Marathon to Boca Chita

We spent a week in Marathon at the Blackfin resort. Hardly what one would call a resort, but a real nice convenient place. The people are nice, it is within walking distance to the food store, Home Depot and other facilities one may need. When traveling by boat certain things one takes for granted be come special. Being close to a store is a special treat. A simple task of getting groceries can take several hours depending on where you are. Planning food and supplies depending on where you are going to be is critical. We always carry canned and dried food in case we run out of fresh food. 

Our buddy boat friend, Rich Odendahl is a runner and saw there was a run at Key Colony, a nice section of homes and beaches in Marathon. So we went with him and watched the race. He won second for his age group and received a medal! We also got to meet Rich's father  and a friend who flew down to meet us for the day. 

After Marathon we worked our way up to Key Largo anchoring one night in Islemorada on the way. We visited the Pro Bass Shop there by dingy and then scooted over to Loreli's for a drink and then back to the boats for dinner. 

The next day we made it to Key Largo mid afternoon. We stayed at Pennekamp Park, which is a state park that offers, snorkel trips to the reef, swimming and camping. It is also we situated for stores and supplies. We stayed for 5 days and are now at Boca Chita. This is a real nice spot, but can get pretty crowded and loud on weekends. We planned it to get here late afternoon, but it was still somewhat crowded and we had to wait about 20 minutes to get a spot at the sidewall to tie up. As the sun set the majority of people left and we had the place to ourselves for the night. Today we head to Miami to anchor our again and then on to the Lauderdale area for about a week.

Stay tuned.

Sombrero reef. Some of the best snorkeling and diving around!

Looking across the way while at Boca Chita. 

Drinks at Loreli's

In Key Largo "Keysing" with Cheryll Odendahl having a drink at our usual happy hour.

Every place we go this guy shows up! We are being stalked! 

You can see military helicopters in the distance. Obama was visiting Ocean Reef club. We suspect they were security circling the area. 

Down to Marathon

It has been a while since my last post. Having left Palm Island Marina we have traveled about two hundred miles and are in Marathon for a week to get into the Keys mode. We had some wonderful experiences on the way down. Cayo Costa State Park is a real treasure with a beach on the Gulf miles long. Ft. Myers Beach has a personality of its own and can be crowded, but fun to see the shops and walk the beach. Naples is a great town with a Saturday morning farmer's market, big label stores and a bank and brokerage firm on each block. 

As you meander south the hustle and bustle slowly subside and you start to enter a new world. Goodland, which is northeast of Marco Island is a small fishing town with a bar and a few eateries that hop at night. This area starts to take on the look of the Everglades. At this point we have to go on the "outside", which means the Gulf of Mexico, so weather and winds are important to watch. The Gulf is shallow until way out so winds can turn it up pretty good. 

From Goodland we made our way down to Everglades City. This City has a lot of history behind it. The Rod and Gun Club has had many Presidents come here to do fishing. I myself had come here years ago to fish for Tarpon, redfish and snook. This was before GPS and if you did not know the area you could get lost if you turned your head the wrong way. I used to have the Mayor of Everglades City, Snapper Butler, take me out as a guide. He told me once, " Mike, it's only me and the devil who knows where you are right now". I made sure I always paid him well! We stayed at a marina called Everglades Isles. This is actually a park for class A RV's that has slips that they rent out. The facilities are among the best, spa, bathrooms and showers with plush towels, free laundry, beautiful clubhouse with pool and gym. When cruising these type of amenities are rare, so when you get them you enjoy. In two days we will be heading into the Everglades, so this is kind of like the last hurrah before being anchored out and fending for yourself against nature. 

After our respite in Everglades City it was off to Little Shark River Inlet from the Gulf. Everglades City is on the western edge of the Everglades, so it isn't too far and you are in the boundaries of the park. From Everglades City to Little Shark River it is about 30 miles in the Gulf heading southward. Once you enter the River  you are in a different world. You are surrounded by Mangroves, egret, porpoise, an occasional turtle and as you get deeper in, crocodiles. The wildlife is abundant and so are the bugs. Mosquitos and noseeums love to pierce your skin as dusk descends. It can be torturous if you stay outside. So once the sun comes down you retreat into the cabin with windows closed until dark. Even though you have screens the noseeums can penetrate through the small holes, hence their names NO-SEE-THEM. I guess "them" was abbreviated to "um". In any event they are the worst biting little devils around. After dark you can open the windows, but don't use lights! When you wake up in the morning your boat is now covered with a carpet of dead bugs. And the ones that are still alive are out to get you. So after eating breakfast it is a mad dash to the bow to pull up anchor and get moving. Once on the move they can't catch you and you start cleaning the mess off.

There is a Wilderness Waterway from Everglades City to Flamingo through the Everglades. It is about 90 miles long and should only be transversed by a canoe or small boat less than 18 feet without a cabin. Our friends Rich and Cheryll Odendahal, who by the way are out boat buddies this trip,  joined the waterway a couple of years ago off the Little shark River and said it was doable. We did it with them this time and it was great. There are spots though that the depts go lower than 2.9 feet  and our boat draws 26 inches. The depth sounder alarm did not like that and screamed a few times along the way. 

