A Wake and a Sunset in the Carribean
LIVING ABOARD
Making your home on your boat, an ongoing series by a “Live Aboard” veteran, based on his seventeen years of nautical homemaking .
 by Captain Tom Martin
“I believe, “I could do this forever,” came out of my mouth the morning after the night before, of my first successful overnight cruise, aboard my first ocean going boat. That’s when it all started. A perfect anchorage, great tasting food - even though it came out of our little galley, sunset, some wine and of course a million stars in the sky that night. Sunrise was even better accompanied by the smell of fresh coffee drifting through the morning mist.
Ultimately overnights turned into longer cruises, and a week of “bare boating” in the British Virgin Islands ( BVI’s) just encouraged me more. For those of you unfamiliar with the term “Bare Boating;” Bare Boating is charting a boat without a crew; captain or cook. Although, you never know when there will be a bare bottom getting that total tan.
Eventually I did my first extended cruise of six months plus, after which my girl friend jumped ship in the Keys on our way back from the Bahamas . Relationships can be put to the test on a cruise or just living aboard. More on this subject later, in any event I continued on to St. Petersburg where my home and financial base is, to allow me to get a bigger boat and perhaps a new girl friend.
I moved aboard my next boat, where I lived for over seventeen years. At the same time I went on to get my USCG Captains license. If I wasn’t on my own boat, I was on another. I guess you could say I was “at home” on the water; a way of life that may not be for everyone.
Living aboard is a choice that requires a whole bunch of compromises. If you’re cruising from port to port living aboard is quite natural. If you’re living aboard and holding down a job, have cars and other toys, it is a lot more challenging.
Cruising boaters only take what they need to live and maintain their vessel; food, fuel, clothing, spare parts and some life style needs; computers, games, books etc. But if you’re living aboard in one place – resident; job, toys, cars, Christmas decorations, dock box etc. it will dramatically alter your existence.
These two styles of living aboard differ greatly in their needs and wants although there are some essential similarities. A floating home whether it moves from place to place or stays tied up at the dock, still needs the same maintenance. Many resident live aboard’s forget about the maintenance to keep the vessel afloat, as their focus is held by the more day to day rituals and work weeks. The cruising sailor is constantly putting all the equipment to work and as soon as it doesn’t work he or she will have to fix it.
WHAT TYPE OF BOAT IS BEST?
Once you have decided to live aboard, you will need to think about what specific aspect of any vessel would make for better living aboard. Of course you may already have a boat, in which case, you will still need to assess how it will accommodate you making your home there.
There are two major areas of concern; sea worthiness and equipment versus living space. They need not be totally exclusive yet with many boats you may have to compromise either space or equipment and seaworthiness.
Some Sailboats and Power Boats may have seaworthiness issues, because their design and equipment are more conducive to living aboard; whether cruising or dockside resident, rather then spending time in rough seas.
Many Recreational Boating Enthusiasts live aboard House Boats, which in some respects, are equivalent to floating trailer homes. They can be anything from a barge on the Thames to a house boat on Lake Mead . They can float down the Mississippi , but are not usually made for going to sea. We’ll look them at some point too, for now though, we’re going to focus on vessels that were intended for traveling on water.
A cruising boat must be capable of safely dealing with an entire range of sea and weather conditions, often a safe port or anchorage is not available. In bad conditions you’ve got to keep going at reduced speed or heave too. So water tightness, steering, motion underway, solid construction, running gear and safety all must be well designed and sound enough to handle it. If you have an option of a safe anchorage your ground tackle must be up to the challenge. Fuel and water capacity, natural ventilation for the interior and engine are also very important for the cruising sailor.
For the resident live aboard sea worthiness issues have a far lower priority (yet should not be forgotten) and space moves into the limelight. Space is a defining issue for a live aboard especially a resident type. Space is relative, space is user specific plus within that space layout and functionality go far to determine whether a boat will be a good live aboard.
Then there was Betty (name changed to protect the innocent), “I don’t want to live like a monk!” she said. I didn’t think I was living like a monk. My 28 foot Morgan was a great cruising boat through the Bahamas , Virgins and Florida ; shallow draft, my diesel auxiliary could go for 100 hours on the fuel in the tank, she was easily steered, easy to reef and fast for her size (the boat not the women). The cockpit seats were six feet long and you could sit up in the v-berth.
Through Betty’s eyes it was small, far too small. Space is in the eyes of the beholder, a relative thing in some respects, and how much space is enough, is open to interpretation. Just how much space does an individual need? Have you ever noticed that in many cultures people live in very small homes? If you’re thinking of living aboard bring all parties involved to the table and respect their inputs on what boat to buy and how much space everyone needs.
Space issues we can look at are; storage, galley space, deck space for life rafts and dinghy, living space, space for guest and space to be alone.
Storage is of the utmost importance if you’re planning a distant cruise or plan to be a resident live aboard. In a cruiser you often must have dry storage for basic food stuff for the length of the trip.
Galley space includes short term storage, storage for cooking gear, fresh food storage, refrigerator, freezer, dishes and utensils.
How much Storage for clothing and shoes to meet all the varieties of weather and climates you expect to deal with.
On a long term basis you cannot shower on top of your toilet, the mess gets old fast so an outdoor shower might be an alternative. Space in a head to just sit down in a seaway is important at times.
