Limerence Update 52

The Final Leg

Mexico to Key West and Fort Lauderdale

We were tired from the rough two-night passage up from Roatan Honduras. The clear turquoise water surrounding Cancun and Isla Mujeres Mexico shimmered invitingly as we navigated in ten to twenty feet of water through the entrance to the busy little harbor of Isla Mujeres. Most of the cruising sailboats anchor in the southwest corner – away from the express catamarans and car ferries that race back and forth to Cancun across the bay. It was fun to be back in Mexico again! Even though Isla is a tourist destination, it still has the traditional feel of a small village. Bring on the cerveza, margaritas, guacamole and tacos!!  

Isla Beach Bar	Isla Mujeres Mexico

After a few days at anchor, we coaxed Limerence into a space between the pilings of the funky Paraiso Marina, which boasts a tiny salt-water swimming pool and outdoor cocktail bar. Cruisers are gregarious and at every stop we meet new friends – some of whom we’ve talked to on the SSB radio along our route, and others who have come from the “other” direction. Isla Mujeres felt strangely like a place of graduation. Everyone is at the cross roads of their cruising adventure. All are excited for the next phase, and all going in different directions.

Lighthouse - Isla Mujeres	Isla Central Square

Cancun enticed us from across the bay, so we packed a bag and took a twenty-minute express catamaran over to the glitzy city. We spent one night in the Hyatt Regency celebrating our 19^th wedding anniversary and getting adjusted to the sticker shock of resort prices. The Mexican government invented Cancun in the sixties to promote tourism. They decided to generate revenue by developing a community on the beautiful white sand beaches of the Yucatan to attract tourists. Now the city has hundreds of hotels, time-share properties, restaurants and discos. It is truly a success story for tourism. 

Cancun Mexico	Powdered sugar beach	Shell House

It was almost the beginning of hurricane season, and time to move on to Key West Florida. On Saturday, May 31^st we left Isla Mujeres and immediately felt the strong pull of the Gulf Stream Current. The deep indigo blue water is remarkable. The sky was clear and winds calm as we motor-sailed due north. After a few hours with no traffic showing on our radar screen, we became mesmerized by the tranquility. Doug sat in the cockpit and I was below doing dishes.

 Suddenly! There was a loud bang on the hull of the boat, and a splash of water through the open porthole. Doug yelled “Judy! Come up here! There are huge fish everywhere! Hurry - what are they?”  Rushing up the companionway I saw huge black fins everywhere. We had motored right into the middle of a pod of whale sharks basking on the surface. Each had a large dorsal fin and huge lunate tail that looked like a black dinghy sail. The checkerboard-like pattern of gray spots on their humpbacks and the blunt snout made them easy to identify as whale sharks. They rubbed the side of our boat and swirled slowly around us. They looked to be twenty feet or so and we guessed that there were at least 30 in the pod. It was frightening and exciting all at once! Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world. They feed on small crustaceans that they gulp in mouthfuls and strain through their branchial sieve. The drowsy monsters didn’t present a threat to Limerence and we consider ourselves lucky to have had such a close-up experience. We had heard rumors of whale sharks lurking in these waters during the spring full moon. 

Ship passing on starboard	Key West sunset	Ship passing on port

We stayed in the Gulf Stream Current for the entire two-night passage by charting a course about 80 miles northwest of Cuba. Until we made the turn to follow the red buoys into Key West, we glided at 8-9 knots in the current and experienced relatively calm seas. Friends on “First Star” were waiting in Key West at anchor. Somehow no matter how long you study the charts and plot strategy for safely entering a new harbor; it looks different! It is a relief to hear a friend call on Channel 16 and hail LIMERENCE! Then, help coach us on a path through strange channel markers and hundreds of anchored boats.

We are thrilled to be in the United States again! For nearly three years we have cruised over six thousand miles on Limerence. We have visited Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Honduras, with side trips to Peru and the Amazon Basin. We found every country to be unique. Our eyes were opened to their history, politics, culture and economy. We interacted with people by talking to them in cabs and buses, eating in their restaurants, hiring their services, and shopping in their stores. We became friends with many people and listened to their stories. Places that are barely mentioned in American newspapers suddenly became relevant to us. Now after all the miles, we relished being home.  

Sloppy Joe's Bar	Typical Key West bar	Famous Pepe's restaurant

Key West Florida entertained us with fine restaurants, bars, and the sounds of jazz singers and small rock n’ roll bands. Duval Street is the focal point after sunset for local actors, mimes and street entertainment. You can’t help but laugh and be delighted when visiting outrageous Key West. The city evolved from a rich history of swashbuckling adventurers. Ship’s captains made a business salvaging the cargo of unfortunate ships that wrecked along the shallow reef strewn coastline of the Keys. They built solid homes which are a mixture of New England colonial and grand old southern. The gardens and homes of the mature neighborhoods are charming and delightful to explore. There was also a lucrative cigar rolling business that developed from the availability of fine Cuban tobacco less than ninety miles south. After eight days of partying with friends, we left Key West and made the final leg of our trip – to Fort Lauderdale.

Episcopal church	Key West neighborhood

 We didn’t sleep much on our overnight passage from the Keys to Fort Lauderdale. We encountered several small squalls, over thirty ships passing on our right and left, and very confused seas. Our Furuno radar held our hand and warned us of danger. With great relief, we sailed behind a huge freighter into Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale and secured a slip in the Hall of Fame Marina. We will be here for the summer visiting family and preparing Limerence for our Mediterranean phase of cruising.

On August 28^th Limerence will be floated onto the deck of a Dockwise Yacht Transport ship and sent to the Balearic Islands of Spain - Palma de Mallorca. By October we will sail her up to Barcelona Spain and the Port Vell Marina for the winter season. On our next update, we’ll tell you about the shipment details. 

Fair winds friends,