4 Days On The High Seas-- Give Me The Intercoastal

April 26 - 29, 2012

April 26

The intercoastal ended right after Sanibel Island.  We have been out in the Gulf for two days and will be for two more.  Then, when we get to Miami we will enter calm waters again.  Even though it has been pretty flat -- two foot waves – it isn’t the smooth ride that we have become accustomed to.  At one point we talked about crossing the Atlantic and exploring the Mediterranean.  That would mean running thirty days, 24 hours a day and out of sight of land the whole time.  The boat could certainly do it, but not this wimpy crew.  Luckily we came to our senses before we got too wrapped up in that plan!  We’ve decided there is plenty to explore right here…..  

The small float that indicates a crab trap

Today’s destination is an anchorage in Little Shark River.  I’m hoping that the name is just a colorful choice; not significantly chosen due to the local critters.  No matter – there will be no swimming from our boat.  This is a popular location -- 18 boats stayed with us.  There is so much water – miles and miles, but most of it is too shallow to run in.  Everyone is looking for a protected area that keeps the wind to a minimum and is deep enough for an overnight that has a four foot tidal change.   

         

I’ve mentioned the crab pots that we are constantly dodging during our travels.  They are most heavily used from November through April.  The floats are painted different color combinations to identify ownership and to enable retrieving.  If you see one, there are probably a couple dozen close by.  Today, for the first time, we saw a boat harvesting them.  The transom of the boat is open.  A motorized pulley hooks the float and yanks the metal cage out of the water very quickly.  I’ll continue to purchase my crustaceans at the restaurant and grocery.  Even from a distance, it looked dangerous.

April 27 

We were in open water again today.  It started out flatter than yesterday with following seas (the waves are pushing us along from behind).  Late this morning we arrived in the Florida Keys for the first time.  We were going to stay in Marathon overnight, but high seas and storms are coming our way – so, a change of plans.  Now we are going as far as we can while we have daylight and anchor on the easterly end of the keys.  The thought is that we can get to Miami and the intercoastal before the storms and 7 – 9 foot seas begin early Sunday the 29^th.  When we changed course and headed under the 7 mile bridge, the waves doubled in size and started coming at our bow.  Basically, a less comfortable ride.  Today was one of those long travel days.  We're too far from land to see the scenery and it was overcast .  I guess not every day can be picture perfect.        

                  

The 7 Mile Bridge --
The longest and most famous of the bridges
that connect the Keys.

Our sister ship and traveling partner to Stuart,
Almost Perfect.

April 28

After 102 miles we anchored near Rodriguez Key last night.  The weather was 'busy' with lots of heavy wind and torrential rain storms.  We'd wake up, hear the rain, roll over and go right back to sleep. An anchor alarm will wake us if the boat moves beyond a preset distance.  That is an anxiety reliever that makes for a good night's sleep.  We were off to an early start again today.  The closer we got to Miami the higher the waves got.  By the time we were an hour from the intercoastal we were in six foot waves.  The good news is -- I didn't throw up!  That is a big improvement over previous crossings.  Miami is never dull:  great architecture, big homes and beautiful yachts, but the best is yet to come.....Fort Lauderdale. 
   



Seven homes remain in Stiltsville -- an area
of huge controversy in Biscayne Bay. 
Some want them saved and put on the historical
registry while others want them removed.



Tube Dude's first visit to Miami!

As we passed through Port Everglades two cruise ships pulled out in front of us:  the Amsterdam (781 feet) and the Crown Princess (948 feet).  A cargo ship was being maneuvered by tug boats and it's Fleet Week so there were two Navy ships with lots of security.  That all happened in about a half mile and less than an hour.   

Fleet Week in Miami.  The sheriff's boat with
lights flashing came along our side and
instructed us to move straight ahead away
from the ships.  Yes, Sir!!!!

It looks like a shopping center, but it's 948 feet of ship.

You can hardly detect the small boats along side.

