The Crossing--February 26-27

As always, unaware of what lies ahead, spirits are high when beginning a cruise.  “Lena Bea”, “Chill,” “Wild Oats” anchored with “Aurora” the evening of the 25^th by marker # 1 in Charlotte Harbor, rising to a beautiful sunrise on calm waters, the four captains and crew were underway by 8:00a.m. for the 24 hour cruise, destination Dry Torgugas, FL.  The first leg across the harbor to Boca Grande Pass was uneventful, with clear skies and winds out of the southwest allowing us upon turning westerly at marker #5  to raise the sails.  A fifth boat, “Horizons” joined us at Boca, we cleared the pass into the open waters of the Gulf at 10:30a.m.  On a southwest heading with winds on our nose, but with promise from the weather reports that the winds would favorably shift to more westerly in the early afternoon, we continued on our course with spirits undampened.  Needless to say, wind on the bow is not a delightful way to cruise even for a couple of hours, but the waves were not too high, at least at first.  Later as they grew to heights of 3-5 feet and the winds continued on the nose we all began to question why we were doing this.  Around 50 miles offshore “Chill” decided to head back for the safety of Charlotte harbor, thus able to turn off their engines and sail back.  On the other hand, the four of us pounded, with spirits greatly dampened, on until 1:00am the next morning when the winds finally shifted enabling us to silence our engines, and proceed the next 10 hours under sail.  Spotting the massive Ft. Jefferson on the horizon we slipped into the safe harbor of Garden Key, Dry Tortugas at 11:00a.m.  About an hour later “Route 66,” joined us in the anchorage, bringing our number to 5 boats having completed the 150 mile crossing.

Honestly most of us would not have stayed the course had we been by ourselves, but instead, like “Chill,” would have turned back at some point.   I can tell you, in the middle of the long, long night, and after getting very sick for the first time ever while sailing I was wishing to be back home with the lucky ones who for various reasons were unable to accompany us on the trip.

Order of business after the long night was to eat, shower and nap before exploring the shore of the Dry Tortugas National Park.