April, 2004... barefoot in the Keys:
 This winter was a
near bust so far as boating was concerned... we hardly went anywhere. More
painting lessons for Pearce and new golf lessons for Kay took up time that could
have been spent afloat. But we do keep active, don't we? Finally, Steve and
Margaret came to visit (and get away from the horrible winter in New York) so we
took a weekend cruise to Fort Lauderdale to watch the Queen Mary II arrive on
her maiden voyage. Impressive hardly describes her. Huge horizontal hotel is
more appropriate! On the way back, an I-own-all-waterways type boater in an
oversized trophy yacht roared by rocking us so much that, among other things,
the camera crashed to the deck and expired instantly with all the QM-II pix and
many others too.
Finally, at the end of March, we left to cruise the Keys. All winter long,
Pearce had been wanting to go to the Bahamas. He kept talking about the
crossing, and Kay kept talking about not crossing. We finally compromised
on a trip to the Keys. We headed South during some quiet weather, crossed
Biscayne Bay and arrived at the real beginning of the Keys without too much wind
to impede our progress.
One of the places that we were looking forward to visiting was Islamorada.
Pearce's parents visited friends that had a house on that Key, and while the
place had been sold many years ago, we wanted to visit the area. We
anchored in Key Largo, and then we found a nice place to anchor in
Islamorada. Pearce dinghied into shore, but Kay was too chicken to set
foot into that "thing" that bounced around, and anyway, how do you get
out on the shore? Pearce came back with a prospectus from a real estate
agent. While it is said that land investment is the thing because they are
not making any more of the stuff, we could not afford the 2 to 3 million being asked for
the small properties.
We continued on south to Lignumvitae Key, one of the few spots where the old
Florida is still preserved. The island still has the trees and other vegetation
that was developed during the early years of Florida's
expansion. We had tied up to the wharf, but we needed to leave before
sunset, so we dropped anchor a few hundred feet off of the shore. We left
the next morning, heading to Old Dan Bank, and then headed toward Cape Sable off
of the lower coast of Florida. The crossing was very quiet, and there were
a few boats around. As we neared Cape Sable we began to pass many small
boats that were out fishing. Soon we began to roll around a bit, but when
we turned east and headed toward Flamingo the seas became calmer. We came
into Flamingo at mid-tide, and since we draw 4 feet. we had an easy entrance.
We signed up for three days at $.75 per foot, and we stayed an extra day because
there were so many places to go. Our bicycles died, and we were forced to
walk (and hitch-hike), but the facility offers guided tours and canoe
trips into the bay and Everglades. As we had no camera to record the place,
Pearce painted the picture above which just gives a hint of the gorgeous colors
there.
We talked about heading down to Key West, but we decided that we didn't have
that much time, so we went back to Cape Sable and then guided our course toward
Marathon. We passed many boats picking up their crab and langoustine catch. We went through
Knight Key Channel and turned north into Boot Key Harbor. It was
wall-to-wall boats. They say that sometimes there are as many as five-hundred
boats anchored there... not a good place to drag anchor!
Skipper Bob's book has a grocery store located just a half-mile from the dinghy
dock at the City Marina. Skipper should check his pedometer... it's more like a
mile-and-a-half! And as we started off walking almost a half-mile in the wrong
direction, we were doubly done in by the time we got there. We even tried to buy
new bicycles at the K-Mart next door, but didn't like them. Luckily we
were able to hitch-hike a kindly ride back to the dinghy.
Sunrise the next morning was an artist's delight... Pearce coaxed the broken
camera into coughing up one more sunrise image.  The
ocean was a plate of glass, so we went outside through Hawks
Channel up to Channel Five where we crossed back into the bay. Anchoring in
Islamorada and savoring Bloody Marys and Conch Fritters at Lorelei's Restaurant
finished off another beautiful day in paradise. I guess you've surmised by
now that Kay has mastered riding in the dinghy. Her exit on shore is not
always graceful, but she gets there in one piece.
Easter Sunday found us finishing the last forty-five miles of ICW, arriving home
at Boynton Inlet Marina where we have to take time out for Pearce's
"minor" operation. It was supposed to hold him up only a few days,
but turned out to be a month of recuperation.
FINALLY! On Saturday, May 15, we got the boat fully loaded, new bicycles and
outboard installed, dinner with our neighbor Jean Wright, who drove us to the
marina where we fell into our bunks exhausted, but ready for an early
departure.
Here's a picture (yes, Pearce got the camera working again) of our inlet and
marina. This is looking north toward Palm Beach, the ICW is in the upper left, our
marina is just below the inlet at the far left. The Atlantic is on the right --
the Gulf Stream is about three miles out from here, its closest point to the
mainland.
Sunday, May 16, fifty-two miles today to anchorage by Jensen Beach bridge --
mile 981, counting down from Norfolk, VA. Nothing eventful today.
