March 1st we spent trying to get a new battery from West Marine but it did not come in as ordered. The manager was helpful and arranged for me to pick it up in Marathon on my way up the Keys. Fun wandering around Key West and shopping with Karen.

March 2nd we sailed to Key West so Karen could see it from the boaters view. Then we kicked back at the beach at Boca Chica. The 3rd we tried to figure out what to do about communications in the Bahamas. Our Sprint phones don't work outside the US and its possessions. I think we decided to wait until I get there to work on it with Batelco, the Bahamas Telephone Company.

The 4th was parting day again. It was great having Karen aboard. Crowded, hot, but wonderful. I have the easy part when leaving, I have a boat to run but poor Karen gets to wave and wonder what her crazy husband will be doing next. Motored into the wind back up the Keys until a cold front passed about noon so I could sail for a few hours until I reached Big Pine Channel again. I'll hold up here for a day or two while the winds pass and the battery gets to Marathon.

Stayed at Big Pine for 2 days waiting for the North winds to die down. Got to study up on Navigation in preparation for the crossing to the Bahamas. However the winds blowing reminds me of how rough it may get crossing. Hopefully things calm down before I get up to the jump off point.

The 7th I sailed off into the winds going to Marathon. The seas were rough and the winds strong. Puff pounded along fine trying her best but she really isn't meant for big waves or winds from the bow. At times we were only doing 1.5 knots. Had to tack out to the reef where it was rougher just to make headway against the winds. The last part I thought something was wrong with the engine since it was so slow. Just the winds, waves and tides all against us. Got a mooring at the City Marina and did laundry.

The 8th was getting up early to go to Publix for food and to find propane. Then to West Marine only to find that the battery delivery was to be the sometime that day and nothing much had been set up. At 4:30 the manager said to come over and pickup the battery. I sailed to a close by dock and he helped remove the old and install the new battery. It should have been a pro-rata replacement since it was past the full replacement warranty; but, considering the problems, the manager just swapped it out. Because of that, I bought a new handheld GPS from West Marine to replace the one that died the first week.

Winds were still high from the NE when I left Marathon on the 9th. I took some photos of the city marina there so folks can see how to help cruising boats. Out to the Gulf and the winds right on the nose again. Tacking 36 miles to make 21 miles headway. Seas were high too and poor Puff leaks. Ended up with water in the bunk and the whole port side had water from the leak in the anchor locker area.

I was happy to get anchored at Long Key next to the Channel 5 Bridge. So happy that I decided to stay the 10th drying things out and trying to fix the leaks. Of course won't know for sure until I get to rough water again. Winds are forecast to stay high from the NE for the next week so I ducked under the Channel 5 Bridge and decided to go up Florida Bay where there is some protection from the waves.

On the 11th went from Long Key about 20 miles to Tavernier Community Harbor. When I got to the harbor it was so shallow that I was leaving a sand wake in the water and this was at a moderate tide. So I left there and anchored off nearby Hammer Point. Poor little diesel got a workout since the whole trip was into the wind. We averaged about 3.3 knots due to the wind. The only good thing is that we only used 2 gallons of diesel doing it. That night I saw the strangest phenomenon. It looked like pearl necklaces suddenly tossed on the water. A glowing circle that grew and almost formed a ball and then faded out. The closest was a few feet from Puff and it looked like a fish or jellyfish spouting out eggs or being fertilized. So pretty and short lived that if I hadn't gone topside to look around then, I would have missed it.

The 12th was only a 10-mile motor to Sunset Cove at Key Largo. The Upper Keys Sailing Club was supposed to be active and friendly but nobody was home. On the 13th I went another 5 miles along Key Largo to anchor off the Caribbean Club. That is where the bar scenes for the Humphrey Bogart movie "Key Largo" was filmed. Now it is a locals and biker bar.

The weather is just not cooperating. After almost two weeks of winds from the North and then East at 15 -20 knots, it looks like we are going to have front come through in over the weekend that with change things for one day and then set it back to North winds again at 15-20. That won't give me time to get to the Bahamas before it gets bad again. Karen had a good idea. Say the heck with the Bahamas for now and keep going north on the East Coast until the weather gets better. Wish she were with me! Good idea. I'll stay here another day or two and then go to a marina where I can clean the boat, the laundry, and me.

Taking showers in 15-20 knot winds from a solar shower bag isn't the same as standing in an indoor shower. Next stop Biscayne Bay.