The Morning After The Night Before

This picture taken yesterday morning is of the main cabin with Rich and Julie after we pulled into a dock at Cabbage Key. The picture doesn't quite show the disaster things were in because Julie had already picked some of it up.

Saturday afternoon we had anchored by Useppa Island. there was a slight chop to the water so Larry took two trips to dinghy us to Cabbage Key for lunch. The winds dropped and the water calmed for an enjoyable evening. We knew the wind was to pick up during the night but we did not expect what was to come at 5:30 AM. At 2:00 AM the wind picked up to about 15 knots and at 5:30 AM, it felt like a freight train was coming at us. The wind had picked up to 36 knots. It got all of our attention. The men took vigil in the cockpit for anchor watch while Julie and I made them tea. It was very cold and wet from the rain.

When it became daylight we called Cabbage Key Marina for a dock. The dock master was not in yet so we pulled up on a long pier. The winds kept blowing and docking was not easy and to top it off the dock master ask us to move to a slip when he arrived. We went to the restaurant for breakfast first in hope that the wind would die down, no such luck. Larry handled the boat like a pro or should I say Master Captain. We spent the day walking on the Island, enjoying the fire at the bar and visiting.

We will leave here after lunch when the tide comes in and lifts us off the bottom. Our plan is to sail South and anchor off Sanibel Island. The winds and waves are predicted to lessen and we look forward to a sail on the Gulf Tuesday.