The Cruise - We have arrived! January 26 - February 1, 2015

We were in the Little Shark River for 5 days waiting for weather and 2 days in Flamingo.  During this time, I was not able to post because we had no cell phone or internet access, but I did write daily and today I am finishing posts through yesterday, January 30, 2015 when we arrived in Marathon.  I do not expect that many will want to hear about our mundane daily activities, like laundry and washing and cleaning up Dubhe, so my posts will not necessarily be daily until we begin our return.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Anchored in the Little Shark River

Four weeks ago we departed Beaufort.  It is hard to imagine…seems like years.  I haven’t driven a car or even ridden in one in four weeks!  I hope I remember how!

Fairly quiet last night and the anchor seems to be well set in softer bottom.  There was no grinding of chain on rock as we had the past two nights.  The marine weather forecast at 0600 this morning was about the same as yesterday so it looks like we can move Wednesday or Thursday at the latest.  The NOAA forecasts are so difficult to listen to as there is so much information in a short time, that I have taken to recording them on my iPhone as a voice memo.  We can then play it back as much as we want to pick up all the details.  We always compare today’s report with the previous day to see differences and any trend…of course time is no problem now…we have plenty extra so we should enjoy it.

I did a little fishing around the mangroves, but did not want to venture too far with the weather we are expecting.  No bites, but it was good to get out and do something.  I am reading the Jack Abury series by Patrick O’Brian, on the third of about 20 books...great stuff if you like 18th and 19th century sailing ships and the arcane terminology that goes with them…I love it.

This morning, a small red hulled trawler came up the river.  I called to them thinking they may be another boat (Lady in Red) that we were looking for.  They passed by our cove but came back later and anchored near us.  They are an English couple who live in Marathon, just doing some short cruising.  We had drinks and great conversation on their boat this evening.  Our solitude is broken, but it is fun to meet new people in a place like this.  For the most part, cruising people are the friendliest of any group and will invite strangers over for a drink as soon as they meet.

The front has passed through, the skies have cleared, it is much cooler (long sleeves and pants for a few days), and the wind is howling, probably 20 kts with gusts to 25+ kts.  We have a line of trees on an island blocking most of the wind and there are no waves, but I am not sure how well I will sleep when every few minutes Dubhe heels over and the wind roars.  Nancy is cooking supper and we are cozy in our little boat in the middle of nowhere. 

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Anchored in the Little Shark River

After a windy night, we woke to clear skies, and light wind.  Looked great, in fact, like maybe we could move today…until we listened to the weather.  The forecast for today is NW wind 10 to 15 kts but seas left over from the weather yesterday are predicted to be 5 to 7 feet.  Not a problem because we were planning to go tomorrow anyway, but now the weather then is worse.  Now it looks like Thursday.  We have plenty of food, but beer will be running low soon!  

Our plan is to go to Flamingo, FL and then to Marathon but because the channel is so shallow, it would be good to have a rising tide when we go in.  In years past I would have a book about an inch thick that gave the tides for every tide station along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts for a year.  Each year you had to purchase a new one for that year for less than $10.  Today, we use apps to tell us what the tides will be, but that requires access to the internet which we don’t have!  How dependent we are today on the internet and I use my cell phone directly or via a “hot spot” to access the internet when there is no where to plug in.  There are probably not many places in the US where you cannot get a Verizon signal, but this is one…as I have lamented before.  So what is the solution to our dependence on the internet and the calamity when we cannot access it?  Is it to buy paper books and charts?  Not hardly…I don’t think they even print the tide tables anymore and the last charts I bought were $26 each (I would need dozens).  I do have the USCG Rules of the Road, and Light List as a pdf file on my iPad and I should have gotten a copy of the tide tables.  So many publications are available (usually free) as pdf files that can be downloaded on a computer or iPad.  I should have a better electronic library that I could access when the internet is not available...a lesson learned for next time.  

We took a dingy ride around the mangrove islands today.  The mangrove trees are much taller than any I have ever seen; as tall as tall pines.  Peering into the mangrove forest is magical for me.  There is no way you could walk into it, but it looks so jungle like and inviting…there is no undergrowth, just a forest like I have never seen.  When I get to the source of all knowledge (internet) I am going to research them and look at this area on Google Earth.

Tonight we had our “neighbors” from “Poppy” over for drinks and appetizers.  A very interesting couple; Dom (Dominick) is retired Royal Air Force had has many intriguing stories to tell.  Since they live in Marathon and will be back home in a couple of weeks, we may see them there.  No other humans to be seen since the day before yesterday.

The weather report for tomorrow is worse than it was this morning.  We are preparing to depart for Flamingo in the morning, but we will have to get the report at 0600.  Dom and Caroline are planning to “poke their noses out” (of the Little Shark River) to see.  If it is too rough they will come back but if they go, they will call (via VHF radio) and let us know what it is like.  Tomorrow is our sixth day here.  

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Departed Little Shark River         0730

Arrived Flamingo, Florida 1220

Total day’s run 33 statute miles (29 nm), 768 miles total.

We made the breakout!  Although conditions were not perfect, we left the Little Shark River this morning.  Dom and Caroline on “Poppy” left before us which I think motivated us to go.  It was a good day’s run.  I had set the steadying sail before we got out of the Little Shark River so we were less rolly than would have been.  It was quite windy but manageable.  I was really worried about entering the Flamingo channel because it was just after high tide, but the “high” tide was a “low” one of only 1.1 feet, and the north wind tends to blow the water out of the bay.  But all my worrying was for naught…we came in with at lest 1½ feet of water under Dubhe’s keel at the shallowest part.  Now we are tied up at the Flamingo marina which is part of the Everglades National Park, had have stepped onto land for the first time in six days!  The history of the park and Flamingo is fascinating…there is lots to see here.  Check it out on the web.  It would be a great place to vacation as there are many people here and there is a large campground.  As usual, several people walked by and commented on Dubhe.  One Japanese couple (there are a lot of people from other countries here) kept looking and taking pictures, then the woman asked in very limited English if they could come aboard.  Of course we gave them the tour and they were quite impressed….A bed! You sleep here!? What we have come to take for granted is unimaginable to most people. 

