We made it to Marathon, FL!

...and we did it a day ahead of schedule!  After the events of yesterday, Cap'n realized his First Mate needs a better plan for the day.  So after our delicious dinner of scallops and mahi-mahi at Shipwrecks, we returned to the smelly boat to hammer 'the plan' out a little more concretely this time.  (BTW, if you ever visit Shipwrecks in Garden Cove at Key Largo, you MUST order the coconut battered onion rings...sounds strange, but they are to die for!)

While I had a real bathroom, there was no real shower, as we were tied up outside of a restaurant.  This was now three days without a shower, and the baby wipes were not cutting it for me anymore.  Our 'plan' for the day says we ought to make it to Banana Bay around 5pm.  That I can live with, so I elected to hold out for a real shower.  Not Donnie... Since we were able to fill up the water tanks with fresh water.  He elected to have his morning shower in the cockpit.  (After we sailed away from the dock, of course!)

What is it
about boys
loving to be
naked
outdoors?!
I don't get
it. Cap'n is 
like my 5 yo
grandson
running around
like a pantsless
berzerker!

As for me, I prefer to be up on the bow with a good book.
It had to be in the upper 70's today.

This was our view much of the day, about five miles off shore, as we
followed the Keys down from Key Largo to Marathon, FL.

Agnes (the auto pilot) is the one thing that worked beautifully the whole trip!

And according to today's P-L-A-N, we turned north at the Channel Five
bridge to enter the Gulf side.  Also according to the P-L-A-N, we made
the bridge at 1:30pm on the dot!  I love it when a plan comes together!
Less than 20 miles left til we get to Marathon :)

What was not on the plan, however, was for the engine room to nearly catch fire.  We are just navigating our way through the channel after passing under the bridge, heading toward the ICW "road signs", when all of a sudden, smoke starts rolling out of the stereo speakersin the cockpit.  What the heck?!  I run down below, lift the engine room lid, and smoke is rolling out.  "Holy crap, we're on FIRE!!!  Shut the engine down, NOW!!!"  Donnie jumps up to lift a hatch in the cockpit, and smoke billows out from there.  I'm trying to tear the fire extinguisher off the wall, and he assures me there's no fire; it doesn't smell like a fire.  I'm thinking, "where there's smoke, there's fire...how do I get the d**n fire extinguisher to work?!"  Donnie jumps down to also look at the engine, while I take over at the helm.  He asks me to check the temperature guage and we're at nearly 220, and it only goes to 240.  "Isn't 220 boiling point? I'm telling you we're ON FIRE!!!"  Once the smoke settles a bit, we clearly sees the problem, we have a tattered fan belt that caused the engine to overheat.  Luckily, we do have spares of those on board.  I soon feel back in my safe zone, as I have Mr. Fix It on board, and he's the best at fixing things. (Which reminds me, we have been told more than once that owning a boat is nothing more than fixing it in exotic locations. Boy, is that ever true!)
Donnie tells me to hold my course and keep sailing, and do you know what?!  I wasn't the least bit nervous!  In fact, I remembered many days at Prairie Creek Reservoir, where we would be ghosting along in a 'race' with the wind at our back.  I looked up at the windex, and sure enough, the wind was dead center behind us.  So, like a big girl, I changed the sailes to wing-on-wing, we picked up speed, and away we went a 3.5 knots.  We weren't setting any s peed records, but at least we weren't dead in the water either.  I was so proud of myself, I had to take some photos, while Donnie toiled away down below.

I'm sailing all by my own big self!!!

and I was doing it wing-on-wing!!!

Cap'n made a quick repair, we cleaned the cockpit up, Bessie fired right up, and we were off and running again.  And do you know, according to the P-L-A-N, we sailed in to Banana Bay Resort in Marathon at 5:30pm!  What was a complete surprise, was the party waiting for us when we docked.  All of Dave & Diane's, and Mac & Jean's neighbors were there with flags waving, signs, decorations, wine and cheese and snacks...let the party begin!!!  That was really cool....not gonna lie. 



