Stuck

Little Snake River, N26 19 N81 08

January 25, 2006
We decided on our strategy. We will return to Marathon in the Florida Keys and use the time to prepare for international voyages. From there we’ll rent a car to go up for David’s graduation. After that, and as soon as we’re ready we’ll head for Belize, Guatemala then Panama.

Now for the tactics. We’re again weather driven. Monday we spent an extra day in Caya Costa because the wind was blowing the wrong way to go south. We went to the beach in the afternoon. It’s a very nice beach and for a while we had the whole beach to ourselves. We also snuck fresh water showers in the park’s camping area.

Tuesday we sailed south toward Marathon. It was a mixed result. From morning until late afternoon there was no wind and we had to motor. In the evening we sailed but the winds were very light. It was the most peaceful and quiet night at sea we ever had. Even though we moved at three or four knots, there was almost no sound and no rocking. I was below trying to sleep and I kept thinking that we must be becalmed.

During the night the wind came up. Eventually it was 23 knots and from a direction where the self steering didn’t work well. I had to disengage it and wrestle with the tiller full time. That’s very tiring. Nevertheless, the seas were less than one foot high so sailing was comfortable. Around midnight a motor vessel came very close to us when Libby was on watch. When it was very close it changed course and came directly at us. Libby scrambled to start the motor to get us out of there, but then it resumed its earlier course. That was the only vessel near us in 24 hours and it became a near collision. Collisions are more likely than common sense suggests.

The problem came in the morning with the weather report. I get frustrated with Southwest Florida weather reports because I think they tend to be exaggerated and alarmist. Nevertheless the morning forecast was for 25+ knots and rough seas in Florida bay. I could believe the 25 knots but the seas were nowhere near rough. Anyhow, we were both very tired because we hadn’t managed to sleep in 26 hours so I decided to put in to Little Snake River and anchor. If we had continued we would not have arrived in Marathon for another 12 hours or so.

Now the forecast is for 2.5 more days of 25+ knots and rough seas. Darn darn darn. I don’t really want to believe them. On the other hand I’m spooked by the shallow waters of Florida Bay. On the way north I wrote in the blog that I wouldn’t want to be out there when the weather was rough. I visualize being in an area only 6-7 feet deep with six foot waves. That means +/- 3 feet waves. In the trough of a wave our keel could strike bottom. That sounds much to hazardous to me. I’m afraid we’re stuck here. Darn darn darn.

We are also out of cell phone and Internet range so we can’t inform anyone where we are. The last time we talked with John and Jenny was Sunday when we were planning to set sail for Pass Christian. I sure hope they’re not worried about us. I sure hope they’re not calling the Coast Guard. There is no way for us to contact anyone.