Tieing A Knot...: A New Adventure Begins

I had a comment from yesterdays post from my daughter, Dorian. She is always thinking when I drop the ball.

For those who'd like to learn more about, and help to support, the amazing manatees, check out http://www.savethemanatee.org/. Consider "adopting" a manatee the next time you need a gift for someone!!

Thanks Dorian!!!!!

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After our very hectic day Sunday our friends Ondra & Nelson Gainey from 'Last Boat'....came over Sunday night to send us off on our voyage. They plan to stay in Marathon for another couple of weeks before heading back to North Carolina. We have made many new friends and reconnected with quite a few from 2 years ago. We met Ondra & Nelson in 2011.

A look back at Sister Creek .....Bye, Boot Key !

And there was a new dawn.....

Sunrise on Blackwater Sound...on the very north end of Key Largo

We started our trek north yesterday at 9am. The wind was supposed to be in the high single digits so we had decided to go into hawk Channel in the Atlantic and anchor at Rodriguez key off of Key Largo. This is the way the boats with deeper drafts have to go as the mean depth inside is about 7 feet and under 5 even in the intercoastal in a lot of places.

WELL.... it is a good idea always to have a plan B and a way out of your Plan A! The winds were over 10 which would generally not be an issue but they were from the SE which was right on our aft quarter and old Mother Ocean was rolling those swells at us like a bowling ball. Boats with bridges like Tie A Knot do not like swells....they wallow....not pleasant.

Gary had to go below to secure things and he came up slightly green at the gills which totally matched my totally green at the gills! I had already put my magic Sea Bands wristbands (which are an acupressure device ) on
for seasickness but even those weren't enough.

So on to Plan B. Three and a half hours later ,we again (just like 2 years ago) ducked into the inside (Florida Bay) at Channel Five, which is on the south end of Islamorada.

Once under the bridge and into the bay the seas were flat the winds calm and after a few hours we were over the slight cases of mal de mer.

The calm waters of Florida Bay

We entered Blackwater Sound around 5pm and dropped the hook. We heard from our friends Elaine & Lawrence on S/V Elle & I who left Boot Key a day ahead of us, that they had a really rough trip for two days on Hawk Channel on the outside. They are now in Miami waiting to go out again to get past the Miami bridges to Fort Lauderdale where they will be able to resume their trip on the Intercoastal back to New York State.

We are now approaching Miami where we will meet them for the night in the Marine Stadium, one of our favorite spots to stop.

We sent our auto pilot out to be repaired while we were in Marathon.

Now Bob can take his turn at the helm!!!

We will be in Miami for the night and then heading for Merritt Island where we will finish projects for our summer "playtime". We have some destinations in mind but nothing in concrete. More on that later. Here are a few snaps coming into Miami....

Florida Power and Light

Turkey Point Nuclear Power plant

Quick facts

Located on Biscayne Bay, 24 miles south of Miami and just east of the Homestead area
Two nuclear power units:
- the first unit began operation in 1972
- the second unit following in 1973
Generates about 1,400 million watts of electricity -- enough powerto supply the annual needs of more than 450,000 homes
Reactor manufacturer - Westinghouse
Turbine Generator Manufacturer - Westinghouse
A safe, reliable and a low-cost producer of electricity

Rafting up Miami Style

Whats left of the Rickenbacker drawbridge with the new fixed bridge in the foreground. The first bridge into Miami from Biscayne Bay

The Marine Stadium Bleachers... built in the 60's it was condemned in the wake of hurricane Andrew in 1992.
The Stadium was host for many world class powerboat events including Unlimited Hydroplane, Inboard, Outboard, Performance Craft, Stock, Modified, Grand National divisions as well as other special event races. The Stadium was also the site of a number of nationally televised events including the Bill Muncey Invitational and the ESPN All American Challenge Series. The last major race in the Stadium was the 1987 Inboard Hydroplane national Championship.
Although there is a drive to restore the stadium we saw no evidence of any forward movement since 2 years ago when we were here.