Miami Beach

We are back in Miami and will be here for a few weeks then continue on to Marathon around the beginning of February. We have no internet only sailmail, occasionally we come to the libarary and use their computer if the wait is not too long. We will update again when we leave and things get more exciting. We are exploring Coconut Grove right now which is kinda neat. There are cold fronts coming in one after the other and although we are warmer than we were it does get a bit chilly sometimes.

We are well, cheers Kim and Mike on Ka'imi.

Boca Chita

We left Dinner Key for Mike's Island (Boca Chita) on Wednesday, not sure if we could get inside with Ka'imi because of our draft. We called Tow Boat US for some local knowledge and they said that we would probable not be able to get inside. We took their advice and decided to anchor outside at Sand Key and dinghy in. The winds picked up considerable on the way their as a front was just passing so we decided to anchor at Elliot Key which had better holding. We set anchor at 1334 at N 25 27.498 W 08012.582. The next morning things quieted down so we motored south about 3 miles to anchor outside of Sand Key at 1057 at N 25 30.657 W 080 11.780. It turned out to be a beautiful day.

We took the dinghy to Sand Key and found the keyhole anchorage. It's a shallow draft hole in the island that is good protection from Hurricanes if you had a small boat. We explored the island that was covered in spiders - Mike led the way :)... After lunch we went into Mike's Island and checked it out. It is really a beautiful spot, we will explore it more today then head south, possible ending up in Key Largo tomorrow.

All is well, Mike and Kim in the sunshine on Ka'imi.

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Miami

We left Palm Beach, Saturday 1/3/09 and arrived at Miami the following morning about 0500 to the sight of 7 cruise ships waiting in line to enter the channel. It was still dark so we circled until the sun came up and the ships had cruised in. We only had one huge tanker come out while we were going in - we left the channel until he passed and then went right in. We went by the Miami Marina where Mike used to live in his 30 foot Hunter sailboat back in 1985. We kept going until we came to Dinner Key and anchored out at N 25 23.149 W 080 13.728. This is where the Chart House restaurant is located where Mike used to work while he was in Miami. Him and his friend Tim ended up staying in this anchorage for about 6 months before their trip to the Bahamas.

We had dinner at the Chart House on Monday, Mike says things have changed ALOT! It wasn't the casual, fun place it used to be. We stocked up on groceries here and fixed a connection from our alternator to our instruments. We had lost power to the instruments and the starter, but all is well now.

We are heading out to Mike's Island (Boca Chita Key) this morning (Wednesday 1/7/09) were we will play for a few days. Oh Yah, we are in bathing suits now :)

All is well, Kim and Mike on Ka'imi in the keys

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Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Florida

Happy New Year!! We didn't quite make it to Miami but we are in Florida and we wore shorts yesterday :)). Our weather didn't hold and the Gulf Stream came in to meet us, so we didn't make very good time. Our speed through the water was 6.5 knots but our speed over ground was only 1.0 knots. We realized this when a fishing boat came out and was kind of eyeing us and circling then he went away. He came back a couple hours later and asked us when we were going to leave cause we were still in his fishing spot.....time to go closer to shore.

We didn't want to get that close to shore but we had too, so we turned in until the current wasn't against us so much. By this time we checked the weather again and there was a small craft advisory for after midnight. The winds were going to pick up 20-25 knots from the North. That would mean that the seas would really pick up, at least 5-7 but probable more. North was on our aft and we just did not feel like riding waves all night so we made the decision to head to Lake Worth in Palm Beach. We have been here before, when we came from Bimini in the Bahamas, we new the inlet was big and well light and also knew the anchorage so we went in at night.

We arrived at the inlet at exactly 1200 on New Years - Palm Beach puts on one of the biggest, best and longest fireworks show I have ever seen, unfortunately there was a lot of greens and reds exploding in the channel. Mike would say, I found the green - oops no it just exploded. I found the red - nope it just went 200 feet in the air....great. We actually made it in fine and once inside it was dark but we were able to see well enough to go into the anchorage and set anchor. At this point it is about 0200 and we are both exhausted. Kim goes to toss the anchor and realizes it is stuck, the chain has collapsed on itself as it often does when we are at sea. Finally, Kim frees it and lets it drop, pheeeww, we are anchored and its New Years Day and we have ourself a well deserved Beer!!!

We will get some rest, fuel and groceries here then set off for an overnight trip to Miami in a few days.

Hope everyone enjoyed their New Year celebration. We are well, cheers Kim and Mike.

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