March 28 Bradenton Beach home to St Pete Beach

I was skeptical that the part to replace our broken throttle cable would actually arrive early Friday as promised. But by the time we finished breakfast the mechanic appeared, new cable in hand. Within the hour he had it installed and we were away from the dock and heading home.

During the night the wind shifted around to SE at about 15 knots. The weather forecast was for the possibility of heavy rain and thundertorms. We had an excellent sail under cloudy but dry skies, though, all the way across Tampa Bay. About the time we reached the corner of Fort DeSoto where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico, the wind died completely and we motored home the rest of the way, reaching home and the end of our cruise about 3 o'clock.

A few years ago we had a cruise of about one week when the wind was always favorable. This voyage was different, as you might surmise if you have followed this blog. It didn't seem to matter what direction we were going, that was where the wind was coming from. We did have about a half dozen wonderful sailing days, particularly down in the Keys.

Our total for the cruise was between 650 and 700 miles. Her age of 46 years notwithstanding, Carina brought us home safe and sound with memories of interesting places visited, interesting people met, and challenges overcome, and with a two page list of things to do on the boat before our next cruise.

March 27 still at Bradenton Beach

Just as we were casting off for the final leg of our cruise the engine controls failed to respond. I thought it was a shifting or transmission problem but it turned out that we have a broken throttle cable. It could have happened at a worse place since we are at a full-service marina and a mechanic took a look at it almost right away. They ordered a replacement cable which should be delivered Friday morning. Consequently we have an unscheduled lazy day off. We could have put the bike together and gone for a bike ride since Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach are good places to ride, but it rained most of the day. That also was uncheduled as it was not supposed to rain until Friday. The big event of the day was walking a couple of blocks in light rain to lunch at a very good Caribbean restaurant. Other than that we killed time reading, doing puzzles, and napping. Whenever we get home we will arrive well rested.

March 26 Little Sarasota Bay to Bradenton Beach

If you have ever spent a night in a house during a hurricane you have an idea of what it was like to sleep on our boat last night.  It was blowing only about 30 knots but the wind in the rigging sounded like the end of the world. Our anchorage was well protected from waves but strong gusts made the whole boat shake. Neither of us slept well.

We awoke to an unseasonably cold 47 degrees under bright skies. Once under way we were powering into a a 20 knot headwind. I don't know what the windchill score was but it was damned cold. Sandy had on four layers and was still a good sport to be on deck at all. I made do with a sweatshirt and a foul weather jacket, but I added a life jacket because I was pretty sure I couldn't swim with what I already had on if I were to have fallen overboard. Would have been a warm drowning, though.

Just as I was thinking to myself that the engine has run flawlessly since we started the cruise, it conked out. I checked the fuel tank it was running from, and found that the fuel level was low, but not nearly empty. Nevertheless I switched to a different fuel tank, bled the air out of the fuel lines, and we started right up without further problems. Still don't know for sure what the problem was but I will be more careful not to let any of the  three fuel tanks run very low. The only other engine problems we have had were overheating on the first day because I forgot to open the cooling water intake, for which you cannot blame the engine; and one time when the starter switch wire shook loose, which was easily fixed.

We reached Bradenton Beach in mid afternoon and docked at the Bradenton Beach Marina, which sounds simpler than it was. Our slip assignment choices were either to tie up alongside the windward end of the dock- no way- or pull into a slip downwind with only about 40 feet between the slip and a bridge. Not much maneuvering room or safety margin, but we got into the slip without incident. On that basis alone it was a good day on the water.

The forecast for tonight is for a strong easterly wind and a lighter easterly wind tomorrow. And tomorrow should be not quite as cold. If we get that weather it will allow us to have a good sail home. We are about 25 miles from home.

Sandy served one more good dinner tonight and then we went ashore to a nearby ice cream shop for a treat to celebrate the last night of our cruise.

