Murphy Strikes Again

We have anxiously been awaiting a visit from our friends Ty, Debbie and Sarah and they are due to arrive this afternoon. It just so happens this afternoon is about the nicest weather we are going to have until the day after they leave. The weather has been warm, the water clear and the wind perfect for diving, fishing and sailing, however Murphy rears her ugly head again and the cold front begins to move in tonight and will clock the winds from the warm southerly we have had to a chilly northerly. 

Right now the wind is warm, but it is blowing quite a bit, gusting to around 25. The harbor is chop and the dinghy rides are wet. Welcome to Boot Key Harbor! lol it figures. 

A New Boat! & Colby Solos

Ok so it's not what you think, honestly it's not! We did acquire a new vessel, however it's just a sailing dinghy and tied to the back of our boat. We were fortunate enough to come across a 1989 Trinka 10' sailing dinghy for a price that made it a no brainer to pickup at all costs. 

Trinka Website

The gentleman that owned the dinghy wanted it to go to a good home more than anything and when he saw Peyton and Colby's eyes light up he literally said "just take it and pay whenever you can" He handed me his boat card and extended his hand as I grabbed it, shook it enthusiasticly and said "deal!" We towed her home about 30 minutes from a rough anchorage outside of the harbor and after a quick trip to West Marine I got her rigged and sailing that evening. I took Peyton out for a quick sail and we sailed while the sun set in the harbor, it was an amazing sunset and the sky was painted shades of red I won't even attempt to describe as we ghosted along with almost no wind, proudly sailing by boats at barely a crawl. 

When I punched out from work today there was a stiff breeze in the air and I only had one thing on my mind. I got home, got the kids together from the community center and went to retrieve our dinghy that was bobbing tied to the back of our big boat, almost as if it were as excited as we were . I rowed it over to the dinghy dock (it rows amazingly easy) and rigged the sail, rudder and daggerboard, told the kids to jump in and we were off. 

We sailed all over the harbor, swerving around mooring balls and in between boats. The wind was a little squirrelly and it gusted a bit, but overall it was a great night to sail. Several times we reached hull speed and would rocket out of a tack with uncanny speed and responsiveness. I can honestly see why these little boats are so desired. Peyton had her fill of sailing (after a couple hours) and asked if we could wrap it up and drop her off. We sailed right up to the dock, turned into the wind, popped the main and eased right up to the dock without so much as a bump. 

Colby mentioned something about wishing he could try to sail alone one day, and with that I put my foot on the boat and gave him a big shove and said "Figure it out and for the love of God don't hit anybody". Just like that he was off and sailing. I was both proud and nervous for him as his eyes widened and panic set in. But panic was soon replaced by smiles and he took off on his first tack, alone... After about 30 minutes of sailing he needed to start pointing and coming back to the dock before dark, so I hopped in the chase boat to see if he was having problems making it back. As I motored up he appeared to have it under control and had a grin from ear to ear. I gave him a couple pointers and followed him for a few minutes then headed for the dock to wait. He repeated the landing and slid into the dock like he had done it a million times (I'll take credit for that!)

Just like that, Colby had taken his first solo sail and got one step closer to a sailor ;-)

Sun Rising On Another Day

Today is St Patty's day! At noon we are doing a dinghy poker run through the harbor and it will end at the Tiki hut with prizes, drinks and no doubt fun. Things are going well here but we are itching for a trip, even if it's a short one. 

As the sun rises on another day, we say goodbye to several friends as they head off to destinations afar. Jess and I took the kids to Sombrero Beach to enjoy a sunrise this morning and saw at one point 7 sailboats making their way out of the protected waters of Boot Key Harbor. Not only are we sad to see so many of our friends leave, but we are actually jealous and wish we could be going as well. 

We met a couple named Lynton and Carol back when we first bought the boat in Indiantown. Carol would come to the community center every morning to do a massive amount of dishes and Lynton helped overview my trip planning prior to our departure. It was nice to be reunited with them when they got to Boot Key and the children got to walk their dog Buddy as a side job. Walking other dogs in the harbor satisfies the kids urge of wanting one, at least calms the urge to beg for one. 

