The Great Loop- Southern Florida

Map of FL Circle Route!

 

 Day 1: Saturday, March 25^th, 2006

0915:   The beginning of what is to be expected a 2 week trip for my wife Gloria and I, we head south, departing our condo in Fort Lauderdale. Plan “A” was NOT to get pulled over by the Ft. Lauderdale police right after we pulled up anchor. It was because we had a ‘missing’ boat sticker. “Woops”, I guess in all the excitement before departure, the technicality slipped our minds. Oh well, we handled that situation in no time and continued southward outside… avoiding Miami.

1130:    Biscayne Bay welcomes us with small craft warnings. Gloria and I slice through the waves with content. It’s agreed how comfortable we feel in our Buzzards Bay Cat. It’s stability is reliable and assuring. Others were avoiding the cruise through small craft warnings, but there is no problem for us.

1337:    Traveling past Key Largo, reaching 72 nm so far. We tied up for lunch at Rodriquez Key.

1550:    Touring Plantation Yacht Harbor

1820:    104nm trip at anchorage in S. Indian Key at Upper Matacumbe Key. I noticed a swan next to ‘Sea Level’ soon after dockage and I enjoyed its company before it skidded across the bay to catch some dinner. I had the same thing in mind so I took the swans advice and cooked up some tilapia! We welcomed a visitor aboard after dinner. The man was curious about our Cat. He said he has a house in St. Petersburg and toured these waters in his Trawler. He liked the size and capability of our Cat so I gave him a tour, a brochure, and a little Buzzards Bay philosophy, then we called it a night.

 

Day 2:  Sunday, March 26^th, 2006   

1030:    Today was an educational day! We departed Indian Key earlier this morning and decided to tour Lignumvitae Key. (I am told the word spacing of Lignum and Vitae is controversial so I will just write it as I please). The Lignumvitae trees on the island are said to be 700 years old! It was a treat to be visiting the island during the trees blooming season. There are blue flowers which can be used for nectar. They also attract a rare butterfly called a Lyside Sulfer, but I’m afraid we were not lucky enough for a sighting.

 

 

I learned that the heavy Lignumvitae wood was once used  as the propeller shaft bearing in submarines. This tree had so many fascinating characteristics that made the tour of the island well worth the stop!

 

 

Matheson, who constructed the Coral Rock home on Lignumvitae Key held a great influence here, on the mainland, and on the upper keys. As president of a chemical company in the early 1900’s, Matheson was able to attain two cannons from an old British Warship recovered in 1665 which his wife used for decoration in front of their home in Lignumvitae, as seen in this picture to your right. 

 

 

 

 

 

1215:    Entering Lower Matecumbe Harbor we decided to tour around for a bit.

 

1315:    Traveling at an economical speed of 18knots reminds me of how efficient this Buzzards Bay is for the Southern Florida portion of The Great Loop. We just passed through the Channel 5 Bridge and the view is impeccable. The structure of the window view is excellent because I am closed in to prevent splashing on my face and on my helm, as well as granting me a wide view of my surroundings with no obstruction.

 

1345:    We Tour Duck Key channel to get to our awaited anchorage at Boot Key Harbor for the evening. Very relaxing cruise today and 127nm thus far!

 

Day 3: Monday, March 27^th, 2006

1100:    Depart Boot Key Harbor and we cross into the other side of the Keys. We saw a couple old friends on a 48ft Krogen trawler at Sombrero Marina in Marathon. This was a reflective time, recognizing and appreciating the lifestyle of boating. There is serious cruising ability with this power cat! I showed off the airbrush plan of my Cat to my friends and our conversation was consumed by how economical, seaworthy, and fast my Buzzards Bay is compared to their trawler. I didn't have to boast one bit. The queen size berth really keeps the comforts of home without any unnecessary space. And a secure lock on our door really gives a guy at my age a feeling of security wherever I go. 

1245:    Stopped for fuel at Marathon Key Marina. This Buzzards Bay is a mere 2 years old with a total of 691.5 engine hours. Our cruise is 151 nm so far! This Bay showed us the real shallow draft capabilities of our Buzzards Bay, like seen in the picture to the right of a beached boat that was unqualified…

 

1255:    We depart Marathon at 15 knots though Knights Channel entrance under the 7mile Bridge that leads to Key West.

