Captain’s Log – Sun 3/16/25
Hula Girl made a sporty and bit salty passage from Marathon to Key Largo today. We departed, a little less than gracefully, at sunrise, making it to Key Largo (53nm) in just under 8 hours for an average speed of 6.9kts. Hula Girl had some wings today, because she was flying! There was 20-25kts for most of the day, with 3-4’ seas. We had a reef in the main and 90% headsail for most of the day, Pretty much the limit for a comfortable passage on this boat. What a ride though!
We are minus one life ring that decided to go for a swim in Marathon as it snagged the dock when we were leaving in the 20kt cross wind. I used an advanced dock technique to depart that almost worked flawlessly until it didn’t and we lost the life ring. We were stern in, so this involved having both stern lines set with the engine in gear and wheel slightly to windward. The boat holds in place as all other lines are removed, followed by the leeward stern line, leaving one line to gradually work out forward keeping your bow to the wind. In the famous words of Paul Walker, I almost had it. So if any of my friends find our life ring swimming around Marathon, there’s a rum reward for its safe return.
I originally thought we’d anchor out for the night because I didn’t think we’d make it into Key Largo before low tide, but since we flew getting here, I got a slip so we’d have a comfortable place when the cold front comes through. With that, we cooled off in the pool with some drinks then had dinner dockside at Skipper’s where Hula Girl had front row parking.
Now we wait here for a good weather window to Bimini.
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