We have a problem! The fenders are deflating.
Cause: Cold temperatures.
Solution: Head further south.
Destination Known: Back in September, we started thinking about where we may want to stay for the cold winter months. Last year, we spent a month in Key West, then headed up the gulf side to Fort Myers, where we enjoyed hanging out during the initial COVID-19 lock-downs. I mean…if you have to be locked down, what better place? 😊
We both agreed we would like to explore the middle or upper keys this year, and we wanted to stay put a little longer than a month. So, I started researching marinas and availability. Hmmm. I guess I started a little late. (Last year, I began in July or August.)
Fortunately, I found and reserved a slip in Key Largo for January through March.
[Geek Alert]: Charting a course: The are generally 3 options to cruise from Northeast Florida to the Keys:
1. “Outside” in the Atlantic Ocean (Green line): The biggest consideration in choosing this route (or any offshore route) is forecasted weather and sea conditions. Offshore cruising is generally more comfortable with low swell – combination of wave height and wave period (seconds between waves). A couple of the weather apps Ray references are Windy.com and PredictWind.com.
In this Windy example, the map shows current conditions, and the chart shows forecasted conditions.
· light blue arrow shows wind at 1 knot from NNW.
· white “darts” represent wind direction and intensity (at a glance).
· orange arrow shows the prominent swell with 1-foot waves 9 seconds apart -- likely residual swell from previous weather patterns.
· green arrow shows the secondary swell is zero (wave height and period) – likely because the wind is blocked/impeded by land (“wind shadow”)
Another consideration for offshore cruising is the distance between navigable inlets along the way, times of low-tide and slack tide (period between tides) – for navigating inlets, and the amount of continuous time you wish to cruise (whether overnight or not).
Charts will typically show the non-navigable inlets.
St. Augustine Inlet is borderline navigable. If you zoom in on the chart below, you’ll see that the depth in the dark blue area of the inlet is between 5 and 7 feet, so we would likely consider this a fair-weather inlet that we would only navigate at mid- to high-tide.
Matanzas Inlet – the first inlet south of St. Augustine – is non-navigable (for SCOUT).
Ponce De Leon Inlet, about 65 miles away, is SCOUT’s first reliable, all-weather navigable inlet south of St. Augustine. Averaging a cruising speed of 6.5 knots, this distance would take 10 hours, so, depending on when tides dictated the St. Augustine departure, this could become an overnight cruise, or arrival after dark.
Admiral’s Advice for Captains: When considering an off-shore cruise, know your admiral’s ideal sea state, and, more importantly, their absolute limits. 😊
2. “Inside” the Atlantic ICW (Intracoastal Waterway – Red line). This second option generally provides more protection from bad weather, as there are barrier islands between the ICW and the ocean.
One disadvantage of this route can be heavy traffic, which increases chances of being “waked” by larger, faster boats. On SCOUT, this is less uncomfortable than on other boats, due to the heavy displacement and “righting” of our boat’s hull design.
Another disadvantage is the number of bridges that are too low for SCOUT to pass underneath without opening. Navigation, then, requires a little more planning since most bridge openings occur on a fixed schedule, and unexpected operating closures can impact your progress.
For more information about planning for bridges, reference our previous blog “2020 February: Cruising to Key West (Week 2)”
3. Across Lake Okeechobee and around the southern tip of Florida via the Gulf of Mexico (Blue line). The biggest consideration in choosing this offshore route (as previously mentioned) is forecasted weather and sea conditions.
Disadvantage of this route is the extra miles and the set of 5 navigation locks and dams. However, these are exchanged for the long list of bridges and traffic congestion on the ICW route. For more information about Lake Okeechobee and locks, reference our previous blog “2020 May: Okeechobee Waterway - Crossing the State of FL”.
The captain and admiral consider all these factors when deciding when (or whether) to travel.
We have now cruised 2 of these 3 possible routes between Fort Pierce & the Keys:
(1) via the Atlantic ICW, SCOUT, averaging 6-7 knots, requires 6-7 travel days.
(2) via Lake Okeechobee and the the Gulf, SCOUT, requires 5-7 travel days.
Route Selected: For this cruise to Key Largo, weather (westerly winds) favored a trip down the Atlantic (eastern) route. We, again, opted to stay “inside” on the ICW.
[End of Geek Alert]
1st Stop: New Smyrna Beach area:
As we headed south from St. Augustine – the day after Christmas, it was 35 degrees with light wind “on the nose” (6 MPH from NNW).
What to wear? I started the cruise with 3 layers of clothing: turtleneck, fleece, and puffy jacket.
We had a relaxing 8-hr cruise, and anchored near Ponce De Leon Inlet (and Lighthouse), north of New Smyrna Beach.
We enjoyed an “all-secure” beverage (eggnog) while watching several dolphins cruise through the anchorage.
