So I left off we were beating to weather, I did run Cantankerous inside at the West Palm, inlet, this part of the coast from West Palm to Miami is very upscale, homes of unimaginable size and value and yacht's (more like ships) to match. It's all interesting to look at, can't say I get it all though. The bridges going down the intercostal are terrible, there is many of them and you have to wait on every single one of them to open, most of them only open at specific times, some of the bridge operators are down right rude, most are pleasant enough. Anyhow it was an interesting journey to Fort Lauderdale, but I don't need to do it again anytime soon.

We stopped at Fort Lauderdale, downtown marina, our water holding tanks were dry, Cantankerous, was having power issues which I knew was the fuel filters needing changed and she was due an oil change and good bath. So I took care of those projects and Lisa, got the laundry done, straighten up the inside and fix me some veggie soup so I wouldn't starve this next week!:) which was much appreciated. Oh she also got me to exercise:) we will see if she fesses up to this one!?!

Tuesday, morning it was time for Lisa, to go home and me to get moving south again, so she caught a cab and I headed back out to sea, where both Cantankerous and myself are much happier! Had an uneventful sail down Hawks channel other then being boarded by the Coast Guard, routine safety inspection. They just pull up along side while underway, three of them came aboard did there thing were polite and professional. The whole deal probably took 20 minutes. Now I'm a guy that has always had a problem with authority figures, especially the ones with over inflated ego's on some sort of power trip who have never read the bill of rights and have no respect for ones civil rights... But that's not the coast guard, I know if I ever do something dumb, the coast guard will move heaven and earth to save my sorry ass, risking their own lives if necessary and for that the Coast Guard, can board my boat anytime they want ...

This however does not apply to those jack booted thugs in "homeland security" I hope their black boats all sink and they have to swim ashore... Just who the hell are they hiding from sneaking around at night without any lights on in those black boats anyhow!?! Clearly an over funded agency (congress are you listening?) Nuff said!

Anyhow back on subject... So I stopped at the anchorage off Rodriguez Key, last night, it was probably 9 o'clock when I dropped the hook, got a shower fixed a quick dinner, and fell asleep watching the Daily show... Pulled the hook up and under-weigh around 7:30 this morning, on a pleasant beam reach sail, while writing this and not paying attention a squall blew up, with thirty knots of wind and rain, the cockpit was opened up as were the hatches down below and full sails out. Cantankerous quickly overpowered the auto pilot couldn't hold her down, she weather helmed, I grabbed the wheel and put her back down twice running off the wind, both times she powered back up and weather helmed. Time to get some sails off... Squall passed, wind clock a bit more northerly running downwind with 15knots apparent. If it lays a bit I'll probably deploy my new toy (whisker pole) and run her wing on wing. For now it's raining and I'm not going out there! Five hours out of Marathon, which is the point I'll consider this Journey a success!!!