Time To Head North (Almost)

It's time to head north -- next week, during a good weather window. Staying in Key West through April waiting out the Wuhan Virus was a good call! It's already too hot with 'feels like' 93 degree temps during the day. We're getting wanderlust. Plus we need to be north of Cape Hatteras by 15 June for insurance purposes (hurricane season). Once we leave, we cannot come back or get a transient slip at any marina in Monroe County (all the Keys).

We have been 'springing' out of bed each morning where Sharon has been taking us on a two-hour five plus mile 'Bataan Death March' around the island before it gets too hot. By 0930, it's too hot! After that we pretty much stay on the boat and have no problem occupying our time. We aren't doing that because it's, "Safer at home". It's because there isn't much else to do and, did I mention, it's too hot! We try and limit news watching to every other day and only for an hour or so. And social media? Good God! We limit that as well and do a LOT of scrolling. We typically focus on our cruising sites for real-time intel and local sites for Key West info. By 1630, we can sit out back in the shade and enjoy 'docktails', read, chat with dock friends and listen to music. Then it's time for dinner, another walk as the sun is setting and a movie. Occasionally we'll go for a bike or scooter ride, or lay in hammocks under the shade of palm trees. The water continues to become clearer, Mother Earth is taking over, birds are singing, hawks are grabbing baby chick[en]s and manatees and their calves are playing in front of our boat.

Our original plan was to go home via the Gulf of Mexico up the west coast of Florida to Ft. Myers and cross the Okeechobee Waterway to Stuart to get back on the Atlantic ICW. We were looking forward to exploring the Everglades, Marco Island, Ft Myers and Cape Coral. Thanks to the Chinese plague, we don't know how much exploring of anything we'll get to do. Unfortunately, the water level of Lake Okeechobee has been steadily declining. We have a four foot draft and the water level (at it's lowest point) is just over five feet. I am not comfortable with only having a foot or so of water under us -- especially when crossing a 21 mile lake. So unless the water level increases, we'll be going back around the Keys via Hawk Channel (the 'outside' route) and stay outside, weather permitting, to Ft Pierce Inlet. Either way we go, we plan on anchoring out as much as possible.

We will be provisioned for at least two weeks and can dinghy ashore for provisions as needed. Or use Instacart if we're at a marina. Getting groceries has always required a little creativity even during normal times. We have been following other boaters heading north on the ICW and it looks like stopping for fuel, water, provisions and pumpout won't be too much of a concern. Luckily, a lot of marinas are still open to transients in case we need to wait out bad weather. Governors appear ready to start relaxing restrictions and hopefully we can enjoy some of the towns along the way like we did on our way down. 

We look forward to seeing family and friends and hopefully will be able to cruise through Canada this summer. The Erie Canal may not be open (at least when we need it to be) and who knows when the American/Canadian border will re-open. We have other options, like the New England coast but for right now, we just want to get back to cruising and a cooler climate.