March 25 Boca Grande to Little Sarasota Bay

It rained most of the night but  fortunately we kept completely dry and about 5 o'clock the rain did stop. The forecast for this morning was for a high likelihood of rain but we were lucky to get some drying weather as we started. The wind was from the west so we got in some good sailing until about the same time as a thunderstorm grazed us the wind shifted to the northwest and started to really blow. The rest of the day we had steady winds of 20 to 30 knots right on our nose. I complain about lack of good sailing breeze but today we were thankful for the engine. We reached Venice at quitting time but as in the past it was hard to find a place to dock or anchor there. The only place these days  with dockage is it right alongside the wharf at the Crows Nest restaurant which would be completely exposed to a north wind banging us against the dock all night. No thanks. There is also no anchorage spot to be found around Venice, so we pressed on. We were looking for any place off the Intracoastal Waterway channel which would give us some protection from the north. We checked out several spots but as soon as we left the channel we were in very shallow water. We continued as far as Little Sarasota Bay and found a spot in the lee of a mangrove island with about 4 feet of water at low tide. We have anchors out fore and aft which keep us riding steadily. As I am writing, the wind is howling in the rigging, though we are not bouncing much.

A long day, longer than we had intended. 36 miles today, our longest day of the cruise.

March 24 Sanibel to Boca Grande

We have had very little rain on this cruise but as of today we are catching up fast. A front came through in the wee hours last night followed by steady rain all day today. Unlike most winter cold fronts which stretch from southwest to northeast and move through quickly, this one is oriented east west and may take longer to pass through. The wind following the front is from the north which is where we want to go, of course. So one more time we are powering against the wind. The marina last night at Sanibel had a feature we have not seen before. The dockmaster dropped off warm muffins and a daily newspaper as we were just getting up. That beats even the towel service at Marco. Cruising in the rain, we crossed our out bound track shortly after leaving Sanibel, so we have now officially circumnavigated South Florida. As we made our way up Pine Island Sound, visibility was usually limited to the next mark. It was also much cooler than we have seen since the first few days of the trip. The rain and wind made it feel chillier than it was, but foul weather gear kept us comfortable. That sounds like a miserable day but we actually enjoyed ourselves. We crossed Charlotte Harbor and anchored at our familiar spot at Boca Grande . We were lucky to get a brief break in the rain which allowed me to grill burgers and we are now snug and warm below, though there is thunder and lightning around us. We found four places where water drips into the cabin which will require permanent fixes when we get home, but meanwhile we were able to take temporary measures which keep us dry.

We had intended to take a good long bike ride at Sanibel this morning and make it a short day on the water, but that plan was overtaken by God's. We covered about 30 miles today.

March 23 Marco to Sanibel Island

It is possible to travel an inland route for about 10 miles north from Marco towards Naples. That was our intention, but there was a decent wind from the southwest so we went out Capri Pass from Marco and sailed north and west outside. The wind soon died and we were condemned to powering for a couple of hours, but by lunchtime the wind came back up and we enjoyed good sailing conditions for the rest of the day. By the time we got within seven or eight miles of Sanibel Island the wind was blowing hard enough that we changed to a smaller jib. It also shifted more to the NW which made it harder to sail. We finished the day under power, in around Point Ybel Lighthouse and docked at the Sanibel Marina. The Marina was closed by then but we had called ahead and gotten a slip assignment. It turned out to be extremely tight quarters- if we were a couple of feet longer we would not have been able to make the turn into the slip. but we did manage to get docked before dark, and went to the adjacent restaurant for dinner. They were about to close, but fixed us takeout seafood baskets to take back on board which were delicious. The day was longer both in miles and time then I had estimated, and we are glad to be here and will not try to put in long miles tomorrow.

I should have mentioned earlier that we have been surprised by the number of cruising catamarans we have seen in the Keys and along the southwest coast of Florida. About a third to half of the boats we have seen have been catamarans. Not my style, but for comfort and shoal draft they have become very popular. Some of them are also pretty fast. I might also mention that hardly anyone cruises in a boat as small as our 25 footer. I guess they want a boat where two people can pass by each other down below, or sleep facing the opposite directions.

March 22 Indian key to Marco

From Indian Key we powered for lack of a sailing wind. We cruised along the edge of the Ten Thousand Islands about 15 miles. These islands are not entirely just mangrove. Many of them have nice beaches. They are all part of the Everglades National Park. None are accessible by road except Everglades City and Chokoloskee, and there are very very few boats down there.