The tug boat is beginning to pull this cargo ship
away from the dock.

April 29

We are so glad that we pushed to get to Miami yesterday.  Waves on the outside channel, protected by a reef, are at 11 feet, the wind is gusting at 28 mph and it is pouring rain.  Being on the intercoastal we have the rain and some of the wind, but no waves.  Inside the pilot house we are snug as bugs!

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse was first lit in 1860. 
The light can be seen 25 miles at sea. 
During the Civil War the Confederates disabled it by
stealing the machinery.  It was put back in
use after the war. 

We started out this morning in Ft Lauderdale and went through Palm Beach.  The wealth just gets more and more crazy down here.  It does make for an interesting ride.  Anchored for the night in Jupiter.  Tomorrow we'll be in Stuart before noon. 

Last night after dinner, Brian was figuring out today's route and I was working on the blog in the pilot house.  When I finished, I decided to take some things down to the salon and straighten up for the night.  Well, instead I did a bone density test.  I missed the first step from the pilot house and somehow fell down two flights of stairs.  I landed on my forehead on the bed/bath level.  Except for my right arm and left leg, I am bruised and scraped form head to toe. It's hard to imagine how I did it, since the stairs go in opposite directions.  Well, nothing broke -- not even my glasses.  I guess my bone density is pretty good!

Where do you dock when your boat is too big for
the marinas?  You put it at the commercial docks.
7 Seas -- 282 feet

Pegasus -- 236 feet
Down here 100 foot boats are common.

We have Zillow running as we pass through these
neighborhoods.  Highest price we have noticed
$30,000,000.  Most bathrooms -- 23.
The wealth in these communities is staggering!

In 1993 we chartered this 65 foot Florida Bay Coaster.
For a week we explored the Abacos with Joan and Larry
and celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.
.

"Red sunset at night; sailor's delight."
Hopefully, that will bring us a sunny day tomorrow.

Gotta Smile -- We're lovin the ride!

Yo Ho Ho – It’s The Salty Life for Me!

April 24 & 25, 2012

April 24

We’re on the move again.  And it feels great!  At 9:45 this morning we pulled out of Longboat Key, waved goodbye to our neighbors, Jim and Ann, and headed south.  I must confess, I was a little apprehensive about getting under way.  We had been in one place for four months and I was afraid I wouldn’t remember what to do.  Truth be told – I don’t have to do much once we have the lines disconnected and leave the slip.  I help with the driving, when Brian needs a break.  Other than that – it’s just meals and household chores until we anchor or pull into a slip.  We’re on the intercoastal, which is calmer than the gulf.  This is a fun section, because we are seeing all of the places that we drove past in the car.  The houses are much more impressive from the water side.  

Dolphins surrounding us

Dolphin and manatee sightings are still exciting for us and we’ve had lots today.  Plus, we’re observing the Osprey that are busy taking care of their fledglings.  Mileage markers are a perfect place for Osprey to build their nests…sturdy and close to their favorite food – fresh fish.  According to Google – the chicks are dependent upon the parents until the fall migration.  The adults have a wingspan of 5 - 6 feet and can dive foot first into the water to catch fish from 120 feet in the air.  Mighty impressive!
 
 At 7:30 we dropped our anchor in a quiet bay off Sanibel Island after traveling 78 miles.  We love the long day's of spring.  On our way down from Minnesota we had to anchor by 4:30 to be safe.  We still don’t know if we will cross Florida on the Okeechobee or go around the tip.  It all depends on how deep the water is in the rivers and lake.  Tomorrow morning will

 be decision time.  Fort Myers is where we turn east or continue south.  Tonight

we are directly behind another Krogen 48 named Almost Perfect from Treasure Island, FL.  

Osprey flying away from the camera with a large fish in his talons.

