Day 103-109 Jan 25-31 Sombrero Resort & Marina Marathon

We are learning the ropes of our marina.....back to low tide and high tide and when Miss Saddi can get on and off the boat.  We are on the long wall at Sombrero and can use the aft deck at high tide and starboard middle at low tide.  Platform on....platform off....all for Miss Saddi.  There are lots of four-legged animals here so she is working on being a "Good Dog".

Music, dinner and the sunset.....we are learning "Island Time"

Our Sunset

 

 

Full Moon

 

The Captain is using "Salt Away" as we are covered with sea salt....everything needs attention.  Publix is about a quarter-mile away so I can take my shopping cart (thanks again Coach and Wendy) and get my exercise.

My shopping cart

 

Gerald and Faye arrive on Saturday in their motorcoach and of course Skipper and Connie live here in the winter.....so we will have lots of fun.....As most know we have traveled in our motorcoches with these two couples for years.....

I like Sunsets

 

 

So does someone else

 



 

Dinner Saturday night at LazyDays Restaurant....one of our favorite.  You can take your "Catch" here and they will fix it for you......Tonight we order their fish "LazyDays style"......you will just have to come down and try it....

 

 

LazyDays Sunset

 

 

Gerald, Faye, Skipper, Connie and Rik

 

We are having fun and the days are running together.....but I guess we are on Island Time!!!!!

 

 

Dave & Joy learning the boards

 

 

It is nice to have friends.  Skipper called his local fisherman and bingo "Stone Crabs" for docktails.  Skipper even prepared the dish and all we had to do was crack them and eat them.  Soooo sweet....such a treat

 

Stone Crabs on the Bridge

 

 

Sunset is coming

 

 

Dinner at Sunset Grille & Bar

 

 

The Group on the deck

 

 

Sunset at Sunset Grille

 

 

Dinghy Ride

 

 

The Captain

 

 

Burdine's Chiki Tiki for a Cheeseburger and "their fries"

 

 

Skip and Connie's for Sunset

 

 

Sunset

 

 

 

This was a new experience for us.....The Diesel Truck came to us and filled our tanks.  A boater arranged for the truck (at a VERY good price) and he filled 8-10 boats with fuel.  We are full and ready to go....

 

 



Both tanks please

 

Gerald and Faye came over.....the boys were still working on projects but we did have time for lunch at Fish Tales which was very good.  We took a dinghy ride and looked at all the boats in Boot Key Harbor.

 

Off we Go!!!!

 

We have been seeing Manatees by the boat but could never get a picture.  Rik was washing the boat and since Manatees love a drink of fresh water they came over to the boat to help themselves.

 

 

This was the baby

 

 

This one is bigger

 

 

Thanks for the Drink

 

 

Today is Gerald and Faye's last day in the Keys.  We went over to Skip and Connie's for a steak dinner.  The evening was lovely and dinner was served on the patio.

 

 

This was a treat

 

 

Nice view of the house and pool from the boat dock

 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 





Day 102 Jan 24 125 mi Sombrero Resort & Marina Marathon FL

Up early.....checked the weather.....going to try again today....7:30departure....text from Harriet and Mike....have an 8-9 hour window....go fast.....2-3 ft seas....

Sunrise

Good bye again Hamilton Harbor as we head out to Gordon Pass....well it looks better....but we have a problem.....Captain thinks we picked up some sea grass on the props since it is low tide.......reverse....forward....spin around....repeat procedure....much better....off we go again...

Gordon Pass is good today...current is good.....toward our marker...don't cut it short there is some skinny water there....

Nice Water

We head toward Marco Island....Capri Pass will be our first marker....See fishing boats and one BIG boat coming our way.....USCG....well when we get closer we see that USCG is anchored out in the Gulf.....what is he doing....fishing....

USCG

 

Marco Island

We are 3-4 miles off-shore to avoid the shoals of Cape Romano and will stay this way to our next marker.  The shoals are 1-3 ft deep and something to avoid.  Well it is getting rough.....no pictures....hang on....lay down Saddi and dig your toe nails in.....we have beam seas...UG....3-5 ft seas...and no we can't turn around and go back.  We are running 17 to 22 mph depending upon the waves.  We reach the end of Cape Roman and turn toward Little Shark River.  If things don't change this is where we will go and anchor out.

