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1/29/98 ThursdayThe gusty winds of the previous evening died down during the night and it was quite still at anchor. We pulled up the anchors at 7:20. Several other boats had the same idea and we had a mass exodus. The weather was supposed to be very cold but it was only moderately cold. We had been thru worse. A jacket was enough for me. It was eerily still in the river with the current flowing out at 1.5 Kt. Dolphin splashed along the shore and I saw a turtle while pulling up the anchor. Lots of birds headed out to breakfast. The wind was 10-15 Kt from the N when we got into the gulf but fell slowly during the day. After an hour with the main and jib we were going 4 to 4.5 Kt and decided to put up the spinnaker. We started doing 5.5 Kt again but by 1 PM the wind failed completely and we lowered it and started the engine. We reached Faro Blanco at 3:30. The knot meter said 34.9 NM but the chart shows about 40 NM. We did have a current with us for the last part of the trip and possibly some at the start when the wind was blowing. After tying up I walked all over town looking for a replacement for the autopilot control cable. West Marine across the street did not have anything shorter than 16’ and I needed 8’. One end also needed extra threads cut in it and they suggested a welding shop in the other direction. They said try Ace Hardware and the NAPA auto store just down the street. So I started walking and after a while I found Ace which had a 10’ cable but not the control handle portion so I continued walking and walking and walking. After 2 miles I finally came to NAPA but they did not have anything like that but suggested the marine store just down the street. This time it was just down the street but they did not have anything short enough either. By this time I decided I could reuse the control handle portion and cut the threads myself if I bought the right thread die. By the time I returned to Ace they were closed and I was dead tired. After a rest and showers we walked to the Upper Crust Pizza place but it was packed wall to wall so we had a great dinner at Poncho's next to Faro Blanco.
Anchors aweigh at 0700 and off to Marathon. No bugs. Temp 50's. Faint sun.
0900 Cruising spinnaker up on the way to Faro Blanco!
1/30/98 FridayI bought the parts at Ace hardware and spent the rest of the morning cutting the threads in the end of the cable and attaching the old control handle. It was such a nice day that we decided to rent bikes and peddle around the island and find a nice spot for lunch. We peddled out the 7 mile bridge and then found Shuckers restaurant at the marina at the entrance to Boot Key harbor. After lunch we peddled back thru town to the Publix store and visited the Museum store just across the street. In the afternoon I completed installing the cable, transferred fuel to the main tanks and filled up the water tanks so we could rent a car tomorrow, tour Key West and leave Sunday. A front is supposed to arrive Tuesday and we can make Tarpon Basin before the bad weather sets in. At 8:30 we walked to the pizza place and this time there were lots of empty tables. We got their large deluxe pizza and it was terrific.
Rented bikes. Rich called parents for FedEx of mail. Ate at Suckers, Marathon. Cathy and spouse - retired teachers - looking for trawler.
During the night I realized that I had not tightened the nuts on the rudder
end of the cable so in the morning while Jill got the rental car I disassembled
the cover around the steering gear and descended into the stern compartment
again. After reassembling everything for the 10th time and filling
the fuel tanks we went off on the shopping expedition to Kmart and Winn Dixie
where we filled everything on our list and found a few goodies also. We had
lunch of leftover pizza from Friday and seafood quesadilla from Thursday and
took off for Key West. We stopped on the way at the West Marine store and bought
a third anchor in case we anchor over electrical cables again. On Duval Street
we found new electronic parking meters that charged $1 per hour. We stopped in a
little store to get a drink and quarters for the meter. The owners said that
parking was outrageous and that we should park across the street at a bank and
dental office, both closed. This saved us the price of our 2 beers at Sloppy
Joes ($6). We walked all the way up Duval Street and toured the shipwreck museum
which included a movie, a live actor in period costume explaining the wrecking
business which has a lot to do with lawyers and the court system and not just a
free for all looting. We climbed the lookout tower which has a great view of the
harbor. There are several large sailing schooners taking tourists on cruises
around the harbor. As the sun started to go down we walked to Mallory dock to
watch the sunset and the street performers. There were several acts we had seen
before like the escape artist who gets out of handcuffs and chains and the
German who balances things on his nose like a disposable camera he took from
the
audience and a shopping cart full of car wheels which weighs 150 lb. The new
acts were a weird guy who steps on glass and does the bed of nails trick, an
acrobat who jumped thru a tiny hoop held by a guy over his girlfriend who was
sitting on a 3 wheel bike. A magician of sorts did the tied handkerchiefs in the
bosom-pull out brassier trick and a comedy parody of the silver man and the
escape artist. At dark a tight wire artist did juggling from his tight wire
although he was complaining it was to dark for his act. On the way back to the
car we came across Mangoes again and decided to have dinner there. We had the
inside dining room almost all to ourselves. I ordered the grouper wrapped in
Japanese seaweed. When they brought it out it tasted great but I could not find
the seaweed, the stuff under it looked like some kind of lettuce leaf, not
seaweed. The waiter came back a minute later and said he had served the wrong
dish. The grouper was just as good as the first dolphin dish. On the way back to
Faro Blanco we saw a key deer feeding by the side of the road.