April 25
We met our sister ship’s crew this morning via the radios.  Bud and Pat are also headed to Stuart.  They confirmed what we thought -the Okeechobee route is too shallow for our boats.  So, the decision is made – we go around the tip.  Since they have made this trip many times, we are traveling with them.  First stop is a short hop to Naples – only 28 miles.  We arrived at the Sailing and Yacht Club around noon.  It appeared to be close to downtown.  Brian and I took off walking in search of lunch.  It was much further and much hotter than anticipated.  Good lunch and cute downtown.  Exercise completed for today.  Time for feet up and a cold drink.    


Hippo grazing in a backyard along the intercoastal.

If you live on San Pedro Island, you better be good
at reversing off the ferry.  There is no other way to
access the island.

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!
  

Not In Agreement Today!

April 20 - 22, 2012

Tube Dude goes on a voyage!

Brian came back from running errands with a new addition to the boat.   We now have a tube dude on our bow.   I thought that we had enough "Smillie" faces.   But, what do I know?  We have agreed to a moratorium on exterior boat "Smillie" faces -- unless they are the living breathing human kind.

Our plan to leave Longboat on Friday has been delayed for who knows how long.  Storms with high winds are predicted through Monday.  Long ago we made a rule to never push our travel in bad weather.  There are plenty of opportunities to get in trouble on the water without purposely putting ourselves at risk. 

These are nasty barnacles.  They grow on
anything that is submerged and are very
sharp.  They will cut through the side of an
inflatable dingy.

Delay number two --- On Friday we had a diver look at our bottom....that's the boat's bottom!  We have barnacles.  Don't worry, its not an STD.  A diver has to go under the boat and scrape off the build-up.  Barnacles have grown on the bow thruster, the rudder, prop, hull.....  Once these crustaceans attach, they begin to multiply.  They can reduce speed (not good on an already slow boat), decrease fuel mileage and interrupt the ability of moving parts to do their work.

 We also need our zincs replaced.  Zincs are sacrificial pieces of metal (zinc) that are attached to the boat's underside.  They save the important parts from being attacked by electrolysis.  Without the zincs all metal parts could be weakened or dissolved.  Brian said most noble metal, least noble metal -- I said too much information.  I don't really get it, but zincs are all over the boat's under water exterior. They are even inside the engine, water heater and generator.  Ours are almost dissolved....it's time to replace them or we'll be replacing expensive parts...easy decision!       

An assortment of zincs that need to be
attached below the waterline.

Gotta smile -- We're lovin the ride!          

A Rare Thing -- Total Agreement

April 13 - 18, 2012

Brian and I completely agree on something.... This has been the very best winter of our lives!  When we left Minnesota, we couldn't even begin to imagine that everything would work out this well.  First of all, the weather has been fabulous since we arrived in December.  We are crazy about the west coast of Florida.  And, Longboat Key has been a great home.  We're hoping that we'll be back for a portion of next winter.  However, the best part has been seeing friends and family.  Lots and lots of friends.  Old friends -- that we hadn't seen for years, friends that live down here, friends that have been traveling through (by car, plane or boat) and new friends.  The one thing that they all have in common:  we'll definitely see them again -- hopefully soon!  We arrived with no agenda.  And, everything has fallen into place.  Our time in Longboat is coming to an end.  As much as we hate to leave; we are looking forward to continuing our voyage.   

Jan & Steve surprised us by flying in for a quick visit.
They are the 4th couple in our Porsche group and
the most important!  All of those fun week-ends
in Brainard were at their cabin.  Plus, Jan, was the
one that planned our fabulous vacations in the
BVI  & Nappa.  It was a great visit! 
We laughed until tears ran down our faces....

Bob and Sara from Casey Key came by for lunch.
We go way back with them...about 34 years.
A quick stop in St Armand's found some beautiful
pillows for their newly remodeled living room. 

We think we have discovered some of Brian's
relatives.   Tube Dudes are the rage down here.
They are customized to draw attention 
to businesses.  Note that big Smillie smile...... 
OK -- We're easily amused.

