Cruising with "Best Mate": Key West, Fl to Carrabelle, FL

Total Miles Traveled 2108

We departed Stock Island Village Marina at daybreak March 14^th with a great forecast for cruising the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico on our journey North.

Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean

We traveled 83 miles to an anchorage at Little Shark River, then 72 miles to an anchorage at Naples, FL on the 15^th. We had ideal cruising conditions except for dodging a few crab pot floats.

If the sun is behind us, the floats are not too hard to see, unless they are covered with green algae. We may travel several miles and not see any, then we are in a minefield. If we hit one, the float line can wrap around the prop shaft and stall the engine, not a good scenario if several miles from shore.

Key West Express Ferry runs from Ft Myers to Key West.

On Tuesday March 16^th, we cruised 59 miles from Naples, Fl to a private dock near Ft Myers, FL. We stayed here for six weeks while Moni had cataract and corrective stigmatism surgery on each eye. The surgery was a great success and glasses will only be needed while reading small print. Thank you, David and Barbara (m/v Miss My Money), for the use of your dock and hospitality during our stay!

We were also able to visit our friends Kevin and Jill (m/v Chasing 80) and Rafe and Annette (m/v Cat Daddy) during our stay. Kevin and Jill took us on a day trip to Fort Pierce Florida to the Marine Connection Liquidators, this place has everything imaginable for boating supplies.

We rented a car on April 21^st and visited Moni’s family near Cocoa, FL. We had a great time visiting with everyone and are thankful that everyone is healthy.

The Space X Falcon 9 launch was scheduled during our stay and I was able to watch it from Moni’s Mom’s the back yard.

We departed Ft Myers, FL on April 26^th and traveled 62 miles to an anchorage at Cape Haze, FL. We passed the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse, the oldest structure on the island and it has been a beacon to mariners since 1890.

On Tuesday April 27^th we cruised 47 miles to an anchorage on Sarasota Bay, we briefly had to wait for two ferries to cross the waterway.

Luckily, we had light winds for the night at our anchorage and a great forecast for crossing Tampa Bay the next morning. We weighed anchor at daybreak and traveled 51 miles to an anchorage at Clearwater Beach, FL. We met our friends Randy and Sherri (m/v Priorities) and Steve and Jan (m/v Forever Young) here.

On April 29^th we had a weather window to cross the Gulf of Mexico to Cedar Keys, so we moved to an anchorage at Anclote Key, near Tarpon Springs.

Boats anchored at Anclote Key barrier island.

Steve hooked what he thought may have been a stingray, he fought it for quite awhile before breaking his line.

Anclote Key Lighthouse.

We weighed anchor just before daybreak on April 30^th and cruised 69 miles to and anchorage at Cedar Keys, we enjoyed less than 1-foot waves during most of the way, but seas started building to 2 ft the last 15 miles of so. We have crossed the Gulf of Mexico 11 times and this is the first time we have seen a sponge boat working offshore. The large nets of sponges on top of the pilothouse indicates they were very successful.

On May 1^st we departed for Dog Island, a 116 mi course across the Big Bend of Florida. Sunrise leaving Cedar Keys.

We had a few hours of rough seas but as we approached early afternoon the waves calmed down to less than 1 foot.

Sea Turtles are hard to photograph, by the time you see them and zoom in to take a picture, they're gone.

The extended forecast is calling for scattered thunderstorms through Thursday May 6^th, so we decided to stay at C-Quarters Marina in Carrabelle, FL a few days to top of fuel and visit with our friends.

Shrimp boat anchored near us at Dog Island at dawn.