Boat Trips – Page 3 – Ernie's Website and Blog

18nov2023 The autopilot is my best friend today

Technically it’s an autohelm but it’s been steering ever since I left Newfound Harbor at 7am. With the solar panel, it there is no draw on the batteries on a sunny day like today.

The yellow line is the track sailed from Newfound Harbor in the Lower Keys to Matacumbe Bight in the Upper Keys

Sailing from Newfound Harbor at the crack of dawn this morning hoping to make it to Islamorada. Once undersay, I felt I’m going to make it. Wind was about 10 knots early in the day, pushing the boat along at about 3 to 4 knots. The wind picked up quickly, with the boat sailing along at five to six knots. Sailing in the lee of the keys, the ocean was not too rough. Along the 7 Mile Bridge it was more choppy cuz the bridge does not block the wind and chop from Florida Bay. After the 7 Mile Bridge adjacent to Key Vaca (Marathon) the wind will dropped a little and the water a little calmer – a lot calmer actually.

Good wind from the north today. That works out well heading east for a beam reach. The wind picked up as the day wore on, so I had to reduce sail. The main sail was reefed and foresail furled gradually, and the boat was able to maintain 6 knots. Eventually the foresail was reduced to about 25%. The autohelm was in use all day, it’s essential for sailing single handed.

It sure was nice to get back to the dock at the apartment in Islamorada! Here’s a link to some pictures at Google Photos.

17nov2023 Sailing and Snorkeling at Looe Key Reef

Here’s a link to my pictures from Friday, at Google Photos

7am
Underway leaving oceans Edge Marina on Stock Island Key West headed towards Newfound Harbor which is about halfway to Marathon where I hope to spend the night and then go to Marathon tomorrow. There is very little wind, ocean is flat. Visibility may not be so great because of the recent crazy weather.

8am
I’m off Boca Chica Key going one and a half miles an hour but that’s okay I have all day to go 20 miles and the wind is supposed to pick up later.

9am
I’m near Saddlehill Key heading out towards West Washerwoman Shoal to see if the visibility is okay and I may just jump in the water and see what there is to see do a little snorkeling Etc

10am
off of Sugarloaf Key I’m heading for Ninefoot Shoal in Hawk Channel. According to the hot spots chart that’s supposed to be a nice diving spot. I’m going to check it out. The visibility was not so hot at West Washerwoman Shoal.

11am
Stopping at Looe Key Reef, one of the best diving spots in the Keys.

4pm
I did a little snorkeling at a very nice dive spot – Looe Key Reef. I’m heading into Newfound Harbor to find the place to anchor or grab a mooring ball for the night. I’m thinking maybe Niles Channel.

16nov2023 At Anchor in Key West

It was nice to see my friend Carlos! We had dinner at Hogfish Bar and Grill on Stock Island.

Interesting heat map of boat anchored with 2 anchors. The boat settles in to the same spot with each tidal change – the wind was consistent from the east.

I use Anchor Pro
on my Android

13nov2023 Having Fun in Key West

Having sailed to Key West, the boat is at anchor. Today, I took the dinghy in to the city dock. To tie up at the dinghy dock, it costs $8 per day, weekly and monthly rates are available as well. It sure is a LOT cheaper than parking a car in Old Town Key West for the day!

I guess it’s a leap of faith to leave the boat anchored in the harbor, but it is pretty laid back and I really didn’t worry about anybody boarding the boat while I was in town.

It’s fun to think about the history of that harbor and to think I’m anchored in the same spot as vessels from another era. I had my trusty folding bicycle to ride around Key West. It’s all that is needed in Key West, it’s a pretty small area. The whole island is about 1×4 miles, and Old Town is maybe 1 mile square. Easy on a bike!

Good Music Emanating From 512 Front Street

Today I was bumming around Key West and stopped to listen to Rick playing at Two Friends Patio Restaurant, but his set was over. He mentioned that he was playing later that evening at another place across town, Ram’s Head. I caught him there and had a great time!

In the Zone

After hearing a bit of Rick Fusco’s music at Two Friends on Front Street, I caught him later at Ram’s Head – he plays original music and good covers. It was nice to chat with the locals… good vibes!

Key West View from Man Of War Harbor

After finding my way back to the boat (while a bit drunk) in Man of War Harbor in Key West, I took this picture from the cabin. Being socked in by weather in Key West isn’t so bad.

12nov2023 More Key West

Click collage to see images at Google Photos

Well, I missed the sunset last night, but I did get a picture of the sunrise today.

I did get some pictures of people taking pictures of the sunset today at Mallory Square

Dinghy Dock at Key West Bight Marina aka Freedom

Not free, worth every penny in the heart of Key West.