But one of our expectations of Flamingo was to be able to get cell phone service and get online…Nooooo.  Only AT&T here so although I am writing this on January 28, I probably will not be able to post it until January 31 when I post the whole last week.

This evening we called our sons on a pay phone, although we used a credit card rather than a handful of quarters.  This trip has taken us back to some basics we have not experienced in a long time; riding a bus, using laundromats and pay phones, and listening to the radio for weather and entertainment!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Flamingo, Florida

I woke up at 0600 as usual this morning and listened to the weather.  We decided to stay another day in Flamingo, so tomorrow we must definitely head out to Marathon.  We had a leisurely breakfast and listened to Morning Edition on NPR, then took a walk, lunch, nap…normal routine.  This afternoon, we took a Park Service Ranger walk during which our guide talked about the Everglades trees.  I chose this one because I was fascinated with the tall mangrove trees along the Little Shark River.  I learned that these trees up to 80 feet tall are the same (Red Mangrove) as the short scrubby ones that we see along the islands in the Keys.  The difference is habitat and nutrients.  The guide was impressed that we had been there and were so interested.  She also learned that the Sable Palm is not only the state tree of Florida but also South Carolina.  One tree that we had seen and was wondering about is the mahogany.  I don’t know if all the “Ranger Tours” are free, but this one was and it was excellent.  

Strangling Fig tree.  Note the palm strangled  inside. 

Tonight we worry about the tide in the morning.  Yesterday we entered at high tide but a small one.  Tomorrow, low tide is at 0800 and we normally leave about 0700.  I told Nancy that I would wait at least until 0800 so if we bump, at least we will have the rising water.  I may need a “nerve pill” to wait.  Otherwise, we are looking forward to arriving at our destination and spending some time with friends and exploring.  

Friday, January 30, 2015

Departed Flamingo, Florida 0820

Arrived Marathon, Florida         1415

Harbour Cay Club Marina

Total day’s run 38 statute miles (33 nm), 806 miles total.

We departed on our last leg of this first part of our cruise with trepidation.  The channel to (and out of) Flamingo is famous for being shallow and having shoals and wouldn't you know it but low tide is at 0800, just about the time we want to leave.  The good news was that it would be rising so if we got stuck, it probably would not be for long.  I waited as long as I could and eased out following my previous track (it was high tide when we came in) and advise from others.  We made it on the first try, but if we had had another coat of bottom paint, we may have gotten stuck.  Nancy says we bumped but I did not feel it.  Dubhe draws 3 ½ feet of water.

Our passage to Marathon was most enjoyable.  We had a nice NNE wind about 10 kts, it was sunny and warm.  The problem was the crab traps.  We had been told, and we had seen quite a few further back, but I was amazed at the density of traps.  It is a wonder there are any stone crabs left.  Although the autopilot (Captain Benmar) was working well, we had to be very vigilant and steer around trap buoys every few minutes, so the trip was not relaxing.

We arrived at the Harbour Cay Club in Marathon to the welcome of several “residents” including a couple from Beaufort who had told us about this place.  The owners of this small facility actually own individual slips and when they do not have their boats here, their slips are rented.  The appurtenant grounds are extremely nice with good showers, a laundry, great wifi, indoor lounge, and covered outdoor areas where most “residents” gather, especially for cocktails in the evening.  Sunday, there will be a big Super Bowl party to which of course we are invited.  Tonight, our friends from Beaufort took us out to dinner.  I think we will fit in nicely, but we plan to do some local traveling to Key West (by bus), and day trips on Dubhe and by dingy.  

The Cruise - Week 4 January 19 - 25, 2015

Monday, January 19, 2015, 22nd Day

Departed Marco Island Anchorage   1205

Arrived Rose Marina                         1300
Marco Island

Total day’s run 4 statute miles (3.5 nm), 656 miles total.

Its hard to believe that we left Beaufort three weeks ago today.  It seems like a year...the days run together.  I also rode in a car for the first time in three weeks!

After another trip to Winn Dixie this morning, we moved from the anchorage in Smokehouse Bay, just around the corner to Rose Marina.  We needed to take showers, do laundry, get water and generally get ready for the Everglades.  Although we may be at a marina tomorrow, it may not have full services and does not have water.

After tomorrow, we may be without internet and cell phone coverage for several days, maybe into early next week.   The weather has been fine but the best part of today was the shower.  Dubhe has some primitive showering facilities, but it does not compare to an all the hot water you want, shower. Tonight went out to eat dinner with a couple who live three houses down from us on Harbor Island. They are renting a condo here for a couple of months so we gave them a call.

Tomorrow our plan is to go about 25 miles to Everglades City.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Departed Rose Marina, Marco Island                   0900

Arrived Russell Pass Anchorage                          1330

Everglades National Park

Total day’s run 26 statute miles (23 nm), 682 miles total.

The Everglades.  Nancy's favorite, white pelicans

Great cruising day today.  We are anchored in an area which is the antithesis of where we were a couple of days ago.  In Smokehouse Bay, we were surrounded by condos and million dollar homes.  Here, we are surrounded by mangrove islands without a light or manmade structure in sight.  It is so quiet and has done good for my soul. 

We had kind of a tough start, running aground about 20 minutes after we left, primarily because a marker was missing, but I could have (should have) seen it coming.  However, I had planned the trip through this very narrow area during a rising tide so we were only stuck for about 30 minutes.  After this tight area, we made a 10 mile offshore leg in the Gulf and wound up in this gorgeous anchorage. 

Trying to figure out when to move, and where and when to stay has been difficult and it has become our main daily occupation to plan and decide.  It now appears that we are so far ahead that we are having trouble deciding where to hold up.  We wanted to have some time to wait for weather toward the end of January, but now we have only three more, one day legs but 12 days until we can “check in” to our slip in Marathon.  We are now near Everglades City and plan to go into “town” tomorrow to stay at the old rod and gun club dock, then back out here to stage for our longest offshore leg (32 nm) to the Little Shark River.  Of course weather also plays heavily into this.  Another cold front is forecasted to arrive on Saturday so we want to make Little Shark River before then.  We’ll see. 

