An Updated Map of Our Travels

Updated Map

Click on the link below to see an updated map of our travels.

http://www.tripline.net/trip/Keys_Trip-7330340163541003A7FBE0D36BF3B4EB

Gasparilla

Wednesday, May 4

Gasparilla Island, Uncle Henry’s Marina

We left Sanibel and spent the day motoring north up the ICW.  It was pretty, and we saw lots of interesting boats and houses.

When we were near the marina, we called for instructions on how to get in.  It turned out to be a very long, windy, narrow, shallow passage deep into an inlet in the island.  Our shallow alarm went off a couple of times, but luckily we didn’t get stuck. 

The marina was a little strange.  It was tucked way, way back into an inlet.  It had over fifty slips, but there were only about five boats docked there.  There were no people around; just the dockmaster.  There were signs all over saying “don’t do this, don’t do that, don’t do the other”.  NOT a welcoming feeling.

We got tied up and walked to a tiny grocery store.  As we approached the boat on the way back, we noticed that we had a visitor.  A large white egret was perched on our bimini.  He was so beautiful!  He stayed there almost until we started climbing on the boat.  Then he took off, and, thankfully, didn’t leave us any presents.

Uncle Henry's Marina

View from the office - pretty empty!

Our distingtuished visitor

Sanibel

Tuesday, May 3

Sanibel Island, Sanibel Marina

We left Naples and headed into the Gulf.  In the morning there was a nice wind and we were able to sail, but by noon the wind died down and we had to motor.  Although it was chilly in the morning, it got really hot in the afternoon.  Boy, the love bugs were out in droves!  Yuck!  Overall, though, it was a nice, easy trip (for a change); it took us six hours. 

We pulled into Sanibel Marina at 3:00. A couple of the workers there weren’t very helpful; we wouldn’t go there again.

 After we got the boat squared away, we went up to the restaurant and had a nice beer and some coconut shrimp.  Just what we needed!  Then we went back to the boat and caught up on our bills, e-mails, calls, etc.

We put on a DVD and settled in for the evening.  A while later, when Sam tried to get up, he noticed something unusual.  He said, “Is the boat listing to port?”  I got out a pen and put it on the table, and it rolled right off.  We went out into the cockpit, and guess what?  We were aground!  The tide had gone out and left us stuck in the muck at the bottom of the slip!  We just went to bed, though, and the next morning we were fine.

Sanibel Marina, Gramma Dol's restaurant

LISTING!!!!!

ANOTHER Crossing!

Sunday and Monday, May 1 and 2

Another Crossing, From Marathon to Naples

Linda and Dennis are going to meet us in Clearwater and make the crossing with Sam.  I hate doing the crossings, and hate getting sick while doing it.  So, L & D volunteered to take my place.  Hooray!!!!!

The best day for them is next Saturday, so we decided we needed to get on the road (we were ready to leave Marathon anyway; we’d definitely been there long enough!).

The weather report was a little worrisome, but looked okay on the whole.  The winds were pretty strong (15 to 20 knots), but the seas were supposed to be only one to two feet.  So, we headed out at 11:00.  We timed it so we’d be pulling into Naples just after daybreak (hopefully). 

Overall, the weather was pretty accurate.  It did, however, get rough in the open waters south of the Florida coast.  The wind was very strong, and the seas were three and sometimes four feet.  It was hard steering the boat.  We tried to engage the autopilot, but it didn’t work.  So, once again, we had to wrestle with the wheel for hour after hour.  How disappointing!!!

Finally, we drew west of the Florida coast, where the land blocked the long wind fetch.  Things got much better after that.  As we were passing the Everglades, however, a fierce storm built up over to the west.  There were severe, non-stop lightning bolts blasting through it. 

We tried to outrun it, but that didn’t appear to be working.  So Sam called the Coast Guard and told them our position and situation.  They were great.  They said we should be fine because the storm was traveling west, but they said they would monitor us on channel 22 and make sure we were okay.  As it turned out, they were right and we were okay, although it seemed hit and miss for several hours.

We had a long, miserable night.  Neither of us was able to sleep when we were off watch, and I struggled with seasickness for hours, although I never actually got sick.

Boy was I glad when we finally saw some city lights – I felt like we weren’t out there all alone in the void any more.  Then dawn came and I finally felt like we were going to make it.  The wind and waves settled down, and we were finally able to use the autopilot.  What a relief!

We pulled into Naples Sail and Yacht Club about 8:30, and were so glad to touch dry land.  We were totally exhausted, so after we cleaned up the boat we just napped for most of the day until it was time to go to bed for the night.

Marathon Again

Friday, April 29

Marathon Marina

All our parts had finally arrived, so Sam rode the bike down to West Marine and picked up the cockpit ram mic.  We won’t be able to run the wiring for it until we get back home, but at least we have the unit.  Hopefully that will resolve all the problems we’ve been having with the radio.

Then the man with the new starter and solenoid came.  Once he installed the new parts the engine started right up, so hopefully all our starting problems are now over!

After that we did chores:  laundry, bill-paying, computer work, etc.

Saturday, April 30

We decided to take a little trip in our dingy, so we lowered it, set the motor, and headed out.  We motored along the channel that winds through little islands covered with mangroves.  Very pretty! 

