The Adventure Begins!

     We're off on our 3rd sailing adventure on Alice Mae.  It is always an unnerving and intimidating time- getting everything ready.  We plan to be traveling 4 months (Feb.to June). There is much to do before we can cast off... haul out to scrape & paint, new props put on, sails hoisted (to clean out the mud dauber nests, yuck!),  boat electronics & gear to check over, dinghy motor inspection,  cart loads of items to buy, organize and stow. It's all soo much fun.  But the adventure begins, we are off and running, about 45 mi. a day and life is good.

     I try to keep a daily log as we travel on Alice Mae.  I'll give you passages from these entries.  Hope you enjoy a glimpse into how we manage to cruise on our 36' Endeavour Cat, Alice Mae.

Wed. Feb. 2
Fish Island Marina to Matanzas Inlet
MM 778 - MM 794
2:00 cast off by seester Marilynn and we are off on another grand adventure.  This is where I always think, "What the hell am I doing??"  But after a easy 3 hr. sail, we are the only ones at Matanzas Inlet.  Very quiet. Very calm. Very dark. Very cloudy. This is so very much fun!

Fri. Feb. 4
Rockhouse to Cocoa
MM 843 - MM 897

12:00 through the long and shallow Mosquito Lagoon and at Haulover Canal and the bascule bridge.  Major fog all the way down Mosquito.  We couldn't see to the next channel marker.  Thank ya jesus for charts and auto pilot!





Mon. Feb. 7
Vero Beach
MM 952
A very windy day, a good day to hang on a mooring and enjoy the sunshine.  David spent an hr. or so with his butt in the air and his head in the port side engine.  He changed th oil filter & 2 fuel filters.  Engine is running a lot better.  Later, he must have decided to take a celebratory swim when he dove off the stern to catch the untethered dinghy.  Landed with his butt in the air and his head down in the dinghy.  Do you see a trend here??  While all this excitement was going on, I was working Vero's free bus system. An easy run to Publix & fresh bread.  Life is good once again,

Wed. Feb. 9

Hobe Sound to Lantana

MM 1000 - MM 1031

7:35 One cup of coffee done and on our second.  Hobe Sound is a pretty stretch of water with a quiet, isolated feel to it.  But from here on down, we have bascule bridges to contend with. Some "on demand" but many in S. Fla. are on a timed schedule.  Lots of hurry ups and waits.  Easier said than done on a sail boat.

Todays journey-  31 mi and 11 bridges. The reward... Key Lime Pie at a local Lantana restaurant.

Tomorrows journey- 33mi and 16 bridges....geeeeeez

Mon. Feb. 14
Anchorage Marina, Key Largo to Plantation Marina, Tavernier Key
MM. 1134 - MM 1164



Gilberts - conch burgers & loud music

9:45 Only one day into the Keys and we're already getting lazy.  Hung out at the "doorway to the Keys" drinking 2 pots of coffee and trying to understand my blogspot.  The result:  I am wired AND frustrated. But, it's a sunny day and we're heading West into the Keys.  The gulf side is shallow with narrow, marked channels, narrow cuts and always crab traps to dodge.

12:00 noon. Pigeon Key to our port. Sunshine,blue-green water and gentle breezes.  Some Jimmy Buffett playing.  damn, life is good.

Tuesday, Feb. 15

Plantation to Sisters Creek, Marathon Fla.

MM 1164 - MM 1194

9:00 Making our final 40 mi. run to Boot Key Harbor in Marathon. Got the main up, motors going, wind at our backs, fleece on, 4' of water in the ICW channel (shallow!) dodging fish trap balls. One more day in paradise.

11:50 Under Channel 5 cut and out into the Atlantic side.  Still moto-sailing a little better than 6 knots.

3:15  Into Sisters Creek.  Ta Da!



Alice Mae tied up at Sisters Creek



4:00 tied up 3 pts. in the first little bend inside the arm of Sisters Creek.  We can hang here until a mooring ball comes free.  We are number 17 on the list.

I'll leave you with some parting pictures.  We are  now on a mooring.  My motto:  "the moored, the merrier!" Doing the daily chores typical of the Fla. Keys..... coffee drinking, dinghy riding, sunset drinking, life is definitely tough.



Captain Rocket



grocery run  (I'm sitting on the beer)

March 7

I know I'm bad.  We've been here 3 weeks just lazing around.  My, my how time flies when you're having fun.  We're now gearing up for the big, bad, scary bahama crossing.  Over the gulf stream into Bimini, then over the Great Bahama Banks to points unknown!  I don't think I will be having very much internet, phone access when I'm there.  Thanks to Lisa I managed to at least get this first blog up and running.  I'll see if I can do Blog #2 somewhere in the islands.

Alice & David