Low Key at Boca Chica

Thursday, February 12, 2015

It seems as if we have been on island time since we have arrived in Boca Chica, as in: “Time for lunch?” “Is this Tuesday or Wednesday?” Or, as Dame Violet, Dowager Countess on Downton Abby famously said, “What’s a weekend?” It’s been a very laid back week and a half but I knew it was time to post a blog when one of our Looper friends said he had to look at other boater’s blog to see what we were doing!

We have been enjoying our days here in the Keys and keeping it low key. Our rental car takes us into Key West when we want to brave the traffic and we have located all of the important places such as the commissary, West Marine, Sloppy Joe’s Bar and a small beach. We have found that beaches here are rare and the sand is usually shipped in from other sandier locations. The Keys are protected by a coral reef so there is no surf here to pound the shore and create the fine sand found on other coasts.

 


Our mascot, Christopher Croaker, is chillin' at the little beach at Boca Chica -
bridge to Stock Island and Key West is in the background
 

 

Our slip at the marina - Serenity is just to the right of the first tall sailboat
 

 

One of the many roosters on Key West
 

A mama, her calf and a larger manatee were hanging out by
the dock one day
 

We are settling into the yin and yang of the place and have learned that salt water is very hard on anything that is metal. It takes very little exposure for rust to start. On the other hand, spiders don’t survive in the salty environment so we rarely see one. Any fresh water boater knows what a nuisance they can be.

The wind blows almost constantly and it has been a rough season on the Gulf and the Atlantic. The residents here say that the wind has its advantages because it keeps mosquitoes and no see-ums at bay - haven't been bothered by those so far.

We are on a Naval Air Station so we are a little isolated and the amenities are basic but more than adequate with showers, laundry and Navigator's Bar and Grill where we can order lunch or dinner. It is very pleasant here and we are enjoying an air show almost every day. It is a little loud at times but the roar of the jets is music to our ears – the sweet sound of Naval aviation!

Yesterday we had small separate adventures. Our friends, Martha and George, asked John to help get their boat, Aunt Aggie, through the outside channel from Stock Island to Marathon. John was happy for the experience and he answered with a quick, “Yes.” They had tried to go out a few days before but the winds were too much and they turned back to the shelter of the marina. Martha had enough of rough seas and so, when the better day arrived, John and George set off on the boat and Martha and I had a splendid day together having lunch by the beach and then driving Route 1 from Boca Chica to Marathon. It was a win-win for all and a really beautiful day!

The dinghy dock at Boot Key Harbor in Marathon -
there were hundreds of boats here on moorings and at anchor
 

 

George and John have successfully left Aunt Aggie at anchor
and have arrived at the dinghy dock.
 

 

George and Martha are ready to get back on their boat,
and meanwhile John is acting up - time to go home to ours!
 

We have extended our stay here until the middle of March – there still is lots to see and do! Just got back from Key West where we had our first experience with the night life. We went with some of our new boat neighbors and had a great time listening to the live music and dancing. John says we may never leave!

At "The Bull" on lively Duval Street
 

 

Onward to the Keys

Thursday, January 29, 2015

After 9 days it was time to leave Cape Coral. The winds had died down and the next couple of days looked good for our cruise down to the Florida Keys. We departed the yacht basin which is on the Caloosahatchee River following our boating companions for the day, Tom and Linda on Raydiance. Soon we were approaching Ft. Myers Beach and leaving the ICW.

Raydiance out in front on a beautiful day
 

Jasper's Bait Shop and waterfront property
 

The winds calmed down and it was a pleasant trip with only a few boat wakes to deal with. Things did go flying across the salon at one point.

Photo of Esplanade from Internet - this was our view at anchorage
 

We followed Raydiance in through narrow channels to Smokehouse Bay in front of Esplanade Marina at Marco Island, an impressive array of condos with shops and restaurants below. Raydiance dropped anchor and we tied up to them. We rode ashore with them in their dingy, wandered around and listened to the music, watched the dancing and met for dinner. It was a really lovely evening.

Captain’s Log January 29

Departed: Cape Coral Yacht Basin, 7:35 a.m.
Engine hours: 7.1 hrs.
Actual hours: 8 hr.
Miles covered 52.34   Total for trip: 3672
Arrived: Smokehouse Bay anchorage near Esplanade Marina at Marco Island, 3:30 p.m.
Wx: clear 47 degrees rising to 70, N-NE winds 10-15, wind changed to east. We had 2-3’ quartering on the beam. Took on fuel and pumped out at Rose Marina, Marco. Traveled with Raydiance

Friday, January 30, 2015

After a quiet night in the bay we let loose our lines from Raydiance and we snaked our way out through the channel and down a long path through the Ten Thousand Islands.

