New Smyrna Florida (late entry from Feburary)

   After 4 days in Daytona Beach waiting and successfully getting our scupper hoses replaced, we finally made it to New Smyrna Beach where are good friends Tara and Carol had been waiting for us since we departed Yorktown nearly a month ago.

Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating. With strong winds and swift reversing tidal currents, we were afraid to leave our boat unattended in the anchorage. A quick glance at the boats around us showed why we were concerned.

  If the wind and current are aligned, the boat sits very comfortably in one spot at the end of the anchor chain. But when the wind is against the current, the boat sails back and forth as wind on the rigging and current on the keel fight against each other sending the boat in all different directions. These pulls and tugs in all different directions and 1-2 ft waves created by wind against the tide, is what can pull a well set anchor out of the bottom and allow you to drag towards shallow water. Here's a view from our chartplotter showing the movements of the boat when the wind is against the tide. The red x is where our anchor is set at. The darker blue is where the shallow water is reported according to our charts but fortunately they were not accurate and it was 10 ft deep throughout this area. Inaccurate charts is another factor contributing to stress and anxiety.

   So, we spent the next two days sitting on the boat waiting for the winds to die down, talking to our friends on the phone. Carol and Tara moved to FL over the summer, and we had been waiting to see them since they left.  It was very frustrating to sit at anchor and see them standing on the dock of the yacht club. We filled our waiting with books, puzzles and of course, knitting.

   Two days later the wind dropped and we were able to raise the anchor and proceed to the city marina. Not so fast though. As we throttled forward, the boat wasn't making any way through the water. We were just drifting across the channel. Something wrong with the transmission. We quickly dropped the anchor back down to troubleshoot the problem. When I inspected the transmission and shaft I discovered the six bolts holding the engine drive train to the propeller shaft had all backed off and the shaft was totally disconnected. We had had our shaft worked on in Yorktown last summer and apparently the boatyard there did not properly tighten the bolts when they put the shaft back together.

All turned out well as I was able to simply reattach the shaft. None of the bolts were stripped or damaged so it was an easy fix to just screw them back in and tighten them properly. Another lesson learned, should check that periodically after you have work done.  Within 30 mins we were ready to go again. The only effect of our shaft issue was that Rivah's sleeping area was getting smaller and smaller as we had to move items around in the aft cabin to be able to get to the shaft area and check to make sure all was well.

  One benefit of having to sit for a couple days waiting on the wind was that the free town docks, which were closed for docking during the Art Festival over the weekend, were now available. We were able to stay there two nights as no other boats showed up to dock. There is room for 3 boats there if everyone ties up properly.

   Finally we were able to visit with our friends and see the sights of New Smyrna. It is a very pretty and artsy town and beach area without too much commercial development. That probably won't last.  We took Rivah out to the Ponce Inlet where the wind was still blowing strong. A cold front with cold winds was blowing through but the cloudless sky allowed the sun to warm you especially with dark jackets on. Rivah enjoyed running and retrieving her ball on the beach but wasn't too keen on the sand the got in her mouth each time she picked up the ball.

   Carol and Tara took us to Florida's Blue Spring state park to see the manatees, that come to the spring to hang out in the warm waters. There were over 350 manatees reported to be in the park grounds that day. We saw lots of them through the crystal clear waters along with tarpon and several other species of fish.

   After touring the manatee waters it was time to check out the local brewery. the IPAs and Stouts were great.

   The big attraction of New Smyrna Beach is the actual beach where they still allow the public to drive the cars out on the beach (for a fee). It was another chilly but sunny day and a great day to sightsee along the beach.   

  All too soon it was time to move on south (towards warmer weather) heading on to Miami, the Florida Keys and ultimately to Charlotte Harbor. Before we departed we had breakfast with Carol and Tara at the Jason's Corner cafe. The cute feature there was the doggy menu. Rivah loves eggs for breakfast and got a great treat.

After saying goodbye's it was off for southern Florida...

Miami to Key West

   It is 100 miles from Miami to Key West, fortunately for sailboats it is normally downwind but still  a 24 hour transit. You could safely sail down the Hawk Channel on the oceanside of the Keys through the night but there are plenty of lobster pots on floats that can grab your prop or rudder and cause expensive problems - so better to only transit during the day. There is an "inside" passage along the north side of the island chain with plenty of places to stop for the night, but there are several spots that are only 5ft deep along this path. Since our boat requires 4ft 10inches of water, that is pretty iffy. We did this inside passage before in 2005 but our boat is now a couple inches deeper because of extra gear loaded onboard so I have not attempted it again. So our path is outside and we will plan to anchor off Indian Key, the only spot with at least some protection from the wind/waves, about half way down the chain.
   First stop is just a few miles down Biscayne Bay off Elliott Key. As long as we are still in the great Biscayne Bay sailing area, we might as well take advantage of the nice sailing conditions.

