A big Thank You to all the fellow sailors and Dads who responded to the topic posted recently!! We made the sail this last week, leaving Key West loaded with provisions and loats of safety gear for the long drive to Ft. Myers Beach (310 miles) the sail was full of adventure, she DID need help, most all who posted were right on, 50% motorsailing it was!
Straight thru it was not, well almost not, we were late getting out of port because of spring break traffic returning the one way rental car. We made Marco Island by sunset and dropped the hook at a great anchorage, set off at dawn with light winds that picked up nicely and then died, being too far out she chose to continue to try and make Moser Channel by dawn from there we are only 4 hours or less from home....the seas were so calm 50nm out that the flying fish were leaving wakes you could see for 100 yards, then the sea breeze started to kick in (we were praying for wind and got alot of it!) the seas in Florida Bay picked up and by midnight we had 20 knot winds and gusts with seas at 4-6 easy we took a pounding in that little boat and she was a trooper, she manned the helm for 6 hours before asking for help, we could see the out islands N of Marathon by light and she made it home by noon, thats one tough boat and skipper, and Dad is proud. Thank You all, and thank you Spot, love that orange thing. Tropical Breezes, Keysskipper
Straight thru it was not, well almost not, we were late getting out of port because of spring break traffic returning the one way rental car. We made Marco Island by sunset and dropped the hook at a great anchorage, set off at dawn with light winds that picked up nicely and then died, being too far out she chose to continue to try and make Moser Channel by dawn from there we are only 4 hours or less from home....the seas were so calm 50nm out that the flying fish were leaving wakes you could see for 100 yards, then the sea breeze started to kick in (we were praying for wind and got alot of it!) the seas in Florida Bay picked up and by midnight we had 20 knot winds and gusts with seas at 4-6 easy we took a pounding in that little boat and she was a trooper, she manned the helm for 6 hours before asking for help, we could see the out islands N of Marathon by light and she made it home by noon, thats one tough boat and skipper, and Dad is proud. Thank You all, and thank you Spot, love that orange thing. Tropical Breezes, Keysskipper
