Back At River Forest Yacht Center

Here we are back at the River Forest Yacht Center (RFYC) where we stored ITHAKA for the hurricane season in 2013 (June-November), before starting our Loop in March 2014. RFYC owes me a bottom paint job, plus I want the hull inspected for any possible damage after more than 6000 miles of travel. RFYC is located 20 miles west of Stuart, on the  Okeechobee Waterway, and we can "technically" say that we have closed our Loop here because this is where Sara and I picked up the boat ourselves in November 2013 and returned it to Ft. Pierce before officially beginning our Loop on March 19, 2014.

It seems soooo much easier maneuvering ITHAKA into the slings this time than it did the first time so many months and miles ago.

Going up............

...........and forward

The running gear looks great, even though most of the paint has worn off the  props and rudders.

All of the zincs will be replaced after everything is cleaned and repainted.

In addition to the bottom paint job, ITHAKA's hull above the waterline will be cleaned, waxed and buffed! She deserves it!

Mega Homes Along the ICW

Coming north on the ICW from Miami, through Fort Lauderdale and past Palm Beach, it is impossible to miss the mansions of the rich and famous that line the banks of this waterway. It is amazing to see these estates unfold as ITHAKA glides along. Each home being more spectacular than the one before. Some have their private yacht moored in front or on the side of their estate.

Williams Island Resort & Marina

One of the surprising things about traveling back up the keys and up the ICW was the difficulty we had finding marinas where we could spend a night or two. Mostly, they were all booked to capacity, were too small for our boat, the water was too shallow or they were extremely expensive, some topping out at over $5 per foot per night, plus the cost of electricity.

We were lucky to find the Williams Island Resort and Condominium Complex in Aventura, FL. This is an exclusive condominium complex that just happens to have a marina attached to it for its condo owners and they also allow some transient boaters to stay at their Marina.

The grounds are immaculate and secluded. A spa, health club, several pools and a private restaurant for condo owners are all included. Condominiums start at a base price of a little over one and a half million dollars!

Even some of the words on the road signs are in French. ITHAKA can just barely be seen behind the trees across the road.

We were only steps away from the restaurant and with our temporary membership card we had complete access to the whole complex.

ITHAKA all tucked in for the night.

Our neighbors boat had their steps rigged with a doorbell used to announce someone was coming on their boat. Most boaters just knock on the side of the boat when they want to raise the boat owner.

Our boat neighbors on the other side not only have a 70' yacht, with their dinghy on top, but they also have their 20' runabout tied up at their stern in case they just want to go fishing or for a joy

ride. Aaah, .........the good life!😃

The ICW on a Weekend

Because we chose to travel on Sunday when leaving Key Largo and heading up the ICW through Miami, we knew it would be heavily trafficked with the weekend pleasure boater. This particular spot, north of Miami, is called "Haulover Inlet" and is adjacent to the ICW.

It is a favorite spot with local boaters and their families on weekends, as can be seen.

The water is shallow enough in most places that people anchor their boat and then get out and wade from boat to boat to party and socialize.

They even have their own floating concession stand where burgers and soft drinks are sold, but no alcohol.

The Keys Behind Us, Miami Ahead

Though we only stopped at Marathon, Islamorada and Key Largo on our way out of the keys, it took us nine days to leave the keys and head north into the hustle and bustle of Miami and points north. Part of the reason is that we were in no particular hurry and for several days the wind was blowing 20-25 knots and it would have made for a rather rough trip.

Eventually the skyline of Miami appeared off our bow, along with all the increase in traffic one expects to find on the ICW on a weekend. Regardless of whether it is Miami, New York, or Chicago the thrill of seeing a skyline rise out of the water as you approach it from the deck of 

ITHAKA will never lose its excitement.

One of the many, many bridges that we will confront on our way back up the ICW. Luckily, the great majority can be passed underneath without problems. Only in a few cases is it required to have the bridge open so ITHAKA can travel underneath.

Just one of the many high rise condominiums that line the ICW in downtown Miami.

.........and of course Miami would not be complete without your average Mega Yacht!

Leaving Paradise (Key West)

On March 6, after ten wonderful, exciting, relaxing, and educational weeks in Key West, we reluctantly say goodbye to our temporary home and resume our Great Loop Adventure. A fellow Looper boat, with our friends John and Kathy Scott aboard, decided to leave the same day as us, so we "buddy boated" with them as we headed back up the island chain that make up the keys.

ITHAKA headed out into Hawk Channel and the 40 mile run up to Marathon, our first stop after leaving Key West.

SERENITY took this great picture of ITHAKA as we were leaving Key West. This is one of the very few pictures we have of ITHAKA underway because we seldom buddy boat with other Loopers, preferring instead to strike out on our own.

Hawk Channel or the ICW can be very unforgiving to Mariners that stray from the channel or have a moments lapse in judgment when navigating from paper charts or the chart plotter, as evidenced by this sailboat that is hard aground.

Seven Mile Bridge, just west of Marathon. Once we pass under this bridge we will leave Hawk Channel and enter the more protected waters of the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway)

Our first stop after leaving Key West is the brand new marina at Faro Blanco, in Marathon, FL. Having only been open five weeks, the marina was almost completely empty and everything was brand new. A rare thing to find, particularly in the keys during the winter months.

SERENITY preferred to anchor out, so we almost had the entire marina to ourselves.

Key West Diary 19

The treasure of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha. Having read extensively about the Spanish Galleon the Atocha, listened to several lectures from marine archeologists on the Spanish fleet that sunk in 1622 during a hurricane, visited the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum many times where the bulk of the 400 million dollar treasure was brought after discovery in 1985 and having flown over the wreck site just 35 miles west of Key West, I was not going to leave Key West without purchasing a real Spanish "Cob" or silver 8 reale piece that had been recovered from the wreck site.

Because the Spanish kept such meticulous records, the mint marks on this coin show that it was minted in Potosi (Peru) between 1618 - 1622 and the assayer's name is actually listed in their records. This side of the coin is the Obverse side or the "front view".

This side is the "Reverse view" or back of the coin. Each coin was individually hand stuck using a mallet and a metal die and then was hand trimmed to achieve the proper weight. This is the reason each coin is slightly different and not exactly round like modern machine stamped coins.

Being a real history buff and particularly when it comes to ships, the sea and the men who sailed on them, being able to hold this piece of history in my hand, that was made by a Spanaird 400 years ago in the "new world" and then laid on the ocean floor for more than 350 years is a real thrill. For those people who have heard or read the term "pieces of eight" as it relates to Spanish treasure coins, the 8 Reale coin is where it originated. When a person wanted to buy something that was less than one 8 Reale coin, the coin would be cut into halves or quarters, thus the term "pieces of eight" came into existence.

Each coin recovered from the Atocha by the Mel Fisher organization is sold with a Certificate of Authenticity that comes complete with a photograph of each side of the coin, the grade of the coin, the weight and the location where it was minted.