   There are two ways out of Biscayne Bay to the ocean, one at the northern end near Cape Florida (well behind us now) and the other at the southern end through Angel Fish passage. We are heading through Angel Fish which has a shallow sandbar right at the exit point on the ocean side normally 5ft at low tide, but we have timed our passage to go through nearing high tide. We followed a catamaran through the passage who - too bad for us - probably had a draft shallower than us so we couldn't use him to test the waters.

   Exiting the passage on the ocean side the channel gets narrow and shallow. As typical, a large power boat went flying by us just before the narrowest point (where two boats can't safely fit). A guy in a hurry that didn't want to wait for a slow sailboat. Fortunately we had just enough water not to strike the bottom when we rocked up and down in his large wake. Many of these boaters have so little knowledge of what they are doing that they don't realize the danger they create for other boaters.

  

 Sailing downwind in the Hawk Channel, we finally had some of the best sailing conditions of our trip. The clear Gulf waters were the distinctive aqua-blue of the Florida Keys reflecting the blue sky. The temperatures were in the mid-70s and it was finally short sleeve sailing with no enclosure required. Otto the autopilot is doing a great job, even after 15yrs without any hiccups.

   We arrived at Indian Key and conditions were not good for anchoring overnight but unfortunately we were committed at this point. It was either anchor or sail on through the night through the numerous lobster pots we had sighted all day long. We decided to anchor.  The problem was the wind had picked up during the day and was now blowing a good 15-20kts with higher gusts and shifted so that we had no protection from Indian Key. The waves had built to 2+feet, not dangerous but not comfortable. We let out close to 200ft of anchor chain and set the anchor firmly. I was pretty confident the anchor would hold us fine but we knew it would not be a comfortable night.  And it wasn't. Even though you know you are firmly anchored, the wind is loud, the wind generator whines, the wind howls and rattles through the rigging, and the boat rocks up and down sharply.  Sue and I slept, fitfully, in the salon ready to jump up if required.  Of course, it was not required and by sunrise at 0630 we were quick to pull anchor and get on with the transit. We did have a full moon for the night which let us see the nearby coral islands clearly and confirm our location (and our fears).

   Off again and another great day of superb sailing downwind down the island chain. Our next planned stop was Bahia Honda, where there is a good protected anchorage inside the island point that blocks any significant wave action. The wind would still be blowing at 20kt but the greater danger to anchoring is always the wave action, not the wind. We would be safe in Bahia Honda. The only challenge (not that serious) is to get safely into the entrance. The channel is plenty deep enough if you stay in the center, but it bends around very close to a coral island with a ledge on the right side and through the old abandoned bridge to Key West, where a section of the bridge has been cut away to provide sailboat access.

   Once inside the bridge there is plenty of space to anchor off the beach. Bahia Honda is a Florida state park and has the best beaches (inside and shoreside) in the Florida Keys. Unfortunately for us, dogs are not allowed on the beaches. Since we have been here before and toured all the areas we did not feel a need to go ashore and sightsee again. We stayed two nights in the protected anchorage waiting for the winds to die down before proceeding on to Key West.

   From Bahia Honda it is only a few hour transit down to Key West. We arrived shortly after noon. The sailing conditions were breezy but great for a spirited sail. Several of the Key West charter schooners were departing port for their afternoon cruises.

 Only one large cruise ship was in port as we passed by through the Key West entrance channel. The last time we visited Key West we entered in similar gusty wind conditions and did not have the reefed mainsail sufficiently tight to not catch the strong winds. We sailed through the channel and crowds of boats at a 40degree heel angle - quite excessive for Sue and I. I'm sure we looked like sailing pros to the unknowing crowds along Mallory Square waiting for sunset but that's because they didn't know the error we had made in our reefing technique. This time we were better prepared and the winds were a bit more accommodating. We sailed through at a much more appropriate style with reefed main and staysail only.

      Since I am retired Navy with access to US military facilities, it is most convenient for us to anchor off the Navy housing area at Sigsbee. We can dinghy into the Navy base area for shopping and laundry. The anchor holding in this area is ok for winds up to 25kts but any stronger than that and you have to move. It also is fully exposed to northwesterly winds. Fortunately, the prevailing trade winds blow from the east so most of the time anchoring is no problem. Its just when the strong cold fronts blow through that you have to figure out a different place to go. We were fortunate during our week there to not have to move our anchorage spot.

Next up - A week in Key West - a great party town!

Key Biscayne and Miami

   We spent a couple weeks hanging out in the Miami area enjoying the warm Florida Keys temperatures and breezes of February. Initially we anchored off the tip of Key Biscayne, one of our favorite areas. Sue finally had a chance to try out the kites she purchased years ago for the kids to fly off the boat. They work great in the Florida Keys trade winds.

