Squint, it's there!

Although Pennekamp SP was awe-some (and, if you’re in the area, you should definitely check it out), we made the move north to Angelfish Creek by way of Jones Point off Adam’s Key (yes, I know that’s the long way ’round, typical me).  Angelfish is where a lot of cruisers stage to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas and that is exactly why we went.

Along the way, we had no wind but it looked like it would pick up all week (30-50 knots!), so we motored.  Motoring can be a real drag because it costs money and it’s boring.  Well, apparently not exactly boring as we were about a mile off shore when our motor started to sputter . . . and then it died . . . a couple of times.  We had this problem* before (but only on the port gas tank – weird) so we switched over to the starboard.  Same problem.  Great.  Not really, but not horrible either.  We do have sails, afterall.  And, there was no wind.at.all which made for a really great time (no wind=no waves) to be a mile off the coast with engine problems (and sails :).

Well, what to do.  We figured if the engine wasn’t getting gas (hence the sputter) then something is clogged.  So, fuel lines, fuel filter or the air-intake was clogged.   We had a spare filter on board, so we changed that.  We couldn’t really bleed the fuel lines under way, so that was postponed.  And, the air-intake is on the outboard so that would require getting in (the ocean).

Damon is apparently the designated get-out-in-the-ocean-if-something-is-wrong (see previous post about running aground in Florida Bay) so off he went, clipped to the boat with a harness (of course, Mom!) while I handed him ratchets and took pictures for Facebook (which he did not appreciate but I know you do ;).

Engine repair underway

He took off the cover to the valve, cleaned the air-intake of sea-grass and within about 5 minutes (out in the ocean!) he was back aboard.  BTW – you may want to know what anxiety-prone Kemah was doing during this time; he was napping, of course.

Once aboard, we started the engine up again and gingerly pressed on, all-the-while scoping out the next place to duck in just in case we couldn’t get to our destination (only 3 miles or a half-hour) away.  Luckily, there was a very-exclusive “town” of Ocean Reef just a mile away so I’m sure they would be happy to have us taking up a million-dollar slip if we absolutely had to duck in.

Anyone who has ever had engine problems knows that your ears get highly attuned to the noises of said engine when you’ve experienced a problem and hope it’s fixed: is this normal? did it sound like that before?, etc, etc.

After a lot of listening and 15 miles through Angelfish Cree and around Biscayne Bay, “so far, so good” (which is an attitude I employ for a lot of things).  On advice from some fellow Gemini cruisers (with a dog), we chose to anchor in a little nook north of Adam’s Key in Jones Point.  And, there we stayed for the weekend.

We loved this little anchorage (you can see Miami from your house!) but unless you draft less than 4’, which we do, I wouldn’t suggest it.

Skipbo at sunset in less than 3' - I love my boat!

We sat here and waited, waited, waited for the weather.  And, boy-o-boy, did the weather come.  Some smart sailor says something like “it’s always good weather, it just depends on what kind”.  Well, this weather was of the wind variety.  It apparently (see how I made a little wind joke, eh?) blew about 50 knots of cold front in to South Florida while we slept soundly in our berth tucked safely and comfortably in Jones Point.  We happily dinghied to the dock on Adam’s Key a couple of days in a row and met a very nice couple who lives full-time on the small island, where they steward the park for the National Park Service – what.a.life.

Because the weather is looking up – although cold (low 60, high 75) – for our crossing, we opted to motor down to Angelfish Creek today.  And, here we sit awaiting our Wednesday crossing.

Hopefully, in 48 hours, I’ll be updating you over conch fritters and local rum from Bimini, The Bahamas!

Best,

L&D