Tied to Dolphins (Day 150)

The W. P. Franklin Lockmaster

Friday, March 13, 2009 Day 150
FROM: Ft. Meyers Yacht Basin Mooring Field Ft. Meyers, FL
TO: Tied to Dlophins @ the east end of the Ortona Lock, Okeechobee Waterway, FL
Distance Traveled: 42.9 Hours Underway: 10:19 Average Speed: 4.6

Weather: Partly sunny; temp range 63 – 84; E wind 10 knots or less

Comment: Today was an easy day on the waterway. We passed through Franklin Lock without a problem. The lockmaster reported a malfunction at the Ortona Lock. It seems that the port door is stuck shut. With the starboard door open, we will have a clearance of 25 feet from which to exit the lock.

The Fort Denaud Swing Bridge Operator

Once we arrived at the Ortona Lock, we had to tread water while waiting for the signal to enter the lock. After about an hour, the lockmaster reported that the repairs would take significantly longer. We set the anchor. After a three hour wait, we were locked through with a trawler and seven "ass" boats, all with guys and fine young bikini clad lasses aboard. The music was blaring from at least two of the boats and the young crew were parting hardy. After getting clearance to clear the lock so they could be on their way to their motel rooms in Clewiston, one young lady was so relieved that she decided it appropriate to show her “TaTa’s” to all who would look. This, according to Anna Marie. I saw nothing as I was diligently holding SUNSHINE to the lock’s port wall.

Rather than find a place to anchor, we tied to the dolphins on the east side of the lock. This was a first for us. After studying our position with reference to the dolphins and the shoreline and becoming comfortable that our position was secure, we spent a pleasant evening.

Tied to the dolphins at the Ortons Lock on the Okeechobee Waterway

Ft. Meyers on the Okeechobee Waterway (Days 148 & 149)

Ft. Meyers, FL on the Okeechobee Waterway (March 11 and 12)
Distance Traveled: 49.0 Hours Underway: 8.38 Average Speed: 5.7

Weather: Sunny to Partly Sunny; temp range 70 – 84; NE wind @ 3.0 to 6.0 knots


The western terminus of the Okeechobee Waterway

Comment: Light chop on the gulf gives way to glassy calm;
Easy traveling day, although no sailing;
Met up with Capt. Dave (Canvasback Too) who has been in Fort Myers for almost a month; Had dinner with him and Bill and Betty (Inspiration) another boat and crew we met in Marathon, FL Keys
Walked around Ft. Meyers. It is a ghost town! Vacant store fronts, lots of bars and lawyers offices, not much else!


PDQ "Catatude"

Oh! What a Day! (Day 147)

Anchored in Champfrey Bay, Naples, FL
Distance Traveled: 38.0 Hours Underway: 9.75 Average Speed: 4.0

Weather: Sunny; temp range 67 – 81; light wind

Comment: The day started out with a problem we haven't encountered too often (if at all). It was difficult and time consuming to get our anchor up at the Dismal Key. After finally getting underway, we followed the "deeper" water to cross the spit of land and shoals at the lower end of Marco Island. Strangely, we ran aground in water that was charted to be 10 feet deep at mean low water! It took two hours to clear the shoals and get back to deep water. The charts show 10 feet in the area and there are no shallow depths charted anywhere near our position. I marked the spot as a new shoal on our GPS.

While trying to extricate ourselves from the bottom, the port engine began reving. I found it low on oil and immediately gave it a quart. The reving problem stopped.

Moments later, the port engine stops spitting, and was running noticably warmer than starboard engine. I poked the lines with a pipe cleaner and all was well, although the port motor was still running a bit hotter than the starboard engine.

Thinking that our problems were behind us, we raised the main sail and unfurled the genoa and proceeded to motor sail. Just before I was going to turn off the engines, I lost steerage. A quick check of the steering system showed that the recently installed hydraulic steering ram had disconnected from steering quadrant! We rolled up the jib while I reconnected the bolt and washers. I connected it a bit differently than the mechanic had, thinking that using a more outward position on the steering tab would make steering easier. That proved to be true as the autopilot had no further difficulities in keeping the boat under control.


Champfrey Bay Anchorage, Naples, FL


Because of the problems, it became clear that we would not be able to make San Carlos Bay and Ft. Meyers Beach. We decide to stop at Champfrey Bay in Naples, a spot we have used on a previous trip. Just before anchoring, Anna Marie noticed that an anchor swivel screw was loose. Had she not noticed this and it backed out completely while holding the boat to the bottom, we would have lost the anchor and who knows where we would have drifted...

I was able to secure the screw and we spent a peaceful night after such a trying day!

Next Anchorage, Dismal Key in the Everglades (Day 146)

Dismal Key, one of the Ten Thousand Islands, Everglades National Forest, FL
Distance Traveled: 50.8 Hours Underway: 8.75 Average Speed: 6.0

Weather: Sunny; SE wind 10 or less then out of the west in the afternoon; low mid 60s, high in the low 80’s

Comment: It was a good day to be on the Gulf of Mexico. Although we did not enjoy sailing winds as we did yesterday, we motor sailed for 8 and three-quarter hours at 6 knots. We endured only light chop in the Gulf under a mostly sunny sky. We saw several boats at a distance. A couple of sailboats were heading in our direction while two or three others were heading toward the Keys, probably Key West, judging from their course.

