Well shat, he's back! Got bored sitting in Venice, and it was such a nice day to jump to the outside, so I had no choice, and to the outside did I go. Down to Boca Grande, and spent the night in Pelican Bay, then it was a pissy morning this morning, but I was bored, and made my longest jump yet, on the outside to MARCO at @50 miles.
The plan leaving Venice, was to get up early, get some
fuel, and
head out SOUTH. The
fuel pump had a line, and I didnt relish sitting in line, in the middle of the channel, so I said piss on that, and headed out. Leaving Venice inlet, the sea was like a mirror, and there was a good
wind out of the northeast. I saw a stingray in front of me trying to fly I guess, the way he kept jumping out of the
water. Maybe he was trying to avoid being breakfast. Made my left turn, and headed south. The
wind wasnt much, but I kept the
jib out and trimed. The winds were off an on all day, and until I reached the entrance to Boca Grande, the wind was rushing out of the southwest, and the turn into Boca Grande for me was a northeast motion. That wind caught my
jib and PUFF it opened up. I thought I was doing pretty good at 7knots, with the
motor going at 2100
rpm, which for me equals @4 knots, then I watched my
gps speed go from 7.2 to 7.5 to 8.0 to 8.4 to 8.7 then 9.0 and 9.2 was the top, before I got scared and powered down, turned into the wind and furled the jib. Though for them few moments at 9.2 were exciting. I was barely heeled, and was surprised to be going so fast. Obviously, the
current was a factor, but it didnt diminish the smile on my face. Now to find Pelican Bay, I turned south on the
ICW, and just past the first marker, I saw some
boats off to my oblique right. That must be the place I decided. I bared off to starboard, and pointed to the place. Now I had heard how to get into Pelican Bay, but couldnt remember which bank to get cozy with. The right (west) side looked ominous, but there were little warning bouys lined up to my left ina row, and that side looked better than beaching myself on the other side, so onward I went. I was almost at the little point, when I heard the
VHF say, "the sailboat entering Pelican Bay,
captain youre on the wrong side." I looked around and there were no other sailboats other than me. Hmmmm...he must mean me! I slammed on the brakes, spun around and headed backwards in my previous footsteps. Then I heard the same voice say, " ya need to get 100 feet off the beach on the west side, thats where the channel is". So I headed towards the ominous beachhead. Then the voice on the
vhf said, stay next to the beach, and went you get past that little point,
head for the
ranger docks." SO I did, and thanked the voice on the
radio, I found me a spot just past the
ranger docks, and dropped the hook. It was a windy night, mixed with some rain. I was up and down all night checking the holding, making sure I didnt drift away. The next day was pissy
weather, so I made plans to head to Marco the next morning. I woke this to raindrops, and looked outside, and it was blustry. I wanted to leave on a hightide, so it was go now or sit here another day. I pulled that damnable danforth, up and headed out the way I came in, almost exactally. Once I was clear of the Pelican Bay channel, I put the
autopilot on and headed to the bow to straighten up
anchor ropes, and added an extra
anchor rope, just to make sure the anchor wouldnt go anywhere. The wind was out of the northeast, blustry, and the bay was more than a moderate chop, like the lady on the
weather vhf channel says. They were surfing waves, and of course, while tying on a extra anchor hold
rope, the
boat did a nosedive, and I got a free bath from
charlotte harbor. Soaked to the bone, I waddled back to the
cockpit and headed out of boca grande channel. Went out to marker 10 and turned south, tossed the jib out and started to fly. Man oh man, what a glorious it was. All day, the winds were just right, and the seas were friendly. Once I cleared Sanibel off to my port and out out a few miles, I tried out "nekid sailing". Its a little overated, but it was different. I was rockin out to some latin jams I made on a cd, and was enjoying the afternoon. On about dark, I was about 5 miles from Marco Island. Wasnt to thrilled going into
Capri Pass at night, and wasnt sure if there was any pre channel spots to drop a hook. So I called Jason, and he gave me an idea of a spot to check out. I got about a mile from the green marker going up
capri pass, when the
engine started to act like it was low on
fuel. Cant be the fuel, I filled up this morning, but I checked anyway...nope 3/4 of a tank. I switched on the manual
fuel pump, and the dang thing wouldnt start...**** **** ****....tried to crank the
motor again, and it was a no go. Tried to hail TowboatUS (after all I am a
member, and am sure to recoup my initial grand and 50 for my first tow) but no response on 16. Jason heard the call and got me hooked up with towboat. While waiting I fiddled with the manual fuel
pump some more and got it working, but still wanted a tow in just in case something goes wrong and I am floating/drifting somewhere in the channel and cause some damage to me or someone. The towboatUS dude, says if I now have
power, just follow him in. I wasnt liking that idea, for the previous reason, but relented and followed him in....then I got to thinking..I am a gold
member in towboatUS....its this dudes job to TOW me and put me to a
dock of my choosing, so I called the dude and said the motor quit again. He came around and tossed me a
cradle, and We hooked up. Now when we get to Factory Bay, he says he gonna slow down when we get to the fuel docks. Well we get to the fuel docks and he slows down, but I am still moving at @3 knots, these old seafarers like to glide. He hollars back to me...he can you STOP? WTF I thought, how am I gonna stop this
boat, besides he's got me like 3 feet from the
dock, maybe he is thinking I am gonna jump outta my boat on to the fuel dock as we pass by with a rope in my hand? I hollared ahead, the dock is to far to jump and I cant stop this boat. So the dude now has to tie up quick to me before I go slamming into a mega yacht parked a couple 100 feet away. He gets me stopped, but not before causing me a near fatal heartattack. Now, he ties his boat up to mine, but we are now in a spot where we cannot turn around, and have to back out. Its dark, my dingy in the
davits is inches from the mega yacht bow sprit....slowly we get backed out and turned around. Now he is on my port side, and the fuel dock is on my starboard. He cant judge the distance from my boat and the fuel dock, and at 4 feet away, with a rope in my hand, I make the leap! safely on the dock I get my boat tied up, and here I sit. At the factory bay marina in Marco Fl. Thanks Jason for all your help through this mess, will be by tomorrow and visit. And Rocketman, I left a mesage on your cell, hope to see ya too while I am here.
I have met a few people that are just PISSED that I'm having fun, especially since I spend pennies to their thousands, and still enjoy the same water!
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