Storage on deck for a dinghy, rafts, fenders, poles, unused sails or canvas and much more is important.
A dockside resident needs storage also, however, they can augment the boat side storage with a dock box and remote rental storage spaces.
LIVING ABOARD ISSUES AND STORIES
We’ll take a look at some of the issues and stories listed below, as well as, some dockside stories, in future installments of Living Aboard.
I've made this list, radomly, in the order I thought of various subjects and experiences. You can pick and choose which might be priorities in your view. - Captain Tom
Christmas Decorations?
Snowbirds escaping the northern winter cold over the Christmas Holidays, were surprised to see my boat decorated. I had blinking lights in the rig and a Christmas tree (Palm) all decorated on the foredeck.
“You’ve gone nuts, too much sun baking the brain”. It was like I was speaking French to him when I tried to explain I had decorated for a boat parade. It still didn’t seem to make sense to them since living aboard a boat is simply not in their realm of experience. “You need to think outside the box,” I finally said. The whole episode brought home just how naïve we are about living aboard before we try it.
So many people see living aboard as escapist or dreamy not just another way to live. Reality is, living aboard is simply a lifestyle choice like living in the city or country. Any lifestyle choice has its’ pros and cons and compromises which create choices for us to make.
For those of you contemplating living aboard I suggest before you sell the house start with some short overnight trips and increase the time aboard. If your boat is in the water spend a few weekends aboard. Doesn’t matter the size of the test boat it is all good practice. Even do a bareboat charter in some far away place where getting supplies and repair work isn’t readily available.
And when you talk about it to friends, about this subject remember unless they’ve lived aboard themselves they will know less than you.
About those Christmas decorations get 12 volt lights and you won’t need a transformer plus the red and green lights can be used for emergency navigation lights. I’m sure I wasn’t the first person to get that idea when the need arose.
Storm stories: dockside and at sea!
STORMY NIGHT DOCKSIDE
Tropical Storm Marco was tracking along Florida ’s west coast some 30 miles offshore and forecasters were saying he would hold that WNW course as he blew by Tampa Bay . I wasn’t too concerned since I would not be exposed to its winds or seas in the marina, although the marina mouth was open to the south there wasn’t any great fetch.
Editors Note: Captain Tom, an experienced Sailor, decided to brave out the storm in a sheltered port. Based on his experience he felt the risks were minimal. He does not recommend staying in your boat in the face of a major hurricane or tropical storm.
I doubled my lines using double braided ¾ inch nylon for its stretch and chafing resistance. I avoided the cleats and tied off to the pilings with clove hitches under bowline knots. All adjustment for my dock lines would be on the boat since I planned and prepared to stay aboard for the storm.
It was blowing 25 to 30 knots when I went to sleep and was still fairly comfortable in the marina. I awoke around two AM due to being lifted and dropped in the Vee berth. What the hell? I popped my head out of the main hatch to see what was going on. The winds were howling at 50 knots or so, but it was not too bad since the hotel building was protecting the marina from the direct effects. The water in the marina looked like the insides of a blender. The tidal surge which was expected had brought maybe six feet of water into the marina and now the water must have been two to three feet above the main concrete dock my finger pier was on.
The marina is entirely surrounded by concrete seawall so all the waves that were coming into the mouth of the harbor were bouncing off one side than back again from wall to wall. Down on the NW corner I could see a large wooden dock being smashed up against the seawall, it must have been carried in somehow.
My lines needed adjustment so I put on some rain gear and started to let some line out for the surge. While I was adjusting the bow lines the dock master waded by. He apologized for having to turn off the shore power. The shore power towers were partially submerged. He asked if I planned to spend the rest of the night onboard. Other live aboards had moved off to a hotel room and were taking turns checking the boats.
I thanked him but figured I stay onboard since everything was set up that way. I put my smaller sea berth cushion on the sole between the galley and the settee and went back to sleep. I awoke again at about five or so to the sound of knocking on the hull. I wonder who, maybe the dock master was checking on me. The question should have been what was knocking on the stern. I got my rain gear back on and went topsides. I got my boat hook and snagged a fair size chunk of dock and pulled it up onto my fore deck. That would be one less chunk to come a rapping later. I made up some coffee and breakfast not an easy thing inside a blender.
I pulled and tied off a few more pieces of dock and other flotsam as things were settling down in the marina. The storm must have been moving past us and the wind induced waves coming off Tampa Bay were dropping fast.
Finally at day break I could see what damage that had taken place. Most of the mess was a huge pile of dock pieces and debris in that NW corner. There were a couple of cleats torn out of the concrete and one torn out of the fiber glass of a power boat stern. Some scratches here and there but not bad for a close miss.
AGROUND AT THE DOCK
One morning you awaken and there’s an unfamiliar stillness about things. “Am I home on my boat; must be pretty calm day,” I thought as I opened the slates in the companionway hatch. The brisk, cool, January North wind seemed to contradict that notion.
 Hey, this is Tampa Bay it never gets too cold to sail even with a North wind.
 Today I had planned to sail south, running before the wind.
The companionway open, I stepped into the cockpit squinting a little into the morning sun. Sometimes it takes a moment to understand what you’re seeing, when you expect to see one thing and do not see it. Still not totally awake, I’m not really sure what I’m looking at, but apparently I’m looking at the underside of the dock?
