Punta Gorda to the Bahamas Part 2 of 2

When you are moored, of course, you need a dinghy to get to shore unless you are a stronger swimmer than I am!  While the Southern Girl crew was gone, we put the dinghy in the water and went  into Key West for brunch at Blue Heaven.  Yum Yum!! Lobster and spring berries.

On the way back to the boat, there appeared to be something wrong with the dinghy motor.  We made it back to the boat (barely).  (This was particularly upsetting as we had the motor maintained "professionally" right before we left.)  We hoisted the motor back up to the railing.  What happens next is for SNL.  Bob:  "Bev, get a bucket, fill it with water and hold it under the motor prop while I try to see what is wrong."  Or words to that effect.  That was a lot of fun.  A live aboard neighbor couldn't stand it any longer and dinghied over to ask, "having engine troubles?"  There's a comedian in every crowd.  He gave us a name of a gal who fixes outboards at a reasonable price.  We called Rachel and she and her fiancée showed up in short order.  She diagnosed the problem and said that she would have to go to Stock Island to get a part.  I don't remember what it was.  She came back the next day, fixed the motor and charged us like $40.  We kept her name and number for our "peep's list!"

If you've ever been to Key West, two weeks is more than enough time to spend there.  We were ready to move on, but the wind was still blowing 20+ all the time.  But we're sailors, we need wind, right?  When the Southern Girl crew returned, we eventually decided to move on the Marathon and then to The Bahamas.  After all, we were running out of time.

As I recall, the wind was OTN (I'm shocked!) and we didn't sail going to Marathon, but we made it.  SG got there first and guided us in.  I didn't think it was possible, but the wind was worse there.  There was no letting up.  20+ 24/7.  After a couple of weeks, which is a week longer than we should have stayed, Bob and I decided to go back to KW and start to head home.  The Bahamas would have to wait for another time.

I hate to be repetitive, but it was windy and we didn't get to sail again.  We pulled into the Galleon Marina (a great place) and Susie was going to help us dock.  Being a center cockpit, our boat has a lot of windage and well, with the wind howling, I was nervous about backing into a slip.  Rightfully so.  There is a bulkhead in  the marina.  On that bulkhead were 2 jet skis, affectionately referred to as "cockroaches" by sailors.  Bob was doing a great job turning the  boat around to back in, but because of the extreme wind, Water's Edge didn't want our assigned slip, she wanted the end slip.  Next to the bulkhead.  I was on the bow of the boat yelling a the jet ski drivers.   They just looked up at me and FINALLY realized a 26,000 pound vessel was coming at them.  Susie said "go ahead and take that slip."  Like we were going anyplace else?  She grabbed the lines and secured the boat.  Red Stripe!

We spent another week or so waiting for winds to subside.  They didn't.  We took off for home when we probably should have left a day earlier or a day later.  Figures.  Now, it is the middle of May.  No cold fronts come through then, right?  Wrong!  A cold front hit us, of course OTN, and we were motor sailing.  Bob was concerned that we would get to get to Boca Grande pass about 4 in the morning.  Ha!  It  was 4 p.m. the next day.  Many prayers were said in that cockpit overnight as we were tethered to the boat and holding on for dear life.  But Captain Bob did a great job and we were very happy to see the Boca Grande lighthouse.  Home free, right? 

There was one more test for us.  There were HUGE rollers coming at us from the portside through the pass.   I honestly thought we were going to go over at one point.  But Bob maneuvered our way through them and we were safely in Charlotte Harbor at last.  A few hours later we were home safe, but bruised.

I dream of leaving on a trip and actually getting to sail there.  Someday, I hope my dream comes true.