Marathon to Cat Cay

We left Marathon on Sunday starting our trip to the Bahamas.  We motored into 20 knot winds on our way to Rodriguez Key.  It reminded me of the long days motoring through the intracoastal waterway.  We anchored off the south side, and prepared to start the crossing the next morning at 1am.  At night it was blowing 20 knots straight from the east, and after consultation and deliberation with Falco at 1am and again at 5am, we decided to wait a day.   At 4pm the next day we went over to have a drink with them.  We thought we would leave the Mutt on the boat, no way she could come after us.  We hopped into the dingy and went, and about the time we got to their boat we saw the Mutt leaping into the water, and began swimming toward us.  We did go and get her and put her back on the boat, Hannah stayed with her.   We discovered the perfect way to get the Mutt to do number 2 on the boat.  She went on the swim platform just before leaping into the water.  We discussed the next days plans and agreed to go at midnight.  

We weighed anchor at exactly midnight.  We followed Falco out of the reef.  Had some difficulty putting the sails up because of the way we had the Christmas lights up, and my failure to properly check everything before we left.  The first 4 hours we had a perfect sail, about 10 knots from the south, wow!!  We could see phosphorescence all along the sides of the boat and behind, and the stars were so bright you felt like you could reach out and touch them. 

look close, our friends on Falco

The wind died at about 4 and we had to start motor sailing, and we got into the ship traffic, a couple of close encounters, within about 1.5 miles (man they look big at that distance).  The wind filled in from the southeast, but not in enough time to enable us to take full advantage of it.  We led Falco into the cut at between Gun Cay and Cat Cay, we were told you could read the water and tell the depth, but we could not, we followed the guide book advise, and went right to the Cat Key Yacht Club, The water in the harbor is so clear that the girls could see the fish they were trying to catch, and the bottom about 15 feet down.  While they were fishing a Lepoard Ray (we think) a Queen angel fish, and a nurse shark go right under the boat.  Really cool. 

 

We are planning on heading out on the bank tomorrow, we are having a weather day today.