After another few seconds I realized that the tide is not only out but it has emptied the harbor! There’s a little water around me but not much since I can see the muddy bottom. My boat draws three feet and I usually go anywhere I want
As I looked out over the side and down I could see an expanse of bottom paint nearly down to the keel. All four dock lines are stretched tight as well as my two spring lines. The boat is level and my deck is at least five feet below the finger pier where I tied up.
 It's a well know fact what a strong north wind and a falling tide will do on Tampa Bay. It empties the bay big time. In this case what would have been a 2.5 feet tidal drop is doubled to about five feet.
 The marina is a mess with its’ mixed sizes of power and sail boats. Several boats are heeled over dramatically. One boats rig is resting on another boat’s rig. My boat is resting on the bottom with my lines still holding me in place upright, a far better alternative then it lying on its side like some of the other boats.
Hind sight has 20 – 20 vision, they say, so If I had anticipated this combination of the wind and tide, I would have anchored out in deep water for the night . Careful analysis of the weather forecasts and tides this time of year might be a good idea in the Tampa Bay area.
The marina docks are fixed with piers and pilings and tying off is fairly straight forward - you leave enough slack to stay in a neutral position for the normal tides. Spring lines keep you in place fore and aft. You use a courtesy line to pull yourself over to get on and off the boat.
The majority of docks I’ve experienced are fixed but there are floating docks and in a situation such as I was experiencing, low tide and wind driven extremes, floating docks would be better. But note, if the floating dock is in shallow water it and you will be aground creating possible damage. Once a sailboat keel hits bottom the dock lines are what keep it upright. A power boat will sit on its’ running gear and will heel, yet maybe not as far as the sailboat.
There was little I could do about the situation and messing with the lines would possibly cause the boat to heel in the slip. What I did do is put on my swim suit and submarine sneakers, grab a scraper and scrub brush and do a little bottom cleaning. I even put a coat of bottom paint at the water line. Later the dock master brought a stepladder by and I climbed up and off the boat on to the dock. When the tide came in my boat was floating again with a fresh coat of bottom paint.
Guests
Relationships
Unwanted Guests in the Little Shark River
 My seven year old daughter and I were anchored over night in the “Little Shark River” in transit from the Florida Keys to Dunedin on the west coast. We were sailing in a wooden 30 foot Knarr built in 1956.
 Little Shark River is in the Everglades and a sheltered anchorage from the summer squalls that march down out of the glades each evening.
We were anchored just on the edge of the out flowing current and spent the evening scooping blue crabs for dinner. If you kept the fish net in the water a crab would be easy pickings as they swam by in the current. We had enough for dinner by the time the mosquitoes drove us in.
You got to have a lot of respect for the mosquitoes in the Everglades it’s theirs once the sun sets and you are dinner. We were prepared. I lit the coils in the cockpit, at the companionway and forward hatch plus we had sprayed the screens with Off. We had a nice meal and went to bed, you could hear the mosquitoes at the screens probing I’m sure they could sense our presence even with all the coils we had burning.
Eventually dawn came and we made a plan of escape since the mosquitoes were still with us. I would put on long pants, long sleeve shirt and hat, slip out, start the motor, raise anchor and motor out of the river into the open Florida Bay . There would be a breeze out there plus the motion of the boat would lose most of the mosquitoes. We just didn’t want them inside where they would plague us for days.
Our plan pretty much worked although a few had to be shoed out of the cockpit where the wind was limited. Once clear we opened up the boat and prepared to raise sail. My daughter went forward to raise the main sail as I pointed the boat into the wind. Up went the sail fluttering in the light morning breeze shaking out hundreds of scorpion look-a-like Earwig bugs all over me in the cockpit. It was a wild scene something like a Hitchcock movie. I was leaping and swiping Earwigs in every direction. My daughter had let the main sail drop as the Earwigs fell on her which stopped more from falling out. We took buckets of water and brushes and swept most overboard. I had to go for a swim to relieve an itchiness that wouldn’t go away.
To raise the main sail we ran off the wind and let it hang off to one side allowing the remaining Earwigs to fall into Florida Bay . I had just returned from six months of cruising in the Bahamas and Florida Keys and must have picked up the Earwig infestation. Using the mosquito coils all night must have driven the Earwigs out of those deep dark moist recesses of the wooden boat.
A couple of days later when we reached Naples , I picked up a few bug foggers and covered the boat with tarps and eliminated any remaining unwanted guest. Every six months as a live aboard I recommend fogging for bugs especially putting one where it can circulated between the liners and bilges.
Moving from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Pete via the Inland Waterway.
MOVING DAY
From the East Coast of Florida to the West Coast of Florida
The captain’s pay would be twice as much as I was currently making as a rigger and would include health insurance. Having worked as a private yacht captain before, I knew well the physical demands on my body would be far less. I was currently employed as a sailboat rigger and a rigger’s job is hard work. One day you’re in the shop manhandling cable, running a swaging machine the next day you’re swinging at the top of a 100 foot mast changing a light bulb. Hey, don’t think there isn’t any pendulum effect dockside. Captain’s work, when you’re the only crew, encompasses all aspects of maintaining the vessel; those duties never seemed as hard as a rigger’s.
