Day 116-119 – 1/26-29/24

Starting location: Anchorage off West side of Middle Cape near Cape Sable, Southwestern tip of Florida.

Weather: 68 am, 78 pm, partly cloudy to sunny – Friday 1/26. 75 am, 77 pm, somewhat cloudy to full sun, 80% humidity – Saturday 1/27. 76 am, 77 pm, mostly sunny, 81% humidity, started to cool off and drier in evening as winds changed to North – Sunday 1/28. 63 am, 69 pm, cooler and drier, winds in mid 20mph range – Monday 1/29.

Ending location: Safe Harbor Marina, Marathon Island in the Florida Keys. MM 1193 on Southern Atlantic ICW.

Statute miles: Approximately 35, then 0 until departure

General summary: Flat calm all night at anchorage 1/25-26. Warm and humid enough that we noted significant condensation on the outside of the boat in the morning, which we’ve never experienced before. Back at home it is usually cold on the outside and warm inside, so we wake up with condensation on the ceiling. Screens worked well to block mosquito entry after I sprayed DEET on them and we blocked a couple of sneaky openings from the stern area of the boat. Nice beach walk in the morning – no gators again! Pulled up anchor easily and motored to Marathon in the Keys, which is actually 7 islands close together. Pretty smooth until the last 5 miles, then started to experience wind and waves from the Atlantic Ocean for the first time coming through the breaks between islands. Still not too bad. Motored into anchorage in tight slip, with the dockhand’s help. Planned a 4 day stay. Had some packages shipped, so wanted to be here for a few days to make sure we got them (we did) and our next marina reservation didn’t start until 1/30. We have found that it is a bit challenging to get spots in the Keys as this is a popular place to spend the winter (high season) and slips are in demand. Some people reserve a year in advance for extended stays.

We are now in the Southern Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway, which starts in Norfolk, VA at MM 1 and ends in Key West, FL. I am finding different information from different sources about the exact mile at end. Somewhere between 1088 and 1243.

Spent the first afternoon after arrival getting our bearings, re-provisioning, and resting. There has been some stress from constantly being on the go, negotiating new places, monitoring (and worrying about) weather, and planning next steps, as well as poor sleep in the heat and humidity. Ran into some Looper couples we’ve met before and swapped stories. Thankfully the mosquito problem seems dramatically less here!

The next day I visited the Turtle Hospital, where they treat injured sea turtles. The 90 minute tour included a video with employee-led discussion, tour of the hospital building, visiting the turtles in their recovery tanks, and finally feeding some of the healthiest ones in a large pool that fills with water from the ocean. The $35 fee goes to support the non-profit and is totally worth it. You can also sponsor individual turtles. http://turtlehospital.org

Bought a 12 volt fan at West Marine to circulate air in V-berth, which helped us sleep better in the heat. We do not have AC.

Spent a luxurious day at the marina pool the next day, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Monday was cooler and very windy, so we walked along “7 mile bridge” for 2 miles each way. The water was a beautiful aquamarine color with intermittent dark green from sea grass growth and light brown from coral outcrops.

From here, we head to Bahia Honda Key State Park marina where we have a spot reserved for up to 14 days. Will do a multi-day post when we depart from there.

Boater information: Safe Harbor Marina is part of the Safe Harbor group of marinas that appear to work like time-shares to some degree. If your home port is a Safe Harbor, you can stay for several days at any Safe Harbor Marina for free (up to 3 days) and you get gas discounts, among other perks. You can also stay transiently, like us, for a nightly fee without being a member, but I’m guessing members get priority. This one has all you need – gas, pump-out, power, dockside water, pool, bathrooms, showers, gym(s), air conditioned lounges, laundry, ship store and small convenience store. Haul out with sling or lift. Dog rest areas but no real great place for extended walks (except 7 mile bridge, which is 0.5 miles away). Restaurant next door and many within walking distance. Grocery store not too far away. Cheap inter-island bus and good taxi services. Can rent bikes for $65 per week close by. Only thing missing is a spa. Impressed that they promptly answered the phone anytime I called. Several other marinas on the island never returned my messages from days prior.