When the winds eased and clocked to the south (as predicted), we continued our trip--we never START on a Friday--east about the Keys via the Hawk Channel. Falling off the wind after motoring into the wind out to the channel, we set the Genoa, Main and Mizzen on a broad starboard reach and were off to the races. The wind, forecast to be 10-15 was closer to 15-20 and we raced along at 7-8+kts. We started the engine as the winds fell off in the afternoon sun and motor-sailed into Marathon a full two hours ahead of some of the boats that had left Key West with us. We again anchored outside the main channel to Boot Key Harbor, but this time the seas were flat and we spent one quiet evening before leaving at 0900 for Rodriquez Key. Most of the boats in the Key West parade would leave at first light, but one by one our waterline proved her mettle and we overtook all but one and were the second boat with anchor down in the crystal waters off Key Largo. I went for a swim to check the anchor (set) and the prop (no wrapped line!) We enjoyed a quiet evening at anchor and left at first light for the long sail to Miami.

The winds were again out of the southeast and we were once again under full sail on the starboard tack (just as we had been all the way from Little Shark Inlet some 150 miles before). I should note that I have tacked more in one race than we have in almost 2000 miles. The winds, when we’ve had them, have been steady and consistent, a great blessing to short-handed sailors. This day was a long one, between 60 and 70 nautical miles (for the “landlubbers” reading this a nautical mile is one minute of latitude, about 1.2 “statute” miles, 1.582kilometers, or 6076 feet). We needed to complete the trip in daylight to make a safe approach into Biscayne Inlet. We considered motoring up to the larger channel at Government Cut, but I felt confident in my bearings and entered the Biscayne Inlet at just past high tide and saw no less then 11’ of water all the way. After running the inlet without incident, we enjoyed the sights of a full-blown “Stiltsville” party before running up Biscayne Bay, under the Powell Bridge, past Rickenbacker Marina and safely at anchor once again in the Marine Stadium in 8’ of clear water. We watched the lights of Miami from the cockpit and settled in for a good night’s rest after a fairly rough 67 nm.