Day Trip--Boca Chita Key

Boca Chita Key is part of Biscayne Bay National Park and also considered one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys.  It's also a mere 10 nm from Dinner Key marina which makes it a nifty little day sail.

More about Boca Chita can be found here.

Although there's a channel and small harbor at Boca Chita, we didn't want to try it with Hemi D even though she has a pretty good shoal draft.  We decided to practice the whole anchor thing and go zoom in on Tiny D.

Much merriment ensued as we managed to anchor in a tidal current and in 6 ft of water. (leaving us 1 ft of clearance to not f*ck up).  Ye olde master of the vessel kept on yelling on why I was motoring over our anchor line.

I'm NOT.

Yes, YOU ARE. Put it in neutral.

I AM

NO YOU ARE NOT.

Actually, for once this was in pretty good humor. How could we not be, 80 degrees, crystal clear water, not a care in the world........

.....except for our newly found reverse anchoring techniques.  So after a few tries, all with the same result, Tim decides to jump in and dive the anchor.  And we quickly see what was going on as he zips by the boat on the current. ZoomZoom.  It wasn't so strong that he couldn't swim against it, but it was funny to watch him zip by.

So, we chill for a second and realize there's not much wind, and between it and this current we are kinda in suspended animation, so we decide to explore the island. (Bringing along VHF and cell phone in case we need SeaTow to go catch our boat for us, because the Torqeedo just ain't gonna do it.)

We get into the little harbor and tie TinyD off. There's about 10 motor cruisers there.
All with generators (Honda seems to be the brand of choice)
All with the salsa and Latin music amped up.

It was Sunday and we landed on the family picnic land of Miami.  Let's party.

It's actually a very cool place. There's a lot of history, awesome little light house, great campsites, and walking trails.  (BTW--leave the sun for the shade, those bloodthirsty aerial bastards of doom--mosquitos for short--come at en masse.)  So we rapidly ran out of the mangrove walking trail.

This would be great place to go during the week, I bet it isn't so crowded then.  As we were getting ready to leave, we had to stop to watch a boat tie off. La Princessa was on the dock lines.

And I was impressed.

Chica had her cute little bikini, cute little cover up (mini skirt and tie top) and about 4 inch hoochie shoes and damn if girlfriend just didn't shashay her little heinie around and get some line on some dock cleats.  Without leaving the boat or breaking a fingernail.

I have been humbled.  I don't think I could even stand on the boat and look that cute.

Boca Chita Lighthouse

Shells on the Atlantic side of the island

Another view of the lighthouse and Miami in the background

Biscayne Bay Day Trip--Dinner Key Picnic Islands

Okay, this was less a day trip than, let's play with our dinghy!

We've been noticing a small 'key' right off the end of our pier that had some outbuildings and a brand new pier.  We found out that it's a public use facility.

So we dinghy'd over there, so excited! Get to explore!

The picture of the sign is below, but what the City of Miami did was turn one of the 'keys' made out of backfill from the dredging done way long ago in the PanAm days.  They've since cleaned up the island with help from local community organizations and it is for parks/rec facility use. HOW COOL IS THAT!
There are about 5-6 picnic areas and one large group spot. They are currently trying to rehab some mangroves on the shore line.

It's not very big, but they've done a good job and walking around is nice, they've labeled the flora and fauna and put some signs out for history.

All in all, not a bad way to picnic and spend an afternoon!

Look out over the Dinner Key channel and the mooring field in the background

Add captionThe PVC pipes are protecting seeded mangroves.  South Beach skyline in the background.

Lessons Learned...or how to fit a 36ft boat in a 60 ft slip sideways

Actually, this is a true lessons learned story.  Two parties are involved here. Both are at fault.  Let's start with the other party first because it's more fun!

Background on the situation:  It's the night before we have to leave and it's time to do that lovely chore of pumping out.  The marina has free pumpout, however, unless you are in the mooring field, they don't come to you. You have to go to whatever slip they tell you. (then fetch the hose, etc etc etc) All of the big boy slips have pump out at the slip, I hope they eventually continue that on to the entire piers.  After all the plumbing is there!

So we call in for our designated slip.  Cool it's on our pier. How convenient.  I get lines ready, Tim merrily steers for the slip.

