VELCRO
February 6, 2019
One might say, that with the amount we have traveled in the last 3 weeks, that we have developed the boating attitude of "VELCRO". Velcro refers to many boaters that never use their boats for what they were intended. Tied up to a dock or even a mooring ball, one tends to slip back into that 'Dirt dwelling " attitude of security.
We've been on a mooring for the last 8 days having gotten the call from the City marina that we now had a mooring but needed to claim it in the next few hours. As you recall we were about 21 on the list 2 weeks ago and with the weather being so bad, no one was leaving to go south and /or north as there was nowhere to get into ( marina or anchorage) as the weather had been bad there as well.
A 2-3 day weather window opened up the weekend of January25/26th. Many boats gambled and left Boot Key.
As you recall, after the anchor dragged in our last big blow and we have been residing at Marathon Marina at $110/night. What originally started as a 4 day booking, ended up in 1 additional day. In fact, we hummed and hawed the morning of the 28th and in light of how full the harbour was and that we didn't anticipate or foresaw many boats leaving this week, we decide to extend our stay at the marina. (Weekly rate was less than what I had already paid).
We were headed off to the City marina and we received the call of the mooring half way there. Not 2 hours earlier had we paid the $500 odd for the week extension at the Marina. We immediately went back to the marina to negotiate some form of refund. After 2 hours we saw the manager of the marina, and they would only charge me another night ($111) and the rest of the week was cancelled.
The next morning we left after filling water and diesel, and picked up our mooring (L-6) . We got into the harbour and we had to pay the addition $50 for a 2 week stay.
Why do I consider myself, turning into "VELCRO"... well, here goes.
I no longer have to worry about dropping the anchor and having it drag
I get to sleep comfortably, not worry about a change in tide (high & low), a change in wind or its strength.
Could randomly have a drink or two without being too concerned about the above noted points.
We were also within a 5-8 minute dingy ride to the marina, showers, clubhouse, internet, washroom facilities etc. all for $325/month. That's barely $10 a night. We are happily secured to a 1000 odd engineered weight that we tie up to, allowing the boat to swing with the weather conditions without hitting any other boats around us. A huge relief!
This being said, we have been here 8 or so days and haven't had to take the boat out or start it up. The winds have been great, making the wind generator work over time. This has been particularly great when we had several days of no sun and cool temps. As it is between the solar and the wind, the battery voltage has yet to drop below 12.4 Fridge is fine, food keeps cold and frozen as necessary, drinks cool... enough power to run a video or listen to radio from supper through to the end of the night. The wind generator has certainly helped satisfy our power demands relative to our 2014-15 trip when we had to shut down the refrigerator and use ice for December and January.
The weather has turned to the good, this last week. We have been busy doing this, that and the other thing. High 70's daytime, low 70's night. Winds relatively under 10knots.
I'd be remiss to mention that Jo hurt her wrist over a week ago. We suspected it was arthritic in nature but just didn't seem to get any better. Finally today we went to the Hospital (after conferring with our Insurance provider) to confirm after x-rays it was a real bad sprain (arthritis was certainly a factor) and they issued a brace to immobilize and hopefully within a few days she will see an improvement in it.
A few points about this place, it is a sailboaters harbour, nestled safely in a harbour half way from Key West (40 miles south) and Key Largo ( 50 Niles north). The keys actually run east to west, so on one side you have the GUlf of Mexico and the other the Atlantic side. All these islands are connected by 46 bridges, and often the Gulf and Atlantic shores are separated by only the width of the road ( US Hwy 1) . marathon is equipped with everything we need and within walking distance . Grocery stores, Drug stores, Auto Supply, West Marine, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs galore. Daily we walk about 3- 5 miles, nice to stretch the legs after being on the boat pretty well from 5pm to 10am each day.
There are lots of activities hosted here. We have had potluck Superbowl game, meet and greets, DVD/CD exchanges, info sessions on the Bahamas, Cuba, there are Community Festivals, recently we volunteered for a weekend Art Festival... I did parking and Jo was a runner for the vendors. All this to get free T-shirt., Church on Sunday ( United Methodist).
A couple of downsides are , the marina closes daily at 5:30pm, funny watching the big boats go up to the marina and filling their water tanks on the boat ( couple hundred gallons at a time.) Otherwise you can fill water jugs etc. for free at a faucet up the river, just an inconvenience, but you get routines to take a 5 gal tank with you each time you go over and take it back to the boat and dump in our storage tanks. Just another fact of boating life.
Absolutely no TV coverage in the anchorage, so you rely on internet
Last thing is the excelerated growth of barnacles and algae on the boat bottom. - excelerated anode disintegration.
One might say, that with the amount we have traveled in the last 3 weeks, that we have developed the boating attitude of "VELCRO". Velcro refers to many boaters that never use their boats for what they were intended. Tied up to a dock or even a mooring ball, one tends to slip back into that 'Dirt dwelling " attitude of security.
We've been on a mooring for the last 8 days having gotten the call from the City marina that we now had a mooring but needed to claim it in the next few hours. As you recall we were about 21 on the list 2 weeks ago and with the weather being so bad, no one was leaving to go south and /or north as there was nowhere to get into ( marina or anchorage) as the weather had been bad there as well.
A 2-3 day weather window opened up the weekend of January25/26th. Many boats gambled and left Boot Key.
As you recall, after the anchor dragged in our last big blow and we have been residing at Marathon Marina at $110/night. What originally started as a 4 day booking, ended up in 1 additional day. In fact, we hummed and hawed the morning of the 28th and in light of how full the harbour was and that we didn't anticipate or foresaw many boats leaving this week, we decide to extend our stay at the marina. (Weekly rate was less than what I had already paid).