Marco Island marks the beginning of civilization cruising north along the coast. There are two ways to approach Marco. You can either sail around Cape Romano and then turn back east into Marco or go straight northwest along the Ten Thousand Islands and enter the Coon Key Pass and Big Marco River which wind about 10 miles through wilderness before reaching the town of Goodland and then on to the back door of Marco. We decided on the inside route, and although there were many tricky bend in the river and shoals to avoid, we managed to get through without incident. I navigated this route once before though it was 40 years ago when I was bolder. I also had the comforting ignorance of lacking a depth finder at that time. Along this route there were many dolphins and once we reached Goodland there were quite a few excursion boats full of excited dolphin watchers.

Having successfully made our way through a difficult winding waterway, we turned left to the marina where the sign said to do so, and ran aground so hard it registered about 5 on the Richter scale. My usual technique of reverse gear and full steam did not get us loose, but did cause some aftershocks. I loaded the anchor into the dinghy and rowed  it out to the full length of the anchor rode, dropped it, and then got back on board. Once we got the boat turned around I winched in the anchor line while  sandy applied forward engine power. The combination pulled us off handily. We docked at the Rose Marina which turned out to be an excellent facility. We put the bike together and rode to a nearby grocery store, then rode a couple of miles to church, then a short distance to an excellent Italian dinner. Back at the boat it was getting late but sandy still did 2 loads of laundry before we got to bed but not before we were ready for it. We slept like logs, but the sunrise at 730 precluded sleeping late.

March 21 Little Shark River to Indian Key

First day of spring, and happy birthday grandson Colin.

No see ums got us going quickly in the morning. Little shark River is a 33 mile straight shot to Indian key at the gulf side entrance to the pass which winds 6 miles in through the Ten Thousand Islands to the town of Everglades City. The day started with the wind from the east at 3 knots.  it later went completely calm and then came up from the southwest gradually increasing to 10 knots; the last two hours of the day we were able to sail , but it was too late when we arrived at Indian key to take the 6 mile passage into Everglades City for their famous gelato. Another time. Our anchorage at Indian key was not very well protected from the southwest wind and a strong tide was going out in the opposite direction until midnight. For that reason the boat did not lie easily on the anchor but we slept well anyway. There were no bugs at all during the night at Indian Key, neither misquitos nor noseeums. That is probably because the wind was blowing fairly strongly on shore.

Not much to report on this long straight day of mostly motoring, but I did see another tarpon jump in the afternoon.

March 20 Flamingo to Little Shark River

We were up early and away from Flamingo to get away from the no see ems. Our previous stop at Banana Bay Marina Marathon was probably our best marina so far. Very helpful people, friendly live- aboard residents , and even pool / shower towels provided. I mention that because Flamingo is the worst so far. Pretty depressing, actually. No facilities after too many years to claim it's because of hurricane damage, no hot water, and even the electric power was faulty (I tested it and found that it had an open ground- very dangerous. Our course from Flamingo was east ne miles to Cape Sable, then North 16 miles. The wind was light from the northwest so we could make little use of the sales until it shifted to Southwest late in the day. The trip was uneventful except that I saw a large tarpon jump twice ahead of the boat. Little Shark River is one of the many which drain the Everglades in Southwest Florida. It is absolutely wilderness but actually a fairly popular anchorage. There were a dozen other boats anchored in the river and possibly more farther up the river which we could not see. We had a good, well protected Anchorage. The afternoon was clear, breezy, in the 70's. There was no phone or data connection there, of course; the nearest building of any kind is probably 30 miles away from there . I could not update the blog and am writing it from notes Saturday night. Expecting the mosquitoes for which the Everglades are famous, we rigged a mosquito net over the companionway. That worked well until near dawn when the wind blew a corner of it askew. Some mosquitoes and many no see ems had us for breakfast.

The picture below is East Cape Sable, the southernmost point in the mainland United States.

March 19 Marathon to Flamingo

Today's route was across Florida Bay from the keys to the tip of Peninsular Florida and the Everglades National Park outpost at Flamingo.

The first 20 miles of our route was due north and although the forecast wind was north east to east it turned out to blow directly from the north. We proceeded under power because we needed to cover 30 miles today and if we had worked our way to windward under sail we would still be out there tonight. When we reached Cape Florida and turned east towards Flamingo the wind went calm and then came up from the east! So we powered all day.