 

This place is so beautiful and peaceful that it is impossible to describe.  I spent a good part of the afternoon reading.  To get an idea of where we are, here are our coordinates which can be plugged into Google Earth: 

Lat: 25^o50.333’ N   Lon: 081^o26.266’

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Departed Russell Pass Anchorage 1215

Arrived Everglades City 1315
Rod and Gun Club

Total day’s run 6 statute miles (5 nm), 688 miles total.

This morning we slept in, had pancakes and bacon for breakfast in our beautiful anchorage, then headed to Everglades City.  This is a very interesting place, initially planned and started by Barron Collier but today it is a headquarters for the Everglades Park Service and a small fishing town.  We are staying overnight at the docks for the Rod and Gun Club which was started in 1864 before Collier showed up.  It is a large classic building with an interior of dark wood paneling and tons of stuffed fish and wildlife.  Lots of famous people including Ernest Hemingway, Teddy Roosevelt, and John Wayne have visited here.  We had dinner of grouper which was good but I wish they had more business.  Nothing much exciting is happening since we are idling away days so we can get on to Marathon.

Tomorrow, we go back to our Russell Pass Anchorage so we can get an early start to Little Shark River on Friday.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Everglades City, Rod and Gun Club

This will likely be the last post for several days as we will be in remote areas without cell phone coverage.

I am making an early post today because I have power and a connection.  Later today, near high tide, we will run the 5 nm back out to our Russell Pass anchorage to be closer to Indian Pass where we will leave in the morning for the Little Shark River.  Although we are ahead of “schedule” (one should never have a schedule when cruising), we will depart at first light for Little Shark River.  The weather looks good tomorrow with a good breeze on the nose (SW 10-15 kt), but a front is predicted to come through Saturday so we want to be snugly anchored in the Little Shark River by then.  We have our longest “offshore” leg tomorrow of about 32 nm (37 miles).  Although I say offshore, we will likely not be more than 3-4 miles off, but running down the coast in open water.  Even a moderate wind can kick up a nasty chop under these conditions so I would not be going if the forecast were over 15 kt…and it could change. 

If you know me, you know that I am not one who tolerates waiting, so this hanging around for the time to get to Marathon and for the tide today is killing me.  I want to GO!  The problem is that Marathon is so packed with cruisers now that there is virtually no where to stay until our slip opens up, and anchorages are very crowded.  Nancy and I have discussed our ahead of schedule dilemma and wish we had stayed longer at LaBelle, Fort Myers, and Fort Myers Beach, but at this point it is just a lesson learned for the next time. 

Dubhe in Everglades City, chomping at the bit to GO!

After the Little Shark River, we are planning to stop at Flamingo, FL for a few days and go to Marathon from there, but this is all subject to change, primarily due to weather.  If I can get Verizon service in Flamingo, I will make a post but if not, it may be Marathon before I can get back to this.   

Friday, January 23, 2015

Departed Russell Pass 0650

Arrived Little Shark River 1400
Anchorage 4 nm from the mouth

Total day’s run 47 statute miles (41 nm), 735 miles total.

As I write this, we are anchored in a portion of the Little Shark River, Everglades.  This is truly an amazing place, but will write more about it as I have time to explore in the days to come, which look like there may be many.  We have no cell phone service and of course, no other internet access so I plan to record each day and post them when I get to a connection.

Today has been an experience.  I mentioned that SSE wind 10-15 was my maximum and it turned out to be quite a ride.  Seas were forecast to be 2 feet, but the second half of our 33 nm offshore leg, the waves were more like 3-4 but they were steep and close together so Dubhe would rise on one and punch into the next, loosing much of her speed and create a shower of salt water.  We were pretty beat when we arrived at the mouth of the Little Shark River, but then we entered a whole different world.  Beautiful, remote, quiet, words cannot describe it.  The “river” is a maze of interconnected creeks and islands.

Unfortunately, much of the bottom of the river and its “tributaries” seem to be hard, which I assume is limestone.  We had a time getting the anchor to set properly but we are safe for now.  Tomorrow, we will need to move to another location to get protection from the predicted 20+ knot north wind that is to come with this front.  Since we have no phone service, our only weather information comes from NOAA weather radio.  In order to get the local marine forecast, you have to listen to a long program of information that is not necessary…I really don’t care what the temperature in Miami is and I expect most other people listening don’t care either.  We are a little discourage because it looks like we could be here a long time, maybe a week.  There may be a short weather window on Sunday…we’ll see what NOAA weather radio says in the morning.


Saturday, January 24, 2015

Anchored in the Little Shark River

We are stuck!  There are nearly 30 miles of open water between us and any other safe port and we have two back to back cold fronts coming through.  If there is any wind over 15 kt or just about anything with a westerly component, we will probably not move.  Based on the weather reports now, we may be here until at least Wednesday. (37 nm to Marathon 27 nm to Flamingo and 30+ back to Everglades City, but we are NOT going backwards).  This is a beautiful place with lots to explore and I have tackle and a Florida fishing license.  The downside is that we are completely disconnected from the rest of the world.  We all like to talk about not having cell phones and internet, but when you don’t have a way to communicate AT ALL with your family and you can’t get the weather or radar, or just surf to entertain, you begin to realize how important it is.  I love my devices and it just pisses me off when I know rain is coming and I can’t get the radar, and I can’t check the market whenever I want to!!  This will be a good experience for us…maybe we need it.

So what do we do on an anchored 30’ boat? I plan to fish and explore with the dingy when the weather improves a little.  You will probably see longer blog posts (but my computer charger seems to take a lot of power), we read (brought plenty of books), and talk (to each other) a lot.  One thing we will not run out of is food so we eat, which brings up another thing to do and that is exercise.  I hope to start a program today using calisthenics and a rubber band exerciser a friend gave us…we’ll see how that works.