 

1400:    Traveling north now towards mainland Florida, we arrive at Cape Sabel to have lunch. We observed green flies, black flies, and small hornets! I let the wind push me into the beach and I got a great picture here to the right to show just how close my power cat allows me to get.

 

 

 

1615:    193 nm trip so far as we enter the Little Shark River. The sun was setting just as we anchored for the night, stunning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 4: Tuesday, March 28^th, 2006

815:      The sunrise was just as great as last night’s sunset! Anchor up and away at 23knots, 3400RPM. Gloria and I really love the gusto this Buzzards Bay gives with its twin diesel Volvo penta engines

 

 

910:      Tarpon fish are jumping! The largest one I saw was about 3feet long. These fast hard fighting fish were a sight to see.

 

 

 

 

1000:    We reached Indian Key pass to Everglade City, FL and we toured the waterway for a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1130:    Afterwards we anchored behind Indian Key and swam on the sandbar. Gloria took this opportunity to go shelling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1315:    Anchors up! Traveling at 24knots past Coon Key Marina to port.

 

 

 

1355:    We met up with some friends from Martha’s Vineyard at Marco Island at their beautiful Smokehouse Bay condo off Collier Bay entrance. 702.3 engine hours and 286 nm trip thus far! We ate at the very exclusive Forest Glen Country Club, Naples.

Day 5: Wednesday, March 29^th, 2006 Today we toured the Isles of Capri with our friends and ate lunch at a tiki café.

1420:    Said our farewells to our friends and departed Smokehouse Bay Condos private dock.

1545:    Tied up at Naples city dock for fuel. $1.75/ft to dock and 301 nm so far! After I called my old skiing friend to wish her a happy birthday, we walked to dinner to the Riverwalk at Tin City. Today was a real relaxing day on the mainland, with not much cruising done today.

Day 6: Thursday, March 30^th, 2009

1225:    Excited to get to cruising today! We depart Naples city dock.

1350:    Entered Big Carlos Pass and we toured behind Estero Island.

1620:    Anchored west of Useppa Island opposite Cabbage Key. Instead of venturing on land for dinner we decided to avoid the crowd and we cooked up some Tilappa fish aboard. We watched US Tow Boat try to remove a powerboat on sandbar but they were unsuccessful and decided to wait till the tide changed in the morning.

Day 7: Friday, March 31^st, 2006

715:      A man in a Carolina skiff who runs waterboat charters wanted to tour our Cat. I gave him a brochure and spoke with him about our Buzzards Bay 32 model.

830:     Gloria and I removed small Kikina shells from port and starboard strainers caused from slight grounding on sandbar. No damage was a plus with our shallow draft vessel because we can do it and totally get away with it!

 

 

1100:    Anchors up! We headed toward Pineland, Bokeelia Island and Jug Creek. It was 3’6” shallow, but we had no issue in this water. In all my years of boating experience, this waterway really could not be toured in any other vessel of it’s size with the ease and comfort this power cat enables.

 

 

1200:    As we get to Boca Grande, we cleared the loft bridge, which was a huge plus!

1415:    Anchor down at Bert Island for lunch.

1440:    Anchor up to north of the ‘ditch’, what we boaters call an inland waterway.

1630:    Tied at “Crows Nest” in Venice Inlet.

1830:    Anchor Sarasota harbor off Bay Point with 417nm so far and 714.7 total engine hours!

 

Day 8: Saturday, April 1^st, 2006

1000:    Anchor up and noticed lots of mud in this area.  I can’t help but laugh at the way people anchor up, some people have such a “fear of anchoring” and you can spot this from a far. We cruised at a comfortable 28knots until our next stop.

1145:    Anchor for lunch and a swim at Passage Key and anchor up by 1400.

1545:    Enter John’s Pass from ICW (Intercostal Waterway).

1600:    Tied at friends’ condo into slip #8. 457nm! Their neighbors lent us their Jeep to go into town and ate at Captain Cosmocos. We tied up left to a Bristol sailboat.

 

Day 9: Sunday, April 2^nd, 2006

1130:    Depart John’s Pass leaving condo at Treasure Island heading south

1530:    Boca’s Pass

1600:    Anchored Pelican Bay at Cayo Costa Island with plus or minus 3ft depth. We are now at 534 nm trip today and 723.9 engine hours. We quietly lounged ashore to swim and while Gloria went shelling I shined up our boot stripe and gave it a good cleaning. Our seclusion became interrupted when a boat pulled up 25ft away with a loud generator on the deck. I contemplated poking it over into the Bay but decided dropping a friendly brochure on deck would be a more beneficial (passive aggressive) way to tell the guy he needs a new boat.