My new job was to be a Captain on a 59 foot Motor Yacht out of St. Petersburg Florida . The owner was semi-retired and was an active cruiser. Since I was currently living on the east coast of Florida in Ft. Lauderdale I would have to relocate to the west coast for the job. Motorcycle, dog and my home, a 28 foot Morgan sailboat had to be moved. All my land side belongings were to be moved in a rental truck and stored in a friend’s garage.
Boat preparation requires a bit more thought and listing of details since I hate breaking down. All things mechanical, sails, ground tackle, electronics and navigational equipment that are not usually given much attention when living aboard and working full time must now be looked at in preparation for a sea voyage.
The City of Miami website currently has some information at http://www.waterwayguide.com/cruising_p.html
Two navigational routes were available to get to the west coast of Florida from Ft. Lauderdale . Take the Inter Coastal Waterway (ICW) North, then go across Lake Okeechobee, then the canals and locks and then back on to the ICW, on the west side of Florida, North to Tampa Bay. The other way is to head south to the Keys and across Florida Bay than up the west coast to Tampa Bay . I chose the ICW and Lake route since Jack my dog would need to stop on solid ground each night for a run and dump.
Note: The Okeechobee Waterway consists of two parts: 1) the St. Lucie Canal, which connects Stuart , Florida , (just north of West Palm Beach ) to Lake Okeechobee , and 2) the Caloosahatchee River which enters the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Myers .  This waterway uses a system of locks and dams to maintain a navigable channel to Lake Okeechobee , which is 14 feet above sea level. In seasons of very dry conditions, the Lake Okeechobee channel is subject to reduction in the depth of the navigable channel, and restricted schedules for lockage. This waterway is about 140 miles in length.
I had all the charts I needed since I had brought the boat the same way two and a haft year earlier when I moved to Fort Lauderdale . I did acquire some more recent bridge listing with the heights and opening schedules. There are dozens of bridges with locks that will slow you down waiting for them to open so if you can plan it is best.
The East Coast ICW can be narrow in the built up sections truly a concrete canyon maybe a hundred to one hundred and fifty feet wide. Speed limits at that time were few accept around bridges. Tradition has vessels slowing down when they meet as well as passing. Each would come off a plane and pass by slowly port to port showing courtesy. There seemed to be a lot more rude boaters who don’t slow down, between Miami and Palm Beach , for reasons which I won’t get into here. Their wakes can simply rock a boat or cause complete lost of steering and slam a smaller vessel up against the seawalls.
I was not even an hour north of Los Olas Blvd. when I met such a vessel. The vessel was heading my way, south and putting out a major wake that was rolling up the sea walls and onto folks lawns. He was holding the center of the channel and didn’t alter course or show signs of slowing down as we approached. I wasn’t too concerned since I dealt with this type of crossing before. The rule is stay close and as soon as his wake begins to lift you cut in towards him and over the wake slipping into the flat right behind the boat.
In this section of the ICW it’s at least 100 feet wide, even if he is dead center I still had 40 or so feet to maneuver. Jack was laying curled up on the cockpit sole and appeared asleep but picked up his head as the other boats engine noise drew close. I was doing maybe 4 or 5 knots and tried to hold maybe six feet between his side and me. As I passed his bow he must have spooked because he turned away from me without slowing down. Up I rose on his wake some five feet or so my bow in the air as it carried over the top. That little swing threw his stern and swim platform under my bow as I came down off the wake. Bad move, 8000 lbs. plus momentum came down on his fiberglass swim platform. It was a glancing blow, since we both were moving away from one another but it was enough to tear the platform half off. The impact of my bow when it belly flopped into the water caused a monster splash and the spray covered his aft cockpit and guest with water.
Once in the flat water behind the other boat I started rocking in what must have been a 50 degree arch for maybe what was four cycles before the weight of my keel and forward motion stabilize the boat. The other boat was still heading south showing no signs of slowing down. I started picking up stuff that had fallen off the seats onto the cockpit sole and realized Jack was not there. I moved forward to see if he was below which thank goodness he was huddled under the salon table looking scared witless accompanied by most of my worldly possessions that had fallen out of lockers and shelves. The radio cracked with a hail from the other boat, I’ll be dammed he was cursing me out for dousing his passengers. What a mess! The other boat was still heading south the radio swearing ended as he disappeared behind some buildings. I was glad VHF radios are line of sight so I wouldn’t have to listen to it.
I wondered if he even knew his swim platform was dragging in the water half torn off. I’m sure there was a fair smear of Trinidad Red bottom paint on the platform where I hit it. I pulled over to the first unoccupied dock and inspected for damage the best I could. There wasn’t a scratch on the freeboard and what I could see of the bottom looked fine. Inside there was no cracks or spidering of the gel coat. I picked up most of the stuff on my sole and consoled Jack but from that point on every time he heard a boat approach he would dive for his spot under the table. I realized my storage methods and latches of drawers and lockers needed major improvements.
I got on the radio and tried to hail the other boat to no avail. I did get hold of the marine patrol and arranged a meet further north to file a report. I hope the marine patrol officer didn’t hurt himself from shaking his head during the entire report.
My first night I anchored on Lake Worth ; not far from the inlet. It was a busy day and would be a busy night. I replaced all the stuff that had been tossed by the close encounter with the motor yacht. This time I did it right by adding a few latches and bolts to drawers and lockers. Battery powered hand tools are great, of course you got to have a way of keeping them charged.
