2022: Marathon to Pompano Beach FL

31 March 2022

With today being our last day at the Marlin Bay Marina in Marathon, Clark and I each had our own ideas about how to spend the day. I had a couple of things on my to do list that I really wanted to check off before leaving. Clark, on the other hand, wanted to get in one more swim in the pool!

While Clark was enjoying his swim, I baked applesauce cake that Clark likes to eat for a snack every night. Clark suggested I move my toaster oven outside to do the baking to keep the heat down in the cabin. Great idea! While the cake was cooking I did the laundry to get that out of the way.

After I completed those tasks, I decided to take cleaning supplies up to the upper helm to see if I could remove some grime from the full enclosure before we set sail. The panels of the full enclosure had a built up of dirt so bad they were hard to look at or look through. 

I should have joined Clark at the pool! By the time he returned refreshed from his swim, I was covered in sweat and grime. I had managed to clean inside and outside (no easy task) of all parts of the full enclosure except the outside of the three front panels. 

With Clark present, I climbed out the front panel to scrub the outside. He helped from inside. To get out to clean the front panels, I have to climb over the instrument panel. I feel like a contortionist while performing this act of insanity. 

When the job was done, I felt very accomplished and even better, I had a clear view out the panels! All of this full enclosure work was done with winds gusting up to 23 mph rushing past. At least I had a breeze to keep me a bit cooler!

Given today was Thursday, the folks at Faro Blanco had heavy hors d'oeuvres on the schedule. We wanted to attend for one last visit this season before heading on our way home. I got cleaned up and we rode there ono our bicycles. With the wind at our backs, it took a very short time to get there.

Ev (blue hat) talking to Renise and her puppy

Clark with an attentive audience

Dinner is served!

Mel and Clark deep in conversation

 1 April 2022

Depart: Marlin Bay Marina 9:15

Arrive: Pumpkin Key Anchorage 5:15

Distance: 62 nm

Conditions: Almost no wind; hot; sunny

Yesterday I had too much wind. Today we had none to speak about. Speaking to marina staff over the last couple of days, we learned that 16 boats planned to leave Marlin Bay today. By the time we got ourselves around to leave, the place was well emptied out. One other boat left at the same time we did - "Northern Lights". Otherwise, we could see many vacant slips where yesterday we saw boats.

Brian on "Northern Lights" leaving just ahead of us

We had so little wind today that when we dropped our lines at the dock, the boat did not move an inch. Even though we did not need help getting out of the slip, two dockhands came out to assist. We figured they were looking for tips, so we did not disappoint them.

Having just made the trip to Pumpkin Key a short while ago for the KE rendezvous, the voyage was none-too-exciting. When we got to Pumpkin Key, we found a number of boats in the anchorage. Some of them had come from Marlin Bay and Faro Blanco to stage in preparation to cross to the Bahamas the next morning.

A boat from Marlin Bay

"Heliopause" - our neighbors at Marlin Bay

Catamaran "One Eye Dog" at Pumpkin Key Anchorage

Clark got a sunset picture to add to our collection.

2 April 2022

Depart: Pumpkin Key Anchorage 8:40

Arrive: Pompano Beach Private Dock 4:00

Distance: 62 nm

Conditions: Hot sun; Calm waters; Light breeze

Just before we pulled up anchor, a caravan of boats paraded out of the anchorage heading for Angelfish Creek heading for the Bahamas. They must have coordinated their exit plan to cross over together. 

Clark decided to start our travels today by following their lead out Angelfish Creek. Unlike the others, we would be heading in a more northerly direction. 

Heading out Angelfish Creek into the sun

We followed Angelfish Creek to Hawk Channel. Clark said that the part of Hawk Channel we traveled today was the only part he had never navigated before! 

Our travels today took us past Miami and Fort Lauderdale and into Pompano Beach. 

Miami

Miami

Kite surfers at Pompano Beach

Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse

Hillsboro Inlet Bridge

We got the 3:45 opening of the Hillsboro Inlet Bridge and arrived at our friend's dock a short while later. Steve greeted us at the dock and helped us tie up next to his lovely 58 foot Fleming. Gorgeous boat!

Steve told us that he had friends coming over for dinner, and they were bringing rib-eye steaks to cook on the grill. Wow! Did we arrive on the right day! The 6 of us had an interesting dinner. 

