This is the [Ranger] Life!: Rock and Water

January 30th, 2011

We’ve enjoyed Key West for several days now...its starting to add up, 13 nights. We headed out from Key West yesterday morning at about 9 a.m. We went out the night before to a few bars with Vashe, our Czech friend. He’s a sailor too! Showed us his boat that is a work in progress--amazing beautiful boat. It will be perfect when he’s done. Hope we get to see it! We’ve been re-supplying and stocking, in preparation for the Dry Tortugas. Got more canned foods, few perishables. and eventually more beer and ice. Restocked - Check!

There’s been so many days here at Key West that I can’t remember all of them. We’ve spent several days on the boat, with no motor on our dinghy to travel ashore. We also spent several days dealing with high winds. Since our new anchor (with lots of heavy chain) we’ve felt very comfortable with the higher winds...although you can never really feel comfortable with a CRAZY rocking boat! Most uncomfortable to sleep on! Anywho. We’ve restocked, made a few friends and now is the time to move on to the Dry Tortugas. So we did.

We left out, 9 a.m., and traveled to Marquesa Keys. Good anchorage on the east side. Scenic sunset and grilled out with hotdogs! Yep. Hotdogs! We’re goin’ gourmet! Went to bed at 8 p.m. and then woke up at 4 a.m. This morning we were lucky to have wind and raised the sails. Got movin’ by 4:45 a.m. Took us ALL day at 4 knots. Made it into the Dry Tortugas anchorage at sundown (6 somethin’). The entry was tricky, a new channel was open and one part of it was only about 8 feet in depth and probably 75 feet wide. It felt very tight and shallow, but we made it. Anchored out--here we are to listen to the Terns squawking outside and watching the sun set and rise.