Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Get out of our way, we’re Punta Gorda bound! 

It seems once the decision is made to turn towards home on a trip whether we are 100 or 1,000 miles from home, wild horses, rough seas, or bad winds can keep us from our reaching destination as soon as possible. 

Upon leaving Key West with the sunrise, “Lena Bea,” “Wild Oats,” and “Aurora,” were blessed favorable 10 knot winds and calm seas, not just for a few hours, but the whole day.  With full sails up and motors on, our heading, northeast, to get as far as possible, probably somewhere off Cape Romano Shoals and anchor there for the night. As those favorable winds would have it, we kept resetting our way point and wound up a couple miles off Marco Island just in time for Michele on “Lena Bea,” to sound her conch, signaling sunset.  We were pleased with our day’s journey and knew if the wind and weather held we could very possibly make it home the tomorrow.  Storms were predicted for late in the day though, so the backup plan for bad weather was to get on the ICW in Ft. Myers and possibly anchor at Pelican Bay, and then wait to traverse Charlotte Harbor till Thursday.  Or, if the blessing of the fleet was as perfect as today, sail on the outside and in through Boca Grande Pass to home. Worry grants no shroud of peace; the mercy of the elements would dictate our decision when the time came.     

After our 12 hour day we were ready to fix a quick, hot meal, which for us was breakfast and settle in for the night.  After cleaning up it was still too early to make for the berth, so I pulled out a book and Dennis his guitar.  This was his first opportunity to sing to his heart’s content on the trip, so went up on deck and serenaded anyone who would listen.  It was a perfect ending to a perfect day on the boat. 

But as nightfall came so did a rocking current off the beam.  While yes, a little rocking is nice, too much is just that, too much.  We both awoke at 12:30 unable to sleep.  Our berth is at the rear of the boat, so I went to the settee and was able to get some sleep there, while Dennis remaining in our berth, went sleepless in Marco Island!  It’s one time where if we had not been with other boats we would have pulled up our anchor and headed for home in the middle of the night.  I can see/hear the headlines, “Cruise Leader Abandons Others in the Middle of the Night off Marco Island.”  “Captain and First Mate Unaccounted For.”  No, there are just things you do differently when on a cruise with others.  Needless to say, we were good and ready to leave Marco before the Wednesday sunrise.