Dolphin-viewing tip for future cruisers: I think the dolphins came through on the flow (in-coming) tide. When we were there, the most activity occurred where the ICW met the inlet. We were a few boats away, so could not get great videos of pictures.
What to wear? It was a little warmer, but there was still a cold stiff breeze blowing, so I’m now down to 2 layers.
We then showered (with water heated by the engines) and heated soups I had thawed during the trip. We turned on the diesel heater to warm the cabin for a while before going to bed. (While sleeping, we turn off the diesel heater and turn on the heated mattress pad.)
2nd Stop: Palm Shores: A few dolphins joined us as we departed the Ponce de Leon Inlet. This stretch of Florida’s AICW (Atlantic ICW) has become one of our favorite cruising areas. We usually see interesting wildlife.
This is Haulover Canal, between Indian River North and Indian River. This was Sunday, and there were small boats and fishermen lining the shores. (I cropped them out of this picture showing the unspoiled landscape.)
We cruised for 9 hours and anchored south of Cocoa, FL.
Ray scouted an anchorage accessible only by shallow-draft boats (like SCOUT). The “approach” to the anchorage requires crossing a shallow spoils area – the hump on the depth sounder (on the left below) and the white strip of Spoil Area on the navigation chart (on the right).
What to wear? Again, it was a little warmer – 61, so I swapped my turtleneck for a t-shirt. 😊
3rd Stop: Jensen Beach (south of Fort Pierce): We departed the Palm Shores anchorage and watched the sunrise peeking through the clouds on the glassy water.
Mid-morning, we were entertained by a pair of dolphins surfing alongside SCOUT. The boat creates a “pressure wave” at the bow and along the forward sides that the dolphins like to “surf” on just under the surface of the water – a free ‘push’ for them to play in. You can see in the video that they are not “paddling” at all – just getting pushed along. That’s why they like to come to the boats so much.
Video: Click link to short video montage of dolphins:
Underway for 9 hours, we anchored south of Fort Pierce near Jensen Beach. After sunset, I enjoyed seeing the Christmas lights on the trees and homes along the beach road. (Too distant for a good photo.)
What to wear? It is finally warm enough for a single short-sleeve layer (not yet in shorts though). 😊
4th Stop: North Palm Beach: With heavy winds (20-30 mph) forecast for the next 4-5 days, we have decided to “wait out the weather” in a marina. While cruising would not be too bad in high winds, getting the anchor down and holding would be stressful, and bouncing on the waves could be uncomfortable for sleeping.
We also expect more stressful cruising the next few legs, as bridges and the amount of traffic increases.
We saw a beautiful moonset and sunrise before leaving the Jensen Beach anchorage.
Along the route, we came upon a dredging operation.
With the sun low on the bow, it was difficult to identify the markers and position of the pipes. As you can see (or not) in this photo, the dredge was positioned right between the red and green markers – where we are supposed to travel. Ray called the dredge on the VHF radio for navigation instructions.
Everything was much clearer from the other side, looking back.
Jupiter is where we notice the water change color. Here, you can just see the aqua blue at Jupiter Inlet.
As expected, traffic on the ICW was crazy and stressful – and it isn’t even the weekend!
When we arrived at the marina in North Palm Beach, the wind was “blowing like stink” (Ray’s words).
Between the wind and the strong tide against our prop skegs (small keels), our entry into the slip was “sporty” (Ray’s words).
Boarding SCOUT was also a challenge in this slip. (I wish I had thought to get a photo.)
The finger pier (alongside the boat) was short – ending at the first piling between the 2nd & 3rd portholes (round windows), where SCOUTs bow rail gate is.
Our bow deck is tall, so we needed to step UP to the boat from the finger pier.
The docks and finger piers are fixed (not floating), so our step UP was an additional 1-2 feet during high tide (tidal range).
Pelicans guarded us on the slip pilings. They were pretty well-behaved and did not make a mess on SCOUT.
I enjoyed the Christmas lights on the Cruisin Tiki each time it departed or returned with tourists to the marina.
Exploring the Area: The marina is in Riviera Beach. As indicated by some of the boater reviews of anchorages and marinas in the area, this is a questionably safe area. While we felt safe walking the immediate area – for exercise, or to provision at Publix about 1/2 mile away, we did not like walking the 1.5 miles to the restaurant at the city marina.
We wanted to spend a day at West Palm Beach -- 5 miles away, so we decided to Uber in. Drivers kept windows down, and we all wore masks. ✔
The park downtown was still displaying holiday sand sculptures in “Sandi Land”. Plenty of signage reminding you “No Fla-mingling”. 😊
Ray and I had lunch, then walked about a mile for a small West Palm Beach brewery tour.
We passed a labyrinth – in the Norton Gallery Pak -- in front of Norton Museum of Art.
We visited 3 breweries. Civil Society, Ookapow (nano-brewery), and Steamhorse.
What to wear? Notice I’m wearing shorts (a skort)? 😊
Happy New Year!