 

Day 10: Monday, April 3^rd, 2006

920:     Anchor up headed toward Captiva Key

1045:    We arrive in South Seas Plantation on Captiva Key. These catamarans are perfect for this west coast of Florida, we feel like we own the waterways. Everywhere we go people turn their heads and have something to say about our Buzzards Bay 32. This feeling of comfort got us to get out and walk around Captiva looking at Real Estate. We had an excellent lunch at the Mucky Duck.

1600:    Depart Captiva headed towards Ft. Myer’s.

1800:    Tied up in Ft. Myer’s with dockage at $1.71/ft and we got a AAA discount along with a Sea-Tow Captains member discount.

 

Day 11: Tuesday, April 4^th, 2006, 577nm at this point! 

Today we did some maintenance work on the boat, changing oils and filters and such. We also saw an old Hyannis ferry called “East Chop”. It was being delivered by a Maine based crew to be used as a tour boat, south of the Caribbean.

1815:    Depart- Good people and great experience here!

1900:    Entered Franklin locks

1925:    We cleared the lock and we were the only boat to cruise through at this time. The sunset ahead of us was very calming.

1930:    We anchored opposite Rialto Docks for the night with 602nm trip so far. (W. of Okeechobee to E. waterway)

 

 

Day 12: Wednesday, April 5^th, 2006

1030:    Gained access to dock to tie up at Rialto Harbor Marina. I raised my drives when I went through here. They charged $2/ft for dockage. Once we got settled we took a walk to Alva Village market and there were monster trucks parked everywhere! The nightly campfire at Rialto Docks brought all the visitors together. A man named Jeremiah showed us his handcrafted Appalachian Dulcimer, while he played very well, while he told jokes.

 

 

Day 13: Thursday, April 6^th, 2006

Our wake up call from the hosts at Rialto Docks was to a newspaper and flowers on our deck, such a sense of welcome and friendship at this place. Gloria and I really got to know the people who owned the quaint resort and fellow visitors. Rialto Docks offered a tranquil outdoor pool and a swamp pond with an alligator keeping nest along with other wild animals. They also had a farm of chickens and horses and fresh bananas to pick for yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 14: Friday, April 7^th, 2006

 

1130:    We depart paradise.

 

 

1215:    Ft. Denaud Swing Bridge at 9ft so they opened it for us. We could clear 10’ 6”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1330:    Pass through Ortona Lock.

 

 

1600:    Tied at Roland Martin Marina, famous flats boat fish tourney area. This place is considered the #1 Bass fishing destination since 1981. At this point our trip is 647nm.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 15: Saturday, April 8^th, 2006

1100:    Depart dock at Roland Martin Marina. Marker #7 Lake Okeechobie at 24knots and there is a SW wind at 15-20knots.

1205:    We reach Port Mayaca lock on the East side of Lake Okeechobie.

1246:    The Indiantown railroad swing Bridge was already open so we passed right on through headed east.

1400:    Cleared the St. Lucie lock and went downward 6-8ft headed toward Krogen docks.

1600:    Anchored Manatee Pocket with rain showers. We have no problem during the rain and navigation was rather comfortable. We are at 706nm trip so far and 740.4 engine hours.

 

 

 

Day 16: Sunday, April 9^th, 2006

0930:   Anchor up with a storm warning forecast today.

 

0945:   Entered St. Lucie Inlet at 23 knots. We stopped for hot dogs at Coney Island, floating snack stand.

 

1030:    We have reached the Jupiter Inlet.

 

1105:    Passing under the Donald Ross Bridge with prediction of masty weather headed our way.

 

1200:    Anchored north of Peanut Island, Palm Beach, and Lake Worth Inlet. Severe weather warning persists. 337nm thus far!

 

1340:    Anchor up and headed southbound ICW (Intercostals Waterway).

 

1512:    Reached Boynton Inlet. There is now heavy winds and rain.

 

1645:    Headed out toward ocean at 21.5 knots from the Boca Inlet

 

1706:    Passing by Hillsboro Inlet

 

1730:    Port Everglades’s entrance to Ft. Lauderdale!