Our three days exploring the Everglades was enchanting. Anchoring out in the wilderness is one of the greatest experiences in boating. You are one with nature. The sky at night is magnificent. You can see every star as far as your eye can see. It isn't often that one can look up and see a shooting star, but in the Everglades it is almost guaranteed. Anchor just off shore and you can see the most beautiful sunset. I even got to see the infamous green flash as the sun went down. I always thought that people were lying about it, but I finally saw it! Is it possible that the wine I was drinking from a green bottle helped me to see it?

We are now in Marathon where we will rest, re-provision and take in the local culture. Today we go out to Sombero Reef and do some snorkeling. 

More to follow. 

A buch of us Ranger Tugs anchored out in Cayo Costa State Park

At the dock in Everglades City

Jess and Cheryll outside the Rod and Gun Club. 

The last leg down the waterway into Flamingo

Rich and I on the beach at middle Cape Sable. You can see our boats anchored out in the background.

This is a manatee. Far cry from that cute guy you read about and see in aquariums.

This is a crocodile. They can only survive in fresh or brackish water. The Everglades is one of the few places where you will see crocks and alligators. Swimming anyone??

One of the best sunsets off of Cape sable!

On the move

After taking a five week respite and staying at one marina during that time, we are on the move. I was co-chair of a Ranger Tug Rendezvous at Palm Island Marina in Placida Florida. We had 21 tugs at the 3 day event and it culminated with a cruise and overnight anchorage at Cayo Costa State Park. Anyone who is in the area should make an attempt to get there. There is a ferry from Pine Island that can take you there. There are great trails with either a 3/4 mile walk to the gulf or a free tram ride. Entry is $2.00 per person and it is on the honor system. The southwest coast of Florida is one of our favorite cruising spots. 

We are currently at another Ranger Tug owners dock at Sanibel Island and will be leaving today for Ft. Myers Beach. Our plan after that is to hit Naples, Goodland, Everglades City, Little Shark River (a spectacular waterway that works it's  way through the Everglades to Flamingo) then Marathon, Key Largo, Key Biscayne and then on up to Vero Beach. After that a short run south to Stuart where we will catch the St. Lucie River and cut across the Okeechobee to the Calooosahatchie River and then back up to Cape Haze to end the trip. 

As things progress and things of interest arise I will post, so stay tuned.

On our charted Catamaran in St. Maarten  with our group of friends.

Looks like I am grabbing a cloud, doesn't it? Can't find snow here!

Our penthouse view! Pretty scary seeing your living quarters on a lift. 

Our group of Ranger Tug owners at our Rendezvous we are also known as Tugnutters.

Ranger flotilla leaving for Cayo Costa

Rangers on the move

Sunrise on the hook at Cayo Costa State Park.

And so another adventure begins

Well I have been remiss on posting. We had left the boat in November in Savannah, GA and had it bottom painted. So our trip to our starting point was a short 8 hours. Our new adventure starts off at Palm Island Marina, in Placida, FL. We will be here until Febreuary 10th and then be on the move down to Marathon and then up the east coast to Vero Beach and then across Lake Okechobee and swing back up to Palm Island. Plans can change so they are all tentative. We have done some of this cruising before so I won't  bore you with old sights.  Between January 25th to February 2nd we will fly out to St. Martin where we rented a catamaran with three other couples. If anything good is going on out there I will make a post. So until something of interest happens I won't be posting.

We were in the penthouse for a few short minutes. Very scary seeing your living quarters for the winter in a perilous position!

The End

Well we made it! Six hundred and thirty six miles from Urbanna, VA to Savannah, GA and 80.1 hours of travel time. 

We are in Savannah now seeing the last of the sights. Tomorrow, time to get back to reality. Today we prepare to leave, clean the boat, decide what to take back with us, straighten things out and prepare for having the boat pulled in the morning. 

Our stay in Beaufort, SC was great. Another town with rich history of the south and the Civil War. Beaufort and Savannah have been used for scenes in many movies over the years. We visited the Mercer House which was used and the actual place of a murder which was highlited in the movie of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" . Plenty of shopping and walking along the waterfront and small squares throughout the city. We were fortunate to be here during a large celebration throughout the city. Many of the squares had a ton of activity taking place from cookouts to music, book sales and artists displaying their works. We passed by Bobby Deen who was promoting one of his books. No thank you Mr. Deen, I wasn't impressed with you food the last time I was here. 

So now after I finish this we take a small hiatus and enjoy family and friends up north for the holidays, go back on diets drink less wine and prepare for winter in Florida. 

See you on the next trip!

