passed Structure E bridge we had our second encounter with a bridge.  The calm mild wind on the north side was all simple but the south side was a stiff 20 knts, big waves and the current put us int a very slow advancement.  about 600 yards past the bridge we anchored for a couple of hours to wait for the wind to shift.  The wind clocked around as predicted and we made it to the north east side of the Sunshine Skyway Parkway.

Dolphins of Anna Maria Sound

I keep hearing the first mate, "their just dolphins" as I snap photos

seems someone is used to seeing them every day.

Ayrton loves his bids.  He doesn't get tied of them every day.

12/30:  We anchored at Longboat Key for the night watching the dolphins as they chased the mullet around our keel.

What do you get when your boat is a big bait bucket?

Fins to the left and fins to the right!

5 or 6 dolphins continued to circle the boat snatching mullet for over  one half hour.

and me bids,

12/31: Today was a quick tip down to Black Burn Bay just above Venice.  Other than finally getting to actually sail across Sarasota Bay it was an uneventful trip after we passed the chicane at Longboat Key.

and bids

1/1 - 1/3:  From Blackburn we zig-zagged through Venice and the ditch taking us down to Englewood Beach.  There is a McDonald's here if you need an Internet fix.  You can also fuel up on the north east end of the bridge at the Bait shop.  We waited out a strong cold front here for three days with temps dropping in the 40's.

We were greeted by this curious Manatee as we anchored in Englewood.

He hung out for about 5 minutes and then decided our anchor chain was just not as interesting as he originally thought.

The most we have seen of the sun in days, power is getting low.

1/4:  Day eight took us to Cayo Costa,  more precisely Ustepa Island as we chose not to enter Pelican bay for just a stop and go.  The approaching front was not due until the following night.  

Sunrise as we leave Ustepa Island

and more bids

1/5 - 1/7:  After Cayo Costa the wide open Pine Island Sound begins the most abundant dolphin population on the west coast of Florida in our opinion.  It also is the beginning of the most intensely traveled, non idle speed zone we pass every year.  The option of transitioning on the outside is becoming more enticing.

"Ayrton give me your camera!"  "They are just dolphins!"

Fins everywhere!

20 miles of big power boat wakes, oh and dolphins.

and fast boats

 and birds

Sunset at the south tip of Pine Island

The clouds finally broke at 4:30 pm on day 11.

We sat at Pine Island for thee nights,  A front was coming on day two and we liked it better here than the next anchorage.  We had burgers at The Waterfront Restaurant on the fist two days and just sat out the wind and cold on day three. (Best kids burger I have ever seen for 5 bucks.)  Day three brought the winter to us.  I have already seen comments n the net about "I survived Florida winter, 2014".  It sure felt cold but nothing like the northern states received.  The low forty's seems cold in Florida.  Farther north, we had friends with frozen pipes in Asheville and all the way down to Panama City.

At fist you casually try to take a photo from behind the glasses

 Then you play the "But it is for your mom" card

 In the end it is FINE go ahead and hurry up!

Wow that was a hard trip due to weather.

W

You guys told me there would be fish on this trip!

ps  I nw pnuce my lap tp dead n aival.  A eplacement will have t wait until we call cuising seasn dne.

ps  I now pronounce my lap top dead on arrival.  A replacement will have to wait until we call cruising season done.  The key board now has several keys not working and editing this post was a Bitch!