Since we came south a bit earlier this February we decided to drive down to the Miami boat show our first weekend back. It was quite an experience, unlike any we've attended up north, with everything from jet skis to mega-yachts of both sail and power spread over three venues and a convention center packed with three levels of gear. I'm not sure you could see everything if you went five days, certainly not in the one day we attended.
It was an interesting trip, but not quite what we had in mind when we set off last Thursday after picking up a car - a leisurely drive part way to Miami, stopping early and using a pool at some nice motel, checking out areas we've sailed past, fun stuff.
We missed the convenient interchange with the toll road which would have cut down on the amount of big truck traffic, but decided we'd just take I95 all the way. Looking at the amount of "tire road kill" along the roadway, I wondered aloud what it would be like to have one of them come at you and what causes them. Bad thought.
A bit later while following a semi past half a mobile home heading south, the semi bobbed and wove onto the left shoulder and kicked a tire chunk into the driving lane right in front of us. I'm glad Leonard was driving. Fortunately it stayed low and didn't come over the hood. After a loud thump, we cleared both the road kill and the wide load next to us. The car behind us was equally perturbed and I thought he was going pass us on the median to yell at the truck drivers. The truck that kicked the chunk up just went merrily on his way, apparently unaware of what he'd done. We stopped at the next rest area and found the tire had torn part of the front bumper off as it passed under us. Looked like we'd be dealing with various insurance companies, but at least we weren't hurt and the car was driveable.
We stopped at Vero Beach for lunch and started looking for a room further south. We'd figured the Miami area would be filled with boat show folks, but were more than surprised to find all the places we called to be full so early in the day. On the way back to I95 we spotted a place we hadn't called and stopped to see they had a room. They did but the owner turned the couple behind us away, suggesting they try the place down the road that I'd already called. I asked the owner why everything was so busy only to learn the Daytona 500 was Sunday and most places had been filled for the week! It was also the start of a holiday weekend and school vacations.
No pool, so we drove down to Fort Pierce to check out the hurricane damage from last Summer. We won't be staying at the town dock on this trip. A crane and barge were working at cleaning up the outer dock area which had been completely destroyed. Even the pilings had been removed.
The remains of the docks at Ft Pierce
We were overwhelmed by the boat show the next day. We went aboard some beautiful sailboats, wandered into the power boat section before we realized the Sabre 38 at the show was a power, not sail, boat. While we were on those docks we looked at some trawlers too. We are obviously still just camping onboard, and I thought we'd come a long way with propane, pressure hot and cold water, a real shower and a comfortable bed that doesn't turn into the table in the day! Most of the boats we looked at offered washer/dryer units, microwave ovens, entertainment centers with flat screen color TV, separate 'fridge and freezer units, all the comforts of home, in sail or power models, put into just a few more feet for a lot more money.
Given the difficulty we'd had getting a room the night before, Leonard threatened to drive back to the boat (about 350 miles) after the show. Originally I'd hoped to stop in the Orlando area so we could check out some of the state and national parks on our return. With a bit of phoning around it was obvious we wouldn't have any better luck than the previous night. But, by heading south, I found a room in Homestead. It even had a nice pool, but by the time we arrived it was too late and we were too tired to use it.
On the way north we checked out the St. Lucie Canal and Lake Oceechobee and decided there really was more than one low bridge, so to get to the west coast we'll need to go through the keys again. It's a long way, but I'd hate to lose part of the mast at a low bridge or unstep and step it.
On Sunday after getting the sails back on, we took the boat out for a sail on the St. Johns River to make sure everything still worked. When the boat was hauled to paint the bottom the folks at ORBY found we needed to replace the cutlass bearing. Apparently something had gotten wrapped around it, maybe during last year's trip since we didn't think we'd caught anything this fall. We had nice winds and flat water which made for a great sail. We did have to work at getting out of and into our slip. There is enough water to float us at the dock, but there is a patch of silt that has to be navigated just behind the boats, especially at low water. Hopefully we didn't remove much fresh bottom paint.
On Monday we drove to the state park at Fort Clinch on the St. Mary's River at the Florida/Georgia border. We've seen it from the water, but not been able to get there easily by boat. The fort was interesting and we caught part of a guided tour with a great guide before heading off to explore the beach. We took the long way back through the woods on some hiking trails and a nature walk.
Our last experience with the rental car occurred when we ran errands on Tuesday. After pulling into a parking place Leonard couldn't get the key out of the ignition! Yes, we were in park. He tried everything short of breaking the key off in the ignition. We went to one rental office and the young gentleman came out to show us how it was done, except he couldn't remove it either, so he sent us back across town to have them check it out or get us a new car. Each young gentleman who looked at it seemed sure he could fix it, but the last I saw a mechanic was driving it away. We were glad it hadn't happened at the boat show in Miami!
