Well, after a month our time at Boot Key Harbor has come to an end

Well, after a month our time at Boot Key Harbor has come to an end.

It’s a interesting spot, a liveaboard boaters dream harbor. Well protected from all directions, a massive dinghy dock, nice facilities (laundry, package receiving, free rental bikes, ample showers, etc) There’s an eclectic mix of folks here, some floaters who live on boats and have never left their spot, some cruisers hanging out and preparing for sailing, and some folks that just pass through.

The morning “cruisers net” is a wealth of help and information. You can ask for help with boat projects, where to find a part or piece, or find out when the next happy hour is. A very friendly group here.

I met some great new friends, Christian on Distant Drummer and Cera on Walrus to name a few. Bosun was very upset saying goodbye to Cera’s dog this morning. He’s got a girlfriend in every port now 🙄

I got a ton done here during my stay. New autopilot (and a backup spare), fridge conversion for the icebox, added lithium and more solar, new Starlink mount… the list goes on. This is a great place to work on boat projects. There is a Home Depot, west Marine, and a Napa all near by. Getting packages shipped here is easy too. I can see how some people drop anchor here and never leave…

But for me I need islands. Proper islands. Too much time in a marina and I start to get the itch to move. The funny thing about getting comfortable in a marina is you always come up with reasons you can let leave yet. Want to do another project, the weather window isn’t perfect, there’s a party on Saturday, the list goes on. For me I’ve notice when I start to think about leaving, the to-do list seems insurmountable. Why leave a safe and comfortable spot for the unknown?

But once I finally pick a date, my mood switches and I start to get excited about sailing again.

I wasn’t originally planning on leaving today, but the weather window opened and I didn’t want to miss it, so yesterday was a flurry of prep. Provision for 2 months of remote island life, a run to west marine for some last minute essentials and spares, get the dive tanks filled, fill all the fuel tanks and water tanks, clean and organize the boat after a month of life on the hook… I was up till almost midnight.

But waking up at 6, weighing anchor and leaving the “bridge to nowhere” behind felt great. We are off to Rodriguez Key off Key Largo for the night. Then we cross the stream tomorrow.

See ya on the other side!