Trawler Blogs

Our time in Marathon came to a close on Tuesday. Before we could leave however we were in desperate need of a pump out. Remember Tuesday is the designated day for that dockside service. So we waited awhile and sure enough here comes the guy on a golf cart pulling the pump out cart. Right on by he goes to the end of the dock. By the time I get out there he’s already starting on one of the boats. He assures me that it won’t take long to get to us since several of the boats are unoccupied. A bit later I notice he’s only 2 boats away so I start to remove the cap from our deck fitting. Just then I hear a crack followed by a few choice words and look up to see that the pump out guy had thrown the hose and plastic connector from the boat to the concrete dock and busted it completely off! I mean busted. Not just a fitting that came apart but busted!

Our next move was to go to the fuel dock, something I should have done to start with. We wanted to top off the tanks anyway and they assured us that they could take care of the holding tank also.
We got fuel but by the time it took us to get from our slip to the fuel dock the pump out guy had been there and taken their plastic fittings and nozzle to use on his rig. So off someone went to find the guy and bring him back to take care of us so we could get underway. 15 minutes later here he comes. He connects the hose and hands me the nozzle. So while I’m doing his job he’s telling Pam that he got the job because that last guy wasn’t reliable and that he got it because he was efficient! I’m telling you I can’t make this stuff up!

Finally with the job complete we got out of Dodge and with the relatively calm conditions we ventured out to Hawk Channel and proceeded on our way. We only stayed out there until we reached the Channel 5 bridge where we crossed back into the shallower water of Florida Bay.

Passing under the Channel 5 bridge and past the old bridge.

Our destination was an anchorage near Islamorada where we’ve anchored before with mixed results. We wanted to go to the Lorelei waterside café & bar to watch the sunset.
Well our first attempt at anchoring failed as we started to drag. The bottom here is a thin layer of sand covered by a lot of vegetation which makes it hard to get a good hold with the anchor. We retrieved the anchor and began to circle like a dog trying to find just the right spot. The water is clear enough to see the bottom so eventually we found a small area that appeared to be just sand. We set the hook with 7 to 1 scope and let it settle in before backing down on it to get a good set. It worked and for the longest while we sat and watched the other boaters as well as the approaching storm front which arrived earlier than predicted.

Storms a comin!

All was well until the front hit. The winds of course swung us around and that was all it took to pop the anchor. Now we’re drifting towards shore in a driving rain storm. We started the motors and I began  bringing the anchor up from the helm control. (I usually do it out on deck). I could see some grass and vegetation on the chain but it was still working just fine…until about half way up the windlass jammed. Crap! Nothing I could do from inside would get the chain unstuck. Guess I’m going to get wet.
The bright side of this is that it had been one of those 90 degree days so the rain water was refreshing!
Once I saw how bad the chain was jammed and that I couldn’t get it back to normal I pulled the remaining chain and anchor in by hand and secured it with the safety hook. All the while Pam is at the helm keeping us into the wind and once the anchor was up weaving Tourist through the anchored boats to open water. The deck looked like a war zone with piled chain and crappy smelling vegetation from the sea floor.

Anchor chain after the windlass jammed.

Now what? We can’t deploy the anchor and our spare anchors are buried in the transom locker and oh yeah. It’s still blowing and raining sideways. Enter modern technology. After I dried off and calmed down I checked the cell phone and started looking at the Active Captain app. A few miles away from us was a marina that looked promising. I called and they said they had a spot for us. When we arrived the dockmaster was there to grab our lines and welcome us to Plantation Key Marina. Fortunately it had stopped raining a few miles before we arrived.

Calm of Plantation Key.

Although a little pricey we were in a safe place with power and calm so I could unravel the mess out on deck.
I’m pretty sure that we’ll not be going back to that anchorage. We’ve been there 3 times and 2 of the 3 we have drug anchor. Once with a Bruce style anchor and once with a plow. The time we held was with the plow. And Oh! We weren’t the only boat that drug.