The weather man had threatened us with bad weather. Steve told us to ignore him as all storms bypass his neighborhood. We enjoyed our salads and then we started to feel a few drips of rain. Steve continued to tell us not to worry about it. The drips got more frequent, so Steve pulled an awning over the table to keep us dry. 

As we sat and ate our steaks, the wind got stronger as did the rain until the awning only offered cover from the rain coming down - not sideways! Being wet was not the worst of it though - the cold wind gusting to 30 mph was the worst. I had on a t-shirt and shorts. I was very cold as was Clark. The Floridians seemed not to be as affected by the damp chill as much as us New Jersey people. Go figure. 

Eventually, Steve took pity on us and brought the two of us towels to keep us warm.

The obvious question would be "why didn't we go inside?". Steve is having an elevator put in his house where the dining room table used to be. The area is seriously under construction and not currently set up to accommodate 6 people at the table which is covered in paperwork, etc.

Needless to say, it was a memorable evening. We did eat our desserts inside - homemade chocolate cake and homemade apple pie. Both were amazing. I still cannot decide which I preferred!

April 3 & 4 2022

Clark and Steve worked on their boats over these two days. Clark had a diver come on Monday to drill out old and install new cutters for the port prop. Steve had Clark help him install chart updates on his Garmin chart plotters. It all kept them very busy. 

I spent time talking to Steve's wife Judy, reading my latest novel, and binge-watching Bridgerton Season 2. I liked it so much more than Season 1, which I thought had far more nudity than it needed.

Because Clark and Steve were buried in boat work, I volunteered to make dinner on both Monday and Tuesday nights. I was happy to do it as a thank you for the free dock and good company.

5 April 2022

Depart: Pompano Beach Private Dock 10:30

Arrive: Peck Lake Anchorage 6:00

Distance: 38 nm

Conditions: 3-to-5 foot seas on the ocean

The travel plan for today said that we would leave Steve's dock by 9:00 because he planned on traveling in his boat today, and our boat blocked him in. Well that plan went out the window just about 8:30 this morning when Steve came knocking on the boat. 

The Garmin chart plotter is very confusing in its terminology. Steve needed more help from Clark to get things in order. Before we left, Clark helped Steve get things in order. We had a twist in our power line for the boat that needed to be straightened out, and Clark filled the water tank. 

With all the activity, we missed leaving in time for the 10:30 Hillsboro Inlet bridge opening, but we made it for the 10:45. 

Hillsboro Inlet Bridge

 

As we left Pompano Beach to head out into the Atlantic Ocean, Clark said, "It looks 'sporty' out there." He expected the seas to be 2 to 3 footers. We found more like 3 to 5 foot waves. As we traveled east, we got spray flying over the boat. As I watched the spray hit the full enclosure, all I could think of was the hours I spent cleaning it just a couple of days before!

The stabilizers had a hard time fighting the waves. Several times the boat leaned way over to one side. We heard some crashes and new things were relocating themselves down below. Clark popped down briefly to see what happened and found one of our bicycles had fallen over. My cutting boards had fallen to the floor. A few other things were not where they belonged. It felt reminiscent of our days on "Sea Moss".

We entertained ourselves, as we held onto our seats, watching for flying fish. They literally came flying out of the waves and soared through the air for quite a good distance before going back into the sea. Try as he might, Clark could not get a photo. As soon as he pulled out the camera, the fish stopped flying.

Clark had hoped to get to Stuart tonight, but with the delayed departure, we opted for using the Lake Worth inlet and traveling north on the ICW from there to give us options for anchorages. We arrived at the Lake Worth Inlet at 2:25. I was happy to get off the ocean.

Some sights we saw as we entered the ICW...

Several cranes here

"Madsummer" 
 331' Yacht

Boaters having fun along the ICW ...

Swimming off their boat

Floating Tiki Hut

Watersports fun

Coming into the ICW via the Lake Worth / Palm Beach Inlet, we passed Peanut Island.

Shortly after we passed through this area, we heard a call to the US Coast Guard that a body had been found floating near Peanut Island. The person was later declared dead. We were just there!

Continuing north, we passed by the Jupiter Inlet and Lighthouse.

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

Fun with beached boats near Jupiter Lighthouse

Clark decided on Peck Lake as our anchorage destination for tonight. When we arrived, we found a number of boats there before us. Luckily it is a big anchorage, and we had no trouble finding a place to drop the hook. Peck Lake is located near the Hobe Sound Natural Wildlife Refuge near Jupiter, Florida.