Back on the High Seas

I know it has been awhile since I have updated the blog but we have been just too darn busy having fun. I am currently sitting at anchor just off the north east end of Nassau. I hope to get you all caught up soon. So here is the next installment.

Finally on Tuesday the 21st the weather was good enough to get to our first stop at Marathon. We managed to get a fill up of diesel from a tanker which saved us a good chunk of money. We then made the 44 mile trip to Marathon where we anchored for the night.

We had a completely unobstructed view to the west with the famous seven mile bridge off to the right. That night we enjoyed a couple of grilled lobster tails for dinner while watching the sunset. 

The next morning we cut over to the inside of the keys to head 12 miles to Matecumbe Key where there was a a nice anchorage with beautiful water.

We got on the dinghy and explored the mangrove channels. Later in the afternoon we went over to the famous Robbies Hungry Tarpon Restaurant. It is a staple on the keys where tour buses pull in to let people feed these massive Tarpon. 

We met a great couple from Ohio that were wintering in the area. He had just retired and was still in that phase of figuring out who he was. 

The Thursday morning we had a short 10 mile trip to lower Matecumbe where the village of Islamorada is located.

We anchored up right in front of Lorelei, another famous Key establishment. We were also close to Wild World of Sports which is where the first Bass Pro Outlet was born. We loaded the bikes in the dinghy and went ashore. We found our way to a Dive History Museum which turned out to be fantastic.

This guy undoubtedly has the largest collection of hard hat dive helmets in the world. The museum was very well done and covered diving from the diving bell all the way to scuba. We stopped at a couple of unique shops  along the way. We enjoyed a two person band at the Lorelei followed by a great dinner aboard. 

On Friday we headed 23 miles to Key Largo where we anchored in front of Sunset Marina where Brad Shirley and his wife Kathy, brother of Steve Shirleys, runs his parasail business out of. He met us there and was kind enough to loan us his truck so we could get some final provisions for the Bahamas.

Later we met up for dinner followed by a night cap aboard Next Chapter.                     

On Saturday we made the final 23 mile leg up the Keys to Angle Fish Creek on the north end of Key Largo which would serve as our jumping point to Bimini.

When we got to the anchorage we dropped the hook and backed down on it and heard a noise. Now we usually put the dinghy up on it’s mounts but that day we decided to tow it behind the boat. Well don’t you know the tow rope got sucked into the prop.

Shit! Back in the water to dive down and clear the rope off the wheel. I swear. So we have never been to North Key Largo and now that we have been we know what people are talking about.  It is truly a place of exuberant wealth.

It is largely a private community with its own private air strip, health clinic and small village complete with an Orvis outdoor outfitters. The homes there were all opulent beyond description and manicured to the tee. The mega yachts in Ocean Reef Resort were jaw dropping.

We connected with another looper boat, Inked Mermaid, whom we had met in Tarpon Springs months ago. They were making the crossing with two other boats and asked us to join in. We had a early captains meeting to discuss the plan for the morning and called an early night. 

                                  Had cover the cost of borrowing the truck in trade

The dinghy was packed to the brim with ship stores to go to the Bahamas.