   Anchoring just off No-Name Harbor provides easy access to the island of Key Biscayne. The harbor is located within the Florida Bill Baggs State Park and for a nominal fee you can land your dinghy and tour the park grounds and walk to "downtown" Key Biscayne where we did some shopping at the Winn Dixie, stopped by Starbucks, and picked up a Cuban sandwich at the Oasis Cafe.  You can anchor inside the protected Non-Name Harbor anchorage for $20/night however, in February it is quite crowded.

   One of the great joys of Key Biscayne is the "locals" you find yourself sharing the sidewalk with. In addition to the egrets and herons, as well as pelicans and cormorants in the harbor, there are numerous noisy parrots that live in the palms along the main street.

   A new addition to downtown since our last visit in 2012 is the rental bikes that are distributed throughout the island. A pretty convenient means to get around quickly. 

  The large public parks along the north and south ends of the island are especially enjoyable to walk through.

   And the Cape Florida Lighthouse on Bill Baggs park is not to be missed. Unfortunately for Rivah dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the lighthouse. (There is a nice beach on the other side of the lighthouse, one of the best beaches on Key Biscayne)

  Every 10-14 days or so a strong cold front blows through southern Florida and boaters have to figure out where they are going to anchor for protection from the strong northerly winds. We decided to head for Miami South Beach, an area we had heard plenty about but never visited before. Our friends gave us instructions for entering into the anchorage area which showed too shallow 4ft depths to get into but they assured us it was deeper than shown on the chart. Since they were also heading there, we decided to follow suit. We followed their recommended route through the Venetian Causeway passage which was a safe 6ft deep and anchored off the main South Beach Island. We were protected from the northerly winds and seas but not so much the boat wakes from the numerous boaters and ferry boats. Safely anchored, we hunkered down for 24hrs of rain, then the sun was back out.

   While a bit busy, the anchorage area provides good access to downtown Miami Beach. The dinghy approach to downtown though was difficult to find (and use) without instructions from those with prior experience. We scouted around the area in our dinghy on our first day and decided that the narrow canal entrance we passed couldn't possibly be the way downtown. Wrong, that's the way in and down to the public dock just across the street from Publix. And, we were told - ignore the "No Docking" signs - this is where boaters tie up (not at the public boat launch site where you will get towed away).

   So, we toured around south Miami for several days waiting for the north winds to blow through. Sue checked the beach for shells (no good ones) while I walked Rivah who is not allowed on the beaches. We did learn that the only Miami beach that dogs are allowed on is the nude beach in North Miami Beach, but that was outside our dinghy cruising range.

   One of the local hot spots for boaters was Monument Island, just to the west of our anchorage. This is a small island with no inhabitants except the busy beaches on the weekends. Unfortunately there were plenty of "No Dogs Allowed" signs prominently displayed.

     After a few days at Miami Beach and the return of favorable weather, we decided it was time to start moving on to Key West. We would first head back to Crandon Park on Key Biscayne and fill our water tank and pump out the holding tank along with a bit of laundry before moving on down the Keys. We were pleasantly surprised to learn we could pick up a mooring ball at Crandon even though the Miami boat show was going on a couple miles away. Seems the crowds were using the ferries from downtown rather than the relatively isolated Crandon Park (just the kind we like).

Next - off to Key West!

To Miami

   Following our terrific visit with friends in New Smyrna Beach its time to head further south for Miami and warmer weather. Its been brisk in northern Florida with temperatures in the 40s-60s and strong winds. Its back to the Intra-Coastal Waterway south to Fort Pierce before we will head out to sea.     

   We stopped and anchored the first night off Cocoa Beach, just out of the ICW channel, with cold northerly winds at 15-20kts. Same conditions we have had for last couple weeks. The next day takes us to Vero Beach where we picked up a mooring ball for couple nights. Vero "Velcro" Beach is a convenient stopping point with inexpensive moorings and free shuttle bus to shops and the beach. Many cruisers spend the winter at Vero Beach. We replenished fresh items at Publix and picked up a back-up GPS at West Marine. Filled the fuel and water tanks and set off for Miami.


   Finally out of the "ditch" and out to sea at Fort Pierce. We had light northeasterly winds which were good for sailing at a slow 4-5kts. That was fine as it is 24hrs to Miami and we have no desire to arrive in the dark so we can take our time.

   Seas and winds are mild so a good chance to catch up on sleep on a lazy afternoon at sea.