We rang in the new year from the marina, where we could see several fireworks displays around the area.
With open windows providing fresh air, the midnight fireworks woke me up in time to hear the elderly lady, across the dock, softly yelling “Happy New Year!”.
(Yes, we were sleeping, already, because we planned to depart at daybreak the next day.)
5th Stop: Miami: After 4 nights in the marina, the winds were forecast to die down. Our marina departure was even sportier than our arrival, with strong cross-current and opposing 20 mph wind. A slack tide would have been helpful in high winds, but we had a long cruising day planned – a lot of bridges and a lot of miles to get to Miami. Ray’s departure was “not pretty” (Ray’s words).
One of my jobs, as navigator, while underway, is to research upcoming bridges.
For bridges that are too low for SCOUT to pass under when closed, I advise Ray the distance ahead (referencing navigation software on my tablet), the opening schedule, and any warnings found in the boater review notes.
Between bridges, there are a lot of interesting sights along the way. This house gets my award for “Best Christmas Decorations on FL AICW”.
One of the largest estates I noticed. (Almost needed a wide-angle lens.)
A Rolls Royce?
One of the few large estates where I actually saw people (a person). Can you spot him? (Zoom in.)
Interesting statues flanking this estate – a gorilla and a jaguar (maybe).
The 185-foot yacht, My Sienna, from the TV show Below Deck Seasons 6 and 8.
As of 2018, this 246-foot Sailing Yacht M5, Mirabella V, was the largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world and held the world record for the largest sail and the tallest mast.
After 10 hours underway, we arrived at our planned anchorage – just north of Miami. The anchorage was already crowded with weekend boaters. Just a little stressful, after a stressful cruise. 😒
By nightfall, many of the party boats had left, and the North Miami lights were pretty.
6th Stop: North Key Largo: One more day of cruising high-traffic areas.
We reached our first bridge less than a mile from the anchorage. Unfortunately, due to maintenance issues, we had to wait an hour for the first opening.
Note to Self: As navigator, take time to call the early morning bridges (by phone) to confirm normal operating schedules.
This photo is an interesting study of rectangles.
As soon as we entered Biscayne Bay, Ray rigged a hand-line and caught a lizard fish and a blue fish.
After a short 6-hour cruise, we dropped anchor in Angelfish Creek at the northern tip of Key Largo.
What a gorgeous, quiet anchorage, except for the offshore fishing boats zooming out the inlet occasionally.
Video: Link to Angelfish Creek drone video:
To celebrate the near end to our cruise, Ray made a delicious steak & chicken dinner on the electric grill!
We then watched a gorgeous sunset across Biscayne Bay.
After dark, we saw several small blinking bioluminescent creatures gliding with the current alongside the boat.
Ray refused to believe me until he saw 3. They were not plentiful, so we had to wait (argue) several minutes while being eaten by ferocious mosquitos. By the time I got back out with a camera, I didn't see any (before I couldn't stand the mosquitos). ☹
I believe these were small, transparent comb jelly – which is “both delicate and completely harmless to humans” and “a common site in the Keys.”
They are “also called “sea snot,” which will become abundantly clear if you ever try to hold one of these slippery things in your hand. There is not a child on earth who does not love these very safe creatures. They are quite beautiful in the daytime with the cilia pulsing and scattering light producing a rainbow type effect, and they are even more beautiful at night because they produce a green light via bioluminescence that causes these creatures to flash on and off when disturbed.”
We may need to anchor here again and try to “stir up” some night photos with the GoPro.
Now, I think I know what I saw at our house on the Pamlico River several years back. (Photo captured from a small video I took of the “running lights” on this jellyfish.)
The map below shows the anchorage (circled) and our Key Largo marina (targeted).
Almost “home”! 😊
Last Stop: Key Largo: We hauled anchor at daybreak. In this photo, you see how clear the water is.
Here, we are probably sitting in 5-7 feet of water.
The Danforth anchor you see on the bow is not deployed (it is our backup – not yet used).
The white line is the anchor snubber. You can determine where it meets the water by where it meets its reflection in the water.
The dark line is the anchor chain. It is lying on the sea floor (heading back to the bow.)
We left Angelfish Creek at sunrise and pointed toward the Atlantic Ocean for our last short leg in Hawk Channel to Key Largo.
The ocean was flat, but not glassy. Some of the 11-mph westerly wind was making it past land, creating surface waves.
After a pleasant 4-hour cruise, we docked in Key Largo.
We celebrated “landfall” with lunch at Fisheries Backyard Café across the little harbor from our bow.
The Pilot House Restaurant in our slip’s “backyard” has a cute lobster pot Christmas tree out front. 😊
Although we have decided to remain car-less for this location, hopefully, we will have some fun adventures to share in our next blog.
P.S. The boat fenders have fully popped out – no inflator needed. Ray has dubbed this his “Key Largo Inflation Method”. 😊