The weather here has been wonderful. Sunny, warm days with moderate winds. Just as we were thinking about heading south before the end of the month, it changed. It now looks like cold fronts will rotate through here until Tuesday with periods of rain, heavy at times, and cold winds. Yesterday we were able to take a nice walk after a down pour around noon, but today it has been raining off and on most of the time as the temperature drops. So it is back to fleeces and long pants.
3/3/05 From the anchorage off Cocoa, FL
Since it has started to rain I'll take advantage of the weather to start a note while Leonard pilots us toward the Mosquito Lagoon. No sense in both of us getting wet.
Sunday, Feb. 27, was a miserable rainy, windy day, but whenever the rain let up, heads would begin to appear and we'd realize we weren't the only ones at the dock. We had some errands to run, but never a dry spell long enough to do more than think about heading ashore.
We'd hoped to get underway on Monday, but we had enough to do to warrant postponing departure until Tuesday when the winds were supposed to lighten up a bit from the 20 - 30 Knots after the frontal passage. Monday was a bright, sunny day and after getting our chores done we went for a walk along the Ortega River and spent some time chatting with our boat neighbors who were planning a cruise up the St. Johns River (their mast clears the bridges that stops us from exploring the more interesting sections of the river).
The plan was for an early morning start to catch a favorable current down the St. Johns and avoid a very unfavorable current once we reached the ICW. We departed our slip shortly after 7 and managed to retrieve all our lines on the pilings with enough water to avoid plowing through the muck. The wind was even calm (was due to reach 30 in gusts later in the day) as we headed out past the dock in anticipation of catching the Main Street Bridge in Jacksonville as soon as the restricted time was up at 8:30.
I was on the foredeck hanking up lines when Leonard suddenly shut the engine off. As we'd turned away from our slip he'd heard a loud clunk in the transmission and the boat didn't behave normally. He went below and checked the prop shaft which seemed okay, restarted the engine, but something was not right. We tried backing and testing things out before we went through Ortega River Bridge, but the boat acted like it was driving through muck, so we tied up at the ORBY dock to have things checked out by the yard since the visibility in the water here is about 6 inches making an eyeball check impossible. The yard didn't open until 8:30, so we ate breakfast and hoped we wouldn't feel like fools having the boat hauled when everything was fine.
They pulled us first thing, and it was a bit of a relief to see a big blue blob where the prop should be. We hadn't been imagining things. It would have been impossible for us to remove it in the water. We must have kicked up someone's spinnaker bag that had been on the bottom as we left the slip. It had a steel cable that was wrapped around the shaft and prop. It took a very large bolt cutter to cut it off. They also checked the prop, shaft and cutlass bearing, but we hadn't done any damage. Only the nut at the end of the shaft needed to be tightened. So 2 hours after our original start, we headed out, glad we'd waited as the cost of the haul out was far less than the cost of the damage we could have incurred if we'd pressed on. We were lucky to have had a convenient yard with a hoist.
Through the Main Street Bridge in Jacksonville
Once we cleared the Jacksonville bridges we sailed down the river under the jib. The wind came up like forecast, we saw gusts reaching 30 over the stern before we decided it might be wise to furl the jib before entering the ICW. With some current still with us and the wind, we made good time down the river, and the current in the ICW wasn't as strong as we'd expected. When we saw the anchorage at Pine Island was empty we decided to call it a day and spend the night at anchor instead of pushing on to St. Augustine.
The morning dawned bright and clear with cold front temperatures (freeze warnings west of I95) and once the wind came up, it had a real bite to it in spite of the sun. We soon found ourselves pulling out the fleeces we thought we'd packed until the trip north. The temperatures are to be 10 - 15 degrees below normal for the next several days, so I guess we'll have to dress as if we were going snow shoeing instead of sailing. Just sitting is much colder than walking.
While we were waiting for the Bridge of the Lions at St. Augustine to open, I called the Sinclairs aboard Therapy (Vermont boaters from Shelburne) who are spending the winter at a marina in town. John was just on his way out for a bike ride, so he rode to the bridge and waved as we passed through. Always nice to see a familiar face.
John Sinclair watching us pass under the St. Augustine Bridge
1660 Spanish Fort at Matanzas Inlet
We went as far as Daytona, tying up at the Halifax River Yacht Club where we stayed last year. The folks there are friendly and their facility is located in a basin so there are no currents or wakes to bother us. The one guide book describes the bottom in the Daytona area as "black Jell-O" so not having to wash that off the chain and anchor in the morning is another plus.
