Heading North

Well, East first, but you get the idea. We left Marathon and Boot Key Harbor on Thursday. We left at 7:15 AM so we could arrive at Rodriquez Key while it was still daylight. The wind was blowing from the southeast between 20 and 25 knots with the seas running about 5-7 feet. We had to motor right into the seas to get out of the harbor and around some shoaling and into Hawke Channel. Since we hadn't been out for three weeks we did get a little queasy but not to the throwing up point. It wind was forecast to ease by midday and it did. By the time we were passing 5 mile bridge the wind was down to 15 and the seas were about 3 feet. That are is also more protected by the reef to the south. We had a nice sail with full sail from that point to Rodriquez key. we traveled 54 miles.

We woke early Friday morning and headed out for Key Biscayne and No Name Harbor. There were several other boats anchored at Rodriquez also. It seemed everyone left at the same time and it was like a convoy going north. The winds had started out from the southeast around 15 and then shifted to the south around 8. The first part was a good sail but after the winds shifted we were doing some more rocky-rolly. We motored for awhile and arrived at No Name Harbor around 3:00. We traveled 44 miles. During the trip we saw about 50 huge power yachts and big open fishing yachts heading south. It must have been the exitice from Miami. Don't know where everyone was going but they were probable going about 30 knots so they could make it all the way to Key West in about 5 hours. They would blow right between several of the sail boats and we would all go rocking. They didn't care.

Not sure why they call this place No Name Harbor. For having no name it sure is crowded. I see a couple of boats that were in Marathon but rest may be Miami weekenders. There is barely enough room to swing and the wind is going to shift tonight. Should get interesting.