I anchored near a mix of moored vessels just north of the inlet. Some of the boats appeared derelict and sinking while others looked seaworthy. There must have been some kind of battle going on with the locals because I got a late night visit from the police. The police wanted to know how long I planned to stay yet would not explain why it mattered. All across Florida for some time free anchorages that had been used forever were being assailed by authorities using any pretext available. Developers wanted the boats out of sight and had the clout to push elected officials into the fray.
After a good nights rest I took the early morning offshore breeze and sailed out the inlet into the blue Atlantic Ocean and north along the coast. There would be no bridges for me this morning on my 23 mile sail up to St. Lucie Inlet and Stuart. No seas and a steady breeze of 10 knots or so is quite soothing. Even Jack enjoyed him self laying on his back, feet in the air on the cockpit sole.
Jack was a mix between a Great Dane and a Cruzan mutt; a little on the big side, a goofy gait and somewhat smart, dog that loved to run. He liked boats and only after the longest of days would go up to the foredeck and relieve him self. A bucket of water would clean the deck and all was well, I never worried about it since we both knew he would handle it.
By the time I reached the inlet the wind had died and I cranked up the engine to motor in. Much of what I had to face for the next two or three days would be motoring. Other than crossing the open lake I would be traveling down a canal with tall berms and trees on either side that pretty much killed the wind. Once inside the inlet it was busy since you cross the ICW and the channels to Manatee Pocket, Stuart’s marine area. I motored for three hours up the channel for the Okeechobee Canal and to the north side of St. Lucie River and Pelican Nest marina where I would spend the night.
I needed fuel and Jack needed to go ashore. I topped off my tank and filled two five gallon jerry cans. The gas cans reflect my caution at the time about fuel availability surprises along the Okeechobee canal. Depending on the weather you could cross the lake directly or circle on the rim route. Even with my three foot draft there were limited fuel sources on the rim route.
My third day was generally an uneventful motor and a fine sail across Lake Okeechobee to Roland Martin’s Marina in Clewiston. There were three locks, St Lucie, Mayaca and Clewiston that day. Before leaving that morning I secured four fenders to the port side with the understanding we would be locking port side to the concrete lock wall. One each ball fenders, stern and bow and two tubular fenders amidship hung horizontally to ride upon.
St. Lucie Lock is a twelve foot rise. I tied one line aft and tight. The other line I took forward at the bow where I could control where I had room to move about on the foredeck. Most lockmasters have seen it all. There were the novice boaters either being over cautious or recklessly approaching the mossy concrete walls only to hit them too hard. He asked me if I was by myself then he was patient while I tied off. Later as we were getting closer to the top and conversation could take place he asked for the boats name and destination for his records. He wondered how Jack did on board such a small boat considering his size.
 Ortona Lock
The whole process of locking through was at the most 20 minutes and it was off again down the canal. If I thought the ICW was narrow, I was in for a surprise since the canal could narrow down to 75 feet in places. We did not meet any rude boaters that day but we did get to see lots of eagles, snakes, turtles and plenty of alligators. At one point I steered up close to one swimming my direction. I guess I scared it trying to get a closer look and it quick snapped his tail banging the hull in an effort to get away. I wouldn’t be doing that again anytime soon.
The lock at Mayaca was wide open so I motored right through onto the lake. The sail across the lake was in light airs and at the right angle so I could sail almost to the lock at Clewiston. The time before crossing the lake I had to motor the rim route because of a nasty chop and a cold north wind.
The Clewiston lock is usually open as it was this time as I motored through and to Roland Martin’s. Roland Martin was the first TV fishing guide I remember and his folksy bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee was based out of this marina. No sooner had I pulled along side the dock at Roland Martin’s Jack leaped ashore and hit the ground peeing. I knew how he felt being unable to leave the helm underway, I had taken to keeping a jar handy. Years later when I finally acquired an autopilot life’s small comforts came with it, everything from making a cup of tea or a sandwich underway to reading. Yet in the narrow limits of a canal you really can not let your attention wander.
That evening after dinner Jack and I were sitting in the cockpit when Mrs. Roland Martin came by with two pieces of home made apple pie. Word of Jack’s wet landing had gotten around and she welcomed us with pie and a kind word. Lucky for Jack he wolfed his down while she was still there or it might not have made it down the food chain.
After another restful nigt and a full fuel tank we got an early start once again on our fourth day motoring up the rim route to Moore Haven lock. The section between Clewiston and Moore Haven has towering Australian Pines on the lake side that offer shelter from the wind these were planted by the Army Corps of Engineers to stabilize the dredged rim route. Years later high water on the lake would drown most of the Pines opening up the view and exposure.
At Moore Haven Lock you change to the Caloosahatchee Canal and eventually the river by the same name. The Moore Haven Lock is a little slow that morning and an hour is wasted in passage in addition fenders must be switched to the starboard side going down to Ft. Meyers . This section is more populated and there are several draw bridges as well as a swing bridge. We make decent progress after Moore Haven and I pause at the city docks in La Belle and let Jack go ashore for a quickie.