Anchoring is an art as much as a science and I consider myself pretty good at it either way.  Yesterday upon arrival, we tried two locations but the anchor would not set due to the hard bottom, then we found where although the bottom was hard, I felt that we had a good hookup.  The problem was that there was a very strong current, and of course every few hours it changed direction.  Long keel boats, especially those with a lot of windage like Dubhe do crazy things when they are anchored with an opposing wind and current.  When the current and wind are from the same direction, she lies to the anchor quietly, but when the current changes she will “sail” up to and beyond the anchor, then turn sideways to the current and be carried back in the other direction.  Sometimes she will sail around the anchor, other times she will ride to windward of the anchor.  Using all chain certainly helps this condition but this morning Dubhe wrapped herself around the anchor and made me quite uncomfortable, so we moved.  We rode around the neighborhood looking for areas which were protected from the wind with less current.  We found a place that perfectly fit those requirements, but when I tried to anchor…rock.  I made a second attempt and the Rocna anchor grabbed but I expect it is hooked in a piece of rock.  However, after an hour with little wind and virtually no current, Dubhe has barely tugged on the anchor.

We saw two manatees together just behind Dubhe.




Sunday, January 25, 2015

Anchored in the Little Shark River

This afternoon is beautiful, sunny and mild, and the wind has died.  We had “baths”, shaved, and took care of some other chores.  Now we are waiting for cocktail hour (1700) and for the strong front that is supposed to come through tomorrow with winds to 25 kt (almost 30 mph).

I was up this morning at 0600 listening to the weather radio.  Today was supposed to have North wind 10-15 kt but seas from the past couple of days would be 4+ feet on our quarter (behind and to the side, kind of like her “hind quarter”).  Tomorrow the strong frontal system comes through.  We had a tough decision…make a break for Flamingo today and wait out the worse weather there, or stay here…which we did.  We wanted to spend more time in the Little Shark River and did not want to get stuck in a marginal marina in Flamingo.  Plus the seas would be difficult today.  I sure hope we get good weather by Wednesday or Thursday.  If not, we will be here for a week and will likely head directly for Marathon, skipping Flamingo, when we get a chance.

The anchor and chain were making a hell of a noise this morning, grinding and thumping on the bottom.  I think the chain had become wrapped around a piece of rock…in any case we needed to have a better place for the coming wind.  So, we took a ride through the neighborhood, up the Little Shark River another 4 miles for a total of 7 miles from the mouth.  The scenery is beautiful; all mangrove islands, so there are no beaches or places to get off the boat.  In one open place, (Oyster Bay) looking out over the water and the islands is such a sight, it’s impossible to describe, and I never could have imagined how impressive it is.  We have seen a lot of birdlife, dolphins, and at least 8 or 10 manatees.

As we rode around, we would stop and check out potential anchorages.  I tried all nearby that are recommended and several others.  I must have tried to anchor at least six times before I found one where the anchor set to my satisfaction.  How well I sleep is a direct function of how well I think we are anchored!

My only real anxiety is not being able to communicate to our family, our delay and that they may not hear from us until late this week.  The only other people we have seen today were two young men fishing.  I waved at them and they came over…two nice young men about the age of Brendan and Kevin.  I gave them numbers and asked them to call Brendan or Kevin and let them know we are safe but delayed by the weather.  They were camping at a primitive campsite in the Everglades but said they would call when they headed home tomorrow.

I am overwhelmed by the remoteness of this area…it has an almost eerie or lonesome feeling...we are so far away from the rest of the world, detached.  There were two sailboats much larger than Dubhe anchored in the river last night but they left early this morning.  Tonight I can feel how alone we are.  However, as night fell, we had the lights on in Dubhe and as we were preparing supper, I had that intensely “cozy” feeling of being having all we need on this stout little boat in the wilderness.

The Cruise - Week 3 January 12 - 18, 2015

Monday, January 12, 2015, 15th Day

Departed LaBelle City Dock             0740

Arrived City of Fort Myers Yacht Basin    1330

Total day’s run 32 statute miles (28 nm), 581 miles total.

We left Beaufort two weeks ago today.  Sometimes it doesn't seem possible, more like a dream.

We had a nice easy run down the last part of the Okeechobee Waterway to Fort Myers.  The weather was warm, but cloudy with a few light rain showers.  We had to wait for an hour at the Franklin Lock due to maintenance on the lock.  This was the last lock, which dropped us about 1½ feet, so Dubhe is in salt water again.  As we came down the last part of the waterway that was fresh water, I sat outside on the fly bridge most of the way and thoroughly enjoyed the smell of the country and the water. This area is quite rural and the smell of the river was much like that of the Savannah River when I played on it as a kid.

Our arrival at the City of Fort Myers Yacht Basin initially met with a little consternation on my part. They had us scheduled for a slip some distance in and around several turns, which required backing Dubhe into the space.  I advised them that Dubhe is a single wheel (one propeller) vessel with no thrusters so we may need assistance.  However, I provided one of my best performances yet, when I backed Dubhe into place without assistance and without touching any other boat or piling.  This is not easy to do and many people accustomed only to maneuvering modern boats with thrusters would not have a clue.  (OK I know pride is a sin, but I don’t have a chance to do it very often).  In this part of the world, with much smaller tide, or in some cases no tide, the docks are not floating as they are further north, especially in South Carolina.  The normal practice is a four tie system where the bow and stern each have lines extending to each side.  There is normally a finger pier or just a straight pier along the end that is used for boarding.  I like this style of docking because, although it may be more difficult to get on and off the boat, the sides of the boat never touch the dock and fenders are not required.

This slip is actually too big for our little vessel.

We will be spending two days at the City of Fort Myers Yacht Basin.  After we arrived, I washed down Dubhe, (primarily because we had picked up a lot of ash around Lake Okeechobee from burning of the sugar cane fields), we did laundry, and of course I had to pump the holding tank which required a different fitting and took much longer than should have.  OK I will not discuss pumping of the holding tank anymore.

Within minutes of our arrival, we met new people and made friends.  We have even had a couple come on board to see our salty little vessel.  Our celebration of reaching the west coast of Florida consisted of a couple of drinks and dinner out at Fords Garage restaurant (gourmet burgers and craft beers).  Days like today (chores and all) are what make cruising so enjoyable.

Tomorrow sightseeing and meet up with friends from Beaufort.



