N 25º 24.1'
W 82º 36.1'
Historic Seaport at The Key West Bight
October 22, 2001

A tired bird spends half an hour on the stern rail, one foot behind Chichi.

A family of dolphins crosses the bow, on the way to some unknown purpose.

While at anchor, a professional, long-liner fishing boat stops by, her captain shouting "Do you have beer to trade for fish?" "No, sorry, we do not," we respond in frustration. Several hours later, two fisherman stop by our boat for a rest, having commenced a swim to shore against the current. We give them a PFD, and they are on their way. Several hours later, we again hear a shout, the two swimmers now offering us a large grouper, in gratitude for our hospitality, and in exchange for a bottle of champagne, though they clearly prefer beer or rum.

On a short dinghy trip, we arrive at the closest-permitted point to Bird Key, an island about the size of a city block. There, we observe thousands of birds, the trees and air filled with sounds of chirping and wings flapping. Every branch of every tree appears occupied by one or more.

These are highlights of the last few days. These days also had challenges: sailing in driving rain, learning to manage our sails, attempting to sleep while anchored in 30 knot winds, knowing at some intellectual level that we are safe and secure on a 100 foot, 10 to 1, all chain anchor, but still worrying and wondering. We are learning, and Pachamama is teaching. She feels safe, and secure.

After a day or two in Key West, we sailed to the Dry Tortugas, with a night's stop at Marquesa Key. The Dry Tortugas were discovered by Ponce de Leon, who found turtles, but no water. The seven keys became militarily important in the early 1800s, to protect trade from the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River, around to the east coast. Their position and role are similar to Gibraltar's. The United States built its largest fort (of the 19th century) on Garden Key. The effort started in 1846 and continued for over 30 years. Never completed, the fort still is impressive. It is a national park. The army abandoned the fort in 1874. In 1908 it was declared a wildlife refuge. With its relaxed, park-like atmosphere, and the presence countless forms of wild life, the area is worth a visit.

Is "his name Mudd?" I thought the phrase referred to mud, the metaphor for a real mess. No. It refers to Dr. Samuel Mudd, the famous prisoner at Ft. Jefferson. Dr. Mudd was the physician who set John Wilkes Booth's leg, and whose home apparently was the site of conspiracy planning. Dr. Mudd was released from Ft. Jefferson after he treated other prisoners and Ft. Jefferson personnel for yellow fever.

We returned to Key West yesterday, exhausted after a sixhour beat to a 20 knot, easterly wind. Now, for rest, Truman, Hemingway, and Fantasy Fest.

 

81 48.88 West
Anchored west of Westeria Island, Florida (Key West)
October 14, 2001

Every town has at least one. Some, like Indianapolis, have many. Marathon Key and environs has at least two special places. The first is the Dolphin Research Center, a glorious living laboratory managed by 24-hour-per-day professionals and a host of volunteers that demonstrates, beyond doubt, the mental skills of man's good friend, the dolphin. Not far away is a 65-acre living museum dedicated both to the history and to the ecology of the Florida Keys. This is the Crane Point Hammock, with interactive displays of the geology of the Keys, plus the long history that includes Bahamians (Conchs), pirates, pirate seeker-destroyers, sponging, and tourism. The walk to a historic village is through a mangrove swamp, with a special stop at a shelter for retrieved-recovering birds. 

Son Alex joined us October 9. He will stay until the 30th. On the 12th, we had a relaxed trip to Key West, about 7 hours at 7 knots, smooth and easy, with an easterly, 20-knot breeze on the stern. We put up only two-thirds of the main, fearing that we are not prepared for the more powerful wing-on-wing that requires a whisker pole and a preventer, not yet installed. These handy gizmos both help set the sails and avoid the dreaded and very dangerous accidental jibe. Last night, a midnight thunderstorm got me out of bed, as visibility went to zero, and winds took us a full 360 degrees around the anchor. But the powerful 60 pounder, at the end of over 100 feet of chain, kept us safely in one place. 
 
 

24 42.260 N 081 06.730 W
(Marathon Marina and Boat Yard)
October 4, 2001 

For millennia, the native peoples of the Florida Keys, including the Cayos, thrived in these islands. They had brothers on the Florida peninsula, some called Boca Raton Indians. But this loose alliance could not survive 250 years of Spanish rule, and by 1763 the last eighty of Los Cayos fled Vaca Key for Havana. 

Vaca Key is the Cow Key, probably in honor of cow-like creatures such as manatees. The area was headquarters to pirates, who thrived until 1822 when Admiral Steven Porter swept them away in the name of the United States of America. 

1909, Henry M. Flagler's Overseas Railway was built to Marathon, an effort known as a marathon to workmen. Today, Marathon is home to 12,000, including the staff of the Marathon Marina and Boat Yard, where we docked and said good bye to Chichi's sisters Pimpi and Chona. We then met Captain Jim Dills of Tropic Isle Divers, who is leading us to an underwater paradise. 

We sailed from Key Largo with a consistent wind off the stern quarter, moving to the beam as we turned west. Eight hours of gorgeous water. The days before, however, in Key Largo, were tough. New sailors never trust their equipment, and we did not trust our anchor to hold against 30 knot winds. Result: up all night, watching, waiting, with little to do, but to listen to the winds in our rigging. Still, we had a good trip in to Key Largo, and a wonderful meal at Tug Boat Annie. 

Son Alexander has decided to join us for three weeks. He will be here early next week, to learn "the life."