Be sure to read the sign they made us- what a riot!
And yes, Donnie inherited (back) the busted up pink flamingo from his stay here last winter.



We made it, Mamaw!

...and we didn't get divorced, we didn't wreck the boat, Willis didn't jump ship, and we got in a day ahead of schedule.  I can't wait for Larry to give us the tour of this place tomorrow.  I can't believe it- WE DID IT!!!

Miami to ??? (only Donnie knows for sure)

Had the alarm set for 6:45am; we weighed anchor at 7:00am.  We wanted to get an early start to the day, hoping to make it to Key Largo, if all goes well.  We had nine bridges to go through. Seven of them were fixed, so it seemed no problem.  We called for an opening at 8:00am and we’re told that the bridge was not opening until 9:30am.  We checked our Waterway Guide, thinking we had read something wrong.  Nope, it said “on signal (at request) from 7am-7pm on weekends and holidays.” When Donnie hailed the bridge tender a second time, a very unfriendly Hispanic voice said it would not be open until 9:30am as he was told previously.  A little dumbfounded, Donnie hailed him a third time, only to be gruffly told that the Miami Marathon was being run.  We dropped the hook, and sat….for an hour and a half.  So much for an early start. 

The Miami skyline was beautiful as the sun got higher in the morning sky.

The good news was while at anchor, Donnie swam under the boat to see how the temporary bolt was holding up.  Only a crank and a half with the socket wrench, and it seemed just fine. 

As we left Key Biscayne, heading out to the Atlantic to follow Hawks Channel down the Keys, we passed the stilt houses left from yesteryear.  At one time there was a whole colony of them, most sitting in two feet of water or less.  We’re told they are now government property, and they have been abandoned for years.  Tropical storms and hurricanes have destroyed all but six of them.  It made for an interesting photo. The Florida Channel Lighthouse is in the background.  It marks the southern-most place you can enter into Florida’s Key Biscayne with a well-marked, deep enough channel.  That’s where we “hopped off” to the Atlantic.

There’s a learning curve to this cruising thing…more to the relationship part of it between Cap’n and First Mate.  Nearly a steady two weeks of each other, and essentially only each other’s company, can stress even the best of relationships.  We (I) felt that stress today.  It seems there’s always something new to be learned about each other.  Cap’n likes to think of me as this adventuresome, spontaneous, go-with-the-flow kind of girl.  For the most part, that’s true, so long as there is a well-thought out, spelled-out plan to the adventure.  (I know, a contradiction to spontaneity!)  Just like Willis has gotten more comfortable with cruising (by sleeping under the pillow on the settee while the engine is on), I had also gotten comfortable with watching “road signs” (placards) and reading the map.  Cap’n laboriously spent an hour or two last evening going over charts, having out all of his measuring sticks, compass, and what not. (I obviously am not using the correct terminology here).  I took his diligent work at the chart table to mean that we had a plan for the day, about where we were going, how far away it was, how long it would take to get there, and where we would be staying.  I also thought the plan was to take on more fuel, pump out the head (as our ‘home’ is starting to smell like an outhouse), and fill the fresh water tanks, which were bone dry and we were down to just five bottles of water.  I thought that was the P-L-A-N.  Somewhere in the eagerness to get to the ocean and set the sail, that plan got abandoned.  By late afternoon, with hardly a road sign in sight all day, and a hot boat smelling like piss, I was OVER IT and I was ready to abandon ship myself.  I KNOW Cap’n would never have these types of conditions if he were running a charter for paying customers, and First Mate doesn’t rate even half as good?! Holy Cow, I was more pissed than the hot piss smell coming from down below.  Meanwhile, we were sailing in a pretty good chop, a bit rockin’ and rollin’ and I had no Bonine on board.  I was afraid to take the cat’s medicine, so I sipped on my Coke, let out a ridiculous amount of puke burps, and sailed on.  At least we were sailing.  It reminded me of the saying, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m making good time!”

With the main

and jib up, by

golly we're

sailing- on the

Atlantic Ocean,

no less!