The pioneer settlement at Flamingo has always been a remote spot. When the National Park was established they built a marina and motel here, but the whole area was substantially wiped out by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and the motel has still never been rebuilt after 22 years. Now besides the docks there is a campground, a convenience store and $3 cold showers. There was no good reason to come here except that the next place to stop would have made it a 40 mile day- too far. We are the only cruising boat here. After dinner we walked over to the convenience store and treated ourselves to ice cream. There was a large crocodile swimming in the marina basin beside the store. This is the only area in the United States where crocodiles are found. They are about equally at home in freshwater and saltwater. When swimming crocs look different from alligators: their whole back is visible instead of just the eyes, nose and shoulders which you see on an alligator.

After dark the mosquitos came in but so far they are held at bay with repellent.

For the next 2 or 3 days we will be cruising the south west coast of Florida in the Everglades National Park. There is a good chance we will have no data connection. Do not be concerned if we can't update our blog.

Mar 18 at Marathon

The forecast cold front with wind and rain did not come through until after dawn this morning, and all told did not amount to as much as they warned about. But it left behind a strong wind out of the north which would have made rough going for us to make our way north to Cape Sable. So we stayed here at Marathon and enjoyed an easy day, reading, napping and chatting with the local liveaboards. The forecast for tomorrow is moderate winds out of the northeast and east, which should accommodate us well.

March 17 Matacumbe Harbor to marathon

We only had about 20 miles to go today so we took our time cleaning up and having breakfast. The forecast was for a south wind of 15 to 20 knots but when we left there was just enough breeze to move the boat out of the harbor. Soon enough though the wind picked up and we began to make good time close hauled on port tack, which would be our point of sail for the whole day's trip. I reefed the main and then the boat balanced very well with the working jib. We arrived at Marathon about 2:30, docked at a nice little marina here, and walked to the nearby Publix for provisions. From here our course will be up the southwest coast of Florida which is completely wild from Flamingo at the tip of Florida all the way around to near Marco. So we wanted to make sure we have enough goodies to keep ourselves happy for several days. While Sandy did laundry I was talking with other boat owners at the marina, who warned of a cold front which will come through tonight with possible high winds from the southwest. The slip where we were docked would have left us fully exposed to a strong southwest wind and would have made us pound against the dock. At their suggestion we moved the boat across the marina to a better protected slip. Sandy cooked up a skillet full of delicious corned beef hash with eggs to celebrate St Patrick's day dinner.

The rocks around the edge of this marina are full of spiny lobster, and there is said to be a resident manatee which we have not yet seen. Sandy saw a little leopard shark here in the marina also.

The most amazing thing today took place during our sail. A flight of about a dozen cormorants flew across our bow from right to left in single file. As expected, they were all black except that the lead bird was snowy white. It looked otherwise like  a cormorant but our Sibley's bird book indicates that cormorants are never all white. We have no explanation. But the one white bird leading a string of black ones was a spectacular sight.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is lousy. We may stay here an extra day rather than fight a strong headwind all the way across Florida Bay.

March 16 islamorada to Matacumbe Harbor

This morning we assembled our tandem bike and rode 3 miles to church at Tavernier. After returning to a good breakfast on board we finally cast off at 11 :30. Marathon will be our jumping off point to head north to Cape Sable at the tip of mainland Florida and then up the Gulf Coast. But with the late start today Marathon is out of reach so we looked for an indeterminate stop. There are no marinas on the inside (Florida Bay side) but looking online at cruisersnet, which has turned out to be a very valuable resource, we found an anchorage at the southwest end of Lower Matacumbe Key. The website warns against overhead power lines, but once we got inside  Matacumbe Harbor we could see that you would have to be practically ashore before the power lines would be a problem. The anchorage is well protected from the strong north west wind, and we enjoyed a long afternoon reading, napping, and catching up with navigational plans. The harbor is home to a Boy Scouts High Adventure base, with many beautiful boats, presumably donated. I rowed ashore to ask their permission to beach our dinghy while we went to dinner. The only restaurant for many miles around is a Cuban one right across the highway from here. We enjoyed an excellent dinner and even treated ourselves to ice cream before rowing back to the boat.

On today's sail we passed a floating portuguese man of war, the first of those nasty stinging jellyfish we have seen in a long time.

The last 3 days have been just about perfect sailing, with strong fair winds, sunny skies, moderate temperatures, and beautiful clear green water. Navigating through the  shoals and between many mangrove Islands has added to the fun of the sailing. Most marinas and marine facilities are on the ocean side of the Keys, presumably to accommodate powerboaters interested in fishing. The Florida Bay side which we are sailing is beautiful but limited by shallow water. Thank goodness for our 3 foot draft.

