Tortuga Tour Day 43: Hen and Chickens

6/01/21

Destination today is to anchor at Key Largo. [The Admiral didn’t know about Hen and Chickens, yet…]

We pulled anchor this morning and got underway with our new crew, the “sleeping beauties”, still in their cozy nest.  How they could sleep over the engine being turned on and the anchor chain being pulled back in, is inconceivable, but they managed!

The Admiral and Captain eventually went up to the flybridge to enjoy the view and refreshing, cooling breeze.  Sometime late morning Miriam joined us.  We appreciated this time until the motion from the waves began to be uncomfortable at that level on Betty Lou.  The respite for a couple of days from the wind is over.

Hen and Chickens

Fred continued to search for reef snorkeling opportunities.  Just before noon he spotted a potential site, another protected reef area called Chickens and Hens.  They are marked off by large yellow balls.  Within in the boundaries are blue and white mooring ball boaters can tie up and snorkel on the reef.  Boats are not allowed to anchor to protect the coral.  The waves were still bouncy, but we didn’t want to pass without checking it out.  It was no longer the holiday and maybe there would be fewer boats.  When we arrived, there were only two boats and several available balls.  It wasn’t as deep as the reef yesterday and the bounce wasn’t as bad over the reef.

We had to catch the mooring ball from the bow.  Even with the boat hook fully extended, I could not reach the line attached to the ball.  Plan B, (my least favorite), I would have to steer while Fred grabbed the line.  Teamwork and we had success!

Three of the crew were thrilled!  The chicken Admiral would again be the happy spectator and watchful eye!  I have to admit, a part of me wanted to be right there with them, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching them and getting excited with them as they explored the reef.  I do believe they could have spent the afternoon, but after about 45 minutes, we needed to move on.  We stayed tied up just long enough to have lunch.

Eventually the waves calmed enough for the three female crew members to play a game of Skip-Bo.  We played until we reached our anchor site.  Anchoring has been more challenging the last few times.  This area of the keys has sandy and grassy bottoms.  The sand holds well.  The grass does not.  After three attempts, the anchor finally seemed to hold.

Supper was simple, and with such a great crew, clean up was quick.  We had time for a game of Scrabble – always fun!

Rain 15%

Fred and I were then ready to turn in.  The ladies went up to the flybridge to appreciate the cooling breezes.  Fred checked the weather for chance of rain (15%) and decided it was safe to open the hatch all the way – aah – refreshing!

Sleep was great until about 2am.  The 15% poured through the hatch, open windows, and portholes! To makes things even more exciting, a short while later, the drag anchor alarm sounded!  It’s dark!  The floor in our stateroom and parts of the pilot house are covered in water (very slippery)!  Our anchor is dragging us closer to a catamaran, the only boat out of about twenty with no anchor light on!  We can’t turn lights on inside because we must be able to see outside!  I am mopping up water and checking the position of the cat while the Captain is working on pulling up the anchor.  We get out the headsets so we can talk to each other while he is on the bow and directing me at the helm until the anchor is high enough to move Betty Lou.  The Captain then takes the helm again until we find another suitable spot – in the dark.  By 3:30am we were ready to call it good.  Fred was not feeling completely comfortable, so he stayed up to watch – dozing acceptable.

Too much excitement for one night.  Did the ladies wake up?  They didn’t even stir.

Captain’s Comments

You may have noticed several days went by without the Captain’s Comments.  Careful readers might also have noticed that the Admiral and the rest of the crew had less time at the helm, meaning the Captain was driving the boat and didn’t have the opportunity to write…  Not whining—just explaining.

I always check the strainers when doing engine checks prior to starting up each day.  In the Keys, the seaweed can be tough and branched, and sometimes arrives in large, floating clumps.  Several days ago, the generator shut down on high temperature—first time I’ve ever had an engine shut down on high temperature, and I’m grateful for the protective feature.  Part of the problem is an elbow on the inlet to the strainer that catches the branched seaweed.  I explained previously the need to blow out the inlet line (twice now).  I’ve learned to check the inlet line even when the strainer appears clean, and to make sure the handle on the Groco strainer baskets is perpendicular (not parallel) to the inlet.  I’ve needed to clear strainers daily while in the Keys, after having gone weeks up in South Carolina and Georgia with no accumulation.

I had planned our route to pass by another potential snorkeling reef called Hen and Chickens.  After the disappointment yesterday, I was worried about building up expectations, but the wind and seas cooperated and the crowd (not on a holiday) was small, so we had our pick of mooring balls.  This was our first time picking up a mooring ball on this boat.  The Captain asked the Admiral the take the helm, but she declined (whined?).  Instead, she would use the boat hook to pick up the mooring pendant—but her arms were a little too short.  Back to what was actually plan A.  The water was wonderful—clear and refreshing.  We floated over the waves and didn’t even notice them except when re-boarding the boat.  The coral was down about 10’, and we were swimming through schools of fish, at least a half dozen different types and colors.  Worth the wait.  Everyone should have a chance to swim a coral reef.  Might help more people appreciate the need to ween ourselves from fossil fuels.

We anchored for the night north of Rodriguez Key, next to Key Largo, in a mix of sand and grass. This resulted in another first–the need to reset a dragging anchor at night.  In the rain and wind.  We probably could have gotten by with just putting out some more anchor line (scope) in the shallow water, except for the catamaran that arrived late in the evening and anchored way too close behind us (the same boat that failed to display an anchor light).  In the rain and wind, we got within about 100’ of him—way too close.  To the Admiral’s credit, she didn’t whine when I told her to drive the boat while I was pulling up the anchor.  The move was easier than you might imagine, but I’m glad it was dark, since the view of me in my underwear pulling up the anchor would have been a bit embarrassing.

Peace

fks