Once we’d gone under the bridge we were in the Marathon mooring field, where boats tie up on mooring balls rather than going into a marina.  There were hundreds of boats tied up there, all shapes and sizes.  It’s a pretty amazing sight.  One boat was even flying an Arizona flag (a nostalgic reminder of home)!

Finally we wended our way through all the winding passages until we came to the edge of the island – where the passage runs into the Atlantic Ocean.  Awesome!  Right there at the edge is a beautiful park called Sombrero Beach.  We pulled the dingy up on shore and walked all around.  There was a pier, several picnic huts, a volleyball court, and a great beach.  We really enjoyed it.

Later that night we treated ourselves to dinner at the Lazy Days restaurant.  I had lobster, and it was wonderful!

Sam getting the dingy ready

The Marathon mooring field

An Arizona flag!!

Sombrero Beach.  Don't we look like poster children?

Lazy Days restaurant - yum!

Key West

Wednesday, April 27

Key West

Theresa and Ernie decided to fly down and spend an extended weekend in Key West.  They stopped and picked us up on their way from Miami so we could spend some time together.

 Of course, we couldn’t drive all that way without refreshments, so we stopped at the No Name Bar.  What a place!  There are thousands of dollar bills stapled to the walls and ceiling.  We only had one drink, but the bar stools were so tall we felt like we were drunk when we tried to get off them.  It was fun.

Sam and I had reservations at the Fly Navy Lodge in Key West, so Theresa and Ernie dropped us off there and went back to Boca Chica to check in.  Our plan was to meet at sunset at Mallory Square.  I, however, made a mistake and we went to Sunset Pier instead.  It was a neat place with a good band, and the sunset was beautiful.   But, we couldn’t find T & E.  Finally Sam guided us to the right place and we met up.

We tried to eat at BOs Fish House, but it was late and they were closing.  So, we ate at Pepe’s instead, and had a great meal. 

Thursday, April 28

The next morning T & E picked us up and we went to Ernest Hemingway’s house.  It was something!  The house itself was wonderful, and it still has the original furniture in it.  I really got a sense of Ernest when we went up to his studio – I could feel him sitting there doing his writing.  The grounds were spectacular, with all kinds of exotic plants.  Also, there were “Hemingway” cats wandering all over.  They have six toes; Hemingway loved them, so the estate raises and cares for them.

After that we went to the lighthouse complex.  There was so much history in those buildings.  At the top of the lighthouse there were cards telling you what you were seeing at each viewpoint.  Inside the lighthouse keepers’ house were all kinds of video and audio presentations.  The stories were fascinating.

Next, we went to listen to Kelly McGuire, a singer that we like a lot.  He was having a concert in a hotel courtyard, so we had lunch and listened to him.  He was really good.  Also, he was really nice.  Sam went over and talked to him for quite awhile and really enjoyed it.

Finally, it was time for us to head back to Marathon, so we hopped on the island shuttle bus.  It was a long ride, but it dropped us off right at the entrance to our marina.  Very nice!

Theresa, Ernie, Susan, and Sam at the No Name Bar

The Sunset Pier

Sun setting at the tip of Key West

Hemingway House

The tour guide feeding a "hemingway" cat

Hemingway's studio

The lighthouse

Kelly McGuire

Marathon Marina

Monday, April 25

Marathon Marina and Boat Yard

We had a mechanic come out and work on our engine.  It turned out that the engine intake and lines were totally blocked with seagrass, so he cleaned all that out.  Then he checked out the starter system, and decided that we needed a new solenoid.  You can’t get a solenoid without getting a new starter as well, so he ordered it for us. 

Our VHF problems turned out to be a bad cockpit ram mic, so Sam called around trying to find one that would fit our radio.  He finally located one we could order from West Marine.

We spent the rest of the morning on our bikes chasing down parts, gear, and groceries.   We went to the bike store where I got a basket and a froggie horn for my bike.  Then we went to West Marine where we got all kinds of stuff, including an extension for Sam’s bike seat (he’s much more comfortable now).  We ordered a new ram mic, which would come in on Friday.  Then we rode to Home Depot where we got more stuff for the boat.  Finally, we rode to Publix and got lots of groceries.   We were quite a sight to see on our way home.  We both had backpacks that were stuffed to the gills and large bags tied to our back racks.  I had my basket totally stuffed.  We made it back without dumping anything, but it was a struggle.

We spent the afternoon washing the outside of the boat.  We really scrubbed it down, scrubbing the deck with our new deck brush, washing all the portholes and hatches, rinsing all the lines, and wiping down the canvas.  What a difference!  We went from looking like we came from Hooterville to looking like we belonged in Beverly Hills.

Tuesday, April 26

We got on our bikes and rode up to The Stuffed Pig restaurant for breakfast.  We certainly lived up to its name!  After that we rode over to the Marathon Yacht Club and talked to the people there.  We enjoyed our tour of the club, and really liked the people we met.

It started to get really, really hot – they broke some records for a couple of days.  Thank goodness our air conditioner worked like a trooper the whole time!

Sam at the Stuffed Pig.

Susan getting refreshed at the Lazy Days bar.

A turtle hospital - how cool!