Heading North

Weather: Beautiful! Although, we can already tell that we are getting up into the higher latitudes. The temperature was cool. We started the morning out at 59o and the high reached 77o. Winds were generally less than 10 knots out of the north northeast. The day was mostly sunny. The clouds that we saw were over the ocean and the mainland and didn’t cast any shadows on us for most of the day.

Comment: 0700 We're up... and apprehensive about pulling away from the dock. The wind is on our beam and is blowing around 10 knots. The current is running out (on our bows). We released the spring and stern lines then Anna Marie released the bow line and pulled it onboard. We pushed off the dock, and with the starboard engine in reverse and the port engine in forward, to presented the bows to the current. Gently as you please the bows swung out and pointed downstream.

At 0800 we stopped for gas at Bahia Mar Yachting Center (Ft’ Lauderdale). Remember that line in the old Beverly Hillbillies TV show, “Oil that is, black gold, Texas Tea?” I don’t know about Texas Tea, but at $5.55 per gallon, “GOLD” is an apt descriptor.

As we traveled through Fort Lauderdale, we once again marveled at the huge boats and houses, all exquisitely landscaped and maintained. It is incredible.

Along the way, we passed a sailboat that appeared to be drifting in the waterway. We didn’t see an anchor line and, although it was within about 15 feet of a dock, it didn’t appear to be tied to the dock. Its name was “Sans Souci.”About one half hour after passing this vessel, we approached a bridge and hailed the bridge captain regarding the next opening. Just before the bridge was about to open, “Sans Souci” hailed the bridge captain and to request passage as well. (NOTE: We later discovered that the captain had sailed non-stop for 50 hours from the islands. While waiting for the bridge, he just "crashed" for an hour or so. I'm not sure why he thought it OK to just drift in the narrow ICW channel while he slept.)

For two more bridges, “Sans Souci’s” captain would hail the bridge after us. After passing the third bridge, I hailed said captain, introduced myself and Anna Marie and observed that we would be traveling together for much of the day (we had 21 bridges to contend with). The captain offered that he was just returning from the Turks and Caicos and hadn’t slept for two days. If we didn’t mind, he would follow along. Fine with us!

As we motored up the waterway, we caught up with another boat that started the day with us. A little trawler named “L’Escargot.” He was able to shot ahead because his air draft didn’t require all of the bridges to be opened. We eventually caught up with him when he had to wait for the bridges that he couldn’t clear. We traveled the rest of the day with him as well.

Our friends Pat and Ray might get a kick out of knowing that this little trawler is from Put-in-Bay, Ohio, home of Ray Fogg. If you’ve been following along, you might remember the story about the “Ray Fogg” show at the Dockside. Ray too hailed from Put-in-Bay, Oh.

At around 1700, “Sans Souci” asked what our plans for the evening were. We offered that we planned to anchor in the North Palm Waterway. He wondered if we’d mind if he’d anchor in the same anchorage. “Fine with us,” we replied.

After setting the anchor, Anna Marie invited the captain of “Sans Souci” for dinner. He graciously accepted offering that he was single-handing and would enjoy the company. He even offered to bring a chicken! We settled on pasta with meat sauce, one of the meals that will be a hit when we travel to the islands.

We had a fresh salad, whole wheat pasta with meat sauce and pudding for desert. Our guest, Ron, brought a bottle of wine. We had a pleasant conversation. He told us about his marriages and more importantly about the Exumas and Turks and Caicos and his adventures. He offered that single handing is a bit tough and he’d like to have some company. His wife has agreed to sail for six months but wants to spend six months at home.

Ron asked if we’d mind if he tagged along again tomorrow. Of course we didn’t and told him so. We’re hoping for Vero Beach but may stop at Nettles Island. He may stop at Ft. Pierce or continue to Vero too.

Post Script: We hailed “Thom Cat,” a PDQ motor vessel as he passed. We saw him tied to a mooring ball in Marathon but never had the opportunity to say hello. I thought it’d be appropriate to do so now and ask how he enjoyed his stay in Marathon. We talked on the radio for a bit. He offered that he too was heading to Vero Beach. His objective is to get there tomorrow as he doesn’t like to be on the waterway on the weekends. We agree whole heartedly! The waterway can be dicey when all of the gnats are out!