Tuesday, January 13, 2015, 16th Day

Fort Myers City Yacht Basin

We slept “late” this morning and had a restful time drinking coffee and talking for a while, then of course breakfast of bacon and eggs, and Nancy cut my hair.  We walked to Publix for some groceries then took a free bus back, had lunch, a short nap, and some small fix it projects.  We walked around the marina to look at boats.  This is a pretty typical, middle class marina but some interesting boats.  Today, at least three people stopped by to admire Dubhe, take pictures, and ask questions.  We are continually amazed at the interest she garners.  We have been on the move so much it is nice to have an off day.

The weather today has been perfect.  Sunny with high near 80 degrees…a shorts and flip-flops day.

This evening we met Chuck and Claria Gorgen from Beaufort, on their boat “Odyssee”.  They have a wealth of information and were eager to share it with us.  We really appreciate their help and their time.  We talked a lot about our kids and grandchildren. The most enjoyable part of cruising is meeting up with friends and making new ones…but one of the downsides is that we miss our kids and especially Lilly and Lane.

Tomorrow we head to Fort Myers Beach.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015, 17th Day

Departed Fort Myers City Yacht Basin 0830

Arrived Fort Myers Beach 1155
City mooring field

Total day’s run 22 statute miles (19 nm), 603 miles total.

We had a pleasant trip today except for the heavy traffic of power boats driven by people with little knowledge of boat handling and rules of the road, and no apparent sense of courtesy.  For the most part, the boats were excessively large pregnant looking, overpowered, and going too fast.  One (actually smaller) boat was crossing the channel from my left (port side) and never had a clue that I had the right of way.  I sounded my horn and I could see people on board reacting as if we were going to crash.  Of course, I would not hit him just because I have the right of way (no such thing as “hold your ground” on the water).  He didn’t know what to do, so I veered off.  The unfortunate thing is that he never even understood what was going on or what should have been done.

Dingying

We took a mooring, dingyed over to the office, and took a walk around town.  Fort Myers Beach is not like I expected.  I thought it would be some high end place manicured and controlled so it would look “perfect” for people with too much money, but it was more like a beach town from years ago.  A diverse collection of bars, beach stores, hotdog stands, and low rise motels that you would expect to see at Tybee, or Ocean Drive (North Myrtle Beach) 40 years ago.  I like that atmosphere and would like to come back one day.  We HAD to stop and get ice cream.  We told the attendant that we would like two scoops in a cup so we could share as we were trying not to eat so much.  She filled the cup up with multiple scoops…and we ate all of it.

Dubhe on her mooring

For those who may not know, a mooring or sometimes referred to as a mooring ball, is a permanent anchor set on the bottom with a stout line to a float on the surface.  A boat comes pulls up and attaches to the float by various methods.  It costs $15.90 per night which includes the dingy dock about ½ mile away, and showers.  The advantage (other than being cheap) is that moorings are generally secure and require less swing room than an anchor would, so more can be put in a smaller space.  This is our first time on a mooring on this trip.

Tomorrow we head to Naples where we plan to stay for a couple of days.

Mooring Field

Fort Myers Beach 

Thursday, January 15, 2015, 18th Day

Departed Fort Myers Beach 0705

Arrived Naples City Dock 1200

Total day’s run 34 statute miles (29.5 nm), 637 miles total.

Although we like Fort Myers Beach, we need to move on and the weather today is best for our outside leg of 25 miles.  We wanted to go out Big Carlos Pass but due to the shallow waters, we decided to back track a couple of miles and go out Matanzas Pass.  The trip was nice and fairly smooth. We saw dolphins jumping and I trolled for most of the way but no bites.  In Naples we picked up a mooring, walked to the beach, had a few beers, pizza for supper, and ICE CREAM!  

Cruising/boat life is fun and we love it, but it is certainly not always fun and pleasure and it is not an easy or cushy lifestyle.  We generally start early and spend most of the day traveling.  To be honest, driving a boat for 5 or 7 hours continuously is painfully BORING.  Much of the time, the autopilot is doing the work, but someone needs to have an eye on things all the time.  Today we encountered a lot of crab traps that we had to steer around.  If one of these became entangled in the propeller, we would come to a stop.  There is no dishwasher, or oven, and the refrigerator is like one in a dorm room but Nancy does a wonderful job over feeding us.  Personal hygiene requires a lot more effort.  Our individual bunks are much narrower than a twin bed.  Laundry has to be done at a laundromat.  By 8:00 in the evening we are beat and ready to go to bed.  If there is any kind of weather or the anchorage is not protected, I could be up a lot during the night.  

Now with heavy usage of our “devices” as well as my computer, refrigerator, etc, power is becoming an issue when we are not plugged in.  In the past, I could go two days on my battery power, but about 0400 this morning, the inverter informed us (via loud beeps) that there was not enough voltage to run the refrigerator.  If we stay at anchor or on a mooring for more than one day, I will need to run the generator for several hours a day to keep us going,  When we get to the Everglades, this will really be an issue.  I hope I have enough gasoline for the generator.

Tomorrow we will stay in Naples.  I would like to get some rest but the oil needs to be changed and we need to find a new boat hook.  We are enjoying this ride and especially the feeling of doing something we have planned and dreamed about for so long.  I have not written this to be negative, but I wanted to convey a sense of our daily life aboard Dubhe.  All of life, and all of us have our ups and downs, no matter what we are doing, even following a dream.  No pictures to

Friday, January 16, 2015, 19th Day

Naples, Florida

We stayed at the mooring at Naples City Dock today, so we had a leisurely start and a big breakfast! We still have 15 days (our dock in Marathon starts February 1) and it looks like we are ahead of schedule so we will need to hold up a few more days than originally planned.  We will probably go on to Marco Island tomorrow and stay there a while.  I have never been there or even heard of it before I started planning this trip.

I thought I would change the engine oil today, but checked the manual and discovered that the oil change frequency is every 400 hours (more than twice what I thought) so I thought I had some free time…until I started trying to adjust the chain drive from the autopilot control to the steering hydraulic pump.  It had been way too loose but getting to it required major shifting of other equipment and provisions.  After a couple of hours, I think I have it right.  Then when trying to find a leak on my new bilge pump, I discovered a broken fitting.  Off I went to try to find one on foot.  One man at a marine supply business was very helpful and tried to find one but couldn’t.  He called places in Marco Island too and we may be able to get one tomorrow.  This is the second/backup bilge pump so it is not an emergency yet.