March 15 pumpkin key to Isla Islamorada

If yesterday's sail was the best of the cruise so far, today beat it easily. The wind was from the Northeast at 10 to 15 knots with clear skies and temperature in the 70's. Since we were heading south and west the conditions were about as good as they could get. I don't think we've ever had a better sailing day. Or more beautiful waters to sail.

Before we raised the anchor at pumpkin key, 15 little Bullseye sloops headed past us in preparation for their Saturday morning race. Bullseye class boats' design dates back to the 1940's and I did not know the class was still active. I remember several of them from when I was first starting to sail.

Our route took us through a series of enclosed bodies of water with key largo on the north and east side and mangrove islands on the south and west side. We passed through card sound ,Barnes sound ,tarpon basin, Blackwater sound and Buttonwood sound before emerging into Florida Bay. At that point the water became clear and green, which the keys are famous for. It was hard to believe that the water was deep enough for Carina even when it was 7 to 9 feet deep.

We stopped for the night at a marina at Islamorada on plantation key just beyond the end of the Largo.

Today was a good one for marine wildlife watching. Besides many dolphins I saw a leopard ray jump clear of the water and Sandy saw a manatee right beside our boat after we had docked at the marina. The dock master said "that's our manatee."

Friday March 14 Coconut Grove to pumpkin key

Today started on a somewhat sour note when we pulled into the fuel dock and were obliged to land on the windward side. Landing and refueling went smoothly enough but as we backed off  the dock the port shroud hung up on a piling. I pushed off on the piling and when the shroud pulled free it took 1/8" off the back of my right hand. OK, maybe a 16th of an inch. Enough to get sympathy anyway.

The wind was still from the Northeast at 15 to 20 knots and as we headed south on Biscayne Bay under reefed main and working jib we had a spectacular sail. By early afternoon we were anchored off Elliot Key exactly where the GPS said we had placed a memorial stone for my mother and father 5 years ago. I put on goggles and swam around for quite a while looking for the stone but did not spot it. So up with the anchor and the sails, and we headed further south. At quitting time we found an anchorage  in the lee of little pumpkin key off Key Largo. The island (picture below) is 400 yards across and has a modest 3 bedroom house on it. It is also for sale for 110 million dollars, making it the second highest priced residential listing on the market in the US. First is something in Connecticut. Maybe the whole state. Anchoring offshore here is free.

Although the wind was chilly today, it was strong and from the right direction. And the day was mostly sunny. It was definitely the best sailing day of our cruise so far. The forecast for tomorrow is more of the same; after that we may get another cold front with the possibility of rain and adverse wind shift.

Thursday March 13 Miami to Coconut Grove

After a long and tiring day yesterday we were due for an easy one. A cold front came through during the night bringing a little rain and a lot of wind out of the Northeast. When we left the Marine Stadium where we were anchored, the wind had set the anchor so hard it was difficult to pull up. We had a brisk but enjoyable sail just a couple of miles to Coconut Grove. This was where I first learned to sail and was the center of activity for my family as I was growing up, so there were many happy memories of this area. It was also where I took sandy sailing on our first date, and especially happy memory . As we approached Coconut Grove from Biscayne Bay I realized how long it has been since I was sailing here last- nearly 40 years. Of course the area has been built up tremendously, and from the bay none of my familiar landmarks were visible. We docked at dinner key Marina, shopped for groceries nearby, got rid of trash, bought ice, and did laundry. We had a very good dinner ashore. The number of boats docked and anchored at Coconut Grove has grown out of proportion to the growth of Miami's population. There are boats moored and anchored as much as three quarters of a mile offshore where no one would have considered anchoring way back when.

March 12 Fort Lauderdale to Miami

We had a choice of taking the inside route to Miami on the Intracoastal Waterway or taking the offshore route in the ocean. The forecast was for a south southwest wind shifting to Southwest and West later today in advance of a cold front. I decided that even if we had to motor south for a while we would get  favorable winds and good sailing conditions later. We took the ocean route,and that was a bad choice. It was important to stay close inshore to avoid the northerly Gulf Stream current so we needed to maintain a course approximately due south. The wind did pick up to 15 to 20 knots but we never got the expected Southwesterly shift. In fact, it backed to due South. We ended up heading directly into the wind under power, and the the going was rough. The waves were only four to six feet, but were close together, steep, and occasionally breaking. Carina did fine but sandy and I got much more pitching and rolling then we wanted. A long and very uncomfortable 20 miles.

