well I pardon my grammar I know the capitalization is not so great but this is voice to text so that's the way it is I may go back and correct it later it's kind of a pain. in any case in this screenshot if you click on the small image to get to the larger image you'll see the red line is my lover line that's the direction I'm pointed in and you see the boat at the end of that red line and behind me is the yellow line that's where I have been and then next to that is a line with two dots at either end and that's the distance and bearing to Caesar Creek that allows me to get into Biscayne Bay and out of the ocean I may just do that I'll make that call when I get there but we see that it's about 20 miles and I'm doing five and six not so it shouldn't take too long in 4 hours like after lunch I'll get there and decide whether to go up the outside to Miami in hawk channel in the Atlantic or go to the inside and Biscayne Bay through card sound
I'm under sale with the wind at my back for the most part you cannot sail straight downwind so anyway this is the chart detail by the way you can click on the image to enlarge it and you'll see the detail that I'm trying to avoid and then when I turn left here you can see the point that I need to get around to continue my journey to the east towards key largo
I have full sales up and having to keep an eye on the charts since I have to tack I'm going pretty much straight down when but you have to technically jive back and forth and that works out cuz I have to go around some obstructions anyway
I made decent time today with good wind leaving my friend Tom’s apartment near SeaBase on Lower Matacumbe Key, now anchored near Windley Key and Whale Harbor. This is close to Snake Creek, which is a channel where I can get out to the ocean in the morning if I choose to do so.
I left Tom's apartment on lower matacumbe key and made my way past bowlegs cut named after Seminole Indian Billy bowlegs past lignumvitae key now anchored near Snake Creek so that in the morning I can head out to the ocean and go up hawk channel or stay on the back side and go up the ICW in Florida Bay depending on the weather at this point the weather looks like it's pretty good to go on the outside I will double check in the morning and make that game day call on the Morrow
The image in this post shows where I am, under sail. Winds are from the south about 12 to 15 – I’ve been doing around five knots and live streaming on Facebook. I figured I would post some navigation screenshots to let folks know where I am. stay tuned
headed toward fort Lauderdale ultimately just left lower montecumbe now in the intracoastal waterway in Florida Bay trying to make my way to inside Snake Creek to anchor for the night so that in the morning I can make a decision whether to go through Snake Creek into the ocean or stay on the inside Florida Bay
Friday, January 3 2025 The drive from the Motel 6 in West Virginia to Erie was at times, in near whiteout conditions. Rather than travel north and drive east along Lake Erie, we went via Pittsburgh and I-79. Lake effect snow warnings were in effect. Not only were we getting lake effect snow, a polar vortex created a system that hit us from the west. When we encountered white outs, I used my weather radar app to make sure it was a small band of snow showers. Just in case, we made sure to know where the hotels were along the way. It nearly came to that!
Thurdsay, January 2 2025 The drive from Nashville to Huntington, WV was via I-40, route 111 and 90 then 461 to I-75 and I-64. April chose the Motel 6 on US-60 in Huntington, WV, it was cold. The built in heat was a heat pump and not very warm.Fortunately they provided a portable heater.
We had dinner at Mexican place Tequila Grill. It was muy bien.
Wednesday, January 1 2025 New Years Day Met with Joyce Ann and Ian and grabbed a bunch of sliders from White Castle. We then drove around Nashville’s Music Row, Dollyland, etc. What a nice day we had!
Part of the appeal of travel and adventure to me is logistics. Part of the process of sailing from Key West to Islamorada was leaving my car at Key West, in the Ocean’s Edge Resort parking lot. I needed to retrieve it after the sail so on early Sunday November 19 I used the Lower Keys Shuttle bus to get a ride to Key West, to get the car. I first rode my motorcycle from the apartment in Islamorada to Marathon. Riding along the Overseas Highway, the route was reversed from part of the sailing route the day before in the sailboat. It is interesting to see the Keys from different perspectives. The weather was cool so it was a pleasant motorcycle trip.
I parked the Harley near the bus stop, and the Lower Keys Shuttle arrived on schedule. I then transitioned from two wheels to four. The Keys has a nice bus system. However it’s 2 separate bus routes, Upper Keys (mainland to Marathon) and Lower Keys (Marathon to Key West). I could have taken a bus from the apartment in Islamorada to Marathon, but I would have had to wait for 2 different buses. So, I took the motorcycle to Marathon. I figured that I would get the motorcycle another time – I want to take it to a dealer in Marathon on Monday to see if Fuzzy at Keys Cycles would want to sell it for me.
As the bus rambled through the scenic Keys, it was tough to fight the urge to take pictures on the bus. Some of the other riders may think it odd. The urge overtook me on the 7 Mile Bridge, see below. While driving in a car it’s hard to take pictures! I had a nice conversation with a couple who were traveling to Key West, we both commented that taking the bus is easier than renting cars and flying. The 70 minute bus trip to Key West was over in an instant. The Lower Keys are different geologically than the Upper Keys. On Big Pine Key, it’s common to see the small Key Deer along the roadways.
Stepping off the bus, it was a mile walk to Ocean’s Edge Resort on Stock Island. Picking up my car, I explored a bit on Stock Island, which is part of the City of Key West. Stock Island Yacht Club is nearby, it’s an enclave similar to Ocean’s Edge Resort. Both are separated from the gritty working marinas on Stock Island by fences and guard gates.
The Lower Keys Shuttle bus runs from Key West to Marathon
It’s hard to see it in this bus picture, but the 7 Mile Bridge across Moser Channel appears to be a bridge to the heavens.