Went to Key West with rent car! Great day. Saw wild deer at Deer key.
The weather report in the morning is not encouraging. The bad weather will arrive Monday and strong winds may last until Thursday with storms on Monday and Tuesday. The wind today is quite strong from the NE and later moves E. We decide to stay in port and read the Sunday paper. After touring Sombrero Key we turn the car in and spend a relaxing afternoon reading and writing. At 11:30 AM we walk down the street to a small bakery/restaurant which caught our eye a few days ago. It closes at 2 PM so we missed it once and once it was so crowded Jill could not get in. This time we just get in and the owner decides to close up after serving us because business is slow today. They have great sandwiches.
Rough weather coming.
The storm broke in the night with continuous displays of lightning and howling winds. The boat was rocking and pushing into the pier. The rain came down in buckets, we watched it pour over the windows. We forgot about the port in the head and a few gallons of water covered everything in there but we soon pumped it out.
On Tuesday the wind turned S and then SW and finally W and stayed 20-25 Kt for 2 days. We spent the time reading and working around the boat. I finished the spare anchor rode and made several new fender lines.
Sunny, windy, cold front coming. Gale all afternoon! 80+ mph and tornado at Grassy Key.
Rough weather continues. It hit Miami and Broward with high winds too. Rich called his parents.
Gale continues - all day 30-35 mph winds - more sun. Called Liz - we're fine - They are fine. :)
A nice day for a change, the wind was W at 10-15 Kt, sunny and warm. After a late start we rented bikes and toured the town. We peddled E and it was easy going. Jill looked for T shirts at Beals and I bought a few banana plugs at Radio Shack. We went past the airport and over a bridge to Fat Deer Key before turning around and having lunch at a small seafood place just W of the bridge. We ate outside where there were several picnic tables, inside was full. The food was good, Jill had Shrimp soup and onion rings and I had the Clam chowder and fish of the day basket. We peddled back against the wind and it was considerably harder. We stopped at several places looking for magazines and finally found a half way decent selection at Kmart. We stopped for an hour at the library which has a very nice schooner model in a display case. We cooked the steak for dinner. The grill did not light very well but the coals looked hot when I spread them out but the fire was not very hot and we finished cooking it inside.
Rain - Wind - stopped raining in AM. We got bikes at 11 AM and rode all day - to Vaca Channel and Beal's and K-Mart for magazines and found a super Fish Market for lunch. Went to Marathon library! and Radio Shack for additional switches :).
A very peaceful night, the wind was very light and the seas flat. We read the paper in the morning and expected rain by the evening but it started raining at 9 AM and does not look like it will stop. The winds are supposed to be 20 Kt NE but they are light right now so we are comfortable if a little damp. The rain stopped before noon and after lunch we walked across the street to look at a gift shop and then down the road to the marina at the entrance to Boot Key harbor. We looked at boats and had a few drinks at the bar. A 42’ Sabre was docked next to the bar. After listening to the news we walked to the Chinese food place for dinner. The wind was blowing hard from NW, 20-25 Kt but during the night it dropped to 15 Kt.
Rain all AM. PM went for a walk and drinks at Shuckers. The sun is shining. We are contemplating departure! Tomorrow or Sunday or Monday. Depends on tonight's weather and tomorrows winds.
Today is very cloudy with occasional rain. The weather report says that it will still be windy tonight and tomorrow but maybe we can take off tomorrow if the wind drops Sunday night. We filled the water tank and prepared for a Sunday departure.
Winds still 25 mph with gusts and 12' seas
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