Cape Sable to Boot Key (Marathon)

A storm blew threw Cape Sable during the night Tuesday.  The boat rocked and swayed most of the night but our anchor held and we had no real worries.  Wednesday morning we were ready to head out to get to Marathon.  We knew another front was going to blow through on Wednesday evening with winds in the 20 knot range. 

Meandering Joy pointing toward the Florida Bay

There are no crab pots inside the Everglades national Park Water Buoys.  Once we passed outside the park waters-there are crab pots everywhere.  These are to be avoided at all (nearly all) costs.  In our two years of travels we have only hit one.  Our boat is equipped with shaft rope cutters that will cut the rope of the pot, but often the remaining rope will wrap around the propeller shaft which can potentially cause a problem. Very often, the pots are aligned and it is easy to avoid them by changing course a degree.  Today, the pots were set out with no rhyme or reason.  Steve avoided them like a ninja darting from one point to the next.  

The Seven Mile Bridge at Moser Channel finally came into view.   Marathon Marina is just after the bridge. 

We weren't sure if these birds were resting on a shoal.  They didn't look like the wanted to be disturbed and didn't seem to worried about us.  

Once the birds had cleared the area we were free to go on under the bridge and head into Marathon Marina and Resort.  We hailed the marina on the VHF radio and were given slip number 56.  We were given directions and headed inside.  I could see two Flemings as we approached the marina.  I picked up the binoculars and noticed Mary of Proud Mary looking at me through her binoculars.  We met Mary and Barrie when we bought our boat in Maryland.  Barrie and Neil, our dock neighbors, caught our lines and we got settled into our slip just about noon.  The timing could not have been more perfect.  The front began to blow through Wednesday afternoon and  through the night bringing significantly cooler weather on Thursday.  (I hesitate to say significantly cooler because the temperatures in Georgia are in the teens)  

Looking forward to exploring this area known as Marathon.

Joy