Now here is where things go a bit pear shaped.  Back at the lake, we were poetry in motion, we could get that sucker up to the poop dock and tied off in almost any situation.

This time....not so much.

So, what went wrong....
Well, my intrepid helmsmen got rattled, not sure exactly what rattled him, but there were plenty of opportunities to get rattled.  So, suddenly he starts giving me directions on how to tie off. Approximately, 90 million per minute. Each conflicting. So, what happens? I, who can get rattled with a large noise...get rattled.  Abort first attempt.

Now. Lets cut to what needs to happen.  The helmsperson needs to maybe talk the situation through with the lines person, but way before the event should happen.  And said helmsperson should have a little faith in the linesperson that it might not be pretty, but he/she will get the job done.  We are all on the same team here.  So, let the first goal be not to have the 36ft Hunter wind up cockeyed in the big slip, especially when thar be $10 million boats on each side.

I'm just saying.

So, back to the what not to screw up part.  So we go for second attempt. The linesperson, moi, doing very well to keep her mouth shut and follow the less panicked directions.  After all, I am poop dock princess of the lake, I CAN DO THIS!

Except....I flaked.

Back at home, everything is done on cleats.  So, I's used to cleats. I somehow got it in my brain to not put the line on a cleat.

But I forgot to make the loop for the piling. Derp.

So, quickly I make the loop. Helmsman says throw it on the aft piling.

But. But. But. Honey?

QUICK, I need a spring line!

Fine, get it on the piling.....and we keep going, going, going. And run out of dock line (and it's a DAMN long dock line).  See, even I could do the math.  That's why ya need to trust the person on the front of the boat.  However, the person on the front of the boat better be rapidly assessing the situation and making plans and not standing there being pretty.

So, the end result wasn't pretty, but we did get the boat tied off.  Afterwards, over sundowners we talked it out, I think our next attempt will be so much better.  All in all, the pump out was awesome, it's one of those turbo pump out systems that empties the holding tank in about 2 seconds.

So remember folks, gotta trust your team mate, just a little....

The Pirates of the Prairie take over Biscayne Bay

And numbnuts here didn't take pictures, hopefully I can get some from the crew.

We had a bunch of friends from the lake marina come to Miami Strictly Sail so we scheduled a day on the water with them.

Theme music for this post is: What do you do with a drunken sailor....

So, it was a great time, although....
1) We almost ran aground.....twice.
2) We almost had a man overboard....in the slip.
3) We almost had some teeth knocked out from the jib clew.  Evidently the 'down in front' message wasn't conveyed properly.

However, we did have a good time.  Beautiful day, and we got to do a great tour of the Miami skyline and Stiltsville.  (Which I was actually sailing through Biscayne Channel. Sphincter Factor = 10)

Here's the few photos I did manage to shoot. C'mon, I was trying to be an adult here. We ain't in Kansas anymore, Toto!

Regatta of Optis

Please note that there's a serious blue can infraction in this picture.
The requisite 30 pack was BUD LIGHT. Gah!

Time for Sundowners. (and blessing the cockpit floor with copious amounts of wine)

The Legend of Tiny Dancer

So, when we decided to move the boat. One of my conditions was that I wanted to actually make some trips up and down the coast with it (cue in Kid Rock....NOW...)

So, thus, we should get a dinghy.

Not one to rush into things, my husband begins the great dinghy research project.
Hypalon vs. PVC?
What size?
What kind of outboard motor?
What brand is the best?
etc.
etc.
etc.

Mind you, this went on for FIVE MONTHS.  Rainman meets Forrest Gump, I know all there is to know about the dinghy business. yeah, definitely hypalon.

However, at the beginning of this madness, we got to actually look at dinghys at the Annapolis Boat Show.
Did wonders.

And then, electronic guru husband sees the Torqeedo. Laa aaaah laaaa. An electric dinghy motor.  Most recently Nigel Calder has sung the praises of it.

So that was October.  February the Mercury Hypalon 10ft dinghy and 1003 Torqeedo arrived at the marina just in time for our trip down there.

So, what does this have to do with Tiny Dancer?  And yes, I am referencing the Elton John song.

