catching up

Let me catch up by backing up a few days....

Fran and I got Elliebug from the airport Monday at 5:00pm, no problems.  We got back to the boat, and Cap'n already had Bessie running and the running lights on.  Sis grabbed a quick shower, and we checked the extended weather forecast for this week.  The beautiful 5-10's (wind) we were projected to have had changed.  Another cold front was moving through bringing serious wind and waves (6-8 feet) for the entire week.  WTH?!  We scrapped going to the Dry Tortugas.  Dang it.  Instead, we opted for leaving early the next day for a sail to Looe Key for some diving.  I don't often (never) see the sun rise in Florida, but I did on Tuesday morning.  On the Gulf side, the day was looking full of promise.

We crossed under the Seven Mile Bridge, and no sooner left the channel, and the trip was clearly going to be a rough one.  We were in 3-4's, and it was going to be a bouncy ride.  The wind was really blowing, and it was a favorable point of sail, (N/NE and we are travelling W/SW) so Marquesa could handle the trip just fine.  Willis and I were not coping well at all.  Cap'n went down to tend to some business and discovered that Willis had exploded from every major orifice (the three P's)all over our bed.  It was disgusting.  Just the thought of me sitting on a mooring ball in 3-4's (we later found out it was 5-6's at Looe Key) while they dove Looe Key had my stomach churning.  Besides that, being on a bouncy, rolling boat with two broken toes is difficult to maneuver around.  Momma K scrapped the plans for Looe Key. 

Whenever Marquesa is underway, we have a new rule. Willis must ride in the cockpit.  He cannot be trusted down below.  Ellen and he are having a coming to Jesus moment over the ridiculous mess he made.

Ellen had no issues with seasickness- bring on Momma's homemade salsa and some chips!

We had a lobster fisherman cut right in front of us...he was making a beeline back to Key Fisheries for a delivery.

The wind clocked around from the N/NW and we decided to head east to Islamorada.  We had a double reefed main and full jib and were cranking right along...over 7 knots most of the day.  It was a beautiful sail.

We passed a buddy boat that seemed to be heading in the same direction.  He had an interesting sail combination-no mainsail.  He's a cruiser, though.  He had his jerry jugs of fuel and water and a bicycle up on deck, and his cockpit was wrapped in canvas to help keep the white water wash out.



This was our view coming into the harbor outside of Lorelei's at Islamorada.  It took a couple of passes at setting the anchor before we found some good holding in the sand, only in a bout 6 feet of water.

Cap'n went in and pounded the anchor further into the sand with a brass hammer for good measure!

Dinghy ride to shore!  Actually, Pastor Bob and Marcia Pavey to the rescue is more the truth :)  They came and picked us up so we could wash our soiled bed linens at their house.  Geesh.  Dern cat.

We treated them to dinner and drinks at Lorelei's for 'saving' us!  Thank you again, Bob and Marcia :)

There wasn't much of a sunset because of the clouds, but it was still pretty reflecting on the water.

me and the bug... :)

This was the first time I've seen the Nautilimo out on the water.  It's very strange to see a pink Cadillac zipping by, kicking up a wake!

Thankfully, Willis had not jumped ship by the time we got back.  It was flat calm all evening, and the anchorage was beautiful.  What stars could be seen between clouds were brilliant.  Back at Marquesa, Ellie settled in with a movie on the laptop, and we all called it a night.  It was a short, sleepless night.  The wind pick up after midnight, just as predicted, straight from the north, and it made for a bouncy night.  Cap'n and I were both up and down all night checking on things.  The anchor alarm went off twice, and though we may have drug a bit, it reset itself, so all seemed okay.  We laid in bed until daybreak waiting for the sun to rise.  We couldn't leave in the dark if we had wanted to.  From the Channel Five bridge to Islamorada, the lobster pot floats are like a minefield.  There's no rhyme or reason to how the pots are set, either. You can't simply pick a line and sail on through.  You're constantly on the look out for them, dodging left to right.  The last thing we needed in wind and waves was a wrapped prop.  As soon as it was light enough, Cap'n got up and started to secure the dingy.  Thankfully Bessie was idling as he did this, because his weight in the dink caused us to drag anchor.  By the time he scrambled up on deck to the anchor locker, and I jumped in the cockpit, we were being blown down hard onto another boat in the anchorage.  By the time I got her in gear and was heading hard forward, we were no less than 40 feet from another boat.  Thankfully, the anchor came right up and we were on our way!  All major mishaps were avoided- whew!  We discovered that Bessie is not all together well.  With the throttle hard down, we were not getting full power, and she's still peeing black soot.  Cap'n had to place a call back to Luis after we got back to Banana Bay.

Willis may have been feeling poorly, but he didn't get sick today- yay!  Riding in the cockpit is a must for him, from now on.  Notice how Ellie is bundled up.  It was a cold N/NE wind, steady 20-25knots all day, with gusts even higher.  It was blowing the spray right off the white caps.  Marquesa took it like a champ- she was raring to go!  Even with a double reefed main and full jib, she was over seven knots most of the day- at times pushing 8 knots!  We got back to Banana Bay in record time....what is usually about a 6 hour sail took us just 4.5 hours :)



Cap'n and Ellie got the mainsail down and put away, while I took the helm.

Back home again at Banana Bay by 1:30pm :)

Since we got in so early, Cap'n kindly washed down Marquesa so we girlies could go to the beach!

Sombrero Beach faces south, so it was flat calm, sunny and WARM!  Perfect for the beach :)

...and perfect for a nap!  We both passed out.

...until Emily called to fill us in on her great news...she was accepted to graduate school at Ball State- hooray for sister!

The clouds came up late in the day and it got chilly.  We left and visited with Mamaw and Paps for a bit.  We then went to the cupcake place...Donnie and Ellie got pina colada cupcakes and I got a maple bacon cupcake.  It sounds bizarre, but it was pretty good...almost as good as GiGi's back home :)

Burgers and baked potatoes on the grill, a beautiful sunset, and the old folks called it a night.  Ellie, however, did not!  She's on spring break, afterall ;)