Idle chat: wings, waves, wheels…

Hopping down the Florida east coast has been real nice. Couple of nights here, couple of nights there, mostly at anchor but 2 nights at two different docks. More on the docks later.

We made anchorage off of Nixon's old dock last Sunday early evening (6/8/25).
What a loud and rude mob of boats already in place. We survived the night expecting all to go home to start their work week. Well, thru Monday loud and rude boats kept coming and going. It was almost as they entered/left the area they had to come by us, blast us with that noise from multi-hundred watt amplifiers and and rock us in 5 feet of water.
Tuesday morning sunrise, We woke to a violent beam roll and tossing. Some big boat had to speed out, close to us and start our morning early and ticked off. We already knew we were heading aweigh at some time that morning but this just accelerated the departure time, with-out a smile.

We made Elliot Key Tuesday, anchored just north of the new (to me) station/park, just inside the slow speed buoy line.
Ahh, the whole place to ourselves, clear water, quiet.
It has been real nice here. On Saturday (yesterday 6/14) boats started gathering into the area.
Entirely different than before, The slow zone was observed and courtesies were abundant.
Not the crowds of the ole Columbus days parties but to our north and south maybe a fat hundred boats anchored out close to shore and towards the buoy line.
About mid day, a high wing, light airplane (Cessna 180 ish) and late after noon an impressive low pass of a pair of F15s roared overhead. Probably a pair of ANGs heading back to Homestead. Ahh, the sound of freedom...
No park or law boats have been noticed at all.

It is now near noon Sunday, boats are gathering again. South/East winds are up a lil more, some wind chop but it looks like another nice day.

Looking forward to getting the place back to ourselves next few weekdays.
Looking forward to some snorkeling and fishing the area from our Mako.

Ole Bertie and the Mako are running and towing great. All equipment working very well.

More later

Sadly, within a fat hundred boats running about and anchored here at Elliot Key, there will always be some Stuff For Brains (SFBs).
Even back home there are these challenged folks. It's just amplified down here in the clear water vs the dark water at home.

I figure a few others have noticed there are no park or law boats around.
My observations of these few folk;

Wet-bikes in Key Biscayne national park?
Thought that was a no-no.

Fast CC running a line of slow speed boundary buoys at speed, like a slalom skier.
Since he is only in the boundary line for half the buoys, is he half breaking park rules?
OR every time he passes the boundary line should be a separate infraction?

Some meat head running his cruiser, just outside the slow speed boundary (50 - 100 feet), stern getting sucked down in shallow water, Making ugly wake, kicking up sand in this shallow water and rocking anchored boats way past and inside the boundary areas, rite on our stern-quarters, ug.

It is a shame just a few folk can put a dent into the pleasure of many others. But I guess these folk are everywhere.

Looking forward to Brother Pascal's reports on the Tennessee waters.
See if his Great Escape works.

I'm not sure if Brother Norseman's Great Escape is 100% yet.

5 years later, our Great Escape from Jax to Satsuma was not as planned.
Started rough but still improving.
I figure our new environment is around 90% of what we wanted.

To rough outside to Hookah dive our boat. So I'm spending some time here on the keyboard.
As always brothers and sisters; Please feel free to comment on any of my notes.

I think more to come later.
The docks we visited and more.
I'm not sure to open a new thread, Thought we could just jabber on this party line thread.

You know how some folks waited to see the SS United States go past their shoreline? Well you and the Admiral sailed right on by (wasn't that in a S & G song?) and not even invites for a wave from shore, let a lone a stopover for a beer :-(

Glad you're stopping to smell the roses, or at least taste the saltwater.

Safe travels, my friend, and enjoy!

Funny you popped in; It was 11 years ago last we were down here returning from the Tortugas. You had a cast on your lower leg.
Looking forward for another cocktail on our way back up.

No return schedule yet. Brother Pascal is busy on the hill.
Once we have a hint on when were heading back north, I'll start tapping on our friends.
If your not on another cattle barge, may try a meet in/near St Aug.

It has to be at least a Cat 2 to keep us out of the ocean. We hate the ditch..
But ya never know. For you bro,,, Maybe..

Another nice day today (Sunday 6/15). Fraction of the mob from yesterday.
Josie did see a law boat (county sheriff) fast cruise south bound a few hundred feet outside of the boundary buoys this afternoon. He just kept going till out of sight.
Winds calmed down this afternoon also.
Pretty stars overhead, looks like any rain will pass to our south.
It was hard work today checking the anchor and napping.
I was supposed to clean the windows today, those hard other chores got in the way.
Big concern is; Hooch may be getting low.
Does Uber deliver on the water?

A look at...

Well, the county sheriff passed northbound this morning.
FMP, DNR, FWC, FWGC or what ever they are calling themselves this week, passed by northbound mid today.
Not witnessed a NPS boat since we arrived.

Sunday was not crowded, 1/3 of Saturday. Maybe two other boats have always been around us since Monday morning.
This has been a very nice place and were still here.

Finally took Josie for some grove fishing and snorkeling today. Despite the days extra winds, was very nice in the lee of the key.

Thanks to Brother Pascal, our lil gen-set is fixed yesterday and has another 26 continuous hours on it.

All is good & quiet here today.

Was back under Bertie today. Tapped out most of that prop blade ding.
Noticed new fouling everywhere. On top of some old river fouling.

Huckins talked me into this cost reduced Sherwin Williams ablative paint.
It does not self polish off well. It sux in fresh and salt water.

Underway in a day or two. I'm going to miss this place.