Passage - Bayside Marina, Islamorada, FL to Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
12:06 PM Underway for Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
12:57 PM Docked Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
4:04 PM Underway for return to Bayside Marina
4:50 PM Docked Bayside Marina
2.8 engine hours 10 miles

Cruise to Lignumvitae Key ( https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Lignumvitae-Key )
Susan and I awoke to a pleasant morning. Jonathan, Eric and Jonathan’s mom, Nancy Flippen, drove down from Miami to take the cruise to Lignumvitae with us.
I readied all systems and, suddenly, it appeared we needed a holding tank pump out. (Don’t ask how we REALLY know when the holding tank needs pumping out). We got underway and docked at the pump out station, and took care of that.

It wasn’t long before the crew from Miami arrived and we were off for Lignumvitae. Again in the very shallow water, I could not move enough water across the rudder to make it effective to turn 180° to drive the boat out of the marina. So, I backed it rather smartly out of the marina entrance into the basin and got the boat turned to drive it forward. You do what you have to do. HA!

The trip to Lignumvitae involved 3 different channels and some non channel connection. Today was rather calm and I could actually read the color of the water for more depth. There is so much shallow water that it is very easy to run aground. I’m finding better paths each time we go out.

We docked at the park dock, ate lunch and headed for the Park Ranger. He eagerly talked about the history of this ey and of course Lignumvitae trees and the uses of the wood from the trees. Check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae . A very interesting place was well interpreted by Ranger Bob. All of us enjoyed the walk and talk very nice wine cruise (except for me) back to our home marina. Was nice reminiscing with Nancy about our old boating days as teenagers on her dad’s cruising boat. My dad always had a fishing boat. So, I had two very different perspectives on boating. We enjoyed a nice sunset and today’s picture is Susan, Me and Nancy. Or, as I exclaimed “before and after” (divorce) and we all laughed.