The view of South Beach, Miami, as we headed out to sea. (without a plan)

By late afternoon, it was abundantly clear that there was not a clear plan for where we might anchor or pull in.  I mistakenly thought all this was worked out at the chart table the night before.  As we consulted our guide, we realized that most of the marina stops and anchorages are on the Gulf side.  I went down below and left Donnie to make the phone calls to various places looking for a place to land before hard dark.  We all know how well we do trying to find the markers, and a slip, well after dark.  Some woman took pity on Donnie and made some phone calls herself (as many marinas we’re even answering their phones).  She called back about twenty minutes later and said she got permission for us to pull in to Garden Cove, and tie up to the dock at Shipwrecks, so long as we ate dinner at their restaurant.  Things were looking up!  Navigating through the well-marked channel, we were still in just 4.5 feet of water- Welcome to the Keys!  I was just happy to pee in a REAL bathroom :)

27 drawbridges, 2 fixed bridges and 63 miles! Hello Miami!!

We weighed anchor at 7:15am this morning, knowing we had a ton of bridges to get through, the majority of them draw bridges.  Most drawbridges we have passed through up to this point are “on signal”, meaning you simply call the bridge tender to request an opening.  We started in West Palm Beach, MM 1019, and hoped to get to North Miami, around MM 1080.  Almost all of these bridges opened on schedule only…meaning you have to time it just right or you could be sitting for 30-45 minutes waiting for the next opening. We figured we had a long day ahead of us, hence, the early start.

Since we came in right at dark last night, we weren’t quite sure of our surroundings.  Imagine our surprise when across from our anchorage (the cheap seats, as in free!) was a marina that had mega yachts, both power and sailing, and none seemed to be less than 100 feet.


This was the first of many marinas we saw where no boat
was less than 100 feet long- craziness.  We looked like a
bathtub sailling by :)

Their dinghies were worth more than our Marquesa alone.  We should have known this was a foretaste of things to come.  We were amongst the wealthy and filthy rich all day long.  It was unbelievable. It turned out to be a very enjoyable day.  There were so many beautiful mansions, condos, golf courses, parks, and boats to look at.  We very seldom got caught waiting, and if so, it was only a matter of minutes and we were on our way.  I’ll let the pictures do the talking, there were lots of them.

Remember the story about the barge yesterday delivering sand? Here's the
Trump Plaza where they are building three islands to make a pedestrian
walkway for their guests.  I'm sure it will be beautiful.

I planted my herb garden that Emily got me for Christmas- thanks, Emily!

Tah-Dah! I have more seeds to plant when I get to Marathon.  First stop?
To the Home Depot for more pots and tomato plants.

This is the Southern Waterway Guide showing all the
bridges we had to go through today.

Now that's a no good, very bad day  :(

Hey, Cody! How would you like this gig when you finish
school?!  I know of a certain brown-eyed girl who would
 LOVE to live near a beach, any beach!


By far, the
prettiest
bridge of
the day-
in Delray
Beach.

It got over 70 today, time to get my bow babe on!

Something must have been going on in Ft. Lauderdale to bring out the Goodyear Blimp!

First Mate took a turn at the helm so Cap'n could have a turn on the bow in
the sun.  I had the stereo cranked and was dancing, until a power boat
went around us and asked Cap'n who taught me how to drive like that!



When my alarm went off this morning, I was dreaming that Ty Pennington
and I were doing an extreme home makeover.  I wonder if it was this place?
I'm just lovin' these outdoor curtains!  BTW, when I get to Marathon, my
alarm clock is also taking a sabbatical!



People who live in glass houses should not cast stones
(or run around naked)



These mega yachts were triple docked, in not nearly enough
space to eat at some fancy restaurant.  Needless to say, we
at a turkey sandwich on board!



Ft. Lauderdale has a water taxi service, pretty neat!

We called this one a James Bond boat- wonder how many millions it cost?!

This beauty looks like it had an elevator in it!



This was one

of two fixed

bridges today.

It was just 55'

clearance, and

we stand at 50'.

It's like an

illusion until

you pass under,

you swear you're

gonna knock the

antenna off the

mast.