We took a walk in town after dinner. There seemed to be fewer bikers in town this year, but they were coming! As we walked along the river we came to the site for the Harley Davidson Biker Weekend. It was in the process of being set up to open on Friday and looked like a biker's version of a boat show - lots of bikes and gear. There was little else in town to see.
This morning we were underway before 7 again, hoping to make the bridge at Titusville before the restriction between 3:15 - 4:30. We arrived just after 3:15 last year and opted to anchor north of it for the night. We had a nice current pushing us along until we got past the Ponce de Leon Inlet. We carefully threaded our way through the land cut where the depths go from 15 to 8 feet in the blink of an eye, but managed to stay off the shoals (it was just about low tide). We were entertained by lots of dolphins and pelicans in the water, and the shores have lots of birds feeding on the mud flats. Unfortunately we didn't have a favorable current any more, but that's part of cruising and I guess we've got to pay for yesterday when we rode the current all day.
Even with the opposing current, we made a faster trip than last year. We arrived at the Titusville Bridge nearly an hour earlier and even made the next restricted bridge with enough time to reach an anchorage just south of the Cocoa. We seem to be the only boat going south. We have seen several cruising sailboats from the Carolinas plus many new boat show type power boats that are headed north. With the cold north wind and rain showers, we were happy to be headed south.
We will make a fuel stop at Vero Beach tomorrow and, if we can get a mooring, stay there overnight. If not, we will anchor out in the Fort Pierce area. After that will be the offshore hop to Lake Worth and then to the Miami area where the weather will be warmer.
3/9/05 From Key Largo, FL
Another rainy day, so I'll I do some updating while Leonard tries to keep us on the straight and narrow as we work our way south toward Pumpkin Key (Bay side of Key Largo) for the night.
We did a lightening reprovisioning run at Vero Beach - catching the same van on its return run, about 15 minutes - attempting to fill in the persistent fresh veggie gaps in the 'fridge. I suppose if we ate out more, we wouldn't go through them as fast, maybe I'll suggest that as an alternative to shopping.
Hurricane damage at Ft. Pierce
Due to our expediency, we managed to get underway about an hour earlier than planned, and headed for the Ft. Pierce Inlet heading for Government Cut at Miami in one jump this year. It was a relief to get out of the ICW and away from the hoards of "weekend warrior" Florida boaters and set some sail. Most of the other cruisers agree that something seems to happen once you enter Florida waters, especially on weekends, and any sense of civility goes by the wayside. Maybe it's something in the water.
The winds filled in nicely once we were offshore allowing us to sail almost the entire trip. We weren't in a great rush because the current would be against us at Miami until around noon on Sunday. The weather even cooperated with nothing in the immediate forecast to cause us to hurry or feel the need to tuck in at Lake Worth Inlet. It was nice to be sailors again.
We planned to stay close to the shore, avoiding the Gulf Stream's northerly pull. We managed to catch a counter current giving us about a knot boost on our way south. Life doesn't get much better than this, even if the shore side lights would obscure the stars and solitude we enjoy at night.
When I took over the pre dawn watch from Leonard around 0300, he pointed out 2 tugs and tows, one heading north, the other a couple of miles further out, running a parallel course to us, the only traffic he'd seen. We were sailing about one mile off shore and the auto pilot was doing a great job of keeping us on course. All I had to do was keep a lookout, an ear to the VHF radio, an eye on the radar and log and plot our position. Leonard had had a hard time staying awake, there hadn't been much happening, just watching the shore lights go past - one town pretty much just merges with the next here, and they all look alike from the water.
First I watched as a police car raced along the waterfront, lots of flashing lights, then I heard the thumping of helicopter rotors and watched as it searched along the beach with a spot light. It was certainly enough to keep me entertained and awake as we slid south.
Then about 0400, there was a Coast Guard alert on the VHF of a flare having been set off down by the Dry Tortugas, (all mariners be on the look out, etc., etc.). As I looked eastward doing a routine check, I noticed a fairly bright streak of orange on the horizon that looked like the top of it was being blown flat by the wind. I admit I've never seen a flare that's been fired before since it's really bad form to fire them off when there's not an emergency and it can get you into some hot water with the authorities if they catch you experimenting. I decided I'd just keep an eye on it and listen to the radio. So I watched and it was quite a few minutes before I realized I was watching a crescent moon rise out of the water. This is not the first time I've wondered about that strange light on the eastern horizon and it will probably happen again. It was enough to keep me awake and alert, so not a bad thing.
