Story time, a SV Sandy Bottoms voyage.

[number51]

They're much saltier than fresh water chorizo.

Either way, drain the grease.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Either way, drain the grease.

Unless you're doing keto?

 

[Xuder O'Clam]

Unless you're doing keto?

keto is for betas

 

[Burque]

Either way, drain the grease.

You don't drain the fucking grease, are you kidding me right now?

 

[number51]

You don't drain the fucking grease, are you kidding me right now?

I'm not one of those freaks that dabs up grease off pepperoni slices on their pizza, but I can't eat shit like this, too disgusting, and wouldn't that make you sick?

 

[Burque]

I'm not one of those freaks that dabs up grease off pepperoni slices on their pizza, but I can't eat shit like this, too disgusting, and wouldn't that make you sick?

That doesn't look properly cooked.

 

[number51]

That doesn't look properly cooked.

That would be a problem.

 

[Burque]

That would be a problem.

Indeed it would be a problem.

 

[SERE Bear]

I keep catching Spanish Mackerels while others I meet sailing are only getting trash fish like barracuda or skipjack tuna . Lol. Better to be lucky than good sometimes.


So we made our way down to Marco Island and hung out there a couple days Waiting for a good weather window to sail down to Key West . It wasn’t convenient but I finally found a good 18 hour window no thunderstorms but we had to leave Thursday night at midnight. So my wife and I pulled the anchor and headed out.

At this point let me just say I wish most things in life were like marine forecasts. They always under promise and over deliver . Forecast 1-2 ft seas and 12kt winds? **** that, have some 4-6 footers and 20 kt winds!!!

We handled it just fine and I actually made much better time. Arriving in Key West channel about 13 hours after leaving Marco Island. We did see some lightning up ahead of us right before sunrise. But it dissipated before we got to that area. The waves were coming at us on the side which made it a little roly but it’s a hell of a lot better than the winds coming directly at you and slamming into them .

We went to shore and walked up and down DeVol Street to see the drunks and crazies. Ate a burger and almost fell asleep at the table. I guess I’m not as good at all nighters as I used to be.

Tomorrow we’re pulling the hook and heading towards Marathon Key where I should have mail being delivered to the post office under general delivery. I didn’t know you could do that. You can literally have mail or packages sent to a post office under general delivery and you have 30 days to pick it up . That might be a better way of buying things from people online if you’re worried about giving your home address to a crazy person.

On another note I don’t think we’re going to head all the way to Virginia for hurricane season. It turns out if I have the boat pulled out and straped down For a hurricane our deductible doesn’t go up as much as I thought. No sense taking the boat all the way north just to turn around and come back down in November to spend six months in the Bahamas. If the boat gets totaled in a hurricane then I have a much better idea of what I would want in my next boat.

So now I’m just trying to find a place that can handle our boat on the East Coast that isn’t too expensive .

 

[SERE Bear]

Yesterday was fun, Keywest to Marrathon Key. Light winds directly on our nose so we motored with one engine. Its slow but saves gas and engine wear to not run both engines.



First my starboard engine overheated and I had to shut it down and run the Port engine instead. I dove down under the boat later to discover the water intakes (engine is cooled by sea water) had been fouled with tiny little barnacles. 20 mins of breath holds and diving under the boat with a small screw driver later ... Problem solved. I cleaned the other engines intake as well while I was at it.


Then WATER SPOUTS!!!

HOLY SHIT!

As we passed Big Pine key I noticed a cloud approximately a mile to the north had a water spout coming down to the water. It slowy retracted back into the cloud only to be followed by a second waterspout from the same cloud. That was cool, a little scary, but cool. Then to to south about 2 miles out I see a dark band extending down to the water. This one is big and causing a major disruption on the surface of the water. We could see the water spraying from 2 miles away. This one lasted a long time. I think my wife got over 4 mins of video of that spout. Pics dont do it justice but I will try to get one posted here later.

We are anchored here for a few days to get mail and install a few parts before pushing north.