The canal and ICW were designed and dug back during World War 2 so supplies could be moved along the coast by barge avoiding the German U-boats. There is still some commercial barge traffic and we meet one heading east. The section we met was fairly wide and passage way is with plenty of room, yet it sure would be scary in a narrow section. Note well they have right of way since the Rules of the Road give them that due to their draft restrictions as well as ability to maneuver.
Aside from Moore Haven Lock there is Ortona and Franklin in all of these you are lowered down. At Ortona Lock the Lockmaster asked if I planned to continue on to Franklin that night and would I take a package for him. Sure I said and got to deliver the lunch that was accidentally left there.
By the time I got out of Franklin Lock it was dark and I was about 15 miles from the city dock in Ft. Meyers . After about three miles I saw a gas station sign all lit up on the south side and an empty dock. I was tired and Jack needed a break so we tied up for the night. There wasn’t an attendant around but I figured it would be okay if I bought fuel in the morning. After dinner we took a walk around and found a small beach and took a swim. The water is still fresh there although tannic colored it was the high point of the day.
Morning came a bit too soon when the gas attendant woke us up with a knock on the cabin top. Of course Jack had to let him know he was on duty. He backed off and hollered “do you need gas”. Once we were up and fueling Jack was is friendly self and we had a startling revelation. I mentioned how we both had a great swim last night at their little beach. The attendant looked at me as if I was nuts and told me, “man your lucky Elmo wasn’t home”. Elmo I wondered, does he own the beach. Yea sort of the attendant tells me, who is going to evict a 12 foot alligator.
Another good start on a day for Jack and I. Jack even gets to go ashore before we leave to do his business. I’m hoping to make it to the south end of Gasparilla Island and Millers Marina. I have the Genoa up all morning as well as the motor on and make some great time down the Caloosahatchee River pass Ft. Meyers .
There’s a mile long narrow section that starts at mile marker number one for the west coast ICW, it must have been dredged straight across the Rivers mouth. It isn’t a very wide stretch yet when the tide is falling you can have some strong cross currents. I’m always cautious there, having run aground three times one morning with another boat of mine with five foot draft.
The same easterly breeze that helped me down river continues the better part of the day and I sail without the motor once I pass the narrow section. It is a good day sailing up Pine Island Sound yet we still arrive after the fuel dock has closed; oh well they will wake us in the morning to buy fuel so we tie up for the night. In the interim Miller’s does have showers and a fine little restaurant. It’s a restaurant meal for me and I scrounge a bone for Jack so we both go to sleep a little late but satisfied.
At the south end of Gasparilla Island is Boca Grande Pass and the town by the same name. Day six has us sailing on the morning offshore wind out the pass and up to Venice Inlet then motoring up the ICW to Marina Jacks in Sarasota .
There are always fishermen crowded in the pass hoping to hook a trophy Tarpon. After fueling up and a shower at Marina Jacks, Jack and I set out to Raul’s for some Cuban food. I don’t know if it is still around but it was the place to go in 1989. It is a curious feeling for both of us after just six days and not even all at sea, walking the five or so blocks. What is wrong with this ground it isn’t moving?
Our last day we have four bridges so I motor sail with the main sail, north up the ICW. Once out onto Tampa Bay I get to turn off the engine and sail up to St. Petersburg .
How much shore power do you need?
Toilet/head stories. Man the pump!
Galley Glory 1 and barbecue frolic.
BARBECUE ON BOARD
There’s nothing better than barbecuing fresh caught fish. We had a great day sailing and trolling the edge of the Gulfstream out of Ft. Lauderdale . We caught two dolphin of eating size that I cleaned and filleted on our way back to our marina slip in a canal off of Los Olas Boulevard . I was looking forward to barbecuing this fresh caught fish.
Once we were all tied up I went to work starting up the grill and throwing together an accompaniment to the fresh fish.
Of all the places I’ve lived aboard Los Olas Boulevard is my favorite place. It was not only the designated parking spot or the ample hot water in the shower and the pool; we had two grapefruit trees and a giant mango tree which all had an abundance of excellent fruit in season. I took one of those fresh grapefruits and squeezed out enough juice, combined it with some garlic, pepper, oregano and a splash of olive oil for my basting sauce.
My grill was mounted on an aft cockpit stanchion and could be swiveled overboard for dumping hot coals or ashes. Once the coals were hot enough on went two nice filets. The fish sizzled as it hit the hot grill and I basted the top with plenty of my sauce. The dripping quickly smoked up and I could smell the spices at work. After a few moments for the fish to sear I flipped it over and did my basting again. Lots of smoke and smell this time, maybe I used a little more than I needed to.
At about this time my girl friend brought me the only missing item from this wondrous moment a cold Corona . This is the life, I thought as I basted my fish again before turning it over, can’t let it stick! More delicious smoke and burst of flavor billow up. Maybe a little too much for me; backing off a bit from the grill. I could see the rest of our group sitting at the picnic table relaxing and anticipating the grilled fish.
“Hon is that the fire alarm,” my girlfriend asked pulling me out of my grilling bliss. I nearly dropped the basting sauce as I turned and grabbed the fire extinguisher from the Lazaretto and raced down into the boat. It was pretty smoky inside, the smoke alarm was wailing but I couldn’t see any flames. Could it be electrical? Kill the power!
I switched the two battery selection switches to off and yelled to my girl friend to kill the shore power. It only takes another few seconds before my brain engages and it is apparent to me the smoke smells just like my fish cooking. Oh Damn!