I was more concerned about what I thought was a tug and tow that had appeared on the horizon ahead of me and would require tracking. Several other ships approached from the east which looked like casino ships out for a night of gambling. Hopping up and down from the cockpit to the radar wasn't going to allow me to dose off while on watch.
The tug and tow, while not appearing to get closer to us all that fast, were still in the "danger quadrant", an area ahead of us that if it doesn't change could mean a dangerous crossing situation. Radar indicated it was still 12 miles away, not closing, and not an immediate concern, just another thing to watch. The cruise type ships, on the other hand, seemed to be multiplying and were harder to keep track of, both on the radar and physically as they seemed to change course and speed. I finally called Leonard to help sort them out.
He also thought they were casino boats, so lit up that their navigation lights were lost in the decorations. They seemed to drift along a couple of miles or so east of us for a while, then start steaming toward shore in front of us. It didn't become obvious until we were further south that the tug was one of 2 ships anchored in a commercial anchorage and the parade of over lit boats were cruise ships returning to Ft. Lauderdale, jockeying for their turn to enter port. There were at least 8 of them, appearing to be entering port at 15 - 20 minute intervals. We threaded our way around and through the ship traffic until we were pass the entrance. By now, it was almost dawn and I was really awake from all the activity, so I sent Leonard back below and dealt with the sport fishermen as they began their runs out to the Gulf Stream. At least it was light making them easy to track.
Sunrise on the approach to Miami
Conch horn welcome to Miami
It looked great at first glance - only a few boats at anchor. What we'd missed was a large stack-n-store place, a jet ski rental and what turned out to be a runway for ultra light airplanes. And that was just the daylight happenings. We were buzzed by one form or another most of the day, especially as the warm afternoon worn on. Then the booming of big concert bass speakers started causing some interesting vibrations in the mast. We were treated to a rap concert that went on into the night. I have to be honest, I was so tired I was able to tune it out, not a mean feat. I couldn't complain too much since I had suggested the anchorage.
Ultra light taking off with a cruise
ship in the background
Miami Sunset with more Ultra lights
Colorful Miami Skyline
We got up early the next morning, breathing a sigh of relief that the
weekend was over, and headed down to No Name Harbor at Cape Florida,
the southern end of Key Biscayne. It is a great little harbor,
almost fully enclosed, at a nice state park. This year we were
able to take the lighthouse tour which was interesting. The
stairs sway as they are not attached to the walls, only the center
pole. Apparently our mountain hikes at home paid off - we were
the only people not puffing when we got to the top. The view was
worth the climb. We walked into town, about a mile from the park,
after lunch to do some shopping.
Miami Sunset with more Ultra lights
Colorful Miami Skyline
Cape Florida Lighthouse
A view of the beach from top of the lighthouse
Stiltsville from top of the lighthouse
The weather was due to deteriorate on Tuesday with the approach of a cold front bringing gusty west winds and showers. We paddled to shore for a quick walk in the morning, planning to spend the day anchored in the harbor. As some of the other boats departed, we shifted our secondary anchor to help keep us from swinging into the mangroves behind us and hunkered down for the day. Boats departing and arriving provided entertainment while the wind whistled. The weather cleared a bit in the late afternoon, so we paddled ashore again and checked out the trails on the north side of the park.
In the morning we tied up at the seawall to use the pumpout station before heading south. The winds, which had been calm when we tied up, began to blow out of the northwest and the predicted showers started. We ate a quick breakfast before heading out. Our plan was to go to Boca Chita, an other state park, for the night. We hadn't been brave enough to attempt it last year, but the books say 6 foot approach, albeit somewhat off the ICW, with a nice protected harbor. On the chart it looks a bit iffy, and the harbor appears as marsh, but it sounds interesting.
As we approached the turn off point, we once again had second thoughts. The NW wind was stronger than forecast which had the potential to push us out of the channel on a falling tide. Tomorrow is a "spring" spring tide that may have a higher than normal high tide, but also has the potential for a lower low tide. So we decided to save that harbor for a future trip and continued down to Pumpkin Key off Key Largo where we anchored last year.
It was a fast sail even with a few turns in on the jib to give better forward visibility. Most of the way is through open water with depths between 8 and 12 feet. There are only a couple of dredged cuts through skinny water. Of course, that is when the visibility dropped in the showers and the wind piped up. We were glad to get the hook down by 3 and relax below while the wind continued to blow in rain showers. Tomorrow's forecast is for partially sunny skies with warmer temperatures (high today was in the low 60's). This is better than the Nor'easter that is hitting the north east with strong winds, snow and very cold temperatures.
We should reach Marathon in a few of days and plan on spending a couple of days there before heading up the west coast of Florida for new adventures.
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