   Nighttime sailing off southern Florida is a busy place. We had to avoid tugs and a large dredging vessel off Palm Beach and then 4 different cruise ships coming and going from Fort Lauderdale. The ships are well lit but its always confusing to determine when/where they are actually heading as this one loitered left of us to rendezvous with the Pilot Boat, then got underway across our bow to enter port with the pilot onboard. We stopped to let them proceed ahead of us.

   Finally, early morning and the Miami channel in sight. Time to take in the sails and restart the motor. Back to motoring up the channels. Was a good sail down from Fort Pierce with just a few nighttime stresses with traffic. No bad weather enroute.

   Still a few obstacles to deal with before we can get to our anchorage and kick back and take a rest. This fuel carrier is coming out of the channel we need to pass down since the main channel is closed with multiple cruise boats in port. He takes up most of the channel. Behind him the Fisher Island Ferry is shuttling back and forth which we also need to avoid. And there are private powerboats ahead and behind us, always in a hurry it seems.

  Clear channel ahead and we are proceeding through the Miami cargo port area to Biscayne Bay and our anchorage. We are ultimately heading for the bridge on the far left of the photo but the channel proceeds straight ahead all the way to the shoreline, then along the shoreline to the left alongside the buildings ahead.

   At last, the open waters of Biscayne Bay. This is a great cruising area with relatively sheltered waters from all sides. You can sail here nearly everyday with less than 2ft waves. The only issue is finding a place to anchor when strong northerly cold fronts come through - but there are places available. We are expecting standard easterly trade winds for the next several days so proceeding to the No-Name Harbor area to anchor close to shore.

Finally here - 31 days after leaving Dare Marina in Yorktown we are anchored just off the southerly tip of Key Biscayne outside No-Name Harbor, with warm breezes and no commitments. Time to enjoy our winter in Florida. 

   Time to take off the cockpit enclosure back and sides as the temperature is in the mid-70s and no rain in the forecast. The enclosure is essential for transiting from Virginia in January but we are finally in the warm Florida breezes of the Keys.

   Finally. The long trek is over and time to enjoy the rewards. Sunset over Biscayne Bay in 70degree weather. Time for a good night's sleep and well earned relaxation. Now if the power boaters would just stop zooming by and turn down their blaring stereos.....

Daytona Beach - Boatyard Repairs

   In January, on our way south through the Abermarle Sound, we discovered our port scupper hose was leaking water into the bilge. Checking with our Island Packet brethren, we received advice that Daytona Marina and Boatworks was a reputable place to have repairs made and was along our way. So, here we are finally in Daytona Beach.

   
Our plan was to anchor in the Halifax River outside the Boatworks until they could take us in the following Monday. But after seeing this view and looking at the weather forecasting brisk winds, we decided to pull into Halifax River Marina and stay there until the weather let up.

 
 Halifax River Marina was recommended by our nephew Johnathan who keeps his boat there - we checked it out to ensure all was well - which it was.

 
 Preparing for the boatyard to replace our scupper hoses (and exhaust hose at the same time since it was also dripping) we had to empty all the contents of the cockpit lazerettes and aft cabin. This was alot of gear to fill up the salon and front bedroom.

 
When we arrived at the boatyard, the mechanics were waiting for us and started work immediately. They had the scupper hoses out in a couple hours. I was really impressed since I had surveyed the task at hand and decided it was not one I wanted to tackle, hence my long delay in addressing the problem. They had to remove the autopilot to get to the starboard hose which was one of the main reasons I passed on the job. The hoses were in worse shape than I expected and should have been replaced a while ago - but its one of those quite difficult jobs that are easy to put off. The service from Daytona Boatworks was absolutely top-notch and they charged us the minimum fee. I was very happy with their job and glad I paid them rather than tackle this difficult job myself.

Unfortunately (or, as it turned out fortunately since it allowed us more time sightseeing), they were unable to obtain a replacement 12ft exhaust hose locally and had to order it from Ft Lauderdale, so we ended up having to stay in the boatyard for 2 days. Our friends from New Smyrna drove up and we had a wonderful reunion. Rivah was the hit at lunch at the Yellow Dog cafe.

 
 Rivah had a good time in Daytona at both the Yellow Dog and the Daytona Beach Dog Park.    But not all was uneventful. One time getting back onboard she jumped for the boat early surprising Sue who still had tight hold of the leash. Rivah was stopped mid-flight and fell in the river. Fortunately, there was a work raft alongside which she could swim to and we could lift her out. That earned her a good bath and scrubbing to get the salt water out.

   
 Later in the day the job was finished and it was time to continue on. But the tides were not cooperating. Our boat sits on the bottom at 3.2ft on our depth gauge (with a 1.5ft offset so actual depth of 4.7ft). So, our keel was sitting in almost a foot of soft silt.  At 10am the next morning we finally had water deep enough to get underway. Off for New Smyrna and more time with Carol and Tara.