Sailing to the Florida Keys V

December 4, 2011

Leaving:  6:30 am
Destination:  Boca Grande / Cayo Costa Coastal Key
Nautical Miles:  29
Estimated Time:
10 hours at 3 Knots
7 hours at 4 Knots
6 hours at 5 Knots

Well, this morning we woke up at 5:45 am wanting to get an extra early start on our long day of sailing.  Keith and I were ready pretty quick but Maxi had other ideas.  We took him out to do his business knowing all too well that it would be a long sailing trip for all of us, but he did not want to cooperate!  We walked him a good half hour and all he did was number 1.  Of course, at first he looked at us as if we were crazy wanting him to get up so early and expect him to go potty…LOL!! 

Sailing to the Florida Keys IV

December 3, 2011
Venice, Florida
Crow’s Nest Marina

This morning we went ahead and came into the Crow’s Nest to pay for a slip for the day.  It’s a really small marina with just a handful of slips and most of those slips are pretty tight and narrow. 

Sailing to the Florida Keys III

December 2, 2011
Leaving Longboat Pass
Destination:  Venice
25 Nautical Miles
Estimated Time: 6 hours

We left Longboat Pass at about 10:00 am, headed for Venice, Florida.  Again we had to go through the Longboat Pass Bridge, asking the Bridge Tender to open the bridge for us.  We headed south on the Gulf.  At first, when we headed out it wasn’t so bad, the winds were coming from NE and sailing wasn’t so bad. 

Sailing to the Florida Keys II

DeSoto Beach

Thursday, December 1, 2011

We left DeSoto at noon on Thursday.  Since it was going to be a 5-6 hour sail from DeSoto to Longboat Pass we wanted to get an early start on our day but with the dinghy not working we got started a bit late!  Sailing from DeSoto to Longboat Pass was not too bad.  Again it was chilly but the sun was out and the winds were at our favor…which was nice. 

Sailing to the Florida Keys

Wednesday
November 30, 2011
Leaving Regatta Pointe Marina
Destination:  DeSoto

We finally left Regatta Pointe Marina in Palmetto, Florida!!  It was a bit sad leaving, at least for me.  I guess it’s because I am a woman and I tend to want to “nest” wherever I go.  Keith is the one that gets itchy feet if he is in one place too long!  So glad he stayed put in Phoenix long enough for me to have met him!! LOL

From Maximus to Maximus Sea Dog

Regatta Pointe Marina
Palmetto, Florida
New Horizons
October 21, 2011

I keep sailing on in this middle passage. I am sailing into the wind and the dark. But I am doing my best to keep my boat steady and my sails full. ~~Arthur Ashe

The Adventure Continues

Regatta Pointe Marina
Palmetto Florida
New Horizons
October 20, 2011

We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson