While much of the US was sliding off the road in a blizzard, we were experiencing a record heat wave in southern Florida. It didn't take long to pack the jackets and sweaters away and gladly take out shorts and T-shirts.

We spent several weeks anchored in the North Palm Beach anchorage off the ICW. It is very protected and has good holding. To get to shore and an excellent grocery store, you take your dinghy across the cove, up a little creek, and beach it under a bridge. Then climb the embankment and voila, there's a major thoroughfare and shops galore. On the small beach under the bridge the city has installed "hitching posts" to tie or lock the dinghy - we felt like nautical cowboys.

Next on the agenda was to spend some time in Key Largo, Florida, about 120 miles down the coast. This time we went outside because south of West Palm Beach there are more bridges on the ICW than any sane person should have to deal with. We left the Lake Worth Inlet about 4 PM one afternoon, planning to sail all night.

The wind was SE and light when we left and for several hours the sailing was perfect - a close reach with flat seas. But as darkness descended the wind died and it was a motor sail the rest of the night. We sailed along the coast, the city lights to the west soft on the western skyline. To the east was just darkness except for the lights of an occasional fishing boat taking advantage of the calm weather to do night fishing.

By morning we entered Hawk Channel - a coastal path through the reef along the eastern side of the Florida Keys. The day was sparkling golden and blue, the seas calm, with a very light headwind. Though the engine was on, it was a day to really enjoy being on the water, watching for dolphins, and marveling at the clear water.

Soon Rodrigues Key was on the bow, and we took a turn to starboard, crossed the shallow anchorage, and a dogleg turn lead us into a small canal where we tied up to a friend's dock to enjoy a month of dockside amenities.

There was boat work, too - next month Tigger and crew will cross the Gulf of Mexico.

August 2002
September 2002
October 2002
November/December 2002
January 2003
February 2003
March 2003
April 2003
Summer 2003
Winter 2003-2004