Mark Twain famously said, “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything!” Cruisers talk about, study, marvel at, research and complain about the weather. It has taken 3 years but we understand why.

We are currently at Crandon Park Marina in Key Biscayne. As we sit today, the Miami skyline is about 5 nautical miles from port and Key Biscayne is within swimming distance from starboard. We have been floating here waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas for 7 days.

Every morning we wake up and check the weather to find the weather window, every evening we do the same to see if the “window” is still open.

Last Monday it looked like there would be a window on Friday, multiple sources confirmed it. By Wednesday that window closed. On Thursday a weather window was forming allowing a crossing on Tuesday, again, multiple sources confirmed it.

But this morning’s NOAA Synopsis for Tuesday says: EAST NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 6 FEET ALONG THE COAST AND 5 TO 7 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 9 FEET IN THE GULF STREAM. DOMINANT PERIOD 7 SECONDS. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS.

The key number is the 9 feet in the Gulf Stream. The boat can take it – we can’t. So, we wait. It is looking like Wednesday but Tuesday is still a possibility.

That’s the story of our season. We had one day in January with calm seas allowing us to get from Isle of Capri (Naples, FL) to Key West. We worked, traveled for business, traveled home, traveled to Cabo San Lucas with friends Chris and Amy, and basically sat on the dock for 2 months due to high winds and small craft advisories. We know Key West well! Highlights included spending the day as tourists with Mary & Bob (Deb’s sister & brother in law), and enjoying dock time & Amigos Tacos with cruising friends Jan & David and Sheri & Kenny.

On March 2nd we enjoyed a 3-day weather window as we headed from Key West to Marathon before the big blow came in bring with it 15 – 25kt winds for 6 days.

At Marathon, niece Lexi and Deb’s parents came aboard for 3 days of wind followed by 3 days of good sailing winds (unfortunately with waves at our beam making it a bit rocky aboard) than 2 days of dead calm. We took that window and moved from Marathon to the Miami area. We stayed at Long Key & Rodriguez Key in transit before arriving at No Name Harbor on Key Biscayne where we enjoyed the beautiful beach.

Beth joined at Dinner Key Marina (in Coconut Grove on Biscayne Bay) to relax for a long weekend and “enjoy” our final ride in our old dinghy. I’m sure she will remember the ride … the water taxi picked us up from our mooring ball to head into the marina for showers. Our plan was to take the water taxi back, however, it was cancelled due to winds > 15 knots and 3-4’ seas in the bay so, we called Jim who put the dinghy in the water and came ashore. We had a wild time, laughed a lot, and were completely covered with salt water as waves were breaking over the top of the dinghy. A ride to remember!

The highlight of March was the arrival of the grandkids (and their parents). It’s always fun with the kids aboard and our days go like this – wake up early, wake up grandpa, eat breakfast, pack lunch, go to the beach where Emma never leaves the water, Brady never stops running, Nolan never stops digging, and the rest of us swim, dig & play, eat lunch, swim, play, dinghy back to the boat, watch The Little Mermaid, play cards, eat dinner, read books, go to sleep. One day we skipped the beach and went to the water park!

Now we wait, and, while waiting, Jim’s re-doing the interior varnish. The forward cabin walls & floor are done, the aft cabin floor has the first coat of varnish, the main cabin floor and refrigerator walls are today. The varnishing will stop when the weather window opens. Our next posting will be from the Bahamas unless one of our guests happens to write their blog entry … we’re waiting!