Please see Roger's latest post as well (about Sarasota to Ft. Myers), just below this one.
We've been in Marathon a little over a week now and are enjoying it very much - most of it. We planned to leave last week after a day or two here, but weather and mechanical issues have kept us here. High winds out of the east delayed us to begin with. As the weather began to turn, we started planning our departure. We were on a mooring ball in Boot Key Harbor run by the City of Marathon. They have great facilities and really cater to the cruising community. Saturday morning (April 27) we left the mooring ball to go get fuel and water at a marina close by, with the idea of coming back to the mooring ball for the rest of the day and depart Sunday for Rodriguez Key and then Miami. Marathon Marina was very friendly and filled us up. We thanked them and prepared to leave . . . but, the engine wouldn't start. We were sure it was just the battery again, but even after hooking to shore power and trying a few things, nothing worked. Ken has been a gold member of Boat US for many, many, many years, and has never had to use their towing services. There is a first time! We called on Boat US and they towed us about a hundred yards from the fuel dock in to a slip at the marina (for $2.50/ft/night - better than $600!). We spent the next three days enjoying their gorgeous pool and coordinating the purchase of a new starter (and batteries, just to be safe).
With all new power systems, we are ready to go! But the weather has turned a little rough again. The last couple days have been lines of thunder storms about every 12 hours or so. So we have stayed put and enjoyed meeting other couples and families around us. Sea Mist (a 40' Catalina), who we met at the marina and is also now in the mooring field has two young boys and they live on their boat full time. They have been great with advice and were gracious enough to let us borrow their bike which allowed me to make two runs to the grocery store today (a little over a mile away). The weather is looking better later this weekend in to early next week, but we just found out Kyle and Kate will be here in Marathon starting Monday with Kate's family for the week. So we think we will hang out here a little longer and visit with them.
We will keep everyone posted when we start moving again. Still hoping to get to the Bahamas in the next couple weeks. If anyone is interested in helping us make that overnight crossing from Miami to the Bahamas, give us a call to coordinate. I have read there is a high speed ferry that goes back to Ft. Lauderdale from Freeport and/or Nassau.
We will keep everyone posted when we start moving again. Still hoping to get to the Bahamas in the next couple weeks. If anyone is interested in helping us make that overnight crossing from Miami to the Bahamas, give us a call to coordinate. I have read there is a high speed ferry that goes back to Ft. Lauderdale from Freeport and/or Nassau.