SNOW FALL
Bob's View:
Here we are in Maine in the middle of a snowstorm and wondering when we will get back to VELOMER and continue our trip on the Great Loop. The amount of snow has been incredible, 62 inches last week alone, which is more than Portland got all last winter, and at least another foot over the last two days.
Whoosh!! What a trip!! This is not the way we expected to transit the serene warm waters of the Florida ICW.
We had been in warm, and I emphasize warm, Key West for the past month, enjoying the warm air and warm water and especially the warm hospitality of Stock Island Marina. Two weeks ago now, we received a call from our daughter and son-in-law who asked that we scoot north to Vero Beach to provide support for them while Erik's dad was dealing with end stage cancer at home with Hospice. Our trip north from Key West to Vero Beach was a marathon of 250 miles in 4 1/2 days, travelling 10-11 hours a day, anchoring shortly before dusk in quiet backwaters or crowded public harbors of the ICW and departing soon after dawn. This is not our preferred travel plan but we were trying to get north as quickly as possible to help with childcare for Phoebe and Erik. We did gain considerable confidence anchoring and We LOVE THE ROCKNA. It sets immediately. It does not drag, And I feel confident we will find many many quiet places that anchoring avails us as we travel on this adventure around America's eastern and inland shores.
Travelling north from Key West along the eastern and southern side of the Florida Keys, we were fortunate to transit the 140 miles to Miami in relatively good sea conditions. The forecast called for 2-4 foot, 5-7 second period seas and was accurate. The 10-20 knots of wind out of the north was cool but on the enclosed flybridge, we were still very comfortable in shorts and t-shirts ( I know I am getting no sympathy from most of those reading this). We have often experienced 3-4 foot seas on VELOMER and she can handle those with solid ease, but on the flybridge we do bounce around a bit. At the worst, we brace into our seats and watch the 40 degree roll provide us a carnival ride. As I descended to the engine room to do my twice daily checks, the rolling considerably lessened as the center of rotation is at the midpoint of the salon, Our first night stop was northeast of Channel 5 at Shell Key at a state park mooring ball. The wind and waves had been all day from the northwest quartering our bow but as we crossed north of the Keys, the rolling seas, which had been from the southwest and contrary to the north wind driven chop was behind us so we were able to spend a relatively smooth night. We were surprised to find the mooring field devoid of any other boats but it was still early for "loopers" to continue north.
Our second day was smoother without the rolling southern seas and we made No Name Harbor at Key Biscayne by nightfall. It was a long day and tiring as we were in the narrowest and shallowest area of the entire ICW, so attention to our course line was critical. We were often within 10 feet of areas that would have put us hard aground.
Day 3 was an adventure of a different kind for us passing almost 40 bridges in and north of Miami. I understand why most choose to go outside and bypass this portion of the ICW. The seas outside were forecast for 7-9 feet so an inside passage was the only safe choice if we were to continue non-stop north. As VELOMER has a 19 foot air-draft, we could pass safely under most of the bridges but we did have a 45 minute delay at one bridge, missing the timed opening by 2 minutes, well it's always something unexpected when travelling by water. Shortly north of Miami, we stopped at SWIFTWATER, docked at Pier 69, the Hyatt Marina in Fort Laurderdale, to make sure the auto-bilge was on and to take spoiled food off the boat. We also off loaded the contents of the refrigerator on SWIFTWATER, which Phoebe and Erik had left abruptly several days prior to return by car to Vero Beach to be with Erik's father. The passage along the built up shores of the ICW in this portion was our opportunity to see how the uber rich live in multi-million dollar, 55,000 SF homes on 5,00 SF lots crowded together along the ICW shores so they could enjoy a brief view of VELOMER travelling the waterway. We anchored that evening at Pelican Harbor, a man-made 10 foot deep harbor, where we were again the only boat in a vast open area surrounded by more jumbled homes and condos.
Day 4, we continued in the shelter of the ICW inside passage to Manatee Pocket at Port Lucie Inlet, 5 miles east of Stuart, the eastern terminus of the passage via canal and Lake Okeechobee across mid-state Florida to Ft Myers. I recall little of the day as it was along somewhat sparsely developed areas and we saw very few other crafts and the bridges were mostly behind us.
Day 5 was a half day's travel, with a brief stop to retrieve electronics off JOURNEY, John and Bobbee's Nordhavn 55, docked in West Palm Beach, (it is listed for sale if any reading this wish to jump into the boating life on a blue water world class trawler) again along relatively sparsely populated banks, except around Ft, Lauderdale, to Ft. Pierce where we connected with Phoebe and Anni and Trig for lunch at Harbortown Marina. We had made it: 250 miles (N), or 284 (S) in 4 1/2 days. If we have to do that ever again, we can, but it is definitely not an enjoyable pace: travelling 10-11 hours a day, starting at the crack of dawn and anchoring just at sunset. The autopilot is helpful but on the ICW, many areas are quite narrow with shallow water within 10 feet of the channel so hand steering was more often the only way to stay consistently in the channel. The warm air caused us to open side panels on VELOMEER's fly bridge after the sun had dried the mist from the windows and taken the morning chill from the air. We passed or were passed by only a few boats, and these were typically fishing boats heading offshore at the inlets. It still amazes us that this waterway is so underutilized. Perhaps it is the time of year as many "loopers" are still tied to docks or at long term mooring balls awaiting warmer spring weather. For us, it has been ideal weather to travel, clear crisp mornings, warm days and spectacular sunrises and sunsets that only a Florida sky can present. The entertainment of observing myriad wildlife, multi-million dollar homes of the uber rich and the wide variation of boats from classic cruisers to derelict sail boats abandoned in the mangroves has kept us happy and smiling over the long hours of our daily passage.
Travel along the ICW is much more comfortable outside, however the availability of safe inlets prevents a safe passage unless wind and especially seas are safe for the coastal off-shore route. The number of boats along the ICW on weekends and especially later in the season, makes travel on the inside a pain at times and the number of bascule bridges that require waiting for an opening, particularly around cities like Miami, Ft, Laurderdale and Palm Beach make travel by boat tedious at times. We noticed many boaters, particularly the larger fishing go fast throw a 5 foot wake when that is totally unnecessary honkers do not know rules of the road (or just don't care) and are less than courteous regarding their passing techniques. That being said, we would rather travel by water than road any day.
VELOMER sits quietly, in a warmer (72 today) place at Kingsly and Cindy's dock in Vero Beach while PM and I are huddling around a wood stove at the Guyot's in Maine, outside temperature 9. We return to Fort Lauderdale next Tuesday, winter weather gods permitting, to travel again the warm waters of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. We will travel north on the ICW on our way to Norfolk for the AGLCA Spring Rendezvous May 3rd to 7th. But first, PM and I will bring SWIFTWATER to Vero Beach before continuing our adventure north.
PM and I will update this blog more frequently now that we are on the official loop course traveling counterclockwise around the eastern US. So stay tuned you cold and fantasizing followers of our travels attending us in Russia. And for those whose lives allow, consider joining us for a portion of this trip over the next 1 1/2 years. This invitation is issued particularly to Phil and Battina, Sam and Susie and Lili, Bobbee, Dr. Bill, Kath Greenleaf, Susan Williams, George Blyer and anyone of you whose interest in doing something memorable and adventurous gets the better of your practical day to day lives.
