Keys - July thru January

[hellosailor]

I've been stung by a bee while in the middle of LI Sound, 10 miles from either shore and absolutely no flowers in sight. (Hey, I was on the helm, there's only so far you can run while you're steering.)


BUGS. UGH. Another good reason to sail in the WINTER or to get offshore!

[cabo_sailor]

I don't believe anyone's mentioned it but you will be down there in prime thunderstorm season. While traveling between Tarpon Springs we could often spot storm cells on radar, with a slight change of course avoid them.

When they started popping up all around us, it was time to take in a reef and get the wet weather gear on. I must admit it was sometimes better to get rained on than sweat to death.

On one occasion it went from 0 kt to 40 with gusts to 50 in about 10 min. Lasted 2-3 hours. Not fun in 20-30 of water!

Usually not that bad and shorter lived.

Rich


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[BobnCamie]

We are on a ball here(Boot Key). Wind usually enough to keep heat to tolerable and by morning looking for covers. Bugs are not a problem,so far. Was anchored for a month and a half, first in Sister creek, tied to mangroves, and the flying teeth tore us up when breeze went away. Moved to west(south) anchorage and was fine. Decided on a ball for 'cane season. Won't find better tie-up than that. All local marinas run people to a ball when ever named storm coming.


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[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by jsquared

.................
............
1. Can anyone recommend a good place.......?
2. What do people .....do in the event of a hurricane?
3. I know it is hot and humid but is it unbearable?
4. Is this actually something that can be done? .....

'just a few thoughts:
1. Stick to the "Bayside" for better protection and rates. That's the Florida Bay side on the NW side of all the Keys and not the ocean side. You can find good places with a draft under five feet. Manatee Bay, Gilbert's, Mangrove Bay..... 'look at the "Active Captain" list. also Marathon (Oceanside)
2. I like to take action three days before a potential hit. Tie the boat into one of the mangrove sloughs and leave the Keys. I stay on my boat with hurricanes on the mainland where I can find an inland protected place, but there's a history of more risk of life on the thin slice of land in the Keys. Others may not agree, but I'm just sharing my thoughts as someone who has stayed aboard for three hurricanes and 44 years of Florida cruising.
3. 'sure it's bearable unless you're not used to it. 'no real answer here. I can do it easily, but I grew up in South Florida without air conditioning.
4. 'sure, many people do this and many of them don't elect to keep the hull insurance on a small or older boat. I don't pay the high cost for hull insurance in the hurricane belt, but I'm responsible enough to keep liability insurance!

Good luck and welcome to the community!

[Ocean Girl]

Since we lived in hurricane season before cruising (Texas), our rates will not increase( we have full coverage ins).
We are playing around with staying down in the keys through hurricane season. We are pretty happy and there are still a dozen or so snorkling reefs we want to hit so here we are still down here.at Boot Key ( marathon) when we thought to be up in the Caroline's by now. Shrug, we fly by the seat of our whims :-). the locals here are very nice, nicest I've run across. But they are not nosey, a big plus to us.
We have not heard about a Hurricane prep briefing meeting date, but I'm told they do one for boot key. This will Recap the protocols for tying up to the moorings, what to do with your dinghy, local shelters, etc. when they have the meeting, I will report the general info if you like. I'd pick Marathon over Key West for hurricane and just good old fashion storm protection. The wind protection isn't all that great but that is good in my book as we have a great breeze 24/7. Wave protection is very good.
As far as heat. I have a heat regulation issue that causing me NOT to sweat sometimes. So my body will overheat. In Key west I just jumped in the water and cooled my core down. But boot key, which I swam when I first got here, is not very clean and now I do not swim it. But a 15 minute dinghy ride takes you out sister creek to the Atlantic side to a great beach or anchor the dinghy near the small reef( folks call it Gilligan's island). So far I've been able to stay cool by living in my bathing suit and pouring a few cups of water over my head. Water is easily obtainable by either tying up to city Marina bulkhead and filling the tanks or running jerrycans( what we do).
If you decide to head this way just give me a PM and can help with limited local knowledge and show ya around. Though it may not be necessary if you use the city mooring, they are very thorough with check in.
Hope this helps, sorry so long winded.
Erika aboard Rain Dog

PS
Don't worry about the grammar Nazis, they do it to everyone, not just you. I have had Brain surgery so my files are a bit scrambled, im sure they have a field day with my posts ;-).

[brownoarsman]

Clearly we need a boot key CF meetup!


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[Ocean Girl]

Let's do it :-)

[pete33458]

I didn't see anyone mention the Miami River, but if it's just for storage I think that would be a pretty good option for you (it's a little inconvenient for coming and going because of the numerous drawbridges). Plus it is "fresh" water so there is less bottom maintenance. And there are all the usual haulout options as well, if insurance required it. No real storm surge (maybe higher than normal tides), only wind exposure and several miles inland, so dramatically reduced. Pete

[hellosailor]

Erika-
Have you looked into cooling vests at all? I've seen very little feedback on them but the construction & safety suppliers seem to be selling them (as does Amazon) and they seem to come in two types. One has pockets for cold packs, the other has a blue rubbery plastic, that you wet & wrong out, which then evaporates long term to cool you. Supposedly will help even in humid conditions. (Then of course there are the really expensive ones that pipe water through ice and a maze of tubing, but that's big bucks. Still, if you have a medical condition and good coverage, that might get paid for.)


FWIW.

[brownoarsman]

Sweet! So many happy hours, so many choices

I'm dan on saga blue, f6 if you're in the neighborhood. The boat is a mess right now as I have a number of projects going, but don't let that scare you!


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[Group9]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I've been stung by a bee while in the middle of LI Sound, 10 miles from either shore and absolutely no flowers in sight. (Hey, I was on the helm, there's only so far you can run while you're steering.)


BUGS. UGH. Another good reason to sail in the WINTER or to get offshore!

One lesson I learned one day, was to always take the sail cover off at the dock. We hadn't been on the boat in several weeks and I pulled away from the dock with my wife steering and peeled off the mainsail cover, exposing a huge wasp's nest!

Nothing like being chased around on a 32 foot sailboat by wasps with no where to go!

At least if you do it at the dock, you can jump over to it and run!

[a64pilot]

Last knee surgery they sent me home with a little ice chest with a water pump in it and the pad wrapped around my knee and ice water circulated through the pad.
I don't think it was that expensive and it certainly kept my knee iced down, was great.
Army has water cooled vests for the Armour troops, can you imagine how hot it is in a tank in the middle of the Desert in the Summer?

Best I have come up with though is simply wet a T shirt, surprising even in high humidity how cold feeling a wet T shirt is with a little wind.

[Wakey]

Try this, you wet it, wring it out and drape it around your neck. We use these at the farm and they are awesome. I see they also make a headband version that you can see a bit down the page.

http://www.amazon.com/Frogg-Toggs-Ch.../dp/B0049RPBWW


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[BlueMaxx]

Originally Posted by dohenyboy

Not sure what a grammar Nasi is. i know what is colloquially referred to as a grammar Nazi. But their trains ran on time.


Why can't things remain where i carelessly left them?

HTH

M