Key Biscayne

Today was a day for misadventures! Read on. But first, last night we enjoyed a full moon over Sands Key.

Now, for today's story. As we motored out of the Sands Key anchorage, despite having waypoints , channel marks on the water and my track into the anchorage on the computer screen, when Joanne announced that Cantagree was "Way over there," I ordered a turn toward them into shallow water that almost put us aground. I just lost confidence in myself despite all the navigation aids at hand. Actually they were on course behind us, it just didn't look that way. A warning from Cantagree put us back on course.

We headed out to the ICW and up to Crandon Park Marina at Key Biscayne for diesel, gas, water, garabage disposal and a pumpout. In retrospect, Saturday was not the best day to visit a fuel dock. It was a busy dock. After some delays, we got in and out but not before I tripped over my shoelace and fell into the anchor locker howling like a banchee. I was OK. We didn't hit anybody or anything.

Back on the water, I got confused as to the anchoring spot and wandered about a bit. We couldn't spot Cantagree (They fueled and left before us.) and Two if by Sea in the crowded anchorage. After being out in the keys for awhile, I forgot what the big city is like! Over a hundred, mostly powerboats, are anchored here. It looks like one could walk from boat to boat without getting wet.

All in all, we didn't hit anybody or anything. We didn't sink the boat. We got gas, diesel, water (I love fresh water.) and a pumpout. Plus, we got rid of the garbage. We are anchored in a beautiful spot with a view of the Miami skyline. The weather is wonderful. So I guess, we will call it a good day, afterall.

Boca Chita Key

We are anchored off Sands Key about a mile from Boca Chita Key. This key was once the property of Mark Honeywell of Honeywell Computers. A wonderful place for picnics, it is now part of Biscayne National Park. The lighthouse never directed anyone to the harbor; Mark couldn't get a permit for the light.

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sands_Key)

To see photos of the key, click http://www.key-biscayne.com/kb/keys/bocachita/biscayne.com/kb/keys/bocachita/.

We dinghied over to the park from our anchored boats to relax in the shade of a picnic pivillon. Tom expects many local boaters for the weekend both tied up in the harbor and anchored over here.

Went swimming off the boat in the afternoon afterwhich Joanne watched Oprah as we can now get the Miami TV stations.

To learn about the park, click http://www.nps.gov/bisc/

Richard

Biscayne Bay

Today we sailed again from Pumpkin Key into the gorgeous clear blue green waters of Biscayne Bay. Our destination was Elliott Key, a national park site that has been preserved for boaters, campers and picnickers. We dropped anchor about a mile or so from the park dock. We hiked over to the Atlantic side along a beautiful manmade pathway and swam at the white sand beach on the bay side. Check out the pictures - just click to enlarge them.

Later in the afternoon, we swam around our sailboats in crystal-clear water. We could see little fish, the bottom of our boat and anchor. We decided to celebrate our adventure with our friends, Maureen & Tom, with Key Lime pie baked aboard s/v Eagle's Wings and a game of Pegs and Jokers. Another great day in the Keys!

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Sailing to Alabama Jack's and Pumpkin Key

May 5th - what a day for sailing! Check out s/v Cantagree as she glides through Blackwater Sound on the way to Alabama Jack's (A.J.). A.J.'s is a funky little place that is situated near Card Sound Bridge and is frequented by Jimmy Buffett and others - like the crews of Eagle's Wings and Cantagree. We chowed down on their award winning conch fritters and conch salad (see pictures below). A.J.'s prides itself on being the kind of a place that attracts people "who have left the mainstream behind." Of course, we felt comfortable in that kind of atmosphere.

After lunch we continued our journey to Pumpkin Key, which is located just south of Angelfish Creek. We were interested in exploring the Angelfish Creek area since it serves as a passageway from the Intercoastal Waterway (which we are traveling) and the Atlantic (which we had hoped to travel to the Bahamas). We jumped on our dinghies for a look-see and were treated to a beautiful passageway with gorgeous mangroves framed with jewel-green water.

We decided to "drop anchor" at Pumpkin Key and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset. Tomorrow onto Biscayne Bay!

From Blackwater Sound . . .

Alabama Jacks

John Pennykamp Coral Reef State Park

Yesterday, we motored wonderfully down the ICW that runs on the Florida Bay side of the keys through "skinny" water (i.e., water with depths of 4.5 - 5 feet). Our boat has a 4.5 foot keel so we were just an inch or so from hitting bottom. The day was gorgeous and along the way, we stopped for fuel at Plantation Yacht Harbor City Marina. We experienced beautiful blue-green water as we went close to "Extremely Sensitive Environmental Areas" near Pigeon Point. Our friends explained to us that many of the power boaters' propellers have damaged sea grass in these areas. We even saw "pink mud" at one pass and enjoyed the entrance called Grouper Creek in Tarpon Cove. We had a restful evening at anchor and then awoke to another beautiful day in paradise near Key Largo.

We moved the boat a few miles into Blackwater

Sound so that we could then dinghy through the Marvin D. Adams Waterway into Largo Sound and enter the John Pennykamp Coral Reef State Park. The waterway was cut through solid coral. The park extends 3 miles into the Atlantic and is the first undersea park in the U.S. We snorked off of Canon Beach, which has old canons and anchors of an old Spanish Sailing Ship. Some of the canons are on the beach and others have been sunk 150 yards off the beach near the coral reefs. We saw colorful fish (angelfish, parot fish, etc.) On the way out, we even spotted an iguna sunbathing on the rocks. See picture. Tomorrow we are off to Elliott Key and other cool adventures!

Islamorada Day 3

We just relaxed and enjoyed the morning before taking a walk down the overseas highway so Joanne could wander around some of the shops. We had dinner at a very nice restaurant, Uncle's. Here's a picture of the sunset as we dinghed back to our boats.

Islamorada Day 2

May 1

We dinghied through a Mangrove passage from the Matecumbe Anchorage to Whale Harbor Channel. Shoals run along the channel out in the Atlantic. College kids party body-to=body on these shoals at Spring Break we were told.

Later, Joanne snorkeled around Eagle's Wings while I continued to clean the bottom of the boat. Here's some pictures - just click on them twice to see them better!

Cruisers mobbed the pizza place for supper!