Labor Day 2014

Labor Day 2014

We just don't get out on JD enough! I'm committed to work and Admiral Pegs is committed (very happily) to helping care for our granddaughter KT. So we just don't get out enough!

But when we do get JD on the water, we try to make up for it. Sailing has a high priority, safety is right up there too. So we tend to be the oddities out there. Sadly, most boaters on Biscayne Bay don't even have the correct safety equipment, including Life preservers, onboard, let alone use it. We tend to stand out because, as we come into the anchorages, other boaters will see we're wearing our auto inflate life preservers and they stay on until the anchor is secure and the boat is not moving (much :)

The trip this weekend included a self imposed challenge. We have owned JD for over 9 years since new, and we only have 2 pics of JD under sail and both of those were taken during the BEER cruise in Pensacola. So this weekend I set to get some 'Selfies' of JD under sail.

This is one of my favorite photos from the weekend. The weather had eased up enough to make sailing a pleasure, the skies were just cloudy enough to make them a great back drop. The water was crystal clear with a green tinge from the Bay floor and, most importantly, JD was carving it up with Admiral Pegs at the helm (note that JD is heeling ever so slightly!)

A great pic to start September's Sail!




This Labor Day weekend seemed a lot different from the past many years. As recently reported, there have been too many fatalities in the Bay, mostly up around Miami. So this weekend, it was very well reported that the Authorities would be on the water helping to keep drunken skippers under control. From our vantage point, they succeeded. Elliot Key Harbor was virtually empty, normally it would be packed over Labor Day Weekend, especially after the considerable rebuild that took place after the last Hurricane damage that closed the harbor for about a year! And the boats anchored off the North end of Elliott Key were at an all time low! I doubt there were 50 vessels in sight.

The good news is that we did not hear of any horrific boating incidents the entire weekend. Keep up the good work guys!

We had the chance to anchor with a small sailing fleet out of Dinner Key, there were 6 sailboats and one power boat. All really good people and we were invited aboard for sundowners. We got to see some great pics of their boats. I took several pics of them during the afternoon and the following morning after we had sailed up to Sand Key and back.

We dragged anchor and had a close encounter with the power boat, but no harm no foul. Glad that the owners were decent people and they helped us free JD which was stuck on their anchor line between our rudder and our center board/swing keel.

Sadly all good things must come to an end, but that only moves us closer to our next trip. We anchored off Elliott Key, just to the north of the harbor, over night. And before Dawn we had our Cereal and Yogurt breakfast with some hot coffee, then it was up anchor and motor with our Running lights till Dawn, getting back to the Marina before 8am. Sure is good to get the boat prepped for trailing home before the heat is turned up.

Back home safe and sound. Over the next few days we power washed the boat, flushed the Outboard engine, emptied the porta potti, and pulled all of the food, drinks and linens off the boat. Of course, I have a list a yard long of things to do on JD, including replacing the mast lighting electrical connector, fixing the cracked stern light lens, fixing a couple of fiberglass dings that we found (they appear in the gel coat almost by magic.) and fixing the rudder hard link that got bent.

But we did get some great pics - check them out here

Keep sailing!

Paul

I celebrate the 4th too!

Having lived in the USA since 1988 emigrating from the UK after 25 years in the British Navy (The Royal Navy) I celebrate the 4th with my family here in Florida.

Of course, as we own a sailboat, we try to get out on her for a long weekend during the 4th of July. It's well into the annual Hurricane season, but 4 days out on the boat are worth the risk.

This year (2014) we headed down to Biscayne Bay after dark on Wednesday July 2nd, arriving at Black Point Marina at 2315 (those of you reading this with a military background will appreciate the 24 hour time format here ;) We slept aboard JD intent on getting the boat ready to launch with an early start at 0600.

By 0600, trucks were pulling into the Marina with their boats trailing behind them. They may have been surprised to see a sail boat in the staging area so early. Breakfast on board and then a couple of hours work on JD and she's ready to take to the ramps.

We're out of the channel by 10am in stormy looking weather. By the time we had cleared the shallows surrounding the Bay, both sails were bent on and we were ready to sail. But the stormy conditions were building and we decided to motor further south and hope for better weather.