Seas change....maybe the weather forcast was right.....down to 2 ft seas....we can live with this....change our course and head for Bullard Bank, our marker to lead us under the Seven-Mile Bridge.  This is about 11:30AM......Saddi moves to her couch and we can even open the refrigerator for a bottle of water.  Oh yes....we were going to have breakfast on the bridge this morning....Boudin  and a hard-boiled egg......but it didn't happen....

Love the color of the water

 

 

The Gulf

 

 

3050 rpm

 

 

The "Boat" Dog

 

We reach Bullard Banks which is 3 feet deep.....find our markers that will lead us under the Seven-Mile Bridge.  Watch the markers Captain there are lots of banks/shoals out here....

Seven-Mile Bridge

 

 

Moser Channel

 

 

As we go under the bridge we have a good view of the "old" bridge and it brings back memories....Our parents took Fred and I, plus our dog Chief to live in Key West and we  drove across this old bridge.  Parents took a year off from running the grocery store in Western Kansas, loaded the kids and dog up in the Ford one summer and headed to Grand Lake CO.  We stayed there until Christmas break, fished for trout and learned to ski that winter.  We left in December and drove to Key West and finished the school term.  They even took us to Havana Cuba.  The next summer we drove up the East coast to New York City, across Canada and back to Kansas.  I remember we started school the next day....That's my story Fred!

Old Bridge

 

 

Old Bridge

 

 

Well, back on track.....under the bridge and to the marker....turn and follow Boot Key channel to our entrance.  The water is beautiful.....some wind.....this is so exciting coming in by water.....The Boot Key Bascul Bridge is gone so you do not have to call the bridge.

 

Boot Key Entrance

 

 

Yes there is skinny water

 

Pancho Fuel Dock...best price

 

Old Boot Key Bascule Bridge

 

226 Moorings in Boot Key Harbor

 

First Come/Weekly Pump-out

 

 

We are in Boot Key Harbor which we follow to our marina Sombrero Resort and Marina.  We have the last slip they have available until end of February.  Skip and Connie found this slip for us.  We had been on waiting lists for other marina and found out the Marathon Yacht Club would have taken us but we were already booked by that time.

Sombrero Marines (there are two)

Kerry, dock master handled the lines.....Good job Captain......Great Boat dog Saddi.....we are in Marathon/Vaca Key for the month.  6 hours on the water!

We left Green Turtle Bay Marina on October 15th, have been gone 102 days and have traveled 1585 miles according to the Captain.

Our First Sunset

 

 

We are on the wall Starboard side for Saddi

 

Day 100 -101 Jan 22 -23 Hamilton Harbor Marina Naples

Plan on leaving today at first light.......we are headed to Marathon....departure at sunrise 7:12AM
We follow our bread crumbs back out to Gordon Pass.  All is well!!!!

Red Skies in the morning Sailors take warning

Saddi's area

 

Sunrise 7:12AM

 

First Light

 

Here comes the Sun

 

Saddi is Ready to Go

BUT when we get to Gordon Pass we are faced with seas that are making us feel like we are in a bathtub...
We head on out to our marker and turn east toward Marco Island......has to get better that's what the weather app said....

Well this is horrible.....stuff is going everywhere....what are we doing here....YES go back....we don't need this....Captain gets the boat turned around.....back thru Gordon Pass.....down the channel....to Hamilton Harbor Marina...
Boat is docked....where is the booze......No pictures I was holding on to Saddi!

Lunch at the Yacht Club....Captain works on the chartplotter......Nancy studies the weather and Saddi does her usual....

Now I like this life

 

 

Dinner on the boat as this marina is remote and the Yacht Club is not open during the week for dinner.  The wind is up....weather says stay in port Wednesday and you may have a window Thursday but a better shot Friday.

 

Quiet day....ready to leave for the Keys....Talked with Marathon and our slip is ready....and we are ready.

 

Lunch on the Deck

 

Sunset and calm waters

 

Very nice

 

Nanseann in Naples