First Day Heading North

 Hard Day against the wind! 
 Hi everyone we are at Key Largo.  We left Marathon about 1600 and motored 
 out past the Lighthouse at Sombrero.  The winds were 090 at 25g31 and the waves 
 were 6-8 feet with an 8 second period and breakers. I think that's officially spicy! 
 The water was a wonderful deep blue and you could see the light through 
 the breakers just before the crashed over the bow of the boat.  The spray went 
 from stem to stern and we were all soaked in salt water after just a few minutes. 
 Grace climbed up each breaker, crashed through and down the other side. She was 
 glad to be back on the water but we were getting worn out and the poor cat Lilah 
 was beside herself.  She finally did get sea sick and we felt bad for her.
  
 Sam went below to check the bilge because we heard the bilge pumps going off 
 and he had to do this 2-3 times in the next couple hours.  We finally took apart 
 the floor of the aft storage locker between the beds in the aft cabin to see how 
 the stuffing box was doing and it was leaking a little bit more than we thought 
 it should be.  It has been sitting for months so I'm not surprised.  Sam made 
 it through that without getting sick.  Hannah made chilimac and we ate just before 
 we got to the lighthouse. 
 
 We left on the back side of the storms and every thing was well, 
 but fighting against the wind heading east along the keys was not practical. 
 We made about 4 miles before sunset and were worn out. 
 So we motored back north and headed for the Hawk channel. 
 After sunset we motor sailed along till Key largo where we ducked in for a break at 0700 
 this morning.  Seas were 2-4 feet with a bit of a tidal current against us.  By about midnight 
 I was able to unfurl the Genoa about 30% in 20g25 knot winds and we made 7-8 knots motor sailing 
 inside the channel.  At about 7am just before sunrise with everyone asleep we approached 
 Rodriguez key and I woke up Sam and Hannah so we could anchor in the dark. There was a derelict 
 catamaran in the anchorage with a single light on a pole and no mast.  It looked like something 
 from a post apocalyptic story. 
 
 We woke up 2 hours later to a beautiful partly cloudy day and Hannah is making eggs and toast. 
 The cat has recovered and we are completely soaked in salt water.  There are salt crystals 
 in my beard and hair.  The cabin sole of the boat is soaked in salt water and slippery. 
 but the teak decks are WONDERFUL!  They love the salt and last night I could walk barefoot 
 in the spray without slipping on the decks! 
 
 Well, I smell the eggs so We're going to eat and then get back underway.