I opened up the hatches and turned the batteries back on so I could run a few 12volt fans. I took the battery out of the smoke detector.
I went back to the cockpit took a swig of beer and announced dinner is ready. The dolphin was perfect and the interior of the boat smelled of fish grilling for weeks.
A Thansgiving Day Meal aboard a Sail Boat.
Will it look like this or will it end up being a bit crispy? 
Galley Glory 2
One November, while working for Annapolis Sailing School in the Florida Keys I decided to try cooking a full blown Thanksgiving dinner onboard while on an instructional cruise. I had been cooking onboard the 37’ O’Days for several years and understood the limits. I also consulted with my student crew to see if they would be up for the task. They were all ready to help. The boat has a two burner alcohol stove over an oven and is gimbaled. Alcohol is of course the lowest temperature cooking fuel you will find on a boat.
It's a small oven limiting the size of the turkey to that of a large chicken, but it would be a stuffed turkey. We got the bird in the oven before we left our anchorage so it could cook all day while we sailed. Our plan was to leave the anchorage at Big Pine and sail up to Marathon and anchor off of Faro Blanco Resort on the north side.
It was a good sail that day with excellent odors of turkey roasting, quaffing up into the cockpit from below bringing to mind memories of past Thanksgiving days. Once anchored at Faro Blanco, near the lighthouse I cranked up the barbecue grill with enough coals to finish the cooking process on the bird and keep it warm. I just put the roasting pan and all inside and put the cover on.
After refueling and pressurizing the stove we put the potatoes on one burner and the green beans on the other. The sweet potatoes went into the oven. One crew member put together a salad and relish plate. The pumpkin pie could be warmed in the oven as we eat as would the rolls. Once the green beans were done we carved the turkey and used the empty burner to cook up the gravy. The galley in the O’Day is small but we made it work somehow. Potatoes were mashed and finally we were ready to eat. The crew all participated in the preparations.
It was nice enough to eat outside so the cockpit table plus lap trays were set up. As we were handing things up to the cockpit one of the crew asked me if we were moving. What? Moving what do you mean, I asked?
“Well I think the light house moved.”
“Let me see,” I said as I ran up to the cockpit and become aware of the fact we were dragging anchor.
“Damn!” I was ready for some Thanksgiving Day food. I quickly started up the motor and waited until the crew got the anchor up. We motored over near our original spot. We had dragged the anchor maybe a quarter mile in the current and it was clogged with grass that had to be removed. We reset the anchor, testing it twice by backing down on it; in all it took about 20 minutes. Finally we got back to a fine Thanksgiving meal which had taken on new meaning after recent events.
HOW FAR DO YOU WANT TO WALK TO TAKE A SHOWER?
Is that live aboard section at the marina a boater’s ghetto? How close do you want to be to that ship of fools? Where do we put our bicycles? Why does he have to grill all the time; doesn’t he know or care his smoke is blowing down on us? 48” x 18” x 24” how did they come up with that number for a dock box, plus why white? Bow or stern first when docking? One parrot should be enough, why does she need two on such a little boat? Where are the dock carts, you would think people would return them.
There are hundreds of issues that a live aboard boater must deal with way beyond a home owner. Live aboards are a small group within the larger boating community. Not every marina will allow live aboards. Not every town, city or county allows live aboards at docks, moorings or anchorages. You would be surprised how bad a reputation live aboards have in certain parts of Florida .
You may not find an ideal marina, however, you may find a place where over time you can settle down and adjust to the environment. Marinas differ in price depending on a number of factors which we will explore in another segment.
There is so much that goes into making a marina a good place to live. One thing I’ve found, no matter where I’ve lived aboard, is that boaters are usually a great bunch of people. I still have good friends from the “70s” when I first started living aboard.
The first question one must ask is the marina weather safe? In Florida I doubt there is such a thing with the chance of major storms to feel completely safe. Yet there are many good places to keep a boat for anything but the extremes. It is a compromise of risks like building on a flood plane. Note well boats are designed to go to sea so they should be able to handle a lot.
Local knowledge is important to access for questions of wind, tide and sea that affect a boat in the marina in question. Along with weather safety, security questions are a must. I’ve lived in some marinas that I never locked my boat in years while some places I had to lock the boat and put a chain on the dinghy. As for the dinghy outboard it always had a lock on it.
After weather safety and security are covered the next issue of importance is access. Can you get your vessel in and out of the marina at any given time or tide? Tight fairways, currents, shallow entrances and channels will restrict your boat use.
Slip size and proximity to boats on either side is of importance. If boats are too close they can damage each other coming and going as well as by rocking and hitting each other sideway from wave action. Also there are privacy questions if boats are too close.
Just how you get on and off the boat is important. Steps, ladder or gang plank will demand different dock arrangements. Bow or stern first is one major issue in boarding in many marinas. Floating docks or piers demand certain adjustments.
Next are creature comfort issues, such as distance to toilets, showers, pools, parking, laundry, cable TV, telephones and much more. Pump out stations are sometimes hard to find, how far do you have to go and what cost? If you’re a pet owner does the marina allow pets?