I also ran the generator for the first time today for an hour and it worked well, burning only about a cup of gasoline.  I expect I will be running it more in the couple of weeks to come.

This afternoon, we took a dingy ride around Naples and stopped at “The Dock” bar for drinks and appetizers before coming back to have dinner on board.  We’ve had a good afternoon.  

I have commented on the big expensive houses and boats along the way…Ponte Vedre, Saint Luci, etc., but Naples makes all these other places look like dumps.  Hilton Head is not even on the same scale.  Naples is where the money is.  The houses and boats are indescribable…but there is one aspect of Naples that really displays how much more money is here.  We are moored under the glide path for an airport, which appears to be for general aviation since I haven’t seen any commercial aircraft. What we have seen is a continuous, and I mean continuous, flow of private jets.  They have been landing one after another all day.  I expect I have seen dozens if not more than a hundred private jets fly over today and they are still coming as I write this.  I guess they are all coming in from the big cities to be home for the weekend.  

Tomorrow’s run is only about 12 miles so we will take it easy.

day.

Saturday, January 17, 2015, 20th Day

Departed Naples City Dock 0930

Arrived Marco Island 1200

Anchorage at Smokehouse Bay

Total day’s run 15 statute miles (13 nm), 652 miles total.

It was cold last night, 51 degrees, but this afternoon was a very nice sunny 70’s.  We “slept in” and had breakfast (pancakes and bacon) at the mooring, then went to the fuel dock to pump out, and we headed south.  It appears that all the people hurrying in on jets yesterday were out in their big boats hurrying around the water on a Saturday morning.  It would have been a perfect ride except for the insane boat traffic.  We anchored in a really neat place, Smokehouse Bay on Marco Island, which is in the center of condos and houses.  Check out the iPad screenshot below.  We went to Winn Dixie and to West Marine for a boat hook.  

Lesson Learned:  Don’t by cheap boat stuff.  For some things, especially tools, I have always tried to buy the best, not the cheapest.  A good tool will last a lifetime and work properly.  A cheap tool will waste your time and money.  I have never really used a boathook much, but knew that I might need one, so a year or so ago, I shopped around and bought the cheapest one I could find.  When it comes to day to day life on a boat, especially when picking up moorings, a GOOD boat hook is a necessity.  The cheap one came apart when trying to pick up the mooring yesterday.

Tonight we were cooking hamburgers on the grill and a couple from the boat next to us (Hatteras 48) invited us over for drinks.  We enjoyed the visit and will likely see them tomorrow.  Meeting new people is one of the best parts of cruising.  

We will probably stay at Marco Island until Tuesday when we will move on to Everglades City.

Blue triangle is where we are anchored

Sunday, January 18, 2015, 21st Day

Marco Island - Anchorage at Smokehouse Bay

Hanging out at our anchorage in Smokehouse Bay, Marco Island.  Another cold front is coming so this is a good place to be.  We were on the boat until early afternoon, doing small jobs, and reading.  I cranked the engine and ran it for an hour to charge the batteries.  Lunch was homemade pimento cheese that I am now specializing in.  After lunch we dingyed to the Winn Dixie dingy dock, walked around a street art event, which consisted of folks selling sculptures and pictures for far more than I would pay.  I liked a bronze alligator but it was $2,400.  All I wanted was a $10 tee shirt but there were none.  Walked (we walk anywhere we cannot go by dingy) to CVS and stopped for ICE CREAM on our way back to the dingy.  This afternoon I have been cleaning up all the pictures on my computer and running the gasoline generator.  Power generation is still somewhat in the research stage.  My little 2000 w Honda (really a Yamaha) generator ran for about 1½ hours on little more than a cup of gasoline!  …

For those who are interested (sorry for those who are not):  Dubhe has three battery banks.  One bank is a battery dedicated to starting the engine.  Nothing else runs off of it.  In theory, if we run down the house batteries, we can still start the engine.  There are two banks of batteries for “house” power.  Each bank consists of two 6 volt golf cart batteries connected in series for 12 volts.  They are rated at a little more than 200 amp hours (each bank).  It seems like a lot, but I apparently miscalculated how much my refrigerator needs.  It burns about 150 watts, so at 110 volts, it draws about 1.4 amps, but when 12 volt power is used via an inverter, it needs over 10 amps…ouch…not counting losses in the inverter, etc.  Anyway, one of the house banks is dedicated to providing 110 volt AC via the inverter, and the other supplies 12 volt DC for the lights, electronics, pumps, etc.  I can switch each bank between AC and DC or use both for one.  (I could have posted pictures of all the batteries, switches, etc, but that would probably be too much.)  Besides the refrigerator, another energy hog is my laptop charger, so when I am drinking cold beer and surfing, I am using a lot of juice.  Of course, once we are plugged in at a marina or when we get to Marathon, there is no problem but I expect we will have several days anchored in the Everglades before then...I just need to have enough gasoline for my generator.  One other point…the engine alternator produces twice the amperage as the portable, but it is not good for this diesel engine to idle or run slow and relatively unloaded for long periods.

Tomorrow, we move to a marina for one night, primarily to fill our water tanks, do laundry, take showers, pump out, and get wifi.  Tuesday we hope to head for Everglades City.

Smokehouse Bay. Dubhe is just left of center.

The Cruise - Week 2 January 5-11, 2015

Since I am new at blogging, I am still experimenting with format.  I didn’t like making each day a new post, but one post for the whole cruise is too long, so I plan to break it up into separate weekly posts.  It may change again, but here goes.


Monday, January 5, 2015, 8th Day

Departed Rockhouse Creek 0655

Docked at Cocoa City Dock 1430

Total day’s run 54 statute miles (47 nm), 360 miles total.

