Boot Key to Rodriguez Key - Day 10

It was a bit rolly on the hook overnight. Kind of an in between rocking and bouncing. Not uncomfortable but not flat. No complaints just letting you know what we are experiencing. The anchor held and we did not drag one inch. The winds are still blowing from the SE 15 - 20 mph. As we head back the 50 miles to Rodriguez Key we will track more to the north. This will provide a more favorable wind angle with the wind on the beam that should prove to be flatter and faster.

We are discussing adding one more stop over for our trip back to Ft Lauderdale. The forecast is for strong north winds starting mid day on Saturday and continuing for a few days. We plan to return to Ft. Lauderdale on Friday. There is a harbor south of Miami called “No Name Harbor.” This would break up the final two days into 52 mile and 32 mile days. It will also introduce us to a new anchorage and we will get to spend one extra on the boat.

Dolphins greeted us at breakfast. As we sit in the cockpit sipping coffee a pod of dolphins swim nearby as if to say good morning. It is another warm and sunny south Florida day with favorable winds. Life is good.

At night all the boats in the anchorage turn their anchor lights. The anchor light is a lightbulb at the top of the mast. This alerts boats that are under way that there is a boat at anchor. In addition to the mast head light we have Luci lights tied on the life life lines on both the port and starboard sides and one in the cockpit. This illuminates our boat from both sides and are visible closer to the water line in case the skipper of the other boat is not looking up. The luci lights are solar powered so they recharge each day and they are inflatable so they collapse down for easy storage. They must work because we have not had anyone bump into us at night.

We like our Luci lights

In addition to pods of dolphins frolicking around us a loggerhead turtle swam by. The turtles head is as big as a human head. When I first glanced out at the turtle I thought it might be someone swimming in the water. Then I saw the shell. That is a big turtle.

I did not get a photo of our visitor before she dove down. An artists rendition.