11nov2023 Key West and Race Boats

Saturday, November 11 was another bumming around Key West day, riding around on my folding bicycle – worth it’s weight in gold! The Cruising the pit area of the Key West Offshore World Championship races, I was taken aback by the astounding paint job on 211. More images are available at via Google Photos

10nov2023 Race Preliminaries

Key West on Friday, November 10 after an successful attempt to sail upwind toward Marathon. Heading east with the wind on my nose, it took a half day to go 5 miles. Marathon is 50 miles. When the arrival calculations are in days instead of hours, I prefer to wait for the right winds. Here’s a link to some pictures of the race.

7nov2023 Saddlebunch Harbor Sunset

Stopped for the night at Saddlebunch Harbor, 15 miles from Key West.

5nov2023 Islamorada to Marathon

On November 5 we sailed from the apartment in Islamorada to Boot Key Harbor in Marathon. We got a mooring ball there for the night. Here’s a link to the full size pix at Google Photos

Air Show 30april2023

What luck today… hoping the rain had cleared out, I took a ride on the old bicycle and ended up at the beach to find a little swell rolling in. Oh, and an air show, the Fort Lauderdale Air Show.

I had a nice time hanging with Jessica at the Sand Bar Grille at the Sun Tower which just happens to be pretty much show center! Enjoying a super tasting hummus platter, I had it made in the shade (literally – shade is a big deal for me).

Key Largo – Fort Lauderdale 10feb2023

Day 5 of my Keys adventure was a long day on Friday. What started out as a leisurely sail from Key Largo to Key Biscayne ended up as a race to get home. I was planning to spend the night at Key Biscayne and then have an easy downhill half day run to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. Halfway to Key Biscayne, a possibility of a gig on Saturday morning and money compelled me to make for home. This would involve sailing solo at night, something I wouldn’t do anywhere else but a Miami to Fort Lauderdale run at this point. I am new at sailing. I have made this run lots of times in power boats both day and night and a few times sailing in the daytime. So the decision was made to head for home. When in the ocean I like to let folks know of my progress for safety. Updates on the hour typically via text.

Sending updates to my guardian angels, wife April and brother Dave, I made my way from the relative safety of Biscayne Bay through Stiltsville to the Atlantic. With the sun setting over Miami in the ocean, the wind was wonky, nearly directly behind me so it was slow going (it’s difficult to sail directly with the wind), about 3 knots. It was already about 6pm and Fort Lauderdale isn’t that far – 20 something miles plus making my way home to the dock at 3 knots would have put me in my slip about 3am with a possible 10am charter. I don’t like to run the engine if I don’t have to but I did motor-sail and make about 5-6 knots and made it to Port Everglades about 10:30pm. Part of my progression can be seen in a series of screenshots at Google Photos. I spent the night anchored in Fort Lauderdale a mile from my slip and tied up Saturday about 9am.

BTW the charter never did happen! LOL oh well getting homesick I wanted to get home anyway.

Moon-rise over Birch State Park — Final night in Fort Lauderdale – anchored near Birch State Park

Islamorada to Key Largo 9feb2023

Day 4 of my Florida Keys sailing trip was at TRIP. Time to head home – the wind forecast was east to southeast. Hoping for an early switch to SE wind, I left the Scouts Sea Base and went through Channel 5, between Lower Matacumbe and Long Keys. The bridge is 65′ high, easy access to the Atlantic Ocean and Hawk Channel which is somewhat protected. It’s inside the Florida Reef and the reef breaks up the ocean swells. It was calm at first, because it’s shallow but farther out from land it gets choppy. No big deal – kinda. The wind was 15+ from the east and guess what direction was needed… yup, east. 15+ on the nose is tough going, the sails are useless at that point. My little inboard diesel is 14 horsepower pushing a 6 ton boat, it was working hard to make 3 knots. With no wind and waves, the engine can push the boat at hull speed, about 6 knots but not headed into the wind and waves. Boo Hoo

The wind was to clock around to the southeast, but that didn’t happen yet. And as one follows Hawk Channel, it curves around and eventually turns north. With that in mind, I slogged on. After over an hour in the slop, I gave up and turned around headed back to Channel 5 and the comfort of Florida Bay. Going with the wind and chop, it took me about 20 minutes to cover the same ground into the chop in well over an hour! Florida Bay is on the lee side of the keys so it was a lot less choppy. The engine didn’t have to work as hard, and the sails helped as I zig-zagged through the bay and channels.

I did take some videos as well as pix, they can be seen at Google Photos