This morning we said goodbye as they headed back to Indiantown, hopefully we will get to see them next year.  The amazing thing about living here is the constant change, the people, the boats, it never feels stagnant. 

Yesterday while working, about 5 minutes before closing I met a man from Spain. As I cut the line he needed for his roller furling we talked about his plans and his boat. He got passage across the Atlantic (his 3rd crossing) on someone else's boat with the intention of buying a boat here, preparing it, and sailing it back home to live cheaply in his homeland on the ocean. 

Every day I walk home about a mile or so and after locking up the store I decided to walk with him and continue talking. He talked about the places he has been and one of his favorites was the San Blas Islands off Panama. He talked about the tribes of Kuna Indians and the people of the over 360 small islands not far from Panama. The Kuna make their own laws, have their own rules and are avid farmers, traders and craftsman. After clearing into Panama you can visit the islands, but first you must pay the Chief a fee of 15 to 20 dollars per month to stay there. That's right I said 15 to 20 dollars per month ;-) 

The Kuna have a few rules you must follow and punishment is decided on as well as delivered by their own set of rules. 

1. You may visit the island during the day, you MUST leave at night. No one without Kuna blood can stay on the island. 

2. If you fish, you must share your catch with the Kuna, they believe the souls of their ancestors are inside. 

3. NO Scuba diving! They believe it is unnatural and do not allow it. 

San Blas Islands are definitely on the list of places to go!

Today while watching the sun come up I talked with Colby and Peyton about how short life is "We only get to see so many of these in our lifetime, enjoy every one" I said as we walked, feeling the cool sand on my bare feet. The warmth of the sun as it first comes up is one of my favorite things, the feeling is both comforting and invigorating. 

The best thing we ever did for our children and for ourselves is break away. I've seen more sunrises and sunsets since we have been here then I had seen in years. Every time it's just like the first time, it never gets old, even though we do. 

New Friends, Same Old Goodbyes

I was working at West Marine in the electronics aisle when I heard a couple speaking in broken English trying to decide on LED lighting to help cut down on power consumption, little did I know helping them would lead to a friendship that crosses language barriers. 

Josef and his family are from the Czech Republic, not exactly a mecca of sailing activity and yet they had a desire, a dream actually crazier than ours! They flew here with their two children and landed in Miami with nothing but bags, some hard earned money and a wild dream to buy a boat and sail away. 

Well after a few weeks they managed to find a Beneteau and began to discover the idiosyncrasies and quirks of sailboats quickly. They had electrical problems, radio problems, no GPS, no charts,  and none of the things people normally have when going out. But what they did have was heart, and heart can get you a long way if you've got enough of it, though it's easily confused with stubbornness. Either way it can get things done. They managed to make it down here to Marathon and into Boot Key Harbor without incident and it was here we as a community we were fortunate enough to get the chance to be part of their journey. 

They now have GPS, charts, EPRIB, working radio and safety equipment as well as tips, pointers and a much better chance of seeing what they came here to see. They have water jugs, fuel containers and a huge list of fans cheering them on as they sail away. Unfortunately the US government has limited their stay in the country and they have to leave the next time the weather is good enough to make a crossing. 

The generosity of the boating community in Boot Key Harbor and the genuine desire to help our fellow voyagers continues to amaze me. We all arrive here from different backgrounds, making our way to this port from multiple paths in life, some bumpier than others, some longer. No matter the time, or the chosen path we are here, we are kindred spirits. I believe and to quote the great Zig Zigler 

"You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want." 

This family, this crew and this boat will continue to live by this. We have been helped beyond measure and paying that forward is something we are glad to do. Helping someone achieve their dream puts you one step closer to yours. If you are reaching for something in life, take time out and see if you can help someone else, you may find yours just around the corner.