January 1, 2009

Key Largo

“……Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama. Key Largo, Montego, baby why don’t we go down to Cocomo. We’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow. That’s were I want to go….” The Beach Boys had it right. We used to happily sing this song as a family years ago while gathered at the kitchen table. And now Isaac, Chappell, Chris and I are here on Key Largo together. Dreams coming true. Last Sunday, in Key Biscayne, we were hoping for a weather window to set sail for the Bahamas. We thought we had the south, southeast wind we needed to depart on Monday. We awoke Monday morning and double-checked the weather before our pending departure. Alas, the winds were quickly shifting to the north and the seas were rising. The window closes. Advice from all sources warns never cross the Gulf Stream with wind against current as the seas can build up in no time for a very uncomfortable ride at best.

Being fluid humans, we altered our plans and flowed south another day, another 40 miles to Key Largo. It is beautiful here, warm and sunny. The water is every shade of turquoise and clear. One can easily see the bottom at 15 to 20 feet. The waters east of Key Largo are home to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park with 178 square nautical miles of coral reef, sea grass beds and mangrove swamps.

It is New Years day and we have been out snorkeling on the reef. The four of us enjoyed a day of snorkeling yesterday and Pell and Isaac took the plunge again today. We observed a variety of coral and fish including parrot fish, barracuda, blue tang, cow fish, trumpet fish, rock beauties, butterfly fish, grouper, ocean surgeon and needle fish. I was swimming along with eyes to the vibrant and lush coral bed when Isaac pointed to a green sea turtle; it’s flippers lifting like wings as it floated above the coral reef. We commented later on the experience of swimming in this fish world, where they display all the grace of sea dwellers as we swim awkwardly among them with our snorkel, mask and fin attachments. Our own underwater ungainliness aside, snorkeling is a purely tranquil experience in what appears an alternate universe hosted by mysterious and elegant creatures.

Later, back at our anchorage and the Internet, television, stereo and phones are off. Chris is reading in the gently swaying hammock. Chappell and Isaac are playing a brotherly competitive game of chess. I have been trying to capture the turquoise green shades of the ocean with my watercolors, a favorite pastime these days. We are well rested and relaxed. We get up and go to bed with the sun. We read a lot, play board games, swim, sail, snorkel and breathe in our surroundings. Chris and I enjoy the exuberant, adventurous and often humorous exchanges with and between Chappell and Isaac. Precious times, very precious times.

This life on the water is like existing in a separate reality, an altered state, an elemental experience. On Saturday Isaac will climb into a rented car and drive for just 2 hours before reaching the Fort Lauderdale airport. We motor-sailed 8 hours to travel the same distance down the coast of Florida. Isaac will soar up the highway not 2 miles from our present anchorage surrounded by all the sounds, smells and sights of our modern culture. He will be in Charlottesville by mid-afternoon the same day. We are living contained and expanded by sea, sky, sun, moon, stars and wind. Since we left Deltaville on November 7th we have traveled over 1000 miles and with each mile we are born back into an intimate relationship with the elements.
It is hard to believe that it was just a year ago that this treasured seed of a vision that was dreamed more than 25 years ago between Chris and I began to truly sprout roots. We have learned and accomplished so much over the last 12 months. We both had very high, though differing, learning curves ahead of us and we continue to grow and learn in each moment, our dream vision manifesting as we set our course each day.

We are looking at another weather window for Monday the 5th of next week. We are experiencing the current front approaching with north winds today and tonight. The winds are shifting to northeast and east over the next two days and then we hope to see the south, southeast winds that will favor our trip east. So we watch and wait for the wind to clock ‘round the compass and the Gulf Steam seas to subside. We hope the window is big enough for us to blow through to North Light, just north of Bimini and then on to the Berry Islands before heading to Georgetown on Great Exuma. We are in a lovely location to watch and wait and always much to do before we go.

Happy New Year to all

Peace and Love