Exodus! (Day 122)

LAY DAY: Boot Key Harbor, Mooring Ball L-10 MM1195

Lat/ Long: 24 42 32N 81 05 57W

NOTE: To view our position, click "Position Reports” in the right hand column. You can zoom in for a detailed view or zoom out to see out bread crumbs.

Weather: Bright and sunny most of the day, fog in the morning; High 80, low in the high 60s; light wind; flat calm in the harbor

Comment: Fog. It’s rather unusual in the keys, but we had some this morning. By mid morning, the harbor was clear of the fog which remained all around us until the afternoon. The harbor was a kind of bulls eye of clear sky but was surrounded by fog.

For the last three days, we have been enjoying great weather. Many boats have taken the opportunity to leave for other ports. Some are going to the Bahamas, others to the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Still others are going up the west coast of Florida.

New boats arrive daily, but in the last three days, more have left than have arrived, so that there are now mooring balls available.

Listening to the cruisers’ net is interesting every morning, but particularly so when you hear the new arrivals and where they have come from as well as hearing the departures tell where they are heading next. Most have to pass through the Boot Key Harbor Bascule Bridge and the captain and bridge tender always have unique exchanges. There is usually kind words for the harbor and the fun the departures have had. The bridge captain usually invites the crew back for another visit.

On the day, we rode our bikes a bit, and did a few boat chores, including removing the port stern hatch which leaks (only in the rain!). We’re going to rebed it tomorrow, hopefully that will fix the problem. I’m not optimistic. It looks like the glass doesn’t make a proper seal with the gasket. I suspect the hatch will have to be replaced.