We have already learned the main lesson of sailboat life: don’t plan too much because plans will change. After 2+ weeks! on the hard, we finally got out of Ft. Lauderdale this weekend. Nothing against Ft. Lauderdale, but we were ready to get back on the water, which we did and we made it to Key Largo.
The Opposite of Smooth Sailing
When you get what you want, it may not go your way. We learned that on Saturday when we were a couple of hours in our drive to Miami and the engine conked out.
Backing up: we didn’t sail from Ft. Lauderdale because the swells were very big and the wind was right in our faces. So we motored. And even that didn’t work out so well. But we’re learning, always learning through our mistakes
Can I tell you how relaxed I am already? When the engine died, I didn’t panic at all. Because we have Sea Tow!! Conrad suggested it, we got it and now we’ve already used it. It’s like AAA for boats. A must have.
I took video of the tow boat ride so you can appreciate the swells. We were in good hands.
Learning From Doing
It turns out that 3 weeks of inactivity on a half full tank of diesel is not good for the engine. While we were being towed south of Miami, Brian got some expert opinions from our friend CB (Thanks CB!) and fixed the engine. Basically, he replaced the filter, ran some coolant through, and got it started again. So we got to our anchorage (the old familiar Marine Stadium) and took a break for the night.
Calming Down, Still Motoring to Key Largo
Yesterday the weather was completely different. We woke up to very little wind and the sea was like glass, so we motored, the same as Saturday.
The trip was relatively easy (especially on my stomach compared to the day before). We left around 8am, stopped for diesel fuel, and then powered to Key Largo in about 8 hours. The engine worked fine! Yay Brian! And CB. Thanks again to CB. We are anchored just outside Key Largo on the ocean. From all reports, getting into the bays and inlets is not possible with our draft, but that’s why we have a dinghy.
Key Largo at night was very peaceful and beautiful.
We’re first timers to the Keys. We are going to spend at least a few days here and explore the parks, bars, and seas of Key Largo. Share your tips in the comments!
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I enjoy reading your posts, it sounds like the adventure is well on its way (and par for the course so far). In case you didn’t have this book already it is well worth getting: Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual, by Nigel Caulder. It is the Bible for fixing things on your boat.
Good luck with everything!
Cheers, Ian
We do have that book! I haven’t cracked it yet, but it is part of the library. Thanks for the reco!!