We had a quiet and restful night.  Rockhouse Creek is protected and the holding (for anchoring) is very good.  We got an early start to make the New Smyrna drawbridge opening at 0720.  The wind was from the north all day at 15 kt which kicked up a steep following sea in the shallow waters of the Mosquito and Indian Rivers.  Dubhe rolled and wanted to “round up” like a sailboat.  I had to steer all day so by time we arrived at Cocoa I was ready for a rest and a beer.  We are tied up at the city dock which is just an old dock at a park that is free but has no services.  The best part is that it is well protected from north winds.

Shortly after we arrived, a man came to look at Dubhe after he saw her coming down the Indian River.  A few minutes later, a couple who saw her from a distance recognized the Willard and came over to talk. They had owned a Willard Vega Horizon (same as Dubhe but with a different cabin configuration) and told us to call them when we ever decide to sell her.

Now, we are planning for the next couple of days, particularly the strong cold front that will be coming through, and our crossing of Lake Okeechobee.  Looks like Vero Beach tomorrow.

Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center

As I posted this picture, I realized that all of this is pretty boring for many, but (to be honest) it is for us too.  Shouldn't I have some cooler pictures?? We spend most of the day driving Dubhe then seem to be tired when we are done.  Then we go to bed early so we can leave early.  I hope once we get to the west coast of Florida, we will take more time to explore off the path.  

Tuesday, January 6, 2015, 9th Day

Departed Cocoa city dock                 0740

Arrived Vero Beach City Marina 1545

Total day’s run 55 statute miles (48 nm), 415 miles total.

Today was our best cruising day yet.  Warm, mid 70’s, and sunny for most of the day.  Best of all there was little or no wind.  After yesterday, this was a real blessing.  The autopilot steered much of the way so we could relax and enjoy the ride.  We are now really in Florida with mangrove trees and mansions along the water and long palms (trees).  And we are over 400 miles from our start!

We saw lots of local folks out in boats enjoying the weather; many were in the water which is about 74 degrees.  I can tell that I am not in South Carolina anymore because many times people in passing boats do not wave.  Come on…everyone waves at the other boat, even Yankees do when they are in South Carolina, but apparently not in Florida.  Oh well, times change.  

We are staying tonight and tomorrow night at the Vero Beach City Marina which I remember from our cruise here 31 years ago (a little eerie).  Some marinas are full of over the top giant yachts where you feel out of place.  Other marinas are collections of old and derelict boats.  Vero Beach City Marina is just right…kinda middle class like us; mostly sailboats and trawlers. 

Our stopover includes an extra day so we can weather this strong cold front that is to come through tomorrow night with 30 mph winds.  Our plan is to enter the Okeechobee waterway on Thursday and begin our way across Florida to the Gulf Coast.  

I am still not doing well in the photography department, but will try to be more creative.  

One aspect of the trip I haven't mentioned is drawbridges.  Since Dubhe is not a sailboat, you would think that we can clear the bridges, but most drawbridges have to open for us.  She needs 28 feet above the water and we went through two bridges yesterday that had a vertical clearance of 27 feet, ugh.  It's a pain for us and those poor folks in the cars trying to get somewhere.  

At least we are going in the right direction

Wednesday, January 7, 2015, 10th Day.

Vero Beach City Marina.

Today was the best weather day so far; glorious sunshine and 70+ degrees.  We even sat outside for dinner this evening at the Riverside Café.  The weather forecast is still saying temp in the 40’s and windy with up to 30 mph gusts, tonight.  It looks like we will stay here tomorrow night too, which will put us back underway Friday morning and crossing Lake Okeechobee Sunday.  After traveling every day (but one) for over a week, we don’t quite know what to do with ourselves at the dock.  I did learn that we need an idea list for when we are waiting for weather.  This evening, we kept thinking about things we should have done today but did not think about at the time.  For example, we should have taken the dingy out for a ride around the harbor.  Maybe tomorrow if weather permits.

Yes, we are very tuned in to the weather.  I look at multiple forecasts, several times a day and I am amazed by how much a forecast will change from the 5 day to the 3 day to even 24 hours.  I really don’t like getting caught exposed in bad weather, but I almost equally don’t like holding up for bad weather that does not materialize.

We must have walked about 4 miles today, to the beach, the hardware store, and to dinner.  Notice that eating is still a major part of this expedition, but at least we had some exercise today.  We met two couples from South Carolina and another person who called this “Velcro Beach” because so many people who visit wind up staying…sounds like Beaufort.

Thursday, January 8, 2015, 11th Day.

Vero Beach City Marina.

Howling wind woke me up at 0300 this morning; the cold front had finally arrived.  I got up to check on things, added a couple of lines and relocated the dingy.  I am glad we are here this well protected marina.  Nancy fixed bacon and pancakes this morning which were wonderful, but we are going to have to have another talk about our food consumption!

I fiddled with some small projects and we went to West Marine and Publix on the bus (when was the last time you rode a public bus?).  From the stop here at the marina, one can go anywhere with relative ease for free!  As we rode along we marveled at how neat and clean this place is.  Even the public areas are well landscaped and there is no trash along the roads.  I understand why so many people want to come here.  We have met a few cruisers who come from up north just to stay at this marina for the winter.

When we first docked here, we decided that we would pump out the waste tank upon departure, but since we have stayed a day longer than planned, we now have a little waste problem.  And since there has been nothing else exciting to report, I thought I would comment on a part of cruising and boat life that is rarely discussed.

On Dubhe, we generate solid waste (trash, beer bottles, food, containers, etc) and liquid waste (what goes into the toilet) daily.  As for the solid waste, I am really surprised that we come up with so much.  In a few days we will have several shopping bags of trash.  Of course it has to be stored somewhere until we can unload it at a marina, and there is not a lot of extra space.  Generally, odor is not a problem because organic refuse like food scraps, coffee grounds, and banana peels go overboard unless we are in a marina.

The liquid waste is more of an issue.  When originally constructed in 1974, Dubhe did not have a waste holding tank, but at that time no recreational boats had holding tanks…it was just pumped overboard.  Of course today is different.  The discharge of waste within the 3 mile limit is illegal and I would like not to do it anyway (doesn't mean I never have).  Dubhe has a holding tank, added by a previous owner, but it is very small; only a few gallons.  Although the “gray water” from the two sinks goes directly overboard, we only have two or three day’s capacity in our holding tank, depending on how closely we manage it.  So waste management and disposal is a daily concern and will sometimes dictate when we need to stop at a marina.

