Shakedown Cruise 2016
31 March 2016 | Burnt Store Marina, Punta Gorda, FL
Our normal sailing season in southwest Florida is November to June. This is also generally described as the end of the hurricane season to the return of the rainy season. However, this sailing season has not been normal due to the El Nino weather pattern. It has been significantly cooler during the winter months, windier, wetter than usual. In January alone, we received almost 17 inches of rain when the average is about two inches.
We normally go out for two- and three-day trips to our favorite anchorages, Pelican and Cape Haze. We will also take advantage of our location for day sails when we can be out into Charlotte Harbor with sails up in 20 minutes. Not this year. We were out for two day sails in November, a two-day trip that month and an overnight trip in January.
Fortunately, February saw a change. Near the end of the month, the forecasts began to be “normal.” That change was timely as Patty’s sister, Helen, arrived for a two-week visit, most of which would hopefully be on the boat. Our planned destination was Sarasota where we had tickets for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The first week went as planned with mild daily temperatures, comfortable evenings, and no rain. After our first night at Cape Haze, we travelled up the ICW to Sarasota and picked up a mooring ball at Marina Jack’s. The next evening, we dinghied in to the marina and took a short walk to the Van Wezel Theater for the performance.
After Sarasota, we had planned on continuing north with a stop on the Manatee River, on the way to St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, there was the forecast for increased southerly winds, gusting to 30 mph. Not wanting to “plow” into that wind when returning, we decided to cut our cruise short. We went to another favorite anchorage, Otter Key. From there we dinghied to St. Armand’s Circle for ice cream and a breezy walk on Lido Beach. The next day we headed south for two nights at Cape Haze. We can’t spend a day at Cape Haze without a walk on the beach at Don Pedro State Park and the search for sharks’ teeth. The next day we headed back to Burnt Store Marina. Although the wind was “on our nose,” it was still a nice day to be out on the water. Our decision to cut our trip short was wise as the winds picked up and we did not leave the slip for the balance of Helen’s visit.
Our plan has been to leave April 2 for our usual spring trip. We spent the last two weeks of March provisioning and getting the boat ready, always keeping an eye on the forecast. We even managed to get in a couple of day sails. Unfortunately, a front is forecast to blow through this weekend; so, our departure is now set for April 4. About time!