2013 Sailing In The Fl Keys

[Craig]

Hey Tim where in the Finger Lakes? Lived near Cortland, kept Suncat at Finger Lakes Marine on Cayuga. Might take a little issue on summers in FL, at least in Punta Gorda. Spent many years in DE and summers there were brutal sandwiched between the Delaware & Chesapeake bays(humidity plus!). The upside was that imho there is no finer cruising ground than the Chesapeake. At least here in PG the summer temps stay mostly in the low 90's with a light breeze most of the time. Not as bad as we anticipated when we moved here from NY.

[Tim Gardner]

Hey Craig,

I grew up in Union Springs on Cayuga lake, could see the only Island (Frontenac) in the Finger Lakes from my bedroom window.

Was a Lifeguard at Cayuga Lake State Park in Seneca Falls in the late 60's. Dang! That was along time ago!  I once sailed from Union Springs to Ithaca (~30 mi) on my Uncle's Sunfish, camped out & sailed back the next day with a couple of other friends.  Great trip!

TG

[high tide is up]

Back from the Keys.

I can not believe that water anywhere is as beautiful as in the lower Keys.  We saw the tourist's sunset from Key West: the water looked like mercury as the sun and sky changed colours. I have never seen anything like that, ever.  The water was not transparent, but bright metallic silver.

The goal for the drag down now is Bahia Honda State Park marina.  We met former sailors from Minnesota who visited B.H. SP in a Montgomery 15 and now were living in a C Dory 22 with iron wind.

We had many stops at various estuaries as well.  The catamaran tour to the Gulf from the Eveglades Park was a mind bender as well as a similar tour from "Ding" Darling at Sanibel. The return up the coast found the Red Tide abating so we got to shell collect at Lover's Key and Sanibel.  

I have not a clue as to why I am in Virginia . . .  My sweethart's employer even gave her retirement (lay off) just before we left for Florida.

Ice storm forcast for tonight.

Florida dreaming,

Citroen/Dave

Hi Dave...glad you enjoyed the Keys....I go to Bahia Honda every weekend...it's an awesome park...great boating and awesome camping...I forget what year it was voted #1 beach in the US.  Love living here and so happy I got a ComPac 16 as my first sailboat. 

Dawn


 

[Citroen/Dave]

Dawn,

I'm considering the purchase of a used Mobile Home on a lot for Florida wintering.  My sweetheart has 5 cats and I early concluded that I could not afford a land yacht or a water yacht like a barge canal boat big enough for them. (The cats).  I thought about summering on the Erie Canal in a canal boat, too.

We can sedate the cats for a long drive to their new Winter residence and later, the return trip for the Summer and Fall in Virginia.

So, I purchased small and light for easy trailering and occasional outings for adventures.  I have yet to get the keel wet on my '83 Mark II CP16 and daily I find more things to do to get it ready for the first launch.  Tim is right, there is much to enjoy in Central Virginia, but those swaying coconut palms are beckoning.

What are your thoughts about a favorite Key for Mobile Home Park wintering? Upper, middle, or lower Keys? I have seen many used Mobile Homes listed for lower Florida in the $10 to $20,000 range, but I think I would rather head into the Keys for a search.  Smaller comunities and back roads look more appealing to me than the six lane comunity roads we drove through on our recent trip to Key West from St. Pete.

Any thoughts, anybody?

Thanks,
Dave

[Craig]

Tim, know Union Springs well. Ahh the adventures of our youth! I often ask myself: "Did I really do that?".  I did some night sailing on  the Chesapeake playing tag with large ship traffic that makes me shake my head today but back then it was exhilarating! 

[high tide is up]

Dawn,

I'm considering the purchase of a used Mobile Home on a lot for Florida wintering.  My sweetheart has 5 cats and I early concluded that I could not afford a land yacht or a water yacht like a barge canal boat big enough for them. (The cats).  I thought about summering on the Erie Canal in a canal boat, too.

We can sedate the cats for a long drive to their new Winter residence and later, the return trip for the Summer and Fall in Virginia.

So, I purchased small and light for easy trailering and occasional outings for adventures.  I have yet to get the keel wet on my '83 Mark II CP16 and daily I find more things to do to get it ready for the first launch.  Tim is right, there is much to enjoy in Central Virginia, but those swaying coconut palms are beckoning.

What are your thoughts about a favorite Key for Mobile Home Park wintering? Upper, middle, or lower Keys? I have seen many used Mobile Homes listed for lower Florida in the $10 to $20,000 range, but I think I would rather head into the Keys for a search.  Smaller comunities and back roads look more appealing to me than the six lane comunity roads we drove through on our recent trip to Key West from St. Pete.

Any thoughts, anybody?

Thanks,
Dave
HI Dave,
I've lived here in the lower keys for now on 13 years.  Pretty partial to the mile marker 30 to 16 area.  Upper Keys....to close to Miami and all their crap....Key West...expensive and a lot of tourist....Big Pine...woodsy...water and more like neighbors and friends here all year long...Lots of boat ramps to launch from....Just my thoughts. Good luck!!!
Dawn

[Citroen/Dave]

Thanks, Dawn. 

You reinforced some thoughts I brought back from my recent Florida trip.

More research to do and then another trip down to look at used retiree homes in mobile home parks. We might have to settle for the SW coast area but are hoping for the Lower Keys.

We fell in love with Honda Bahia.  Does anyone know how it got its name?

Dave

[high tide is up]

Thanks, Dawn. 

You reinforced some thoughts I brought back from my recent Florida trip.

More research to do and then another trip down to look at used retiree homes in mobile home parks. We might have to settle for the SW coast area but are hoping for the Lower Keys.

We fell in love with Honda Bahia.  Does anyone know how it got its name?

Dave

I believe Bahia Honda means "deep bay" in Spanish...all I know it's where I love to be on the weekends....no phones, no one asking questions etc..as far away from Monday work day as I can get ha ha ha....Good luck in your quest...

Dawn