Rodriguez Key to Marathon, FL

Today:          56 miles        8.6 hours          ICW St M “     ”

Total:       1369 miles    203.8 hours

     Around 2:30 this morning, the anchor alarm awoke us.  The winds were supposed to increase to 18-20 mph from the NNE and did!  Pete checked and we dragged about 10 feet, but the Manson Anchor is really good about resetting itself.  Pete watched it for over an hour.  The winds lessened and we were still in the new position, which was still within our sounding circle. He returned back to bed and we were able to catch a bit more sleep before morning. What is surprising is that since we had purchased this anchor and prior to this trip, we had only dragged once - in 2011, off of Lanyard Cay in the Bahamas. Yet in 2 weeks, we dragged twice! Both times, in places we never anchored before and the bottom was scoured coral.
      We were underway around 8. The winds kept time with the boat so trying to sail wasn’t an option. Bailey didn’t enjoy today’s travel.  The rocking and rolling caused by the aft-quartering waves upset her.  Unfortunately, she has gotten worse in unsettled seas since we had the long and rough ride in the storm on a jump from Charleston to Fernandina Beach.

      Other than some crab floats, there wasn’t much to see except the beautiful aqua and turquoise water.

     We pulled into Boot Key Harbor in Marathon around 4:55. As we pulled up to get fuel and water, we were greeted and told that they closed at 5, but we could stop by tomorrow to fill up.  So, we continued on through the bridge and found a place to anchor amid all the other anchored boats.  It was still a long ride to take Bailey to the City Dock.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ K & P