 

[SERE Bear]

This is a Milestone day my wife and I. We bought SV Sandy Bottoms in Key. largo in November and promptly sailed her down the Keys and around the gulf to Mississipi. We have now completed the loop and sailed SB back to Key Largo. The difference is that we had help from family going but coming back from Gulfport MS to Key Largo was entirely done by just the two of us.


We have gained a lot of knowledge and experience along the way but everyday seems to come with a reminder that we have a lot to learn. The east coast is an entirely different animal than the Gulf and we need to get to St Augustine Florida safley but within the next few weeks.

 

[SERE Bear]

We have been sitting on anchor at Biscayne Key waiting for favorable seas to go north for a couple days. I have just one thing to say about the yatchs in here and in Miami.... DAMN!

This one is anchored by us tonight https://www.yachtcharterfleet.com/luxury-charter-yacht-24644/shes-a-10.htm


So many mega yatchs in the area.


We are probably going to wait for thursday or friday to head north when the winds turn north and the seas will be following as well. Until then we will enjoy the same anchorages as the rich and maybe famous.

 

[Urblock]

Yesterday was fun, Keywest to Marrathon Key. Light winds directly on our nose so we motored with one engine. Its slow but saves gas and engine wear to not run both engines.



First my starboard engine overheated and I had to shut it down and run the Port engine instead. I dove down under the boat later to discover the water intakes (engine is cooled by sea water) had been fouled with tiny little barnacles. 20 mins of breath holds and diving under the boat with a small screw driver later ... Problem solved. I cleaned the other engines intake as well while I was at it.


Then WATER SPOUTS!!!

HOLY SHIT!

As we passed Big Pine key I noticed a cloud approximately a mile to the north had a water spout coming down to the water. It slowy retracted back into the cloud only to be followed by a second waterspout from the same cloud. That was cool, a little scary, but cool. Then to to south about 2 miles out I see a dark band extending down to the water. This one is big and causing a major disruption on the surface of the water. We could see the water spraying from 2 miles away. This one lasted a long time. I think my wife got over 4 mins of video of that spout. Pics dont do it justice but I will try to get one posted here later.

We are anchored here for a few days to get mail and install a few parts before pushing north.

Nothing like a boat fucking up.

 

[SERE Bear]

Nothing like a boat fucking up.

Yep, at least this one is easliy avoidable in the future.

 

[botfly10]

"line"

 

[SERE Bear]

"line"

????

 

[nvanprooyen]

I caught a Spanish mackerel today. How do you recommend cooking and preparing it?

Not sure if you can pull this off on the boat...but smoking it and making fish dip out of mackerel is pretty fucking amazing.

 

[SERE Bear]

Im just gonna copy/paste what my wife texted her mother this afternoon....



️Pulling up anchor this morning, I saw this star shaped gigantic cement object coming up? Definitely Not our anchor!!! The windless was Not having it!! We’re lucky she even pulled it up a little off the bottom
Our anchor chain had twisted multiple times around this thing?
SEREBEAR was able to jump in with mask & fins & remove the wraps 1 at a time??, being careful not to get caught up in the chain ? After every wrap, the thing dropped to the next wrap?once free, we got the actual anchor up, & were on our way...
so thats how our morning started
It’s not all sunshine & rainbows ?!! ️️



Shaped like these jacks

 

[Burque]

Im just gonna copy/paste what my wife texted her mother this afternoon....



Pulling up anchor this morning, I saw this star shaped gigantic cement object coming up? Definitely Not our anchor!!! The windless was Not having it!! We’re lucky she even pulled it up a little off the bottom
Our anchor chain had twisted multiple times around this thing?
SEREBEAR was able to jump in with mask & fins & remove the wraps 1 at a time??, being careful not to get caught up in the chain ? After every wrap, the thing dropped to the next wrap?once free, we got the actual anchor up, & were on our way...
so thats how our morning started
It’s not all sunshine☀ & rainbows ?!!

View attachment 1794

Shaped like these jacks
View attachment 1795View attachment 1794View attachment 1795

What the hell are those things down there for?

Any idea?

 

[SERE Bear]

My guess is erosion control for the seawall. It was at least a 100 yrds from the wall though.