We're just glad to be underway.
Monday, May 17, sixty-seven miles today, anchored just off the ruins of the
Dragon Statue in the Banana River, mile 914. A slight mishap, however... Pearce
somehow left water running during the day and upon anchoring, we discovered the
tanks were dry. Up came the anchor and we pulled into a nearby marina, whose staff had closed and gone for
the day. We met a delightful couple, Mike and Joan, who had just completed
seventeen months of cruising their Morgan IO-41. Mike helped us fill up our
water tanks, and we
all had cocktails 'til almost sundown before we returned to anchor. Nice people,
nice evening.
 Tuesday, May 18,
seventy miles today to New Smyrna Beach Municipal Marina. This is an
"honor" marina... you're on your honor to pay. There's a slot in the
door of the marina office where you drop your payment. Too bad all the world
isn't this trusting. Today's trip was a little dull; not much scenery up the
Indian River and through Mosquito Lagoon. The huge NASA Vehicle Assembly
Building at the space center loomed off in the distance for much of the day. The
swing bridge at Titusville is being repaired and only opens every three hours.
We timed our arrival just twenty minutes before the 1:00 pm opening. Several of
the boats that had anchored at Dragon Point with us last night and forged ahead
had been waiting and waiting... Sometimes it's good to be the tortoise.
We listened to the captain of a very large motor yacht ask why all the boats
were hanging around the bridge, "Is there a launch scheduled at Cape
Canaveral?" When he was informed that the bridge is under repair and
has limited openings, he said, "I didn't see it in the Notice to
Mariners." He waited just like the rest of us. The nice thing
about the limited openings was that no large boats came roaring up behind
us. By the time they made the next opening, we were close to our
night-time stop. We saw several Loopers during the day -- Chances R out of
Huron, Ohio -- they must have started their Loop very early, and Ducky which was
headed back down to Fort Lauderdale after completing their Loop. We also
saw a DeFever cruiser Walkabout, whose owners we had met at the Lauderdale Rendezvous
this winter.
Wednesday, May 19. We spent the morning visiting the shops on historic
Canal Street. We also got rear wheel carriers for our bicycles so that we
can carry groceries. We washed Kibon down with nice fresh water and
removed all the mud and dirt that had accumulated. Underway just before
noon. Kay reheated all the left-overs from last night's dinner at the Sea
Harvest Restaurant while Pearce tried to get close and personal with the
Ponce de Leon Lighthouse just north of New Smyrna Beach. Although boats go both north and south after
coming in the inlet, nobody was going anywhere in the middle of the day.
There are no marks on the North Channel, so Kay convinced Pearce to go back to
the ICW and take the safe way. Later in the day while Pearce was
napping and Kay driving, she  saw what appeared to be a Dolphin pushing and/or
carrying an injured Dolphin. Kay says, "I hope they know where there's an
animal hospital nearby." Because of the late start this morning, we only
made 37 miles today, to the "cement plant" cove where we've anchored several
times before. We were joined by two sailboats (one from Maine) and a trawler
from Ohio. This is a favorite spot for many because there are few places along
this stretch in Flagler Beach. Tomorrow we hope to make up time... the goal is seventy-five miles
to Kingsley Plantation, another favorite anchorage.
Thursday, May 20. Long run today... Up early -- the trawler and one of the
sailboats had already left, the Maine sailboat was getting ready and followed us
out. The wind, which had been east for two weeks shifted to  the
northwest as the day heated up. Later in the afternoon, it went back to east (go
figure). We breezed through St. Augustine and Jacksonville Beach without
stopping. More and more luxury homes are being built along the waterway
including several developments with private marinas. Still a lot of swamp land
left mostly to the west side of the ICW. It would only take a few million yards
of fill to create quite an estate. The waterway and inlet at Matanzas River is
being dredged -- depths of no less than eight feet are all along the ICW where
there was major shoaling. Perhaps the Army Corps found a few pennies left in its
depleted-and-non-renewed budget. Crossed the St. John's River and saluted
the ships at Navy Mayport around three and a few miles later pulled into this
now familiar anchorage at Kingsley Plantation on the Ft. George
River.
Friday, May 21. Early up again today only Kay was first out and had to roust
Pearce who was still making zzzz's. The two sailboats which came in after us
last night and -- as sailboats do -- are usually first to leave, were still
hanging at anchor as we slipped by. We wanted to make tracks today; trying to
get to Savannah a day or so before Ann and Jerry get over booked. We love
stopping to see them on each trip and so far are successful at fitting into
their very busy schedule. It seems like all of us old retired folks are busier
now than we ever imagined when we were younger. 