On Wednesday we made our last trip to St Petersburg for this winter.  Our purpose was to have lunch with Dick and Kristi (a 4th visit with our friends from Pass a Grill).  While there we stopped to pick up boat parts, had a quick visit with Fran (Brian's stepmother), and did a Costco run.  It was a fully packed day.  

Our plan (an actual plan?!!?) is to leave Longboat on Friday.  However, a storm with 50 - 60 mile an hour winds is predicted for Saturday night.  We'll be watching the weather to decide if we wait until Sunday to depart.     

   
Gotta Smile -- We're Lovin the Ride

The Kids Are Killing Us

April 3 - 8, 2013

Jennifer asked us to come to St Louis to help them settle into their new home a week after they moved in.  Since we fly standby we had to get up at 2:30 AM to catch a 6:00 flight out of Tampa.  (Ok, we were tired before we got there.)  Jen and JAC met us at the airport and we were off to see their new home.  They live in Webster Groves, an older section of St Louis.  It is so beautiful.  Mature trees, rhododendron, dogwood and azalias are in every yard.  The flowers were at peak color.  Their home is 103 years old.  It is spectacular with deep base boards, hardwood floors and cove moldings that are among the most intricate I have seen.  They already had the entire interior repainted, the floors refinished and most of the lights replaced before we got there.  The furniture was in place, but boxes were everywhere.  The boxes contained all of their art work, family pictures, nicknacks and various household items.  By the time we left, five days later... all of the art was hung, all of the boxes emptied, lots of cleaning completed, an innumerable number of trips to Lowes, Home Depot, Bed, Bath & Beyond were made and we were exhausted.  Actually, we were beyond exhausted.  We haven't been this tired since we moved out of our own house last May.  Besides getting them settled, we had time to see Christopher's new school, go to his karate class, celebrate Easter and JAC's 3rd birthday, read stories, take nature walks and play.  On Easter we caught a 4:00 PM flight to Miami.  After a two hour layover, we flew to Tampa.  An hour and a half drive to Longboat and it was 1:30 AM when we arrived home. We slept until noon on Monday....Home sweet home!  Doing anything with your kids -- even working until you think you will drop -- is about the best time you can have.  It's all about building those memories, sharing the laughs and time to talk.
Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

Wish made, candles blown out,
lick the icing off the candle.

Hello Kitty lamp for her new bedroom.

Look fierce!

"GoMa, lets go grocery shopping."

Easter morning chaos.

Taking a break from the egg hunt to hug Grandpa.

Wet T Shirts -- No Contest

March 31, 2011

John and Gail stopped in Longboat for one night to see why we are so happy here.  We visited them at their rental on Sanibel and now they are on their way home to Minnesota.  John with and without Gail has spent nine weeks on board Gotta Smile and our former boat, Finally.  They have been on board when we stayed in some pretty strange places.  This definitely looks like paradise.  After a quick look at what  changes have been made since they got off south of St Louis, Gail and I made a run to St Armands.  When we got as far away from our car as possible, it started raining.  It was what my Dad called "a gully washer".  Since it looked like it wasn't going to blow over, we made a run for it.  By the time we got back to the car, it was sitting in a puddle with water almost up to the rocker panels.  We looked like drowned rats.  So even though we were running around wearing wet t shirts, no one was asking us to join them for drinks.  Before we got the engine running, the rain stopped and the sun broke through.  Too late to continue the shopping.  Doug and Mary are coming for cocktails and snacks at 5:00.  Just enough time to dry off, repair ourselves and get some goodies put together.     


From 1992 until 2004 we were very active in the Porsche Club's driving events.  Most of these took place at Brainard International Raceway.  Four couples would meet at Steve and Jan's cabin and have some of the best times of our lives.  We all drove on the track, helped cook meals and playfully critiqued one another.  John, Doug, and Mary were part of that group.  It was fun to get 2/3's of us together again.  It's been too long.

Gotta Smile -- we're lovin the ride!