Date: Sunday, Dec 29, 2019                                         

Arrival Time:  1800 ET                     

Location:   Naples, Fl., 26 06.1797 N, 81 47.6758 W

Weather:  Mostly Sunny, near 80             

Sea State:  2-3 ft. chop

Destination Tomorrow:  South

Engine Hours:  1388                                                        

Crew:  Ruth and Greg    

Comments: 

4 AM (0400), I can’t sleep because of the uncertainty of the coming day.

Yesterday evening we watched dolphins playing in drizzling rain as we discussed a possible passage to Naples, which could cut a 4 day trip to 3.  However, we were concerned about reports of shoaling in the Gordon Pass into Naples.  Today’s wind is reported to be the strongest of the next three days and, from the direction we are headed, SE.  So we went to bed last night with a rare uncertainty of our final anchorage. Throughout the night there was no wind, no waves, no movement, not even a mouse. 

1800

We pulled up anchor at 0745.  We waited for the overcast to shed some light.  Ruth wanted to learn the process for upping the anchor as she usually steers while I tend to the anchor, something she might regret.  We continued down the ICW instead of jumping out through the Boca Grande Pass as the winds were directly in our faces, not allowing  for sailing.  We truly hoped to make a direct offshore sail to Naples but it just wasn’t meant to be.  We reached statue mile 0 at 1120 then steered south toward San Carlos Bay and the Gulf.  Somewhere near Matanzas Pass, we briefly anchored to take the outboard off the dinghy and store it on the motor mount.  From there we ventured offshore another 25 n/m to the Gordon Pass into Naples.  We ventured only about 5 miles off the coast and I was amazed to see tall buildings the entire 25 miles.  I called Seatow and the Naples City Dock for information about passage through the Gordon Pass, but neither were able to provide information that I was comfortable with. When we were a couple miles out, I called for local knowledge on channel 16.  Sea Fox 26, answered immediately with really good information.  We anchored in Champney Bay, which is inside the most gorgeous neighborhood. 

We considered making an overnighter but the crab traps are too dense; so, tomorrow we will travel offshore again toward Cape Sable (70 n/m), Florida’s south coast.  We will probably be looking for a safe anchorage somewhere along the way.  By Tuesday, we hope to arrive in the Keys. 

PS:  I felt like I let Chuck down Friday not having ice for his drink.  Ruth has now made ice in a   The bad news is Chuck is not here to enjoy the ice.  The good news is, he left his Ole Smoky Tennessee on the boat. LOL!
baggie.

This is Ruth…Greg mentioned the gorgeous neighborhood where we are anchored.  I would never be so rude as to guess the worth of the people who own these beautiful places but I will say that some of the names on the yachts docked behind these homes are Top Dog, Mr. Money and Mr. Big!