Days 133 and 134 -Thin Water — Captain Father John

Tuesday miles cruised 0, fuel purchased 0, slip fee $113 plus $12 electric plus $5 WIFI and $8 state tax = $138, daily high temperature 84*f

Wednesday miles 58, fuel purchased $0, slip fee $90, daily high temperature 82*f

Tuesday was a hot and humid day in Marathon. We had breakfast at the Stuffed Pig which is only a block away from the Marathon Yacht Club.

I had my second haircut in 140 days. I was working on the shaggy boater look but it is not good for business as a boat broker. Sharron the barber at the Easy Does It barber shop in Marathon is from New Jersey and has been living in the Keys since the 1980’s. She is ready to move back to New Jersey.

A good value eventhough my last haircut in Fairhope was only $10.00

The coastline around Marathon on the gulf side has numerous upscale marinas. The waterfront houses are quite extravagant too.

George and Pat Hospodar keep their boat Reflection at the Banana Bay Marina which is nearby. They came over for docktails and we had dinner at the Marathon Yacht Club. The restaurant was very busy and the food was excellent. As with most yacht clubs the members were primarily in their 70’s and 80’s.

We will move further up the keys on Wednesday. We will cruise 58 miles on the gulf side to Key Largo. The forecast is for blowy conditions starting Friday. The winds will be out of the north and east so we need to identify sheltered anchorages and marinas as we cruise to Ft Lauderdale. We have a reservation at the Marina Bay Marina starting February 8 but the Dockmaster John advised he can get us in a few days earlier if need be. The main concern is the current in the south fork of the New River leading to the marina. It is best to transit this crowded, narrow river at slack tide or when the tide is ebbing to the sea so the current will be on the bow and not pushing our stern around.

Wednesday started out warm, sunny and breezy. The wind out of the east had built up 5 – 7 foot waves on the Atlantic side along with small craft warnings. We had a fairly flat ride up the gulf side of the Keys. Waves about one foot or less. The current is running against us so our speed over ground is about one mph lower than our boat speed through the water. The water depth has been consistent along the ICW at 8 – 9 feet. However there are some thin spots where it is only five feet deep. We have our depth sounder set to 4 feet so when we see 1 foot we know it is time to hang on because our draft is 3.5 feet. Fortunately we never hit a spot that was any thinner.

Proof that the water is thin on the ICW

Bonus photo – Changing Latitudes at sunset on Key Largo

Carl (Chef) Wooden – quote of the day

“My soul is full of longing
for the secret of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean
sends a thrilling pulse through me.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator whose works include “Paul Revere’s Ride”, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. He was also the first American to translate Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, and was one of the five Fireside Poets.

Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine, which was then a part of Massachusetts. He studied at Bowdoin College. After spending time in Europe he became a professor at Bowdoin and, later, at Harvard College. Longfellow retired from teaching in 1854, to focus on his writing, living the remainder of his life in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in a former Revolutionary War headquarters of George Washington. He died in 1882.