We made it. Finally, we arrived in Marathon after three weeks of travel and delays. But enough of that, we are here in Marathon. Also note, the vessel in the picture above is NOT in Marathon.

February 23rd: After leaving Fort Lauderdale, we sailed/motored down to Miami and then to Key Biscayne via the Atlantic. It was a nondescript journey that took us about six hours. We wanted to anchor in No Name Harbor, a great little area in the Bill Baggs State Park, BUT, because it was Sunday, the place was overflowing with locals who came to party. So we anchored outside of No Name Harbor. It was a beautiful night. At the tip of Florida it gets so dark at night, you can see stars all the way to the horizon. In the distance were the stilt houses that were built in the 20s during prohibition. These stilt houses were supposed to be bait stores and fishing supply places. In reality, they formed the epicenter of Florida's boot leg empire. They were virtually immune to prosecution because the g-men didn't have boats to bust them. These stilt houses still remain and are now designated as historic sites. Pretty interesting.

February 24th: Overnight, the wind shifted as seems typical in anchorages, and left us exposed to the waves from Biscayne Bay. It was okay although it was a little bouncy. We left early to head down the Keys to Rodriguez Key near Key Largo. Rodriguez is where the Keys curve to the West. It is also the first place you anchor in where the water is so clear you can see the anchor hit the sand in 10 feet of water. We've stayed there three times now and each time has been a wonderful experience. Solar panels are still not working but we're fine for just one overnight.

February 25th: We got up early, anxious to get to Marathon. It was a longer leg than I remembered from two years ago, but the water was like glass and our seven and a half hour journey was smooth and comfortable. We saw more crab pots that required us to drive around than we've seen this whole trip. I was tempted to snag one and see what kind of crab we would have for dinner. If I was sure they contained Stone Crab, I might have done that. We arrived in Marathon at 3pm (1500 hours) and found out that they had no mooring balls available. We were put on a waiting list, not a big deal since we were number three, and were able to get a slip at Sombrero Marina, the funkiest place in all of Marathon.

February 26: It was now time to tackle the solar panel problem. As luck would have it, the only certified solar panel repair facility in all of the Keys was only five minutes away. Fernando showed up around 11 am and after about an hour found the problem. Where the power cables from the three solar panels came together and were combined into one big power cable that went to the regulator and the batteries, well that junction was burned to a crisp. Good old salt corrosion had deteriorated the connector bus and shorted out everything. Shortly thereafter, Fernando had plenty of power coming in to the boat from the solar panels. Things are looking up.

We should be getting a mooring ball in a day or two but it's no big deal. When we do, we'll be paying $241 per month for a ball which includes great bathroom and shower facilities, wifi, and free pump outs once a week. The pump out boat comes to you and pumps you out if you need it or not.

In future posts I'll tell you more about the experience that is Boot Key Harbor in Marathon. Stay tuned for more stories about the place where old hippies go to die. Also, check out the photo gallery for some recent pics.