While in Marathon, we managed to get together with Sue and Mac, former sailors from our boat yard and now “land cruisers”. They bring their motor home, pick up, and motorcycle to Florida, where they leave a runabout for fishing, and enjoy the sun, sea, and sand that way. Hailing from Michigan, they (like so many others) enjoy a respite from the cold, especially this winter. The last time we cruised with them was the very cold winter of 2010. We had dinner out (at Sparky’s Landing) with them and their friends, Joe and Linda, also former sailors who also have “swallowed the anchor”.

We had Sue, Mac, Steve, MaryAnn, Lynn, and Brian over for dinner aboard Gratitude on Friday night, the 10th. Lauren had prepared a lovely pot roast with shitake mushrooms, vegetables, and grits. (Nope, not a Yankee pot roast.) Lynn brought a salad, MaryAnn brought desert, and Sue brought an appetizer. We had a good time sharing stories about the boat yard and its denizens.

The next morning, Saturday the 11th, after a week “on the wall”, we decided to leave Marathon. The winds were forecast to be 12-18 from the southwest and south, good for heading North to Rodriguez Key. Before departing, our friends Pru and Burt, on Exuberant, introduced us (in absentia) to Jim and Laurie on Kismet, who were planning to sail to Rodriguez as well. We got underway at barely first light (some call it “Oh-dark thirty”), 6:50 AM, and headed out. Steve and Brian were on deck of their respective boats giving us a waving send off. Once outside and around the corner, we set the sails and had a delightful beam and then broad reach. The winds had escalated a bit and were 17+ most of the day. We encountered Kismet en route and discussed anchoring plans and options. They definitely planned to stop at Rodriguez; we contemplated going on to Angelfish Creek a bit further. As it turned out, Rodriguez was the winner because, just as we made our final turn on the course that would take us there (or to Angelfish), the wind eased and our speed dropped from consistently over 7 knots to between 3 and 4. At that speed, without turning on the engine, we would not make Angelfish before dark. So, we dropped the hook at Rodriguez and Kismet anchored nearby. They came over for cocktails and we thoroughly enjoyed them. Amazing coincidences: he was born in Forest Hills, NY as was Van; she was a Hospice worker, as was Lauren, and on it went. We found out that Kismet means “preordained” or “destiny” so we all agreed our meeting was a sort of Kismet event.

Because the winds were forecast to clock to the N and NE on Sunday, both vessels decided to get up early and head to Angelfish Creek to pass through the creek to the “inside route”. We wanted to arrive there mid-morning before the tide went low and planned to anchor on the south side of Pumpkin Key. We departed at 5:45 am and travelled (for the first time in FL) through dense fog. We arrived and put the anchor down at about 10:30 am. For the first time this season, we put the dinghy in the water (had to relearn the system) and installed the new outboard (electric start because Lauren could not start the old one) and we went exploring. This area is on the “back side” of the Ocean Reef Club community and definitely is not low rent district.

For the first time, we felt relaxed. Lauren practiced piano, Van did various boat projects, we read, and caught up on phone calls with family and friends. After over a month away from VT, we finally feel as if we are starting our trip. Tomorrow, we head to No Name Harbor on Key Biscayne where we will meet Dave and Mary on Sanity II and some “newbies” who may join us on their boat as we cross to Bimini. Dave and Mary are not going to The Bahamas this year because of health issues, so we will miss having them to play with.

The weather looks good to make the jump and cross the Gulf Stream to Bimini on Tuesday, so we probably will get an early start to get over there on the rising tide and high sun in the early afternoon. We may get socked in with another cold front, but what’s wrong with being stuck in The Bahamas, right?