Ride from Home to Fla Keys

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After leaving home dock on Dec 3, we found ourselves trying to make time. There was a cold front coming, we wanted to get to protected waters asap. The first day was long, NPR to Longboat Key, anchored by Moore. Next morning we arrived in Sarasota Bay, anchored off Oleary's, put dink in H2O, mosey over, to see our friends and ex owners of Paper Moon. We enjoyed a couple of hours of relaxing talk. Then back to beating the cold front. We spent that night in Cape Haze, on East side of ICW just north of the Boca Grande Bridge. Next morning we went out into Gulf via Boca grande Pass. We found 8 foot waves, and confused. We were taking a heack of a beating. After 30 mins, we made a u turn, headed back to ICW. The waves were short, and white froth. It was awful, as we were getting hammered from both sides, and burying the bow.
We took ICW down to Cape Coral, Tarpon Pointe Marina, where we refueled. To get here, take river path to Ft Myers, then turn by marker 92. In front of the Marina is a nice anchorage with 13 feet of water, holding is poor. Here was our first mishap. Read on it is funny now, but not then.
Since I already told you it was poor holding...Took us 4 times of anchoring. Finally it took, Pete put out like 140 foot rode. Next morning, I awoke about 5 am. Made coffee, went up to cockpit, and I said to myself, something isn't right. I sat there...I sat there... Pete finally wakes up. I said good morning sleepy head, I think we are aground. Hmmmmm, how can than be? Turn on chartplotter and depth finder, to confirm what I had just said. Too make a long story short, we sat there till 1330 hours, and yes we heeled to port for awhile. What had happen, is the wind changed overnight, and threw us over the bank. We never felt it, it must have been one of those slow gradual things. It was a -.09 tide. Yeah, those moon tides got us.
Finally out of there, we decided to try the Gulf again, we have no other way. The gulf was calm. Sailed down to Marco in record time. Came in at night, leave it to us, always coming in at night on a place we have never been....
We anchored accross from Factory Bay, next to Cyrano, and Elixir.
Next morning Pete went into engine room, to find 1 1/2 gallon of diesel under engine pan. Hmmmmm. We had engine worked on this summer, and Pete has been finding loose nuts, bolts and clamps not there or tightened. So he was back to the drawing board. After 4 hours, he said I can't figure it out, we need help. I called Cyrano, who is very familiar with this area, told us about Rose Marco River Marina. I contacted them on the VHF. Went into theior Marina, I made it in there too. Was real tight, but I did a great job, I even got 2 pats on my shoulder and praises from Pete. The mechanic came over right after lunch, to find the connection for the high side loose. grrrrrrrrr, no quality control. We pumped up all the diesel, they took it at the marina.
We had showers, did laundry, somehow there is always laundry...
We had to make a decision on what to do, as the cold front was hitting us next day. Daughters wanted us to rent a car, drive to Ft Lauderdale for a Party at Deb and Donnie's house. After calling around, we found a weekend special, yeah! Took posession of car Friday at noon. We drove around, took Elixir to West Marine. Took them all to Laundromat in town, after getting directions from Jeris in Tampa. Is down by Smoke Bay, on Collier.
Stopped Winn Dixie.
Then Pete and I went to Kids. Spent a nice weekend witht hem, Pete brother, sister in law, niece and sister came up from Miami for the evening. We had the Pujols come by for a quick visit. Sunday we returned to Marco. Cyrano and Elixir left that afternoon for Indian Key. We decided to stay till Monday.
The Goodland Passage is not recommended for vessels over a 4'6" draft. It does several S turns. Take it on a rising tide. We did Monday, and did not have a problem, whew! It was skinny water in someplaces, but we went into the Pass early on the tide. Don't forget to account for wind and Moon. We went all the way to Indian Key, this is the small key on Gulf side leading into Everglade City. We met up with Cyrano again.
The next morning we had 4 sailboats traveling South, all under sail. We sailed for 5 1/2 hours. Took pictures of each other boats. Arriving in Litle Shark River.
The crews came over to our boat for libations, we had a great time. Next morning Spirit and us parted company with Cyrano and Elixir. We were headed to Isla Morada and Cyrano to Marathon.
Notice all, the Yacht Channel has filled in some areas, we had 4'2 in some spots, and we draft 4'. It was scary.
We arrived in Plantation Key around 1430 hours yesterday, with a 50 mile trip from Shark to here. Doesn't sound like much but when you travel at 6 knots....Just before getting to Cowpen's anchorage, we ran aground AGAIN. This time it was MY booboo. Took TowBoat 2 mins to get us out. We probably could have waited another hour and got of by ourselves. The tides here are only 6 inches. So we didn't want to chance it.
We will be here for a week to 10 days. Pete is doing some electrical work for the Lloyd's. Paper Moon needs 2 repairs. We have a leaky shower in the cockpit. And something not right on the drum.
Hugs to all,
The crew of Paper Moon and the hysterical meowwwwwwww

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