Mike & Jess

Water tower on site at Paris Island

A sailboat at the docks we were staying at in Beaufort, SC

The lighthouse at Hunting Island 

The lighthouse at Harbortown on Hilton Head Island

One of the many shops in Savannah. Here, for a mere $140.00, you can buy a Wizard of Oz doll.

Cooking barbecue on the square. These egg barbecues are very expensive, but I am told they last forever. They were on sale for an event special for $1,200. 

Jess, Patti and I enjoying lunch at Six Pence Pub. Another movie sight for the filming of " Something to Talk About" with Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid. Patti is our "go to girl" while in Savannah. Can't beat her Southern Hospitality! She even made us a low country boil. Now that's hospitality.

And finally, Dun and Becky our traveling companions for a whole month. See all that money hanging on the walls? That's how we afford these trips. When no one is looking we pick them right off the walls. Not!

The end is almost near

Since Georgetown we have gone to Charleston, SC and we are now in Beaufort, SC. Charleston, SC is one of the best places to visit. They absolutely cater to tourists. We had a free trolley from our marina to the city and when you get there, there is a free trolley to take you anywhere you want to go. We spent three nights there and didn't see it all. A definite place to visit again. As we traveled down to Beaufort, SC we saw wonderful picturesque settings and tons of dolphins swimming by our boat. We stayed at one anchorage that was spectacular, Upper Rock Creek. It was our little piece of heaven on earth. Below are some highlights of our stay in Charleston and our anchorage. 

The trip is winding down and we anticipate arriving in Savannah, GA on November 14th. after a few days there we will be pulling the boat and leaving it there for our return after Christmas.

Where's Waldo? You can just about see our boat with the green hull  behind the submarine. This was our marina in Mt. Pleasant, which is right over the bridge from Charleston.

This is the aircraft carrier Yortown. A great exhibit of planes and life on a carrier during WW II. We also got to tour the USS Laffey, " The Ship that wouldn't die". It was attacked by 22 kamikaze planes in a horrific battle. To learn more and see videos of the attack go to www.laffey.org

We also visited Ft. Sumter. This Fort was where the Civil War started. The Union troopes stationed here were  bombarded by the the south destroying much of the fort. You can see in this photo one of the shells fired that landed and embedded in the wall.

We also visited the Citidel know as one of the premiere military schools of the south. Here are Jess & Becky standing in front of their stadium.

After a day of cruising you go a bit crazy when you set the anchor. Here is Dun and I on top of his boat taking in the view.

Panoramic view at anchor. Just love it!

Southward bound continues

Haven't made too many entries, yet we have covered some distance after Beaufort. We hit a couple of anchorages as well as Southport, NC and then Myrtle Beach and we are now in Georgetown, SC. Each stop had something different to offer. Southport was a quaint fishing town with a nice main street and lots to do and see. We rented a car and drove up to Williamsport to do a tour of the battleship North Carolina. When you get on those ships you realize how small you are. It is a city unto itself. They have everything on board to sustain their existence while out to sea. They even had a barber shop along with dentist, doctor and a full operating room. Their machine shop was magnificent. It was amazing to see how they loaded the cannons with shells and powder. The ship was decommissioned and was going to be scrapped, but local politicians and some citizens made an effort to have it saved and rest in Williamsport as a museum. This was definitely a great tour. 

After 2 days in Southport our next stop on land was Myrtle Beach. The marina, Barefoot Landing, was great, but this was not one of my favorite stops for things to see or do. We did have dinner in the House of Blues and if you enjoy golfing this is the place to be. So we relaxed, got some provisions and moved on later the next day to a wonderful anchorage off the Waccamaw River. This river, as well as the Pee Dee, Santee and Black River,  had a great impact on the rice industry in this area. Georgetown, SC was our stop after anchoring out and this is a lovely town. The people are welcoming and the town has significant history. Their biggest crop before the Revelutionary War was indigo. They grew it and made blue dye from it and shipped it to Britain for use to dye the material for their navy uniforms. Unfortunately the start of the Revolutionary War ended the industry since Britain would no longer purchase their product. They then resorted to growing rice. This area was the premier supplier of "Carolina Gold" rice around the world. The Civil War ended that and the local land owners abandoned rice production because it was very labor intensive requiring inexpensive slave labor and once the slaves were freed, they couldn't afford to pay them. Eighty-five percent of the population were black slaves who worked on the plantations. Interestingly none of the blacks were affected by malaria because most of them had sickle cell anemia. I have not found out yet why this happens. At that time people did not know malaria was caused by mosquitos. They thought it was brought on by the heat in the summer, so the plantation owners would move out to the shore in the summer where it was cooler. What they didn't know was that the mosquitos stayed in the swamps and did not venture to the cool ocean air and that is why they were not inflicted.

Most of us who travel south on I-95 have passed this area many times, but we are in such a hurry to get to our destination we fail to stop and take in the tremendous amount of history in this region. I could go on forever here, but I don't want to spoil you visit. 

On the deck of the USS North Carolina

Halloween in Southport, NC

Self explanatory 

They should do a little paint job on this one,