Once we entered government cut to reach Miami the going was relatively smooth but we were later than we had planned so instead of pressing on to Coconut Grove we ducked into the anchorage at the Miami Marine stadium.

All told a rough day but we are much consoled after evening cocktails and a good hot dinner. We have had more than our share of headwinds so far. I chose to go the clockwise route around South Florida to avoid bucking the prevailing east and southeast wind in the keys. So far we have seen no east or southeast winds. Ah well.

We are about at the halfway point of our planned six hundred and fifty mile route.

Tuesday March 11th Delray Beach to Fort Lauderdale

Not a whole lot to report today. The wind was a fine sailing breeze if you were going north but we were heading south and so we cruised down the waterway under power all day. We passed through 13 bridges today , every one of which was on a time schedule opening. we spent probably 1/4 of our time waiting for bridges to open. The scenery on the intracoastal waterway was very interesting though- an endless succession of lavish waterfront homes. Most of them did not have  large lots like so many we saw yesterday at hobe sound. Still, the architecture was interesting and entertaining. In Fort Lauderdale we found a good anchorage a short distance up the Middle River along with 15 other boats. A couple of French Canadians came over in their inflatable dinghy and told us a long story about a recent storm and dragging anchors. It was a while before I realized they were nicely asking us to move further away.

I intended yesterday to insert a picture of the solar powered boat , but I see that it did not get included. I will try to attach it today.

Monday March 10 Jupiter to Delray Beach

The neighboring boat to us last night was a liveaboard who said he had two anchors out but it turned out both anchors were all of his bow. If I had known that we would not have anchored so close to him but all was well because it was a quiet night. We cast off about 915 and the morning was clear and cool but unfortunately the wind was light from the south so we could not sail. After about 10 miles we reached the Palm Beach area and passed several cruise ships and containerships and also marinas  with some of the largest yachts we have ever seen. see pictures below. They are so big there is no chance they can navigate in the Intracoastal Waterway so they are limited to deepwater ports like Palm Beach Fort Lauderdale and Miami. There were also some of the largest houses we have ever seen. The wind came up a little from the west so we were able to sail for about an hour and motorsail for another hour or two after that but otherwise the day was all under power. We passed under 13 bridges today, all but three of them with restricted opening times so we waited anywhere from 2 minutes to 20 minutes to pass through.

Because of daylight savings time we aimed to stop at around 6 o'clock instead of our previous 5 o'clock standard. We found a slip at the Delray Harbor Club Marina in the high rent district. Sandy says to get over it. One of our neighbors is a 100 footer, a mere dinghy compared to those we saw earlier today. The big yachts tend to have Georgetown Cayman Islands as their home port, presumably a flag of convenience for tax reasons. They probably apply for registration while they are down there depositing a container load of money. We have observed that owners of power boats under 100 feet have no taste when it comes to the name for their boat. Example: bye love ya see ya. How about wheather oar knot? I'm going to do all of my corrections I'm going to do all of my corrections I'm going to hurt I'm going to the haha.

Isn't Google wonderful?

About 30 miles today a very pleasant day although we wished we could sail more. We have been cursed with light and contrary winds but otherwise the conditions have been beautiful and we are enjoying ourselves immensly. How not?

Late in the day we passed a large boat apparently operating entirely with solar power. Don't miss the picture below.

We should reach Fort Lauderdale with an easy day tomorrow and our hope is to sale in the ocean from there to government cut in Miami if weather permits.

Sunday March 9 St Lucie to Jupiter

Daylight Savings Time started today so the Sun does not rise until 730. We rode our tandem bike 4 miles to church at 9 o'clock, then stopped for breakfast, and shopped at the adjacent hardware and Publix stores. Back at the boat we stored our provisions, bought ice, and cast off at 115. Boat traffic as we approached the intracoastal waterway inside St Lucie Inlet was very heavy, but once on the ICW it was easy going. At that point we began for the first time to have the red markers to starboard as we headed south on the ICW. The weather then was cool and clear. Wind was from the Northeast at about 5 knots so we sailed some but mostly motorsailed. After a few miles we entered Hobe Sound and begin to pass a string of palatial homes along the waterway. The two pictured below were over the top, we thought. The first was a boathouse larger than most everyone's house, and more elaborate, too. The second is harder to see in the picture but if you look at the extreme right you will see that the home has a waterfall. Don't know where the water comes from but there it is. The house itself was invisible behind a large expanse of lawn and landscaping up the hill.