We passed cruise ship row at the Port of Ft. Lauderdale.  The next time we
take a cruise (with our dear friends Greg & Wanetta) I want to go on
Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas.  Wow, is she HUGE!!!



We looked like Stuart Little sailing in a thimble going by these big gals!



We loved
these
buildings,
they remind
us of smoke
stacks on
a ship!

And this was the beautiful view of North Miami at our anchorage- perfect!

After a supper of red bean & rice and sausage, Cap’n mapped out our sail plan for tomorrow.  Before we leave Miami, we need to fill up with diesel, fill the water tanks, and pump out the head.  We have just nine bridges left to go through, and most of them are fixed at 65’ clearance.  I guess we are headed for some sailing (motor off, perhaps?!) in Hawks Channel, bound for Key Largo.  We’re getting close now!

He wasn't planning on diving so soon...

The day shone brightly with coffee and pastries from the Nettles Island Marina Grocery.  Looks like we're off to a swimmingly good start.  Dressed in layers (again) as it is freezing a** see-your-breath cold (again), we set about preparing the boat to leave. Today was Day One of a new system.  I take the helm while Donnie manages the dock lines and jumps on the boat before it leaves the dock, which is normally MY job.  It seems to make more sense to have a big strong guy managing a 15,000 lb. boat, than  little ol’ me.  All was going well until the wind carried the bow away from the dock far too quickly.  Donnie yells, “Reverse!” and I did…too hard…the stern of the boat crashed the dock via our kettle grill off the stern rail.  No harm, no foul, it seemed.  I kept saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” And Cap’n kept reassuring me that it was fine, for my first time.  We do much better setting and pulling the anchor- we’ve got that down to a science.  Trying to park (sometimes parallel, it seems) with 32 feet of “hood” in front of you obviously takes some getting used to.  I am clearly not there yet.

Back on to the ICW by 8:30am, it seemed we were well on our way, until not more than an hour down the river and we here an awful banging sound.  I must preface this all by saying that when you live on a boat 24/7, you become accustomed to each and every sound she makes…and there are LOTS of them.  When something does not sound right, your senses immediately pick up on it, along with a shot of adrenaline for good measure.  I think it’s the engine, (bless Bessie’s ever lovin’ soul), Donnie thinks it’s the prop or shaft.  He puts it in neutral, revs the engine, no banging sound. In gear, she bangs.  Not good. Time for me to take the helm and for him to drop anchor.  Next, he tears apart the locker to get to the scuba gear, and dons it all in a cold north wind. 

Man, this water's gonna be cold!

Seeing how we’re in a pretty good current, I ask him to hang a tag line to grab on to, should the current decide to take him.  I cannot imagine how COLD that water was…I wouldn’t have lasted two minutes.

I was keeping watch, with a float cushion in hand to pitch
to him in case he lost his grip around the rudder for support.



Willis was keeping watch, too.

The problem was the support flange for the prop shaft…I don’t know what all that means, but I know it’s not good news.  There were two bolts holding it, one forward, and one aft. The forward one was missing, and the aft one was sheared off.  It took an hour in the water, trying various bolts and screws, and no way to drill underwater.  In the end we had just one bolt that potentially fit, it was too long, but we had four washers that build it up. With only one washer left to spare, and no other bolts the same diameter that would work, Donnie descended repeatedly with a socket wrench in hand, and thankfully he was able to get it tightened down.   While he got changed into dry clothes and got all the tools and scuba gear put away, I set to work frantically in the galley to get a pot of homemade chicken and wild rice soup going while we were still at anchor.  Cap’n was beyond cold, and I cannot afford for him to get sick!  By 11:30am, we were back underway. Clearly we weren’t going to make Ft. Lauderdale today.



Willis got bored with it all and elected to
'flop' in the cockpit. Such a flopper!



The view of the day was of the St. Lucie
Inlet Lighthouse...gorgeous!

The other excitement of the day was our first two looks at manatees.  I didn’t have my camera either time.  They’re so ugly; they’re cute! We clearly have entered into the Golden Coast, as the mansions have gotten even bigger yet.  I’d like to know who owns these homes! Crazy.