Lunch time, so we dropped the hook off of Elliott key for a lazy break. Big surprise, not many boats around! I expected hundreds, barely a dozen in sight! Are they not celebrating ... .oh! it's us! We're a day early ... Woohoooo! A really nice sail after lunch is cut short by quickly rising winds, not going to get better, so time to head up to the anchorage on the north side of Sand Key.

By dawn there were four boats anchored off the key, a couple of Catamarans and a power boat. Nice! didn't even realize the power boat was there till we looked around after dawn. It's a very nice anchorage, providing shelter from winds from the East veering around to the South. Cooked breakfast of Eggs, Corned beef hash, tomatoes, and toast and of course, a cup of fresh hot coffee to get the day going.

Determined to get in some sailing today, we motored south west to the south of the Feather Banks looking for wind. There wasn't much, but enough to fill the Spinnaker. So we decided to fly the Asym over towards Homestead (Turkey Point Power Station) then tack over to Billy's Point. We hit 5.2 knots under our golden Asym spinnaker, felt good to get the boat doing what it is supposed to do! Then a couple of hours tacking with the 110 jib south east to Billy's point. The wind dropped down and coming directly from our destination we motored the last mile south east and dropped anchor off the point.

Still not many boats around, several family's were bobbing around astern of their anchored power boats in about 4+ feet of water. Everyone was having a good time. But it's the 4th! Miami is about 20 miles north of us, too far to enjoy the fireworks, so after a couple of Totts of Rum we turned down for the night. Our handheld GPS setup as anchor alert.

During the night we tried out our new Mosquito repellent lamp unit. Worked well but smelly. At least I thought it was the lamp that was smelly~! NOT! A power boat east of us was running a genny all night long. At dawn, we noticed a slick stretching back to the stern of their boat! Diesel! We reported it to the Florida wildlife patrol down at Elliot key. Later we heard the Coast guard was checking it out. Phew, as well as the environmental impact!

After our visit to Elliott key to report the diesel spill, we decided to practice sailing from an anchorage. That went really well! Hoisted the main before pulling the anchor. Once free, Peggy turned the boat and I unfurled the jib. We were soon moving 180 from our point of anchor heading north east in a light wind on our stern.

We sailed up towards Sands Key for our anchorage overnight before heading back to the marina in the morning. Of course, there are lots of boats around now! Party boats everywhere and all of them seemed to be pumping out the stereo amps. We anchored further from the shore hoping to be away from the noise. Didn't work :( Perhaps it would quieten down after dinner. Nope! Perhaps after we turn in for the night.. Nope! Perhaps after the midnight hour ... Nope! This is getting silly! We had our alarm set for 4am to beat the heat.. Did they turn the volume down at 4am? Nope! 5am! YEAH!

So, and here's the point of my rant (sorry, not really!)

If you take your power boat out across the bay for a PARTY, especially on the 4th of July weekend! Go for it! But... by midnight you have probably told your life story to everyone on the boat. Probably tried to talk the panties off every girl on the boat. Eaten every hot dog, beef burger, pizza, steak, and every bag of chips and dip. You have probably drunk every bottle of cerveza, even every tott of rum (my fav) and smoked every cigar on the boat and perhaps shared all of the exotic drugs that made your trip worthwhile.... BUT why the heck did you have to keep your damned super amped stereo revved up till 5am! Come on, you are not the only folks around and we don't all appreciate your taste in music.

So at dawn we hoisted anchor and headed back to black point marina to get the boat on the trailer and head for home.

Then it was all put in perspective. We had a great weekend on the boat, got some great sailing, and got home safely. While up at the north end of the bay the power boater lunes were being stupid and we all know what happens when stupid power boat owners rush to the dock after the 4th of July fireworks. And sadly, again, more people were killed during a multi power boat accident!

We all celebrate the 4th, but lets not allow it to be our last celebration. We feel for the families of those killed this weekend. So stupid, so needless, and sadly so predictable.

Let's be a bit more considerate of each other next year!

Sail - it's the safer way to be there.

Link to the NBC News Miami


Paul