Finally shoving off for Key West...and oh, crap

Tuesday, we finally deemed the conditions calmed down enough to move the boat. The winds were still enough of a pain that we didn't get the headsail up (something we wished for later).

We had spent the last few days detailing the boat and watching Sandy terrorize the Northeast. Friends/family reported in okay, although two of Tim's employees that were working onsite in NYC had to evacuate their location to a safer area.

We head out and Tim immediately want to start calibrating the new brain for the autopilot that he installed in August...Hurricane Isaac.

This is supposed to be a smarter brain, so in the naming convention of our boat parts, this Ray is now Mecha-ray (and if any of you watched Godzilla as a kid, you'll get the reference).

In his enthusiasm he immediately wants to do it after we leave the channel to Boot Key Harbor.

Bad idea.  He's not listening. I re-iterate, not good.

So, we have current from the channels of both Boot Key Harbor and 7 mi Bridge.  Lobster ball heaven, and oh, it's time for the guys to check their traps!

Tim: Oh, it won't take that long, lets get it set.

Kim: Okay, I'm driving, I got major sea sick last time we tuned an autopilot.

So, hit calibrate in which I am now supposed to drive in large, steady circles without going too fast or too slow until it latches onto a setting match.

And I drive.....drive more circles....dodge lobster balls.....dodge trap boat.....fight wind as I pass through in the the circle.....fight current...

and rinse and repeat.

Then Tim states...I better read the manual again.  (grrrrrrr)

Now it becomes this very intense game of skill, because if I cause the autopilot to say too slow/too fast, we have to start all over again.

This goes on for about 20 minutes, and I'm sure the trap boat is starting to get pissed at the sailboat going loopy loop around them, I'm chanting:  Thou shall give right of way to a commercial vessel while said commercial vessel is in use.

I hit cancel, screw this I'm taking us out further into the channel.  With a stern sit, stay, shut up to my spouse, I take control of the helm and get us further out into better water.

In a bit we try the calibration again...NAILED IT!  Too which my spouse had to deal with my smug I told you so!

But the fun is about to begin, because something happened while we were playing loopy loop in the churned up water......