It all began with the Annapolis Boat Show.  Our Hunter is named Hemisphere Dancer as a shout out to my husband's Jimmy Buffett fetish.  (Hemisphere Dancer is the name of JB's seaplane) I liked it, it's pretty and not goofy.  God help me if he wanted to name it Parrotdise or something stupid like that.

So, my spouse surprised me with a boat show gift.  Polycarb wine glasses for the boat with HemiD's name on it.

However, when the spouse saw the glasses, he was less than satisfied.  Because he needs symmetry and eveness in his life.

So, he states:  I don't like it. The dancer is soooo....tiny.

Me: OMG. DIDYOUJUSTSAYTHAT?

Him: Yeah, what?

Me: Did you just say, the DANCER is TINY.

Him: Yeah.

So I proceed to loudly sing Tiny Dancer to the amusement of the drunks over at Pussers. Okay, they couldn't hear me over their buffoonery, but I did nonetheless.

So spouse says: We could name our dinghy Tiny Dancer.

So, that's how legends are born folks.  Meet Tiny Dancer.

PS-insert the seat BEFORE you fully inflate the boat

Oh, a man does love to play with his dinghy

So, she's a pretty good dinghy. The Torqeedo does the job, although I still would want a traditional outboard for longer hauls or if I had to haul ass for instance.  But I can lift the Torqeedo myself, something that would not happen with an outboard.

..ballerina, you must have seen her, dancing in the sand....

Update on the project boat

Over Thanksgiving, I talked about the 'project boat' that was on the hard and Spouse met the owner.

Well, he talked to him today and I guess things have really progressed.  Evidently, he himself is a general contractor, but not necessarily in marine things.

The last time we were there, they were rebuilding the rudder (the other had a nice little 8 inch hole in it) the folks that were doing it did an incredibly fantastic job. It was a wood core to be glassed over.

Well, I am happy and awed to announce that B. and his wife sailed the old girl not only around the Keys but all the way up to St. Petersburg.  WAY TO GO!  Without an autopilot.  Shit yeah.  And it was cold.

B mentioned that they went through Key West during the Key West race week, he was annoyed because there were no anchorages or moorings or slips.  I'm like OMG KEY WEST RACE WEEK!  Evidently, not the same for him.

Anyhow, bully for them.  Obviously the boat got a good home.  I hope to see her one day.

Things you'll never hear on the VHF at Lake Perry

1.  <<in response to a smartass comment by a boater>>  This is the United States Coast Guard, we are monitoring and recording this channel. This channel is to be used for emergency communication. Repeat: this is the United States Coast Guard monitoring and recording this channel.

What you'd hear at the lake:  Children screaming into the mic.  Joe Cooter Redneck telling his buddy to have relations with himself. Occasionally my intoxicated husband forgetting to switch over to 68.

2.  This is the United States Coast Guard Cutter Thetis, will be conducting a live artillery drill at (longitude) XXXN and XXXW. All vessels in the area please be aware that there will be live artillery drill.

To which my husband says to me:  Where the hell is that, are we near, I didn't hear the coordinates. Holy shit!


3. Harbor police, harbor police, harbor police, this is XXX.  There are some speed boats tearing up the no wake zone by Rickenbacker Bridge.

No wake zone? What's that?  The only use our no wake buoys get is when they are used to mark the jetty when it is submerged in the spring 'tide'.  If the docks a rocking, don't come a-knocking.




A while back we were on a day charter with Captain Don K. out of Key West (he's since sold his boat).  He told us the best free entertainment in the world could be listening to Channel 16 around the Keys.  Sure enough, later that day, there was a distress call from a lady that said her husband went overboard and she can't find him.  Capt'n Don says: "I bet you she pushed him overboard. Wouldn't be the first time." Okay, it might not be politically right, but it was funny--after all, what wife hasn't wanted to do a man overboard drill with the spouse once in a while?

But seriously: Learn your VHF, learn how to use it, learn the etiquette, learn what it means by 'rendering help' on a mayday call.  As amusing as the broadcasts can be at times, there's some pretty serious stuff that happens.

On our recent trip, we heard 4 different reports of capsized boats because folks were taking the fishing boats out when the water was too rough. One report of a Cuban chug overladen with people and immobilized and a missing sailboat that was due into Hemingway Harbor in Havana and didn't report in.

Scary.

PS--26 days until we are out of this frozen wasteland and back down on the boat. And the Boat Show!