Sailboat or Motorboat?

Thursday, February 9, 2012 She's a Sailboat!

From: Little Shark River, In the Everglades MM 100

To:         Everglades City, FL MM 63.0

Start Hours: 399.0

End Hours: 400.8

Odometer:         47.8

Latt:           25 51 50N

Long: 081 23 28W

Weather: Low 67, high 83; overcast in the morning, partly sunny in the afternoon; NE 15+/- knots; 5 hour sail!

Comments: So, we're already a day out of Marathon and after yesterday's long slog, we were hoping for salable wind conditions. The forecast for north wind at 15 knots wasn't promising. It the forecast is right, it'd be a long, along and very bumpy motorboat ride to Everglades City.

As we entered the Gulf from our anchorage, we found lumpy seas caused by wind that was out of the NNE. We could sail (yeah), but we wouldn't be able to hold the rhumb line the Indian Key, the entrance to Everglades City. We were able to sail within 10-15 degrees of our intended course. About two miles ahead and a bit to weather of us was another sailboat. Great! We have somebody to race! 

As early morning gave way to mid-morning, we clawed our way to windward of the lead boat. The wind was backing a bit and soon we were able to cross to windward of the rhumb line. We were sailing almost as high as the monohull and much faster. It took less than two hours to pass him. We waved as we went by.

We reached Indian Key by 1250 hours. The 1000, 1100 and 1200 hours averaged boat speeds of 8+ mph, proving that SUNSHINE is much better sailing than motoring!

We were tied up to the Rod and Gun Club in Everglades City by 1430 hours. We walked around town for a couple hours, stopping for a delicious seafood dinner at the Oyster House (about two miles from the Rod and Gun Club).

There is a nice museum in town, but we didn't go in because a tour bus just off loaded its passengers for a museum tour. It would have been too crowded for us to enjoy. We stopped next door at Sussie's, a restaurant/museum of sorts. It looked like a neat place.

After our walk, we rested on the Club' veranda before boarding SUNSHINE for the evening!