What a gazebo...with ironwork!



Love the outdoor curtains...and the private beach, freshly raked.

So we missed a draw bridge, due to open at 3:30pm, because Barney Fife was the bridge tender.  So we hung in the water for thirty minutes, killing time.   

Cool story here, here’s big barge loaded with sand.  They were digging the sand up to make a lagoon and inlet which will become a state park. The sand was then being hauled by a barge to Trump Towers in West Palm Beach to build three islands for an outdoor walkway.  Pretty cool.

This was one of 13 drawbridges we passed through today.  This one lead us into West Palm Beach where we anchored for the night at MM 1019.  Only 40 miles today, but an interesting 40 miles. 

Here’s the view from our anchorage…take note of the mega power yachts in the background that are shrink-wrapped.  Guess the rich and famous don’t like the salty air on their boats in the off season.  Speaking of, we need a good rain shower to wash the salt of Marquesa.  We hope to hit Miami tomorrow, but we have 29 draw bridges to successfully hit at the right time…I seriously doubt we can do it.  Just looked at the map to see about ‘going out’ to the Atlantic to sail.  The problem we have is the Gulf Stream flows within one mile of West Palm Beach where we are anchored at this evening.  We could potentially have a three knot current we’d be bucking, it flows north, we’re travelling south.  So decisions, decisions…deal with a current slowing us down, or dealing with the drawbridges slowing us down.  Stay tuned tomorrow to find out!

92 miles today- Holy Cow!

The good news of the day, we made 92 miles.  The bad news of the day was tonight's attempt at docking in hard dark, in an unfamiliar marina, with no lighted bouys resulted in Divorce Docking 101.  Not our finest moment....

A steady east wind all day, and a full jib thrown out, kept us going at a pretty good clip!  We went right at 7 miles an hour all day, sometimes even more.  Better yet, it was a comfortable sail, too.  Mind you, this was motor sailing, of course, but Bessie continues to surprise us with an easy start without a wrench whipping.

Look closely at about 2 o'clock- a dolphin!  I have tried for days to capture
a picture of one, but Donnie says they must be part Amish :)

No sooner had I snapped my pic, then we passed this boat- I needed
the guy's camera up on the bow of this dolphin research boat.

We passed by lots of pretty unspoiled little islands- reminded me of Survivor!

...and lots of 'spoiled' mansions.  Their guest house is bigger than our log cabin!

Even Willis came out for a peek about.

We couldn't see any baby ospreys in this huge nest. Willis was looking hard.

As the day wore on, we were clearly making good time, so we decided to make a run for Nettles Island Marina on Hutchinson Island.  92 miles today.  We called ahead for reservations, knowing full well everyone would be gone by the time we got in- after dark, again.  I went down and made hamburgers, baked beans and sweet potato fries for supper, and we ate just as the sun was setting.  Then darkness set in- quickly.  It was a challenge trying to navigate with narry a lighted marker to be found.  I resorted to sitting on the bow, with flashlight in hand, trying to call out markers and directions for Donnie.  Little did I know the bigger challenge was trying to get off the ICW and in to the Marina.  A sharp left after the #1 marker, (that we could not see), and it seemd the marina was straight ahead.  NOPE.  A residential community with private docks was straight ahead.  About halfway in, we realized our error, and Donnie kicked it in high gear- in reverse- as there was no turning around room in the dark.  A quick consult of the map, a few choice words, a flashlight or two on a marker or two, and we seemed to be back on track.  Soon the marina was upon us.  I wish I could say we quietly and safely docked...but this was Divorce Docking 101.  We've got to come up with a better system.  Better yet, it's best to dock while the sun is still up.  It's all good.  We've had showers, the laundry is all clean, and we've made a decision.....

We are continuing south, and not taking the Okechobee Waterway.  This will put us in Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow, we hope, and into Key Biscayne the day after.  It seems we will make it to Banana Bay very close to February 1st afterall.  We plan to anchor out the next couple of nights, so no blog.  I'll catch y'all up the next time I pick up a WiFi.  Till then...