10 Mar 2009 1530 hrs GMT (almost sunset) 1130 hrs local
Lat 24º 37.53' N Long 82°52.214' W
At anchor Key West Florida Man O War Harbor
Wind 12.9 knots NE by E
Sea State – 1' to 2' - Beaufort 5
Air Temp 71.8ºF Barometer 30.22
Clear with a few scattered clouds
Up early to have a look at Ft. Jefferson before the tourist ferries arrive. Sent Ralph off to fish, Barbara stayed aboard to read and relax and the Second Star crew took Tink and headed to the Fort. As we came ashore an officer from the Florida Fish and Wildlife approached us with lots of questions about who we were and where we came from and who was aboard. aeon referred to it as an encountered with the “no-fun Police”.. I must say I agree; to have to deal with a fully armed and armored wildlife law enforcement officer who was acting more like homeland security was certainly unpleasant. That aside the Fort was an interesting place. With history as a Fort and a prison. We went back to Second Star when the tourist ferries arrived and unloaded a couple of hundred people.
We called Ralph on the VHF and he returned to pick up Harry so they could go fishing while aeon and I prepared Second Star for a early afternoon departure to cross the Straights of Florida bound for Cabo San Antonio Cuba.
1430 hrs local we called Ralph and Harry back from fishing. Harry brought back a nice Red Grouper in the 8 to 10 pound range. A quick fillet on the aft deck and we had two meals of fresh fish waiting for us in the reefer. While Harry was filleting his catch he saw what he thought was a Nurse Shark lurking under Second Star’s transom. As we watched it it proved to be a Goliath Grouper of about 150 to 200 pounds. We decided he was a resident who cruised the anchorage waiting for fish scraps. Harry feed him the grouper carcass which he inhaled whole.
We loaded Ralph and Barbara and all our trash aboard Ralph’s boat and waved goodbye as they began their run back to Key West. We certainly enjoyed their company and hospitality. They have been very helpful in our preparations in Key West. See you guys in Central America.
We hoisted anchor and while aeon steered us out to the Southwest channel, Harry and I secured the foredeck for sea. 1530 hrs local saw us headed for Cuba.
The first watch was a very pleasant sail over sparkling blue water and 2’ to 4’ seas. Dinner was baked Mac and Cheese consumed underway as the sun went down and seas started to come up. It looked like we might be in for an interesting night. A full moon came up early and lit the Straights beautifully as we settled into our sea watch routine: one hour in bed, one hour snoozing with the helmsman and one hour on the helm.
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This began many years ago for Johne. Somewhere along the way, he decided that someday he would have a boat and sail around the world. Through the years bits and pieces of the dream have changed, but the one thing that has remained the same was the desire to see the world from the deck of a boat. In July of 2000 the opportunity presented itself. Johne found a boat in Florida that was literally a "fire sale." The galley had caught fire and destroyed the housing, but the potential was there. Johne and Susie made the leap. They bought the boat and moved from Reno, NV to Ft. Myers, FL. Immediately they began the process of tearing down the old and rebuilding the new. By December of that year, all that was left, was a good, solid hull. For the past several years, Johne has build Second Star almost entirely by hand. Built with love and fueled by desire. Now that the construction has nearly reached completion we would like to share our dream with you. Please join us as we head out for the adventure of a lifetime.
What's in a name? It is supposed to be bad luck to rename a boat. In this case, however, the old boat died, and a new boat has reemerged from the ashes. "Second Star" comes from a quote, "second on the right and straight to morning." Recognize it? It is Peter Pan's directions to Neverland.
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This began many years ago for Johne. Somewhere along the way, he decided that someday he would have a boat and sail around the world. Through the years bits and pieces of the dream have changed, but the one thing that has remained the same was the desire to see the world from the deck of a boat. In July of 2000 the opportunity presented itself. Johne found a boat in Florida that was literally a "fire sale." The galley had caught fire and destroyed the housing, but the potential was there. Johne and Susie made the leap. They bought the boat and moved from Reno, NV to Ft. Myers, FL. Immediately they began the process of tearing down the old and rebuilding the new. By December of that year, all that was left, was a good, solid hull. For the past several years, Johne has build Second Star almost entirely by hand. Built with love and fueled by desire. Now that the construction has nearly reached completion we would like to share our dream with you. Please join us as we head out for the adventure of a lifetime.
What's in a name? It is supposed to be bad luck to rename a boat. In this case, however, the old boat died, and a new boat has reemerged from the ashes. "Second Star" comes from a quote, "second on the right and straight to morning." Recognize it? It is Peter Pan's directions to Neverland.
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