Key West to Marathon

Well the party did get started in Key West with our friends John and Cappy. Highlights included Schooner Warf, Irish Kevin's, Sloppy Joes, and McConnells Irish Pub. Around the Marina we saw 6 ft Tarpon and a 400 lb Goliath Grooper swimming about. We had eighty degree weather all week. Thursday night the wind started blowing and the waves started building. Even in the marina we saw 30 plus mile an hour sustained winds.  The moring  and anchorages were full, and I can't imagine what it would have been like out in open water!  One 30 ft sale boat lost its anchor and it ended up crashing into the Jetty and sank, thankfully no one on board.  John and Cappy flew out Friday afternoon, and the wind continued to blow.

We were originally leaving for Marathon on Sunday but Sunday looks ugly, and  the forecast for Saturday looked favorable untill around 2 PM. At 8:30 we said good buy to Key West and rounded the west side of Key West and headed to Marathon! As we headed out into the Atlantic we where greated with an unbelievable sight,  the entire shrimp boat fleet some 16 ships were anchored in the Lee of the Key trying to stay out of Friday's Storm and the up coming blow on Sunday. We headed East at 13 knots into 1-2 ft waves, after a bit they grew to 3 plus. This lasted for about 30 minutes and then they settled back to 1-2 footers.  After 45 miles we turned North and passed under the overseas highway and back into the Gulf.  We arrived at Faro Blanco Marina ( a Hyatt Resort) at 12:30.  By 2:30 we started to get rain and 28 mph winds are expected as early as 9 PM. The God Lord gave us a short but pleasant passage. 

We are hunkered down and will be here a month. We will fly home the 19th - 25 for Soren's birthday!