Well we wound up back at Vaca Key. We just cannot seem to get too far past Marathon. We got to an anchorage off of Long Key 2 days ago then heard about a horrible storm on the way. It looked like hours of time spent in 30 to 40 miles an hour of wind. We and our Buddy boat bent every sail to get back to Vaca key and found the last 2 slips in Marathon at Pancho's Gas Dock. Paradox moved so fast it was the first time that we ever lost control of her as she exceeded hull speed the weather helm spun us around in a 360. Nevertheless it was a great sail.

We spent 2 nights at Pancho's.

Tonite we are sitting comfortably at anchor outside of th harbor at Marathon. We expect to be leaving for the Bahamas tomorrow at daybreak. It will be a 21 hour in company with our new friends Mike and Debbie Baltier. Their boat is quite slow unless we have very strong winds but I have learned a great deal from Mike and Deb. They have been doing this for 13 years now. The photo shows their 44 foot Bruce Roberts.

For those that are navigation oriented here are our waypoints and forecasted wind and waves.

Time Wind Wave

0700 S 5-10 0 - 3
1300 W 5-10 0 - 1.5
1600 SSW 5-10 0 - 1.5
1900 W 10-15 0 - 3
2200 WNW10-15 0 - 3
0100 WNW15-20 0 - 3
0700 NNW10-15 0 - 3

Marathon to South Riding Rock

24 416 06N 081 07 178W
24 41 098N 081 07 640W
24 37 787 081 05 944
24 35 053 081 31 470
24 31 158 080 52 315
24 46 082 080 20 870
25 11 252 079 11 529
25 11 992 079 06 352
25 14 249 079 03 742
25 28 083 078 26 596
25 29 403 078 14 104
25 28 122 078 10 296
25 09 187 077 55 748