Tuesday we mostly made preparations for our next leg…grocery store, last restaurant meal in the Keys, returned the rental car, loaded bicycles, and generally made Dubhe ready. We had lunch at the Key Largo Conch House which included awesome key lime cake.
Wednesday, March 18,
2015
Departed Plantation
Key 0830
Harbour Cay Club Marina
Arrived Boca Chita Key 1640
Total day’s run 52 statute miles (45 nm), 893 miles total.
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| Leaving the Keys, US 1 to Key Largo |
We woke early (0600) with the excitement of getting underway
again. I really enjoy the routine of
departing for a new place. At 0745 we
were at the fuel dock waiting for them to open at 0800. We took 36 gallons of diesel fuel, a couple
of gallons of gasoline, and three bags of ice.
The weather all day was perfect with a nice breeze in the
morning then about calm in the middle of the day, and a nice breeze at the end
of the day. A couple of hours after we
departed we were in a narrow channel with mangroves on each side. The cruising guide gives cautions about this
area because it is restricted and has a high volume of boat traffic. A large boat (SeaRay 44) approached from behind
and moved over to overtake us on our port side.
He was at a speed I call plowing (maximum wake) but when he was on our
quarter, maybe 50 feet away, he throttled up to plane. Dubhe was rolled violently, more so than I
have ever experienced. It was literally
frightening. If another boat had been
coming around the mangroves at the same time it could have been really
bad. This is another example of
arrogance on the waterways displayed by people with too much money and boat,
little seamanship, and no courtesy. A
little while later, I heard our friends several miles ahead admonishing him on
the radio. He had rolled them which
resulted in a couple broken bottles of wine.
I later came by him stopped to refuel, and told him straight up what I
thought.
We had a wonderful cruise up through Buttonwood, Blackwater
Sound, Barnes, and Card sounds into Biscayne Bay. The autopilot steered most of the way and we
just thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride.
We entered the Boca Chita basin at low tide with only inches under us
but that’s all we needed. This place is
something to see, although it is not as large as I expected. It was owned and constructed by Mark Honeywell of Honeywell Heating Controls in the 1930's but is now part of Biscayne National Park.
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| Boca Chira basin from the lighthouse |
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| Dubhe at Boca Chita |
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| Manatee friend in the harbor |
We stayed over Wednesday and Thursday night at Boca
Chita. The island is quite small and has
a trail around it which we hiked but in the wooded portion, the misquotes were
worse than I have ever seen…we only needed to do it once then rode the dingy
around the island.
Friday, March 20,
2015
Departed Boca Chita Key 0730
Arrived Key Biscayne 1000
No Name
Harbor
Total day’s run 15 statute miles (13 nm), 908 miles total.
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| Leaving Boca Chita as the sun rises |
Departed as the sun was rising for a pleasant but short run
to the south tip of Key Biscayne and anchored in No Name Harbor in the Bill Baggs
State Park. This is a popular weekend gathering spot (as
was Boca Chita) but we decided to stay anyway especially since our friends on
Heron were here. Friday night we were
not disappointed as the place filled up with power and sail boats, mostly out
for a party, and many with families. We
spent the afternoon walking around in downtown Key Biscayne with Frank and
Debbie.
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| Headed to Key Biscayne with Miami in the distance |
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| Miami with a little zoom |
We were anchored much closer to other boats than I like but
the holding is good and the winds are light.
One large sailboat, whose skipper apparently did not have a lot of
anchoring experience, anchored very close and as I expected, when the wind
changed we were only a few feet apart. I
asked him to move and at least he knew enough to know that I was here first so
it was his responsibility to move. We
expect to stay here two more nights and move up through Miami.
I am fascinated by Key Biscayne because years ago President Nixon had his
“Winter White House” here and I remember Key Biscayne being on the news often
but I have never been here. His house is
now gone but I understand that the helipad built over the water still exists, so
we will try to see it while we are here.
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