Colorful pilings on the Coon River in 10,000 Islands
 

Saw lots of manatee zone signs but no manatees - we always go slow speed
 

 The weather was beautiful out on the Gulf but the forecast was for winds to pick up the next day. We decided to push on to an anchorage at Little Shark River, hoping the forecast would improve for our long trip out toward Key West. We parted from our friends on Radiance when they decided to stop at Indian Pass and motor up to Everglades City. John set our course south and at one point we were about 8 miles off shore, but the water was fairly shallow all the way. We encountered fields of crab traps with the markers strung across the water in rows of several dozen, crisscrossing to make fields of hundreds stretched as far as the eye can see. The conditions were such that we could spot them easily and since they were 100 to 150 feet apart we were able to slip through the gaps.

Crab pot marking location of trap - we stay away to keep it's line from
wrapping around our props
 

We also saw dolphins playing and leaping ahead of us when we first entered the open water. There were quite a few compared to the usual two or three. John was excited to see a sea turtle that he said must have been 4 feet in length. As soon as it neared the boat it dived and he didn’t see it again.

What we saw for most of the day - the water was a beautiful blue!

When we reached Little Shark River we entered Everglades Park and there was nothing to see but mangroves, brush and a few dead trees. Several other boats were already anchored there, including sailboats and two Gold Looper boats.

At anchor in the Little Shark River it was very dark and quiet. As other times in the Gulf at night, I have heard a little clicking noise against the hull. I think these sounds may have been small bits of debris in the water carried by the current but I prefer to imagine that the sounds are caused by little hard shelled creatures tapping against the boat as they swim by. This gives me the feeling that we are experiencing part of the life that is all around us.

Sunset at Shark River - the color lasted for a long time
 

 Captain’s Log: January 30

Departed: Anchorage in Smokehouse Bay at Marco Island 7:50 a.m.
Engine hours: 8.6 hr. – 63.11 statute miles
Actual hours: 8 hr.  55 min.
Arrived: Little Shark River anchorage at Everglades 3:45 pm.
Wx: clear, 55 degrees, winds gradually picked up from north to 10-12 kts,  following seas, dodged a lot of crab traps

Saturday, January 31, 2015

At six a.m. we listened for weather – especially the winds – to see if we would go or wait out the winds for the day. The consensus among others who were on the portable VHF radios was that the winds would be doable if they continued from the north. Several boats had come in to the river to anchor overnight including 3 Ranger Tugs, for a total of 15 boats.

Sailboats love the wind, but I thought that if the Ranger Tugs could go, so could we – and they were already leaving! Everyone started pulling anchors at first light. The two gold loopers lead the way, we followed along with some of the sailboats and looking behind as we left the channel we had a string of boats taking their turn.

Low tide at daybreak on the Little Shark River
 

This was another day of seeing nothing but sea and sky and watching for crab pots. After about 4 hours we could see the outline of Seven Mile Bridge west of Marathon Key at the horizon. It seemed forever before we reached it.

Bridge ahoy!
 

It was another 4 hours after going through the bridge to go the distance out to the western part of the Keys. The wind was still at our stern and John sped up a bit to smooth out the ride. When we finally reached the channel to Boca Chica we had to turn into the wind and felt it's strength. We both commented, "We have been out in this!?"

We found our slip where we will stay for a month and are reveling in the realization that we have reached another milestone. It is warm sunny and breezy here and we have a lovely view of turquoise waters, palm trees and grass roofed shelters at the picnic area. We are renting a car to explore the area and you may not hear from us for a while. This is truly paradise. Even though we are getting the jet noise from the Navy jets, John is loving it as he remembers many years ago being one of those pilots taking off and landing at Naval Air Station Key West.



Sunset sky over Boca Chica - what a view!
 

Captain’s Log: Jan 31, 2015

Departed: Little Shark River anchorage 6:50 a.m.
Arrival: Boca Chica Marina, NAS Key West 4:15 p.m.
Engine hours: 9.6/541.3 since beginning of trip
Actual hours: 9 hrs., 30 min
Miles: 85.49/total miles on trip 3821
Wx: clear, NE winds 10-15, Seas 1-2’ with occasional 3 footers. OK ride to 7 Mile Bridge, turned west, and wind changed to east 20-25mph but smooth ride throughout
Traveled with Attitude Changer and Nearly Perfect until we passed under bridge