We were headed off to the City marina and we received the call of the mooring half way there. Not 2 hours earlier had we paid the $500 odd for the week extension at the Marina. We immediately went back to the marina to negotiate some form of refund. After 2 hours we saw the manager of the marina, and they would only charge me another night ($111) and the rest of the week was cancelled.
The next morning we left after filling water and diesel, and picked up our mooring (L-6) . We got into the harbour and we had to pay the addition $50 for a 2 week stay.
Why do I consider myself, turning into "VELCRO"... well, here goes.
I no longer have to worry about dropping the anchor and having it drag
I get to sleep comfortably, not worry about a change in tide (high & low), a change in wind or its strength.
Could randomly have a drink or two without being too concerned about the above noted points.
We were also within a 5-8 minute dingy ride to the marina, showers, clubhouse, internet, washroom facilities etc. all for $325/month. That's barely $10 a night. We are happily secured to a 1000 odd engineered weight that we tie up to, allowing the boat to swing with the weather conditions without hitting any other boats around us. A huge relief!
Sunset at Boot Key (Conch time)
Park in the Marina
Capt'n Jack Memorial 92 when he passed
This being said, we have been here 8 or so days and haven't had to take the boat out or start it up. The winds have been great, making the wind generator work over time. This has been particularly great when we had several days of no sun and cool temps. As it is between the solar and the wind, the battery voltage has yet to drop below 12.4 Fridge is fine, food keeps cold and frozen as necessary, drinks cool... enough power to run a video or listen to radio from supper through to the end of the night. The wind generator has certainly helped satisfy our power demands relative to our 2014-15 trip when we had to shut down the refrigerator and use ice for December and January.
The weather has turned to the good, this last week. We have been busy doing this, that and the other thing. High 70's daytime, low 70's night. Winds relatively under 10knots.
I'd be remiss to mention that Jo hurt her wrist over a week ago. We suspected it was arthritic in nature but just didn't seem to get any better. Finally today we went to the Hospital (after conferring with our Insurance provider) to confirm after x-rays it was a real bad sprain (arthritis was certainly a factor) and they issued a brace to immobilize and hopefully within a few days she will see an improvement in it.
A few points about this place, it is a sailboaters harbour, nestled safely in a harbour half way from Key West (40 miles south) and Key Largo ( 50 Niles north). The keys actually run east to west, so on one side you have the GUlf of Mexico and the other the Atlantic side. All these islands are connected by 46 bridges, and often the Gulf and Atlantic shores are separated by only the width of the road ( US Hwy 1) . marathon is equipped with everything we need and within walking distance . Grocery stores, Drug stores, Auto Supply, West Marine, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs galore. Daily we walk about 3- 5 miles, nice to stretch the legs after being on the boat pretty well from 5pm to 10am each day.
There are lots of activities hosted here. We have had potluck Superbowl game, meet and greets, DVD/CD exchanges, info sessions on the Bahamas, Cuba, there are Community Festivals, recently we volunteered for a weekend Art Festival... I did parking and Jo was a runner for the vendors. All this to get free T-shirt., Church on Sunday ( United Methodist).
A couple of downsides are , the marina closes daily at 5:30pm, funny watching the big boats go up to the marina and filling their water tanks on the boat ( couple hundred gallons at a time.) Otherwise you can fill water jugs etc. for free at a faucet up the river, just an inconvenience, but you get routines to take a 5 gal tank with you each time you go over and take it back to the boat and dump in our storage tanks. Just another fact of boating life.
Absolutely no TV coverage in the anchorage, so you rely on internet
Last thing is the excelerated growth of barnacles and algae on the boat bottom. - excelerated anode disintegration.
journey tribute band
Go Pat's
Pelican's Robbie's Marina
Tarpon Feeding
Islamarado
The Community
The boating community has changed quite a bit from 4 years ago, which is to be expected, noting that most of the boats and people's lives were destroyed by Irma. There are a few people that we still recognize and know, but the character of the harbour has changed. We ran into Deanna and Diesel Don Shuler on Lady Triana, still a vital part of the community.
Not only can you physically see the damages caused by Irma ( boats, docks, debris...) but the human side also. There is still quite a large live-aboard community and these boats are relatively easy to see because of damage or growth on the hulls.
There are seasonal boats, relatively good shape and maintained. These are the ones that have been coming down for years, arrive in November and leave in March , April ( usually heading north as its just too hot down here)
Then there's the transient Community, those stopping over for a few weeks, stopping to provision and waiting for a weather window, then on their way to the Islands , Bahamas...
There doesn't appear to be as many young boaters with kids, no homeschooling happening in the clubhouse like previously.
Music and pubs were an active part of the community 4 years ago, but this doesn't seem to be the case this time.
Not as many young families in the harbour.
A lot of men sailing together.. a lot of women seem to be travelling together as well as single men and women.
Still a lot of community activities, movies in the park, festivals, bocce, dominoes, cards, softball, yoga, various interest group meetings
Doesn't appear to be as many "rough" people in the harbour, however there is still a large homeless population.
Well that's it for now, catch up with all later.
Tom & Jo
Glad to hear you "Guys" are still afloat, sounds like some things are the same, and others have changed drastically, kinda like around the neighborhood. Hope the weather cooperates for you and Jo, and the winds are just right for sailing. Take Care and Sail Safe. Dan & Peg
ReplyDeleteIf its any comfort, I am writing this as the snow falls for the next two days, dropping up to 50cm of snow being blown around by steady 40km winds with 70km gusts expected. It is a winter wonderland to everyone that doesn't have to shovel the fine powder over already 5'-6' snowbanks along the driveway. Way to go Patriots! Go Leafs Go!
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