{"id":4198,"date":"2015-03-07T16:08:24","date_gmt":"2015-03-07T16:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=4198"},"modified":"2015-03-07T16:08:24","modified_gmt":"2015-03-07T16:08:24","slug":"moving-north-on-our-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=4198","title":{"rendered":"Moving north. On our way\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Saturday morning and today we sit.\u00a0 After two days of moving north through the Keys, we are now anchored in a cut, colorfully called Angelfish Creek, at the northern tip of Key Largo.\u00a0 It\u2019s a beautiful spot with mangroves all around and excellent protection from the wind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday we decided to come in here in spite of our fear that we might run aground as we entered from the ocean side.\u00a0 To say that the entrance is tricky, doesn\u2019t do it justice as the currents run very hard though this spot and as the current leaves the narrow confines of the swamp, where the depths are in the 15-20\u2019 range, any sand carried by the swift current is deposited at the mouth as a sand bar so the water gets pretty skinny as things widen out.<\/p>\n

The cruising guide suggested that there would be just about enough water to get into the channel if we entered the creek about one hour into the flood but not before.\u00a0 If we were to do that, we were told to expect about 7 feet of water, a foot to spare given Pandora\u2019s nearly 6\u2019 drat.\u00a0 However, as we were afraid of it getting dark before we got settled, we were forced to enter at slack low water.<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, the channel was lined with markers driven into the sand that were barely further apart than about 50\u2019.\u00a0 This meant that were we to get stuck on a sandbar, that we would have precious little space to maneuver back into deeper water, if we could figure out where that was.\u00a0 In the late afternoon light seeing the depth of the water is nearly impossible.<\/p>\n

We also discussed bypassing this spot entirely and continuing north to a spot just south of Miami, where we would arrive between 9 and 10 PM.\u00a0\u00a0 That didn\u2019t sound very appealing as it had been a long day and we hate making landfall in the dark.\u00a0 So, we opted to head into Angelfish Creek, sand bar and all.<\/p>\n

So, we entered the creek at dead slow and crept our way inside.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the tide chart I was using didn\u2019t appear to be correct as it was actually dead low instead of two hours into the flood that was predicted.\u00a0 I suppose that we shouldn\u2019t have been surprised as tides can vary a lot depending on wind direction.\u00a0 Alas, all went well and while we ran aground while anchoring (again) we were all settled by the time the sun went down.\"\"<\/a>It was very nice to have a view of the mangroves and yet being far enough away so that the no-see-ums weren’t able to find us. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking of no-see-ums, we left Marathon two days ago, and decided to head up on the inside to avoid the unfavorable winds on the ocean side.\u00a0 We also wanted to see some of the sights on the Gulf side of the keys, which we had heard were very pretty.\u00a0 It\u2019s really shallow on the Gulf side and for the first day we only ran aground a few times.\u00a0 Pretty shallow all the way.\u00a0\u00a0 At one point, we actually were leaving a mud trail behind us that stretched to the horizon as the bottom was soft mud and the keel disturbed it as we passed through water that was only about a foot or two beneath our keel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from one bad grounding and a few bumps, we did fine and anchored for the night in a lovely spot on the western side of Islamarada.\u00a0 After a long day we decided to head out for dinner and jumped into our dink for the mile run down to the Islamarada Fish Company, which we had heard was pretty good.<\/p>\n

Indeed, the spot looked terrific from the water with many tables under a huge thatched hut.\u00a0 In the early evening light it looked enchanting.\"\"<\/a>Brenda and I ordered margaritas which tasted great after a long day on the water. \u00a0\u00a0We were amused to learn that the restaurant was owned and operated by a retail operation Bass Pro Shop, which had a huge store on the property.\u00a0 I guess it makes sense to have a seafood joint and a tackle shop together.\u00a0\u00a0 Makes sense?\u00a0\u00a0 We decided to reserve judgment on that point for the moment. \u00a0\u00a0The margaritas were good, right?<\/span><\/p>\n

As the sun went down everyone had to make a stop on the dock to snap a photo or two.\u00a0 The view was perfect.\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>Bass Pro Shop knows how to make a lovely spot.\u00a0\u00a0 We both ordered ahi tuna rare, one of our favorite dishes.\u00a0 Well, there is rare and there is \u201craw\u201d.\u00a0 And, the center wasn\u2019t the only thing that was pink.\u00a0 Oddly, they drizzled something pink and creamy on the top which looked more like a mostly melted strawberry slurpee. \u00a0\u00a0It seems that Bass Pro Shop is better at making the moment than they are at cooking fish.\u00a0 Oops.\u00a0 Well, the evening was wonderful even if it was the most mediocre $100 dinner we had ever had.<\/p>\n

They even had live music being performed in the glow of a dozen tiki lights.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0So, a great spot if not great food.\u00a0\u00a0 Next time, a hamburger and fries.\"\"<\/a>So, the next morning we upped the anchor and headed up toward the part of the trip that would be the most challenging with miles of shallow channels to get over.\u00a0 We timed it to make the best of the 6\u201d to 1\u2019 of tide and off we went.\u00a0 Well, we made it less than 100\u2019 into the channel and bumped along the bottom.\u00a0 Oops, better bag that idea.\u00a0 Never mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

So we turned around the headed back the 10 miles in the direction we had come the day before where there was a bridge we could go under to make it back to the Atlantic side of the Keys.\u00a0\u00a0 So, ten miles in the wrong direction and then back toward our destination.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Note to self:\u00a0 When the chart says shallow, they mean it.\u00a0 Don\u2019t even try.<\/p>\n

Anyway, our run here took about 10 hours and was over 60 miles, twenty of backtracking.\u00a0 Alas, we got here and here we will stay for today while we wait for a favorable wind on Sunday.<\/p>\n

So, our plan is to head offshore from here the 45 miles to Ft Lauderdale on Sunday and then to do short offshore runs from there to Ft Worth and on to Ft Pierce.\u00a0\u00a0 After that we expect to run inside up to northern FL with some stops in St Augustine and a few other cities that we really enjoy.<\/p>\n

Our goal is to have Pandora in New Bern NC by mid April where she will be in the hands of the broker.<\/p>\n

So, all is well aboard Pandora as we sit for a day waiting for favorable winds to carry us north.\u00a0 It\u2019s a beautiful spot and to be writing a post in the cockpit with this view from our stern is pretty nice.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Saturday morning and today we sit.\u00a0 After two days of moving north through the Keys, we are now anchored in a cut, colorfully called Angelfish Creek, at the northern tip of Key Largo.\u00a0 It\u2019s a beautiful spot with mangroves all around and excellent protection from the wind. Yesterday we decided to come in here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_s2mail":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4198"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4204,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4198\/revisions\/4204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}