After negotiating 3 bridges near the Jupiter Inlet, we found an anchorage just off the waterway with deep enough water but only just enough room to anchor from the bow and stern.

The third picture shows the technique we have worked out to keep the dinghy from banging into the boat all night when we are anchored or at a marina. We haul the bow up high and secure it with a fender between the dinghy and the boat. We have come to call that 'lynching' the dinghy, and it works well in a variety of wind and wave conditions.

Only 17 miles today, but we were only underway for half the day and did not hurry.

Saturday March 8th Indiantown to Stuart

Our neighbors at the marina were up and shouting at each other as they cast off at 630. a.m. We woke up for the second time at about 7:30. We took our time over breakfast, watching a large alligator swim across the Marina and watching fishermen catch a good sized largemouth bass. We cast off at 930. The trip down the St Lucie canal was uneventful. We passed through the final lock of the Okeechobee waterway which dropped us about 12 feet to sea level. We had been powering for most of the day because yesterday's wind was gone, but as we neared the coast and turned South  we finally had a nice sailing breeze. We stopped at a marina within sight of the Saint Lucie Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean , in a small side channel called manatee Pocket, which bills itself as the sailfish capital of the world. Indeed we are surrounded by many large and luxurious sport fishing boats. Today and yesterday were both 30 mile days without stretching ourselves. That is farther than I had expected when planning the cruise. By the way I have discovered that Carina gets better fuel mileage then our suburban or Jeep: 1/4 gallon of diesel per hour at 4 knots.

I actually do know a little about spelling and punctuation, even if google doesn't.

Friday March 7th Clewiston to Indiantown

Yesterday's cold front brought a west wind for today so we decided to sail directly across Lake Okeechobee rather than following the longer protected route around the rim of the lake. We cast off at 830 and quickly were on a broad reach with a wind of 15 to 18 knots. We had an exhilarating sail across the lake with the boat constantly at its maximum hull speed. The wind gradually increased and we finally shortened sail with about 5 miles to go. We covered the 24 miles across the lake in 4 hours and 15 minutes, certainly the fastest extended passage our boat has ever done. Once we passed through the open lock at port mayaca we were off the lake and suddenly in calm water. We proceeded under power for another 10 miles and stopped at the Indian town Marina, the only facility of any type on the St Lucie canal. The forecast for tomorrow is lighter winds and if all goes well Carina will be on the Atlantic coast for the first time.

Thursday March 6 Moore Haven to Clewiston

Today started with a forecast of severe weather for this afternoon as a front moved through Florida. Fortunately we only planned to move down the edge of Lake Okeechobee 13 miles to Clewiston. From there we can either cut directly across the lake or follow the longer route around the south Rim. The route to Clewiston followed along the dike with weeds and bushes on the lakeside, making for excellent bird watching as well as excellent habitat for alligators. We saw 12, some of them large. By mid day we were tucked into a marina at Clewiston . When the front came through the wind was very strong for a few minutes and filled the cockpit and deck with leaves and branches from nearby trees. After that the rest of the afternoon was rainy but otherwise not too uncomfortable. We had a good dinner ashore of catfish and Gator tail . The forecast for tomorrow is for a fresh breeze from the West so we intend to sail the 25 miles directly across the lake.

