The Voyage Continues - Part 4
05 January 2012
THE VOYAGE CONTINUES - Part 4
After spending 4 weeks on a mooring ball at Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart, Florida, it was time to move on. I had a terrific time while in Stuart. Two dear cousins, brothers, live there. We were very close as young boys but had lost touch over the years. One of the brothers I hadn't seen in more than 30-years.
The first time the three of us got together, along with my buddy, we went and had pizza. It was a magical evening. The three of us just picked up from where we left off when we were kids. We laughed until our sides hurt..talking about old friends, old girlfriends ("do you remember the girl we called saltblock"?), and the stupid things we did as kids. Afterwards, my friend, who really never got to know his cousins, was in awe of the evening. "That was a really special thing I witnessed", he said. "Yes, it was...wasn't it?", I responded.
The next leg of my adventure will take me from Stuart to Marathon and Boot Key Harbor in the Florida Keys. I had seriously considered going to the Abaco Islands. However commitments, including the pending birth of a grandchild, will keep me flying back and forth to Oregon. So, I decided this first year would be spent exploring Florida. The Bahamas will have to wait until next year...if there is a next year.
While in Oriental, North Carolina, a fellow boater and friend suggested that I needed Captain Jaye. "Who?", I said. "Captain Jaye", he said. "She specializes in teaching people how to single-hand their boat. She lives in Ft. Pierce right near Stuart. She is really good", he added. "I hired her last year for a week to work with me", he said.
I called Captain Jaye, a woman with an extensive sailing background, terrific sense of humor, a way of making you feel at ease, and it turns out, a really talented and instinctive instructor.
We set a day for her to drive to Stuart to meet me and check out my boat. We had a nice visit, discussed my goals, the condition of the boat (excellent) and set a tentative day for our departure.
The route we would take would be the ICW from Stuart to the Ft. Worth Inlet. That was the next best place to pop out of the ICW she explained. That would be a distance of about 34 miles..and a lot of bridges. I was at the helm most of the time. One of the bridges opened at: 15 and :45 past the hour. We arrived about 15 minutes before the next scheduled opening and there were several boats all waiting as well. One of my concerns (fears) was handling such a large boat in close-quarters. She calmly had me turn in a circle with very little room to spare.
As I turned I was aimed right at a motorboat with a man cleaning the deck. As my bowsprit approached his boat he began shaking his head..and gave me a thumbs down sign. "Don't pay any attention to him", Captain Jaye said. "He doesn't own that boat...he's only cleaning it for $4 an hour...what does he know", she added. As I continued my swing he yelled, "I'm a Florida fan...Oregon's going down in the Rose Bowl".
Page Two
Ha! I forgot, being a University of Oregon Football fan, I was flying a UofO flag on one of my flag halyards. He wasn't commenting on my skills, but me being a Duck fan. Phew!
After maneuvering in that small area successfully, my confidence level raised a notch. I was pleased.
The Ft. Worth inlet to Miami leg of the trip would be about 65 miles. Captain Jaye took us through the inlet that had steep waves. Once outside the inlet and in the Atlantic, we hoisted all three sails. The Island Packet is a cutter rig (2 headsails and the mainsail). The winds were great. The seas were large and caused the boat to roll a bit, but we made excellent time. It was great sailing and the type of weather this boat was made for.
Our shifts were two-hours on and two-hours off. It just so happened that my shift had me sailing across the shipping channel to the Miami Harbor in the middle of the night. Yikes! What the hell was Captain Jaye thinking..sleeping while I'm dodging cruise ships, freighters and who knows what else at two in the morning.
Many of the ships were anchored and still. Some were going, some were coming. I looked for the bow and stern lights to give me an indication of what they were doing. The Miami to final destination of Boot Key Harbor leg of the trip would be about 105 miles. Miami, in case you didn't know, is the busiest port in the world. Thanks a lot Captain Jaye!
By the next afternoon we were in the middle keys and had entered Hawk Channel. This is an area that has a reef between you and the Gulf of Mexico making for easier sailing.
"We don't want to go into Boot Key Harbor at night", Captain Jaye said. "There's a little place up ahead that sounds nice in Skipper Bob's book. They have a few mooring balls. We can practice getting a mooring ball and call it a day and relax and head to Marathon in the morning". It sounded good to me.
There were three mooring balls off Indian Key. No other boats were there. We were right off the tiny island of Indian Key, a state park. It had a small dock and was perfect to protect us from the easterly winds for the night. I prepared an Italian dish of spaghetti ala olio with broccoli...complete with a tiny desert of mascarpone (an Italian sweet cream cheese) and strawberry jam.
We slept good with no rolling. The next morning we had a casual motor/sail down to Boot Key Harbor in Hawk Channel. I was at the helm as we entered the channel to Boot Key. I had reserved a slip at Burdine's Marina. Because I have no solar or wind back-up on my boat it's a bit of pain to be on a mooring ball.
"Burdine's, Burdine's Burdines, this is the sailing vessel Elysium. We are entering the channel and waiting further instructions and dock line handlers". The response came back that we were in slip 16 and someone will be at the slip waiting for us.
"I'm new at this", I confessed. I would appreciate an easy in/out slip and bow in". Is slip 16 easy", I asked. There was a long pause (not a good sign). "It's kind of easy", the answer came back. Sure it is....
As I pulled into the marina I could see it was tight quarters...very tight. It was good that we could go bow in and had a finger-pier to tie up to. As we moved down the channel and came to the slip I began my turn. While doing so different thoughts were going through my mind. What thoughts you ask? Oh, things like...my boat is 38-feet...but if you add the bowsprit in the front its 42-feet...then add the dinghy hanging off the back and we're up to 46-feet.
"When do I turn Jaye", I said. And her response was perfect and really was a great example of the wonderful teacher she is. Rather than yelling at me to do this...or do that...she very calmly said, "You know how this boat drifts and handles". And that was it.
I thought to myself, "Yes, I do", and made a perfect landing. I wasn't even nervous after she made that simple comment. She is an instinctive teacher who knows how her students will respond best. I was more impressed with that then the fact I had handled the boat well.
"Get out and take that boat sailing", she said before she left to return home to Ft. Pierce. "Don't sit here", she added. More good advice. It's easy, especially for a newcomer to want to find reasons not to go out but instead enjoy the marina's comfort and protection.
This leg of the adventure has ended. I began planning where I can go from here, without a Captain to assist. My confidence has grown, my skills have grown and life is good.