Lastly; what are the neighbors like? Live aboard docks sometimes look like a junk yard. Is old stuff just laying all over the place, paint and flammables littered about, bicycles, dinghies and scooters whatever cluttering up the docks? Some of the nicest people make the biggest messes. The state of the docks reflects the management or dock master’s mentality and any rules for boaters. Check out the marina rules closely since they could restrict your lifestyle immensely.
Being flexible is important to your success at living aboard.
Coming Soon...
Don’t barge inn.
Staggering aboard.
Anchorage nights.
Home away from home.
Dry Dock/Marina.
SLEEPING IN DRYDOCK
Editors Note: There are a number of boat yards with dry docks available to boat owners where you can have your boat brought out of the water to do maintenance on the hull or other repairs that are done with the boat out of the water. For an owner who lives aboard their boat, this could be a problem.
 I didn’t realize it when I hauled my boat out for new bottom paint that I would end up sleeping aboard while the boat was in dry dock. They charge by the day, so I was planning on working most of the night. It became apparent that evening that I would not be working all night, when the boat yard owner Warren, told me he was closing now and work should stop. 
Suddenly it was Duh? “I live aboard!”
He hesitated, as if he really didn’t understand English. I repeated, “I live aboard and this is where I sleep.”
 Warren shook his head and said “we don’t… well we never have had anyone stay on their boat here overnight! You can’t use your head”!
I’ll switch to the holding tank, I said.
“We lock the gate, and you won’t be able to leave,” he said showing signs of getting over the initial shock.
“No problem I didn’t plan to go anywhere and I have plenty of food aboard” I said.
“You’re going to cook aboard,” he said?
“I usually do,” I mumbled.
“Well no barbecuing can’t have any open fires here, with all the boats and paint,” he said.
“Okay anything else, I should stay clear of,” I smiled?
“See you in the morning,” he said, apparently satisfied I was just a little weird and wouldn’t burn down the boat yard or vandalize anything.
“Good night,” I said as he walked off still shaking his head.
 It was getting dark so I cleaned up in the men’s room and climbed the ladder to get on the boat. I made a light dinner and started cleaning up before I realized to switch the grey water to the holding tank. The water on the ground would evaporate by the morning.
I turned on the radio and sat for awhile reading the newspaper. I didn’t think I would have time to read that day. It would be an early day tomorrow so I changed for bed. I crawled into the Vee berth looking forward to a good night rest I was tired. I thought as I climbed into the berth, hope I can sleep without that gentle rocking while at dockside.
Oops! I just slid downhill, forward and to port. What in the world? Damn the boat had been blocked up with the bow down and off to port. I didn’t even notice it earlier. I can work with this. I moved the starboard half of the Vee berth cushion and tried to wedge it such that it filled in where the slope was to port. I kind of wedged my shoulder against the port hull, glad that I had covered it with a liner.
I slept fitfully for that night and swore that next time I would make other sleeping arrangements.
Coming Soon...
Up the short ladder.
Pets aboard, pets over board.
Pets @ sea.
Dogs day on the ICW, east coast version.
Cats at sea.
All strung out – argument for not having measure lines waiting.
Water pressure, pumps at midnight .
House Boats
The night the mast fell down.
You can’t plan for it; it’s not that kind of emergency, the mast falling down. If you’re sailing, you can have certain equipment on hand cable like cutters, spare wire lengths, wire bulldogs, wrenches and whatever made into a kit. There are no drills or Mast falling kits for dockside. Prevention is the on cure.
Routinely, before sailing I would check the rig. Slide up the turnbuckle boots and inspect the turnbuckles, swages, terminal fittings, clevis pins and rings, cotter pins etc. all must be in good working order. Next the chain plates, tangs, fasteners and standing rigging wire must be intact. My mast is mounted on the keel and passes through the cabin roof so I check the positioning wedges so the mast is firmly held in place. Boom Vang, main sheet fittings, reef tackle all must be firmly mounted to sail safely.
So most nights I go to bed knowing my rig is okay. It truly was a surprise when the first impact was felt. The entire boat seem to shake awakening my girlfriend and myself. Again there was another impact and shaking this time with a bang and shuttering.
“Sounds like the mast fell” I told my girlfriend. “Are we sinking”? She asked. No I don’t think so but we got a mess I sure, was my reply as I put on some clothes. We had gone to bed late, for us, maybe 1200 O’clock and it was around 3:30am . I grabbed my flashlight and headed up on deck.
There it sat, across the foredeck, my neighbor’s mast. My forestay was dangling from the masthead and was parted at the swage from the impact, which must have been the first shaking that woke us up. His was a newer boat with a much lighter mast then mine which of course limited damage. What we could ascertain with the arrival of dawn was his backstay let loose. The clevis pin that connects the backstay to the turnbuckle was in the cockpit but there wasn’t a ring or cotter pin to be found.
We guess it had fallen out and since the mast was deck mounted there was nothing to keep it from falling. The spare halyard was tied off to starboard which is why it fell in our direction.
We collected his broken mast and cables laid them out on the dock before he arrived. Damage to my boat was cosmetic generally other than the forestay which my neighbor took care of. I took some ¼ inch line and made a pennant for the forestay until it was replaced. Unless you are sailing and the mast actually parts (breaks) having a keel stepped mast you have that safety factor, plus you can work on the standing rigging.
There is no way you can anticipate your neighbor’s mast falling on your boat. Yet dutiful care of your own boat’s rig will keep yours standing.
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