Day 8 in the City Dock, trying to find supplies. Using Leonard's hotspot, no internet here. Many thanks also to Leonard for the amazing photos.
Day 7, Freezing Friday. Coldest winter in 20 years. Really, I feel cursed. This time I’m prepared with extra clothes, a cozy duvet, wool hats and gloves. We left all heaters behind because we won’t need them in the Bahamas, where I’m now positive we will get to, not gonna let some sticking weather defeat us.
After 2 nights at anchor in the the lee of some fierce winds we got up Friday morning to more and decided to stay another day. But the anchorage had had enough of us and with the tide low and the wind shifting we were now hitting bottom with every 20 something knot gust. So we left to find something more suitable but low and behold the waters were a mere light chop in the gulf and the winds were right where we needed them to be to make the run to Naples. A beautiful day of sailing at last!
Now let’s back up this story and let me tell you of the other days that we traveled through to get here.
Jack waiting on weather
Day 1, Saturday was the end of the cold, northern winds that blew, gusty and howly for two or three days. The sun was out, but like ice cubes in your Cuba Libra, the air was rather chilly. Even the hardy lads in the marina were donning jackets and hats over their t-shirts and shorts. Still, it was a grand day to release Sargasso to the elements she so ably embraces. The winds were laying, the sea was settling down, we decided to try the gulf instead of the ICW. That proved to be a not so comfortable decision. With the winds abated, the sea all sixes and sevens, we felt like a bobbing cork. Into Clearwater we headed and down the icy, oops, I mean the ICW to Madeira Beach where we found a delightful anchorage. The wind was picking up just a bit, so we had the headsail out and we nipped along pretty smartly.
Cats were mostly quiet, Maggie slithered under the duvet in the forepeak and remained there at all times we were moving, Ridley, of course, kept her company, but didn’t feel the need for hiding. Juan, I put a harness on, then a leash and we walked the deck to make certain there was absolutely no escape. He settled pretty well, after a bout of seasickness.
Day 2 woke early to a lovely calm warm morning and enjoyed another nice run to get down to Sarasota, picked up a mooring ball and bemoaned the many changes in a town where we had anchored 25 years before. We did get to hear some live music in the great park they have made, it being a Sunday evening before a holiday Monday, Washington’s birthday.
Day 3 we got up early, went to Marina Jack to pay the mooring fee, remove the trash and look for drinking water. The marina shop had gallon jugs of water for the incredible amount of $4.50 a gallon. We left not very impressed with the place or the service. Chart plotting led us to a nice anchorage at mile 43.5, south of Venice and since there were more Bascule Bridges to traverse and the wind, fluky, we motored. The weather was beginning it’s decline into another cold front, so we were happy to put the anchor down in what the guide book described as a very good place, among mangrove encrusted spoil islands. Now, we were trying for 2 nights to find spots where we could row Juan ashore, but this was another disappointment and he let us know just how disappointed he was. That and the fact that not only did our 65lb CQR not set for the first time ever and we had to find a better spot to anchor, rather spoiled the evening and the entire night. The wind picking up and a strong current not mentioned, had Sargasso turned around and over the anchors. We had also put the Danforth out, so we held steady, but the chains took every opportunity to make us think otherwise. By 7:00 that morning I’d had enough and at about that time Sargasso assumed her previous position so we easily slipped out from that terrible place.
Day 4, beating into the south wind across Gasparilla Sound, and Charlotte Harbor made us long for a comfy berth, especially with rain and the old north wind returning. Cabbage Key was the only thing available and we were happy for that as we had visited there 25 years before and had a brief but memorable experience. Not to be repeated, alas. While the bar with the dollar bills on the walls were still there and the rinky tink upright piano, too, the two German lads playing broadway tunes weren’t there, only one lime tree was still standing and the restaurant was blaring loud music over the heads of the huge lunch crowd. We made the best of it, hot showers, walks with Juan and cheeseburgers for dinner. Earlier than predicted the winds changed, coming from the north and bringing rain.
Day 5 of our journey we woke to clearing skies and a hefty north wind, but we see a good anchorage on the chart only 15 miles away, so off we go, raising the headsail for a lickety split ride and in a matter of hours we anchor just south of Saint James City at the southern end of Pine Island.
If you were in one of the many houses across from us, the day would look glorious, sunny, clear skies and a slight chop to the almost turquoise-green waters of the bay. If you looked a little closer, you’d see palm trees with their fronds flying horizontally in one direction. A good indicator that the wind is up. Going outside you would then realize that the wind contained those icy daggers people talk about when the wind comes down from the north. A sweater or two, you’d be grabbing.
Day 6 at anchor, doing sailorly chores, a new harness for Juan and Leonard made a Matthew Walker knot for the stern anchor line. I made tortillas and Jack rolled them out with a wine bottle. Delicious. We had all the ingredients for pico and shrimp tacos. Yum. Double yum, shrimp and pico scrambled eggs and cheese quesadillas for breakfast the next day.
Some other photos taken by me and Jack. The gentleman in the lovely kayak came out to visit with us at the anchorage.
