On our Way to the Dry Tortugas - Part 1

We hugged each other and let out a collective sigh of relief as we left our shores. As always, it was a mad rush to get everything ready and set for possibly the next 8 weeks at sea.

Work wise, we had so many loose ends to tie up and boat wise too. Shaun tested the engines the day before we were due to leave, only to find air coming into the Raycor fuel filters which needed a fuel line to be changed out on the starboard engine. Fortunately, my incredible captain can fix just about anything himself, which of course he did. Because of this, we left at around 4 in the afternoon and the girls and kiddies came to let our ropes go which was so nice. The little ones had a few tears to see us leave

Our marina is being refurbished and rebuilt and our dock is where they will begin, so it is a perfect time to be getting out onto the sea that we both love so much. We are taking our time and heading to Key West and the dry Tortugas before making our way back.

We were supposed to be visiting the Bahamas this year, but with the war in Ukraine and the shortage of fuel there, we decided to forego our trip, yet again. I am always of the mindset that if it is not meant to be, there is always a reason protecting us until the time is right

Our first night out was Anna Maria. We anchored before sunset, took the dogs to potty and had an early dinner

In the morning we left our anchorage early to make the 7 hour trip down the intercostal to Boca Grande and Cayo Costa

Here we would spend the next six nights in one of our favorite anchorages. The dogs love the little beach here and so do we. The days just blend and we’ve begun to lose track of which day it is, which is always a perfect sign to us that we are relaxing just as we should!

We seem to naturally divide our days into sections, the mornings and afternoons have a different ebb and flow to them as we make little routines for ourselves. I always ensure that I do yoga and workout most days

Where possible, we try to go out to dinner on land about once a week for our date night, but I also love to set the table differently each time too and make mealtimes special. Sometimes we eat up on the upper helm, sometimes at the dining table aft or even move a small table to the bow of the boat and I set it there

Of course nothing beats beach picnics but we have learned that mosquitoes are not your fiends at sunset so we usually have most of our lunches on the sand

On our last night at Cayo Costa this Easter weekend, we took the dinghy to Cabbage Key for our date night, which as always, was just lovely.

Weather being perfect for an offshore run to Marco Island, we left Cayo Costa at sunrise and happily sailed the seven hours on the sea in our go-slow home