Three navigational goofs
today... none tragic, but a sign that we should pay more attention to where we
are going. First, Pearce never saw that new red marker where the shoal is moving
closer to the inlet in Nassau Sound -- it's not on his
chart (yet). Luckily it was high tide and we cruised right over the shoal it
marks. Next, Kay missed two marks -- a red and a green where she should have
turned to the left and then curved around to the right. High tide still, so over
the shoal she went straight to the next red and green. Pearce had hardly recovered from that when he missed a turn
in the waterway entirely. Instead of zigging to the right, he zagged to
the left and made a new leg in the ICW that even the Army Corps of Engineers
didn't know about. It was a loop through several back yards and grassy knolls
that eventually came back into the proper course that carried us up to
Fernandina Beach.  We
met a flock of rare white pelicans there, so it wasn't a complete waste. An adventure, yes, but no real
harm done (yet). As the day progressed, the tide receded, as tides do, making
mistakes less and less harmless. By the time we reached the Little Mud River
near Georgia's Altamaha Sound later in the day, the
channel markers were high and dry some 20 - 30 feet away from the water's edge
and considerably farther from the channel they are supposed to mark.
Somehow Washington's decision to eliminate funding for dredging this year seems
to be penny-wise. If it were the Tigris or Euphrates Rivers that need deepening,
the call would go out immediately to Halliburton. Why can't we stay the course
in our own land instead of trying to green everyone else's desert?
St Andrew Sound -- which often kicks up furiously -- was a millpond today, so
across we went. On the way we met up with a schooner crossing tacks with an
atomic submarine from King's Bay on her way out to sea. Kay made Gazpacho for
lunch, but it was too soupy to carry up to the bridge. We anchored just west of Jekyll
Island and watched people frolicking on a huge water slide ashore as we savored
a gourmet lunch. By-the-way, the new Mercury outboard stopped working yesterday when Pearce went out looking for crabs at Kingsley Plantation. Several calls
to Mercury in Wisconsin and suggested dealers from Jacksonville to Charleston
found a Merc service center located in Savannah at The Landings  where we're
visiting Ann and Jerry Sunday. Steve at Landings Marine Service will fix the
problem Monday morning. Wish everything was as easy!
We had a long day today because Steve wants us to come into his place at high
tide on Sunday. We crossed Doboy Sound and anchored in the Duplin River
just above the ferry docks. As we passed them, we watched the families
pulling their coolers and camping gear for a weekend on Sapelo Island.
About ten years ago when we were looking for a place for retirement, we followed
a long dirt road out of Darien, GA, to a house  that
was on the edge of the marsh. The house was not spectacular, but as we
walked down the long dock across the marsh, the view was absolutely supurb.
We could see across the deep waterways to Sapelo Island. Pearce had
memories of boyhood dreams of living on the marshes, and we wished we could
afford to buy this property. The views are still fantastic, and we wished
everyone setting out for their weekend on Sapelo warm sunny days and cool starry
nights.
Saturday, May 22. Out early again. Pearce pulled up the anchor and
then headed Kibon north past Sapelo and Little Sapelo Islands. The
"golden isles of Georgia" are vast stretches of marshland and sea
grass with occasional hummocks high enough to support a few trees. If you
get high enough (like in the rigging of a sailboat or on the bridge of a
cruiser) you can see for miles across the marshes that are crossed by waterways  both
shallow and deep that lead from the sea to the firm inland. Right now the
marshes are green, but as the summer and heat progresses they turn gold.
When we are at anchor at night, we can look out and see the navigation reds and
greens blinking all around us. We look across the marshes in the daytime
and see the masts of sailboats and the arms of the shrimp boats resting at their
docks. There is some similarity for those of us from Long Island's Great
South Bay. Just bring everything down to sea level and stretch your
imagination for miles and miles and miles.
We crossed Sapelo Sound, St. Catherine's Sound, ran easily through Hell Gate at
high tide (a cruiser who drew only three and a half feet had dragged mud at
half-low tide), and passed by our original destination at the Landing's Delegal
Creek Marina on Skidaway Island.  We
continued up the ICW past Moon River of Johnny Mercer fame to a marina on Turner Creek
down the river from Savannah. We decided it would be the closest spot to
where Steve wanted to meet us at high tide on Sunday. Ann and Jerry Hanley
picked us up, we went out to dinner, and then returned to their house for the
night.
Sunday, May 23. We drove from the Hanley's house down to the Landings
Marina. They are dredging their inner harbor, and access is difficult at
anything except high tide. Pearce has decided that he would prefer to go
there on Monday morning, so he wanted to check the accessibility.
Everything seemed good for a morning trip, so we did grocery shopping and
returned to the Hanley's house for laundry and relaxation. After dinner
they drove us back to Kibon where we await tomorrow's trip down river to the
Landings Marina.
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Cruisin' The Loop Aboard Kibon