Wednesday march 5 to Moore Haven

We got an early start with the anchor up at 730 under sunny skies with a light easterly headwind. While sandy was  below making coffee I got so absorbed with taking apart the grill that I let the boat run right into the bushes on the side of the river and we were hard aground. If that were not enough I put her into reverse and promptly fouled the dinghy painter in the propeller. Up until that moment sandy thought my seamanship skill was above reproach. I dove down with a knife and cleared the propeller.  As I pushed on the bow Sandy put her into reverse and backed her off the bank into the river. If she had left me behind it would have been well deserved. We reached a bridge shortly thereafter and we're delayed over an hour by maintenance work they were doing. As we moved farther east on the river the occasional houses gave way to cattle ranches and scrubby wilderness. We passed through another lock at Ortona . At 1 o'clock we finally had a light favorable wind and had the main and jib up. We even had the engine off for a total of 3 minutes. Along the way we saw two alligators. One was only about 4 or 5 feet long but the other was quite a bit larger. We reached Moore Haven on the shore of Lake Okeechobee at 4 o'clock and tied up at the city dock. We had time to head to a laundromat, and I went shopping for reading glasses and sunglasses. So far on this trip I have lost two pairs of reading glasses and broken two pairs of sunglasses. Fortunately none of them were expensive. So I bought a lifetime supply of both reading and sunglasses at Dollar General. I can't be trusted with expensive glasses. After returning to the boat we got on the tandem bike and headed to the local church for their 630 ash Wednesday mass. The congregation was about evenly divided between Mexicans and non Mexicans. The priest was Cuban and the service was bilingual. he was long winded in both languages. By the time mass was over it was pitch dark and although we had lights for the bike we had to ride along US 27 on a narrow shoulder for about a half mile. We must have said the right prayers at church because we did not become roadkill. We had dinner at the best restaurant in town- subway. Moore Haven is a small and evidently dying town it reminded us of some of the towns we saw on our bike trip across the country last summer. 30 statute miles today.

Tuesday March 4 on the Caloosahatchee River

We raised the anchor at 830 and felt our way carefully out of the small Cove where we had spent the night. the channel was shallow not more than 4 feet and the red and green marker colors reversed halfway out. A few miles on our way we stopped at Fort Myers yacht basin for ice and continued under power up the river with a light easterly contrary wind. At 1 p_m we finally had a white south wind and put the main up but still kept the engine going. At 230 we negotiated our first lock ever for Franklin Lock and Dam and it went easily. The Caloosahatchee River looks natural was dredged and somewhat straightened by the corps of engineers in the 19 thirty's. The river is a mile or more wide at Fort Myers but soon narrows to about 200 yards. At quitting time we nosed into an old Oxbow and anchored fore and aft. The evening was a specially pleasant with a strong sense of orange blossoms from a nearby bar Grove and our cabin lights attracted thousands of little bugs but they did not bite. 36 statute miles for the day, our longest one day run so far. We grilled steaks to celebrate Mardi Gras.

The photos are sandy tending lines in the franklin lock and sandy fixing dinner at anchor. Pictures

Please forgive the sloppiness as I am relying on Google's voice recognition software.

Monday March 3rd cabbage key to Cape Coral

Again started with light winds from the south. By noon we could sail aeastnd it was a beautiful day in Pine Island Sound. By three o clock we turned east around Pine Island and started in territory we have not visited before. Heavy boat traffic on the way to Cape Coral. Stopped a little earlier then we would have wished at the only Anchorage we could identify which I found online on cruiser s net. Anchored in a small residential Cove and enjoyed a leisurely cocktail hour before dinner. 25 miles today. We are now on the Caloosahatchee River heading across the state of Florida.

Sunday March 2nd Englewood to cabbage key

Enjoyed clean showers in the morning. Renewed our over chlorinated water. departed at 945. Beautiful day 70 degrees but light wind south. powered to charlotte harbor then favorable win shift and up sails. Fine sail across Charlotte Harbor to cabbage key. Enjoyed excellent grouper dinner and a quiet night at the dock. 89 miles under the keel so far.

Saturday March 1 Sarasota to Englewood

Wind come or contrary so motored until 130 finally sailed and it got better and better. Docked at Royal Palm marina in Englewood. Walk to church, a little shopping and dinner out on the way back. We were in a protected quiet slip so we enjoyed a good night's sleep.

February 28 PAss a Grille to Sarasota

First night of cruise always hard sleeping but we did okay. Cold morning. Light wind and lumpy ride across Tampa Bay. So we relied on engine. Wind finally picked up and we had a good sail in Sarasota Bay. Anchored just off Channel in a will be protected spot and slept well.

Aweigh- To Pass a Grille

Took off at 3 p.m. Cloudy skies 60 degrees sailed south past Bayway. Too late to cross Tampa Bay by daylight so we anchored inside pass a grille. Snug be low in light rain.