Key West to Marathon

The sun was peeking through some remaining clouds as we set off 7:15 this morning. It teased us all day, breaking out for brief periods and then disappearing for an hour or so. The winds were out of the north and 10-15 all day and being that we were heading basically east, we had a GREAT sail all day. Both Andiamo and Brunelle were under full sail for the whole trip and it was a treat. We made good time too and entered the harbor at Marathon at 2:00. The temperature was a bit cooler than the last few days and we both donned socks for the first time in a week.

The trip took us through crab pots almost the entire way, so we had to keep a lookout for them. Right about elevenzees Dan ducked below to get a beer and left me reading in the cockpit. Within a minute I realized we were being approached from behind (I was sitting facing aft) by an official looking boat. It was the US Customs & Border Protection. They pulled up right alongside keeping pace with us and shouted across asking where we were coming from, where we were going and what our home port was. They also asked if Andiamo was with us and I vouched for them too. Dan heard me talking (to the waves or something) thought I was cracking up but decided to leave his beer below when he realized who was there!

We called for mooring assignments (as instructed) as we passed under the bridge that isn't a bridge (they took out the lift part because only 6 people live on the island that the bridge connected to the mainland) and found out that all 221 moorings were taken so we anchored just outside the mooring field among a motley collection of boats many of which appear to be abandoned. We took a dinghy ride into the City Dock because Sam had forwarded a package with some necessary mail items to us. We picked up the waiting package and decided to cruise around the harbor to see the sights. It continues way up past some small islands and there are quite a few docks and condos and a couple of small canals. We saw the Catalina 350 Arkeoo, belonging to Bob Klimek's daughter and son-in-law, tied up in a slip. We had heard that it was possible to take a small canal near the bridge(less) that lead to West Marine. We found the canal, went to the end of it, but found that there is nowhere to land because West Marine refused to pay for insurance at the assigned dock when someone slipped getting back in their dinghy and sued, so no "candy store" for Dan today. ~~~_/)~~~M&D

The sun had to fight clouds to peek through, particularly at sunrise and sunset. It did come out long enough to get a shot of Andiamo sailing by. (Note the bridge(less) in the sunset picture.)

Here's our friendly border patrol fueling up for another day. You can see how they had no trouble keeping up with us - four 225 hp Mercury outboards!

There were masts as far as the eye could see in all directions, but no moorings.