Hello everybody! Joan and I had a great trip to Key Largo this week. Our dock neighbours Dean and Liz, have their daughter Jane, and her husband Sean visiting with their 2 children; Leo, 2 years and Annebelle, 3 months. Their 36' Albin Trawler cruises at 7.5 mph so we followed them to Miami staying at Miamarina, Bayside right down town. The marina is ringed with restaurants, shops and boutiques with live music playing all evening.
Day 2 we headed out across Biscayne Bay for the cut through Featherbed
Shoal. Weather was perfect with 75*F and a light breeze from the North East touching our port quarter. Dean was having issues with his #1 battery which powers his electronics, bow thruster, and starting for the diesel. Fortunately the alternater carried the electronics and I was running my GPS as well. We arrived at Anchorage Resort on the south end of Jew Fish Creek about 3pm and moored up on their 75' dock together. While the ladies and children checked out the pool, we inspected the battery issue and found corrosion on the positive terminal. There was also corrosion on the negative buss bar and a loose terminal on one cable. However, we decide to tackle the batteries the next day in favour of happy hour! The former cuban restaurant there has new owners and theyare really trying to compete with other local facilities. Their happyhour menu includes $2 draft pints and wine and $1 pork schnitzels.. Our bill for 6 adults was $38!
Wednesday, we cleaned up and tightened all battery connections on Dean's boat and put the day in reading, swimming in the pool, and relaxing. It was so good we stayed 3 days. One night we took several trips in Dean's dinghy across the channel to Gilberts for dinner atthe german diningroom.. No one wanted to leave! Friday, we left about 8:30am. The day was perfect again and we headed north. A light chop was catching out starboard bow as we crossed Barnes Sound, Card Sound, hit Cutter Bank Cut and Featherbed stopping at a new port of call, Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove. It's a huge facility with 584 slips and just a short walk to lots of attractive shops and restaurants. Dean's battery is still not functioning but we have bypassed the power to his #2 which has been working fine.
Early the next morning, we headed toward Miami and on to our homebase in Fort Lauderdale. We hit the bridges right on the time for the openings we needed. Our boat needs a clearance of about 18'. Dean's is a little taller needing 22'. We stopped for fuel at Lauderdale MarineCenter. The water was loaded with boats of every description. A perfect Saturday in January is mass confusion on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Once we are back at our slip, we have to do a pumpout, fill the water tank and give the boat a good bath. Dean and I plan a trip to hunt for a new battery load tester and shop for a replacement if necessary over a cold beer. All in all, It was great week!
Doug Horsfall
