Choppy Seas

After spending a few dreary weeks in the boat yard getting the starboard holding tank repaired, we decided we had had enough. We were sick and tired of sitting around having things repaired and not being able to move. Our few weeks living on the hook in Lake Sylvia was pure bliss compared to the drudgery of boat yards. So, with the holding tank serviceable (not 100% repaired, but repaired enough to use as long as it never fills up over 3/4 full), we decided we would not remain any longer for additional repairs. On a whim, we checked the weather and pulled out headed to Biscayne Bay. The weather had reported winds from the south with waves two to three feet high. While we would have to motor (heading straight south with a wind coming from the south isn't going to get you very far sailing), we would at least be going somewhere. Two to three foot waves were easily manageable with our boat, so off we went.

As we approached the cut to head out into open seas, we noticed it was quite a bit choppy. We took this in stride figuring it would smooth out as we left the coast. Let's just say the weather forecast had been a bit off, as the seas were more like four to six feet high with moderate chop. It didn't take long to realize we were in for a very bumpy ride. The hubby sat perched up in the captain's chair steering us along. The kids were sitting together on the port side seating area as if they were on a roller coaster. That is exactly how it felt. They were so happy going up, and then down, over and over again with stomachs turning and wind blowing their hair back. I will admit to being quite a bit frightened. We would go up and then plummet down. The waves were crashing into the boat, throwing water over the front of the bow, and sounding like the boat would break apart at any minute. I timidly asked our determined captain, "Is it going to be this way the whole way down?" He responded that he didn't think so, but it was possible. For several hours we pounded south into the waves riding the roller coaster of the seas. My fear lessened as I realized the boat would indeed stay intact and above water.

I had to repeatedly check the interior of the boat to ensure things weren't being tossed to and fro (like we were, as we attempted to move anywhere). I was pleased to see that only a few pieces of fruit had managed an escape from their holding areas. But then I saw our poor kitty huddling under the salon table with wide eyes. When he saw me he yelled and came running over. The poor little guy was absolutely terrified. I tried to sooth him, but he decided hiding was the better course of action and scuttled down into our hull. He stumbled to his litter box to void and then began to pant. I thought, "Oh no, he's going to be sick." I tried to take him back up to the salon to get him some fresh air and to 'see' the movement. He would have none of it and went to his carrier sitting on our bed. I resolved to leave him for a while to check on everything else. When I came back, the smell told me all I needed to know. Clean up would be required and some medication too. He had vomited his breakfast all over himself and his carrier. I had to clean him and his carrier up, give him new bedding, and some 'kitty ace'. The medication kicked in very quickly, and while he appeared a bit crossed eyed, he was calm and sleeping when he could in between the battering of waves (which sounded extremely worse on the inside). After several hours (where we all ended up taking Bonine for preventative measures), we decided to take the Miami cut in to Biscayne Bay rather than continue our battering in the open ocean. We arrived to our destination that evening safely anchored in Key Biscayne.

We spent a few nights in Key Biscayne before heading to Billy's Point in Elliot Cay (on the south end of Biscayne Bay). We only spent the afternoon and one night there, but it was impressive. The water was clear enough to see the bottom. There were no other boats anchored around us. It was like we were the only people on earth. When night fell, my daughter summed it up best, "Absolutely amazing." We all were humbled by the sheer enormity of the sky and stars. The next morning we continued south to Tarpon Basin in Key Largo. The water was clean and relatively warm. The kids thoroughly enjoyed snorkeling there.

We spent an entire week in Tarpon Basin. The public dinghy dock was right behind the police station (very safe). We had to walk a half mile to the grocery store a few times. I had to do the laundry by hand since there was no coin laundry nearby. We spent several days just swimming, relaxing, and doing some clean up on the boat. The last several days were very choppy. We discovered what it felt like for our anchor to 'drag', but then also the security of our anchor when it had buried itself. At night we fell asleep to the rocking of the boat and the sound of waves lapping at the hulls.