We are anxious to get going and plan to depart in the morning for the first section of the Okeechobee Waterway near Saint Lucie, Florida…but we will have to move to the fuel dock first and “pump out” before we can get underway.

Waiting for the bus.

Friday, January 9, 2015, 12th Day

Departed Vero Beach city dock 0810
Municipal Marina

Anchored, Hoggs Cove        1430
Port Saint Luci

Total day’s run 40 statute miles (35 nm), 455 miles total.

We had a nice run today in almost perfect weather; mostly sunny, 70 degrees, and little wind.  We were at the fuel dock to pump out at 0730 and it was a good thing since three other boats had the same idea, but we were first.  We are anchored in the beginning of the Okeechobee Waterway with scenery of multi-million dollar homes on the water.  The wind is predicted to be about 15 kt tonight but holding is good so we should have a good rest.  Tomorrow, we head inland, under I-95 and to the Port Mayaca lock just before entering Lake Okeechobee.  As I write, we are anchored, having a beer, or wine for Nancy, and she is beginning to prepare dinner which is going to include cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet.

I was asked about navigation.  In the ICW, most of the navigation is by eye; keep the red markers on the right and green on the left when going south (unless you intersect a channel, headed out).  I have some paper charts, but they are so expensive ($26 each), that electronic charts are the way to go now.  I have every NOAA chart for the East US on my iPad, Nancy’s iPad, and my iPhone.  I also have an app that shows my location (amazingly accurate) on the chart.  Below are a couple of screen shots from my iPad.  The small blue triangle is our position, the dotted line behind it shows where we have been, the yellow line in front is our current path or course.  The orientation of the blue triangle as well as HDG are not necessarily correct because the iPad is not always oriented to the fore and aft axis of the boat (which is not necessary for what we are doing).  The COG is “course over ground” which is important and which is also the yellow line.  SOG is “speed over ground” in knots. For the non boat people, a knot is one nautical mile per hour (one knot equals about 1.15 mph)

Saturday, January 10, 2015, 13th Day

Departed Hoggs Cove anchorage 0720

Anchored, Port Mayaca 1345
Lock channel

Total day’s run 35 statute miles (30.5 nm), 490 miles total.

Our anchorage last night was a little bumpy at times but the high ground with the mansions protected us from most of the wind and we had a restful night.  Our intention was to stop just before going through the Port Mayaca lock so we could get an early start crossing Lake Okeechobee.  And that is what we did, but herein lies one of the more difficult decisions when cruising.  How far do you try to go in one day and where do you stop?  The stopping point needs to be a good anchorage or a marina that has space.  How far you can go depends on many factors, including the speed of the boat, currents, and weather.

So we made our plan and stuck to it…too bad.  We arrived at Port Mayaca plenty early to lock through and cross Lake Okeechobee, and the wind has not been as high as predicted.  We shouldda kept going but instead we are sitting in this canal all afternoon.  We had heard about boats tying up to the dolphins (groups of piling) which we did for a while but I didn’t like it.  In my opinion, this is not a good way to secure a recreational boat.  So we anchored, and by then it was definitely too late to cross.  We should have a plan but we should be willing and able to change it when conditions warrant.

One factor in our delay today is the statute mile versus nautical mile system we are working with.  I have always thought in terms of nautical miles and knots, but the ICW and Okeechobee Waterway is marked in statute miles.  To be conservative, I have been estimating using statute miles and knots, which mixes units, and is the main reason that we arrived so early and my projection of crossing time was too long.  Some conservatism is good but today we blew it.

Otherwise, we had a great day.  The weather was perfect and we were lifted 14 feet in the St. Lucie lock which was fun.  Dubhe is now floating in fresh water.

Oh well it’s time for a beer.  Tomorrow, we will get an early start, cross Lake Okeechobee and continue on.

Sunday, January 11, 2015, 14th Day

Departed Port Mayaca anchorage 0700

Arrived  LaBelle city dock 1645

Total day’s run 63 statute miles (55 nm), 553 miles total.

We had a quiet, restful night and a good passage today.  The wind was calm this morning so I expected Lake Okeechobee to be smooth.  The Port Mayaca lock operates from 0700 to 1900 so I called them at 0701.  The operator said that it would be about 10 minutes before he would be ready.  I was already ready!!  We cleared the lock at 0730 (after being lifted only about 1½ feet) and headed for the first marker on the direct route across the lake.  The wind was only about 10 kt from the NE but a swell was running that did not seem to consistent with the wind.  I guess it was left over from the wind yesterday.  Anyway we rolled a little so I set the steadying sail which helped some.  The lake crossing was otherwise uneventful.  We were lowered about 4½ feet at the Moore Haven lock and lowered another 8 feet at the Ortona lock.  We tied up at the LaBelle free city dock at about 1630.  

My revelation of the day:  When cruising, all days are the same.  We do different stuff and we love not being tied to someone else’s schedule, but the days are all the same, in that, the day of the week does not matter.  We find ourselves constantly asking “What day is this?”.  The general answer is “Does it matter?”  Monday is the same as Friday and Sunday is the same as Wednesday.  It’s good that we are free, but in years past, there was such a good feeling about getting off of work on Friday after a hard week…it was special.  Fridays are just the same as any other day now.  Do not construe this to mean that I would prefer to work like a madman so Friday would be special…not at all.  It’s just that this is a different aspect of the cruising life that I have come to appreciate.  As we headed out across Lake Okeechobee (I have learned to spell it), I thought about my church.  I missed being there today.  I missed the smiling, positive faces, and of course all the hugs.  Church is one of the places where God speaks to me, through community with other imperfect people.

Today, the most stressful thought was not crossing the lake, but would we be able to find a place in LaBelle.  It is rather remote and there are not many other alternatives, but we are now safely tied up and looking forward to a good night’s sleep.

Fort Myers tomorrow

Lake Okeechobee

…