Tuesday, January 4, 2005
Venice, FL
Beginning the End, the Channel
Markers at Marathon
The past three days have given us some of the most perfect sailing. With steady winds from the east and calm seas, we have begun our run north. Southern Florida is continuing to show us some of the best sailing days we’ve had the entire trip. I dare say, some of the most perfect sailing we have ever done. It would be perfect, that is, if it weren’t the end. But, alas, the end is here. Tomorrow, we’ll sail gallantly into Sarasota Bay and finish this voyage of a lifetime.
We left Marathon on New Years day and headed north. Passing under the famous Seven Mile Bridge, we officially entered the Gulf of Mexico, the eleventh and last individual body of water we will sail in on this trip.
Seven Mile Bridge Disappearing Over the Horizon
Our first night was spent at the mouth of the Little Shark River in the Florida Everglades National Park. Now, I’m from Michigan, via Las Vegas, and when I think of the everglades, I think of a swamp with nothing but wet low lands and ‘gaters. I am wrong. This place is beautiful. We anchored with good protection from the forest tht surrounding the river. Wild life is abundant here with dolphins constantly swimming around the boat as a huge sea turtle pops up to say “hello” and snowy egrets watch us from shore. As a matter of fact, I didn’t sleep much, as the tell-tale sound “Pffffffffft” of the dolphins blow hole kept waking me up through out the night. But that is okay, as the night time sky is filled with so many stars. There is no light pollution here and the sky is magical. And, the mosquitos weren’t as bad as every one says they are.
Westsail Ellipsis
Back in Marathon, we bumped into Ken and Jackie aboard their Westsail 32 Ellipsis. They headed back north the day before us, so it was fun to see their boat already anchored in Little Shark when we arrived. I make note of it because we would pass them again later on this leg of the trip. It is funny, these Westsails are reported such a rare breed, yet we see them everywhere.
From little Shark, we left Ellipsis behind and spent a long day sailing the sixty miles to Marco Island, and then another day to Sanibel Island, near Ft. Myers. Today, we motored some of the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway (yes, there is one over here, too) before heading out the Boca Grande inlet, passing Ellipsis as they came in, and sailed on northward to where we are now, anchored in Venice, FL.
Calm Waters of the Gulf of Mexico
So, this leg of the trip was both the easiest, with fair winds and good seas, and the hardest, as it is the end. I keep joking that perhaps we’ll just turn off and sail over the horizon, just keep going. Perhaps we’ll just sail right on by Sarasota, waving at everyone on the dock as we continue along. It is nice to think about, but we’ll do the right thing – stop, get jobs, refill the cruising kitty, and take off again.
See you tomorrow as I step ashore and rejoin the landlubber world again – temporarily, of course.
-Steve