Wayward Sun Sailing

Sunset over the Key West mooring field.

Thursday morning, April 4th, it finally rained overnight, but luckily ended around 8 am. Cloudy and 15 to 20 knots forecast from the ENE to E so we dropped the mooring and headed out around 9 am. We had thought to go to Key West, but with the late start decided stopping half way down was best. We picked on a spot in between Ramrod Key and Summerland Key about 20 miles south. Pretty rolly again when we got out into Hawk Channel and the wind was directly behind us, as usual, so the 15 - 20 knots didn't help that much going downwind, just created the rolly seas. Finally got anchored around 2 after a long slog up the channel with good depth in the 6' areas to start, but little depth the further up. Some charts said 6, some said 7 and we were at mid-tide with one spot showing 5 directly in the middle. We've actually been in there before, years ago on a 30' or so Morgan with a 4' draft, which is a little easier than getting in with a 6+ draft. We dodged all the bullets to get to the anchorage only to have the winds pick up to over 20 now and not so nice looking to launch the dinghy and get off the boat, so we just hung out there.

Left at first light on Friday morning, with a rising tide and didn't see anything less than 7'8" going out where coming in there was a 7'2" so that was a little better. Same as Thursday, winds were directly behind us and over 20 now, which was nice for sailing until they let up and we had to motor sail. We probably could have sailed the entire way, but we wanted to make Key West in enough time to get together with Dave's cousin again as they now were staying an extra day in Key West. As usual as soon as we entered Key West harbor it starting blowing 20+ again, that's the norm for us - winds die while we are sailing then pick up when we are trying to anchor, pick up a mooring or dock somewhere. We finally got tied up to a mooring around 1 pm after trying to find a close one, which we did, but the pennant wouldn't budge to come out of the ball, instead the entire ball was just lifting out of the water. We could have tied up around the ball then tried again, but it made us wonder about the last time they did maintenance on that ball so we moved to the back of the field where there were a couple open balls left. Ted came and picked us up around 2:30 or so and back to the place they were staying for a bit, then out for HH/dinner at the Blue Macaw. As usual, we had a really nice time, but the time had passed so quickly it was almost dark when we left. We now had a couple miles to walk back to the dinghy dock and dinghy back a mile or so to the boat, which would be in the dark. We haven't been here in 9 years and had no clue at this point how to even get out of Garrison Bight in the dark let alone try to find our boat a mile or so away. Luckily we had a light and made it out shining it on the channel markers, then dodged a couple unlit poles on our slow ride back to the boat. WS's Davis light paid off, while most boats don't even have anchor lights on here the ones that do are on the mast. We could see the little stern garden light and the Davis light in the distance and we were able to locate the boat easily. Phew, not doing that again - I hate coming back to the boat in the dark, let alone for the first time in years and such a far ride. Rest of the days have been the same old same old, Key West is still Key Weird - more crowded than ever now and just as shady as always. Since we left home in Jan this is the 1st time we have had to lock up the boat and the dinghy at the dock including a lock on the motor. Very few cruisers in the mooring field, but a lot of unkempt boats.

Ventured in again on Saturday, way too many tourists, but did find a place on Duval to watch the Indy car race on Sunday. Sunday a little less crowed and got to watch the race in some peace. Long walk back to the dinghy dock again, but this time it was light out when we got back. Monday we rented a scooter to go check out the haulout and yard then ride around the island with a stop at the Mel Fischer museum and Publix for a few items. Found out eggs are probably not the best thing to buy for a scooter ride. My backpack was full already, so Capt'n had to wear the little one with the eggs sideways in a little cooler inside, which now meant they were in-between us on the scooter, not good. So I'm hanging as far back as I can trying not to fall off the back or worse yet fall forward and smush the eggs. Luckily it wasn't too far and made it back to drop off the scooter then back to the boat with all eggs intact. I think I like shopping by bicycle with baskets, like in Marathon, a bit better now. Amazing what you take for granted at home - like driving the car to the store!

So it's now Tuesday our last day in the mooring field and it's already looking ugly. Calling for T-storms this afternoon so if we go in we need to get back before 2 or so. Capt'n doesn't want to be around me if he gets me caught in a T-storm on the water in the dinghy. I don't mind being on the big boat at anchor in a storm, but you've got to be really foolish to intentionally be on a little boat on the water during a storm. Hopefully, we can get in and out before the storms roll in. Tomorrow we'll move over to the anchorage for an hour or so then head up to the haulout facility. We can tie up for the night in the haulout slip since we are the 1st boat to be hauled on Thursday morning, but we have to wait until after 4 PM to tie up.

If all goes as planned we would like to be back in the water Monday and have a tentative launch time for 1 PM. That would give us enough time to head back to the anchorage for the night and if all goes really, really well start heading for home at first light on Tuesday. It's 198 miles to the Manatee River from the anchorage, "IF" we average 6 knots we can make it home before dark on Wednesday. Tuesday there's very little wind so it'll be a motor sail either way, but we are both anxious to head back home at this point. If we can't make it all the way, we'll either bail out at Port Charlotte or maybe Egmont if we can make that. We'll know better when we get near Port Charlotte if we can make it all the way back or not, hope so.

So not sure if I'll be able to post again, maybe next Sunday after all our work is done - we'll see. As Thursday on it's going to be work, work and more work to get everything done and get launched on Monday.