Florida: Pumpkin Key anchorage

Day: 261

Monday 3/28/2016

NM Today: 31

NM Traveled Total: 3895

After tonight’s anchorage at Pumpkin Key near Key Largo, Florida, we are heading to the Bahamas where the fuel costs are higher, provisions will be harder to find, water use is charged by the gallon, and disposing of boat garbage can be challenging, While there we expect to be spending a lot of time at anchor. So, before leaving the marina this morning, we had a checklist of items we needed to complete:

-          Fill all water tanks to the max

-          Fill both fuel tanks to the max

-          Empty holding tank

Before leaving, Clark took the camera for a walk around the marina. He found lots of good picture opportunities.

Sea bottom as seen from the T-dock at the marina.

Houseboat on T dock with tons of decorations that Gordon, who we met last night, called "trailer trash".

 The Tiki hut where we got our gratis pot-luck dinner last night.

A stadium 

A pool (I didn't even know was at the marina)

and open-air exercise equipment (I also did not know existed).

We left the marina just after 9:00, and after several hours of travel, today’s trip east on the ICW towards Key Largo started feeling a little tedious until two dolphins decided to check us out. Both dolphins ran alongside our boat for a short distance. One disappeared and the other moved to be in front of our bow and lead us for several miles. I pictured one saying to the other, "I'll take this one, you grab the next boat that comes by."

First I drove while Clark took pictures and videos of our new dolphin friend and then we changed places. I could not believe how close he swam to the bow of the boat. I constantly wondered how we didn’t run right over the top of him. Every time he came up for air and cleared his spout, he lost a little ground and fell back towards the side of the boat. He rapidly recovered his position and lead on.

Dolphin in the lead

Me watching the dolphin off our bow

As we approached a more populated area with a restaurant / motel and a slow speed minimum wake zone, the dolphin dropped off not to be seen again.

As we fueled up at the marina this morning, we heard a boat blowing its horn repeatedly. At first I thought the captain meant to indicate his intent to leave the harbor, but when I looked closer, I saw that the boat’s name was Lila Blue. We met them a few months back. The last time we saw Larry was in December in Dunedin, Florida. I waved like crazy and yelled back to Clark to let him know who I had just seen.

Once we were underway from the marina Clark contacted Larry on the VHF radio and learned that they are also headed to Bimini in the Bahamas. After learning their jumping off destination for tonight, Clark and I did some research on the Active Captain boater’s app and decided to join them at their selected anchorage. Shortly after getting situated in the anchorage we heard thunder rumbling in the distance.

We closed up most of the full enclosure on the upper helm and moved downstairs. Given that we both felt more than ready to eat, I decided to make dinner. The storm kept threatening but held back. As we ate our dinner the rain finally arrived. Having taken a long time to arrive, the storm passed over quickly. I was surprised by how fast it moved on.  Unfortunately, it took a lovely cool breeze away with it.

In between the storm threats, the rain, and the final clearing of the skies, Clark captured some interesting sky pictures for our archives.

The folks on Lila Blue plan to leave here tomorrow morning for Bimini in the Bahamas at first light. We won’t be up that early, but we won’t be too far behind them.

Note: While in the Bahamas, blog updates may be sporadic. 

Dolphin Video for those with a supporting browser and device: