Dec 7: Miami to Turtle Harbor

Today was perhaps the best day of this odyssey so far. All of Alana’s systems are working (knock on wood) and I have finally started closing Pensacola. I’m working my way down the Keys and for the first time feel like I’m actually “cruising.” I know I’ll be anchoring every night, I’m far, far from Miami and its attendant complications, and it seems like I am on schedule to get to Pensacola well before Christmas.

I left Key Biscayne at first light, motoring north to Miami Beach to fuel and water. That accomplished, I headed south following Hawk Channel which lies between the reef and the Keys. I’ll not mention the recalcitrant autopilot for fear of ruining my mojo, but you can take the non-suicidal tone of this post any way you like.

The winds were in my face again, forcing me to motor, but the next few days look much more promising. It looks like I’ll be able to sail the rest of the way to Key West, saving both money and my pride.

Alana is anchored in Turtle Harbor, about 3 miles east of Key Largo. Alana is riding a Fortress anchor, normally my stern anchor. The bottom in this area consists of a layer of silt on top of dead corral, and a Danforth-type anchor is apparently the key to success. I am eager so avoid another unpleasant anchor-dragging situation, so swapped out the Fortress and the CQR this morning.

I can’t help but think of Conor Sullivan, perhaps the world’s most dedicated fisherman. There are large fish all over the place around here. I don’t know what they are, but they are roiling the surface of the water in every direction. I’m sure he’d be reeling them in by the score.

It feels really good to have escaped Miami. As you can tell by her new piercing The Head fell in with some Key Biscayne toughs while I was messing with the autopilot. She has been acting hung-over all day, and I have to wonder as to her virtue. I’m hopeful that some quality time together, far from the fast Key Biscayne crowd will get her back on the straight and narrow.

Upon reaching Turtle Harbor about an hour before sunset I hopped overboard and enjoyed a few refreshing laps around the boat. The water and air temperatures were in the mid-80s, so it required no particular courage to jump in. I was tempted to scrub Alana’s grubby waterline, but elected to put that chore off until tomorrow.

The plan is to weigh anchor at first light and make my way down to Indian Key, a little west of Islamorada.