Along the way, we saw about 1/2 dozen rays break the water's surface to get airbourne, some as high as six feet. It reminded us of the sad story of the 6+ foot Eagle Ray that killed a lady standing at the rear of a small power boat that was reportedly underway at 25 mph.

The scene from our anchorage

We decided to spend the night at anchor behind Dismal Key in the Ten Thousand Island region of the Everglades. Fortunately, we can report that the temperature was mild and the bugs, vicious by all accounts, were few indeed and did not pose any problem to us.

Tents were set on the beach of a neighboring key and we envisioned those folks were having a great holiday.

The engines ran well today but both stalled when throttled back in preparation for anchoring. They fired right up and then idled, albeit roughly as we set the anchor. We’ll have to keep an eye on them. Perhaps we’ll change plugs and fuel filters when we get to Vero Beach.

As was true last night, we are once again amazed at how quiet it is here in the Everglades!

We're Outta Here! (Day 145)

Sunday, March 8, 2009 Day 145
From Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FL Keys
To Little Shark River, in the Everglades on the West Coast of Florida
Distance Traveled: 50.8 Hours Underway: 8.17 Average Speed: 6.3

Weather: Mix of clouds and sun; east wind @ 15 knots clocks to SE in afternoon increasing to 20 knots; low mid 60s, high of 80 degrees

Comment: Good Bye Marathon!

Slipped mooring ball L-10 at 0820 bound for the Little Shark River in the Everglades on the West Coast of Florida. Bid farewell to Howard, the bridge captain at 0830. After exchanging pleasantries, we set sail for our next destination.

We motor sailed for 3 hours and finally stopped the engines at 1200 hours. We were sailing at between 7 and 9 knots for the next four hours before we took in sail, lowered the engines and motored into the Little Shark River. The wind was out of the east and clocked to the southeast in the afternoon. There was a moderate chop in the Florida Bay and in the Gulf. Steering was a bit difficult as conditions overpowered the autohelm. This was unusual, and I attributed the problem to the new steering ram that was installed while we were at the Marathon Boatyard.

The anchor was down at 1610 hours. We took quick showers and settled in for the evening. Tom and Debbie, on board Catrina, a PDQ 32, joined us for cocktail hour. They looked Sunshine over to compare the 34 with their 32. Differences were noted, but PDQ quality is similar, they reported.

We finished the day with an old pirate movie and an episode of Cheers before attending to the log and hitting the sack.

Quiet! The evening and night are so quiet that we are both amazed. We thought that we hear all sorts of creatures screeching, howling, calling and otherwise making noise, but nothing was heard; not even any insect noise. It was quiet and still all night.

Sunset from the Little Shark River, in the Everglades

Our Final Days in Marathon (for this Season (Days 142 - 144)

Thursday - Saturday, March 5 - 7, 2009 Days 142 - 144
LAY DAY: Boot Key Harbor, Mooring Ball L-10 MM1195

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; low in the mid 60s, high in the mid 70s; Wind E @ 20+ knots

Comment: Our final days in Marathon for this season anyway, were spent in usual fashion. we attended to some boat chores and readied SUNSHINE for moving on. In short, we had to stow gear we left our for comfort while tied to the mooring ball and we set up for sailing and motoring. Anna Marie made afinal trip to the ity Marina laundryroom to find three brand new washers and an equal number of brand new dryers. There were new clothes sorting tables and a new accounting system. One pays for time on a credit card and the machines are set up with readers to charge you time. It seems that everything is coming together for when they open the new bathroon/shower and laundry facility. We saw a couple of machines digging holes supposedly for the water and sewer connections, but the new facilities did not open while we were still in the harbor. Our chores also included trips to Home Depot and Publix. We took a long dinghy ride to fill up the gas jugs at Burdines and took a bus ride to the Flea Market to exchange a spring with the boat parts guy.

Anna Marie and I did manage some fun activities before leaving Marathon. We met the Funston's for Upper Crust Pizza and then movie. Our final treat in Marathon was a Saturday night dinner at the Upper Crust.

A Visit to Naples! (Days 138 - 141)

Sunday, March 1 through Wednesday, March 04, 2009 Days 138 - 141

Marathon to Naples via Car

Weather: Windy and cold!

Comment: We’re off to attend the SCYC SW Florida Mid-winter gathering. The Hodder’s were gracious in letting us drive with them to Naples. The Berry’s offered to put us up for the two nights we were in Naples. The Kulik’s provided a lovely lunch and dinner when we arrived on Monday. On Tuesday some of the guys went on a tour of Naples, Marco Island and Goodland, where we had lunch. The ladies did their own thing, which included shopping at the “Best of Everything” store.

The gathering was great. Fifty-one members of the SCYC were there! Dinner at the Cedar Hammocks Country Club was fantastic! On Wednesday, the Hodder’s drove us back to Marathon before returning to their vacation abode in Tavernier. We had a great time and are very appreciative of the friends who provided transportation, sustenance and shelter so that we could participate in the gathering.

Thanks, Al, Jean, Gloria, Bob, Carol and Ron. We had a most wonderful time and appreciate everything your hospitality and kindness!