Following a restful night and with dry conditions the next morning I got the windlass unjammed and some of the crud off the boat before continuing on.

Now that we’re travelling the inside route shallow water is the norm and staying in the channel is a must. Even that is pretty skinny as we wind our way through the mangroves and patches of open water.

Cowpens Cut. Meandering through the mangroves.

Today wasn’t a huge mileage day and we ended it at Tarpon Basin anchorage in time for afternoon cocktails.

Tarpon Basin

After our night in Tarpon Basin we travelled past Gilbert’s Resort and under the US 1 bridge that connects the Keys to the mainland.

Gilbert’s Resort

US 1 Bridge.

We were passed on the lower end of Biscayne Bay by a Customs & Immigration Boat.

Not looking for us!

In the distance we could see the remaining stilt houses just outside of Miami.

Hard to pick up with our little camera.

All the while as we traversed Biscayne Bay we ran in and out of rain. Our destination was to anchor in No Name Harbor. A place that we had not anchored in before and a place that typically attracts boats that are waiting for a weather window to go to the Bahamas. The rain let up and we stuck our nose in to see what it was like.

No Name entrance.

Plenty of water and a nice protected basin but once we were inside I didn’t feel that there was enough room for Tourist to do her normal anchor dance of swinging from side to side without clobbering another boat. So out we went and on to Plan B. Marine Stadium, right across from downtown Miami.

In the short distance from No Name to Marine Stadium it rained then quit then rained as we were dropping the anchor. During the dry spell we saw a guy with a rocket pack on his back shoot up out of the water. And we nearly got run over by a seaplane taking off.

Rocket Man!

Miami skyline as we dropped the anchor.

After the rain moved through.

Our itinerary for Miami was to just kick back and watch the world go by for a couple of days since we had spent some time here earlier during the boat show.

We didn’t find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Practicing for the Dragon Boat races.

Marine Stadium.

Of  course we had to watch the movie Clam Bake starring Elvis which was filmed in part at this location. There are a couple shots of the stadium but it was mostly filmed in California. And yes. Pam has the DVD!

 Miami skyline at night.

We spent a couple of days just dinkin around the anchorage and the marina next door before moving on.

A few of the cruise ships were in as we passed Dodge Island.

From Miami to Stuart on the ICW is new territory for us. Traffic and bridges is the name of the game for most of the journey.

A low tide sandbar attracts the beach goers just inside the Haulover Inlet.

Rows of condos and no wake zones line the ICW as we move on toward Ft. Lauderdale.

A little traffic as we passed through Port Everglades.

 Ft. Lauderdale 17th Street Bridge opening.

We turned off of the ICW onto the New River that goes through downtown Ft. Lauderdale where we stayed at the City Docks. The marina is a bargain at $1.40 a foot. The only drawback is that on a week-end the boat traffic is non stop and their wakes reverberate off the sea walls well into the night making it a bit bouncy.

We followed a tour boat as far as our stop.

Once we found our spot on the wall we made our way to the other side of the river and found the harbormasters office tucked back in a small entryway.

Entrance to the Harbormasters office.

Of course while in Lauderdale we made our way to one of our favorite restaurants, The Casablanca Café. Good as usual!

Part of the advantage of staying along the New River is the boat traffic. Big boat traffic! Some have to be towed up and down the narrow river to maintain control.
A few pictures below of some of the smaller boats that passed outside our window.

Once the week-end was over we dropped the dinghy in the water and travelled about 3/4 of a mile upriver to Cooley’s Landing Marina to do laundry.

Clean clothes make for a happy Pam!

A few more shots along the New River.

Time to leave, we retraced our steps back down the New River to the ICW and turned North Passing the Bahia Mar yachting center where the yachts made Tourist look like a life boat.

Bahia Mar yachts.

Again it was a day of condo’s and bridge openings ending in Boynton Beach just as it started to rain.