Today we begin our journey north. The first stop will be back in Key Biscayne. The last stop will eventually be the Chesapeake Bay (a few months from now). We have had relatively choppy seas today as we pound north (although no big waves since we are on the intercostal). We have finally managed to get some sailing in as well! She sails extremely well and is much faster sailing than motoring! I am happy to report the kitty is taking it all in fine this time. He even ventured out to the cockpit to spy on our determined and capable captain steering the boat ever onward to our next destination.

What's That Smell???

People will tell you that a variety of smells come with a boat. We can attest that this is very true. We've been learning about a lot of odors lately. Take the bilges for example. After they did the repairs, the bilges had some water left in them. Needless to say, after a while, they started to stink. Now the wife is somewhat sensitive to odors. Her olfactory senses are, shall we say, way above average. Those senses get even more heightened when she has a migraine coming on. Sometimes, an odor can actually give her a migraine. So, picture if you will, her donning rubber gloves, cleaners, and sponges and going after those bilges. When the starboard holding tank cracked, she was the first to detect an odor. Let's just say it also didn't take her long to find the source. Now boats live in warm damp environments. So, as with any object in such an environment, mildew can tend to appear overnight. We have employed various methods to scrub away and kill the mildew. We even joked of making a science project out of the salon ceiling. We could divide it into multiple areas and figure out which method of removal worked best!

This past week has been especially trying in the odor department. The wife detected the smell days ago. The rest of us (being without such heightened senses), of course took a little longer to smell what she smelled. She's been going crazy trying to find the elusive odor. They will tell you, that when trying to track down an odor, to let your nose do the work for you. My wife did that very thing. She set about sniffing every nook and cranny of the boat trying to find the source of the odor. She even resorted to sniffing the rest of our actual persons! To no avail, we couldn't find the source. Now the rest of us could somewhat smell the odor. But my wife could smell it very strongly. So strongly that she was certain it was fungal of some sort.

She resorted to hand scrubbing and then disinfecting the floors. She cleaned the seats in the salon. She cleaned everything from top to bottom. She would go outside for awhile, then come back in. Immediately she could still smell it. She was certain she was beginning to go a little crazy (and, while we didn't say anything, the thought had also crossed our minds at one point or another). Finally she gave up looking and decided to try again tomorrow. She decided to set about clearing the table for dinner (quite despondent).

She came across a pile of things that needed to be placed elsewhere, and began looking around the salon shelves for a place to put them. Her eyes fell onto two grocery bags that had been tied and set on the shelves almost two weeks ago. Now, you know that mom voice right? The one you hear, with your name attached to it, that means get your butt in there immediately or you might not live to your next birthday? That voice emanated out of my wife with our son's name attached to it. He immediately popped up out of his hull and says, "Yea mom?" My wife says, "Is that your biology project sitting over there on those shelves?" The boy sheepishly replies, "Yea." My wife responds with a clipped voice, "The project that you completed almost two weeks ago on the effects of ethylene?" The boy hesitantly states, "Yes." My wife (with that deadly calm you dare not argue with) says: "Take them out now. Right now. All the way out to the trash on the dock, away from this boat. That's probably what I'm smelling." The boy (with a small hesitant chuckle) quickly grabbed the bags and removed them from the area. As he walked out the door with them, my wife immediately exclaims that yes, that is indeed the odor.

Now for those of you that don't know about an experiment involving the effects of ethylene: Ethylene is the chemical that is produced by ripening fruit. The more ethylene you can capture in the fruit's vicinity, the faster it ripens. The bags were full of bananas and apples that had been used for the experiment. Needless to say the experiment had long since been completed, and then forgotten about on the shelf. The ethylene had long since done it's job and the fruit was more of a black gooey blob that had left the bag and was beginning to roam the shelf. My wife is happy that we have finally found the culprit, and the boy will be getting a lesson in not forgetting such things (as he will be the one cleaning the fungus on the shelf)!