Getting Settled In Boot Key Harbor, Marathon

Well as you can see by the date on this post, I started it on Friday and got as far as the pictures and stopped. We arrived 10 days ago here in Marathon and it seems like it was just yesterday. We have been very busy and that is an understatement. Last Saturday we did errands for provisioning and were busy all day. Sunday we went to church and relaxed. Monday came and we looked for employment and both found some. I'm working as a hostess for Castaways Restaurant and Susi Bar. I started that same day and worked three nights last week. Larry and I attended our first Christmas party this year it was last night at Castaways.















Larry as you can see by the picture is a driver for the Smorgasboat, the local water taxi. I've rode with him on a few occasions and it's quite a nice ride. Larry has been also busy with the usual fixing and maintenance on our boat. I've been hard at work making stained glass gifts for family for Christmas. We only have a few days left before we start our land journey North for the Christmas Holiday. Our Daughter tells us it is snowing and they have around a foot. I can't wait, maybe we will luck out and it will melt before we arrive. It's been three years since we have seen the fluffy white and I can say I haven't missed it. It will be great to see everyone even if it is cold and snowy. Well I'm going to close for now, I've got projects to finish and time is ticking away.

No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne, Fl

We started our fourth and final overnight for this trip south at 7:30 AM Tuesday morning. We cast off our lines from the dock and were underway. We had a short trip on the rest of the Canaveral Canal to the lock pictured above. This was the first time we had traveled this canal and locked though the lock, so we were not certain of what to expect. Our information told us lines were provided for us and that the lock tender assisted you with your lines. Not true, as we found out from the lock tender. Fortunately Larry inquired via VHF radio before we entered so we could be prepared. The wind was funneling and made it interesting docking on the wall but we did fine. The doors closed behind us and the doors in front of us opened a few minutes later and the lock tender informed us we would be going down about 2 feet. OK. There were no fill chambers like on the canal in New York, the water just flowed out as the doors opened. The lock seems to be no more than flood gates to keep the tide from flowing into the ICW and to keep calm the harbor. It was the calmest inlet for us so far on the ocean.















We had a good day on the ocean. We didn't have enough wind to turn off the engine and arrive in day light at No Name Harbor. We motor sailed until the sunset and the wind was too light to keep the sails full and the main from banging from side to side. We furled the main sail in and settled in for a quiet night. We traveled within 4 to 5 miles off shore so we could see the many lights on the Florida Coast. This was a treat compared to the darkness of our previous 3 overnights. We stayed warm right up until just before dawn. This always seems to be the coldest part of an overnight journey. We had bought a propane heater for this purpose and decided it was a good time to test it out. It worked great even after dawn when we set out the sails once again and the boat had a slight heel.














At daylight I looked out of the enclosure and thought we had a leaf stuck to us. I looked closer and discovered it was some kind of moth. I've never seen one of this color, it certainly would be camouflaged in the trees. He traveled with us for a good part of the day. This moth was not our only treat to Natures delights we saw dolphins, flying fish and the largest ray I've ever seen in the wild. His wing span was at least five feet if not more. He was just below the surface a few feet from our port stern. These creatures are a sheer delight to watch. They are graceful and elegant as they glide though the water like a symphony with the only sound playing in your head. Mother Nature never disappoints us as we travel in her waters.
















Finally Wednesday afternoon we arrived at the Cape of Florida. It felt good to round the point and take in the beauty of the light house once again. It stand so majestic announcing land to all the travelers of the sea.

We set our hook in a very quiet empty anchorage at No Name Harbor. When we arrived only three other boats were at anchor, by evening about three more came in. This is unusual for No Name but it was good to have a quiet, calm night to look forward to.

After we got settled we put the dinghy in the water and Larry rowed us to shore for a cold but pleasant shower and to launder our clothing from the night before. We went to bed around 7:30 PM and didn't wake until just before dawn the next morning. We were the first to pull up our anchor and head out.

We traveled the inside though the bay and went as far as Islamorada. We picked up a free mooring ball provided by the park system on Shell Key. It was a calm night and a good sleep. The hardest part of an overnight is readjusting your sleep patterns and it will take us a while.

We attempted to stay awake later last night in hope of sleeping until sunrise but it didn't happen. We were under way when we had enough light to maneuver around the many crab pots. We will arrive at our final destination at Boot Key City Marina in Marathon, Fl early this afternoon. Our plan is to acquire employment for a few months, then it's off to the Bahamas.

In the mean time I plan to keep you posted as to our adventures from land and sea!

Preparing For Another Overnight!

We traveled the ICW on Saturday from St. Augustine, FL to Daytona, Fl. We anchored just off the ICW for a quiet night. When we pulled into the anchorage about 3:30 there was only one other boat with a couple aboard, by the time the sun set there was at least a dozen of us. We went to bed early and rose early on Sunday to travel again on the ICW. We traveled past Titusville and anchored off the NASA Causeway Bridge. We arrived about 3:30 again and as you can see by the picture had our first salt water swim. The air temperatures have been in the high 70's and the water was 70 degrees. It made for a very refreshing swim.
















This is Larry with Brian in his dinghy. We met Brain while waiting for the George Musson Bridge. He was having trouble with the autohelm on his boat and ask if Larry could take a look at it. Larry told him where we were going to be anchored and said if he also came to anchor there he would see what he could do to fix it. Brian did make it and Larry did fix his autohelm. Brian had been trolling for fish a good part of the day and had caught three. He shared his catch with us by giving us a Spanish Mackerel. We're looking forward to having it for dinner.

This morning, Monday we only traveled about 11 miles. We actually got to sleep in, we lifted anchor about 8 AM and traveled to the Canaveral Canal and are docked at the Harborview Marina. We decided to treat our boat and ourselves. We arrived about 10:30, filled the tank with diesel fuel and docked. Larry gave the boat a much needed scrub and I took care of the over spilling laundry basket. With all the over night passages and cold weather we had lots of blankets and warm clothing in need of a wash. It's always nice to have the convenience of a laundry at the marina and not to have to dinghy to shore. It's not always easy to plan for it but it's nice when it works out.

This evening we had a good dinner at the marina restaurant and are relaxing on the boat. We will turn in early tonight as tomorrow will start our fourth over night sail. We will enter the ocean at Canaveral and travel to Key Biscayne, below Miami, arriving sometime Wednesday afternoon.