Beyond the Skyway

*WARNING*

This is a really long post but a really good one.

For those of you who don't know - I went cruising with the USF St. Pete Waterfront from May 5th to May 7th, and I had the time of my life. Another post about that (mis)adventure can be found below this one; I would suggest reading it first.


Above: The Sunshine Skyway Bridge as seen from Tampa Bay through the lifelines of a 1977 Pearson 32.

I arrived at the Waterfront dock with my duffel bag, pillow, sleeping bag, and little kid excitement Monday morning at ten hoping for an eleven o'clock departure. I met Zac, the coordinator, and some of my fellow sailors on the dock. As luck would have it, the Waterfront received a 1977 Pearson 32 last month as a donation from a USF alum, and Zac had decided to take the O'day 37, Wanderer, and the Pearson 32, Incentive, on our cruise.

Above: Fellow sailor, Liz, and Wanderer under sail on our way to Egmont Key.


When I got to the dock Liz and Patricia were the only two other sailors there. Zac told us to check out each boat and choose one. Having never before been aboard either boat, I began with Wanderer. The cabin of Wanderer seemed huge compared to the cabin of the O'day 23 that I sailed at my yacht club back home. Wanderer had a decent sized galley (kitchen), a V-berth (v shaped bed), two settee berths (beds in the salon), an aft state room (master bedroom) behind the cockpit (open part of the boat where the wheel or tiller is), and TWO heads (bathrooms - there's never two)!! I was overwhelmed just exploring the cabin. The cockpit itself seemed a little small, but with a big bimini it was well protected. Wanderer is also a 1982 model.

Above: Wanderer's salon. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


Above: Wanderer's galley and propane stove. The Pearson has an alcohol stove, and the cans of alcohol must be pressurized by a bike pump before they can be used. This idea frightened Zac a little, so we only used the faithful propane stove. Thanks to Patty for the picture.



Above: Wanderer's aft berth and second head (behind the bulkhead on the left). Thanks to Patty for the picture.


Then there was the Pearson. To begin with, it's a 1977 model and five feet shorter than Wanderer. The galley was small, there were two settee berths - one could be turned into a double for two people with a healthy sense of humor - a V-berth, and one head. There was no aft state room and the bimini was small and well worn. The cockpit, however, was much bigger than Wanderer's, and I figured that since that was where I'd be spending most of my time anyway that it didn't matter how small the cabin was. I'd come on this (mis)adventure to sail, after all.

Above: Adam and Liz in the Pearson's spacious cockpit.

Zac wanted two sailors and two staff on the Pearson and then himself and the other four sailors on Wanderer. Liz and I both, being two of the youngest people on the trip, took berths on the Pearson with Adam and Brent and left Wanderer for the others. Wanderer may be the "nicer" boat, but my beloved Pearson can sail downwind on a run and fly a wing like no one's business, and, having been built in a time when little was known about fiberglass, she's heavy, stable, dependable, and able to return the greatest of joys. I am much indebted to her and her big sister, my uncle's Pearson 35, for giving me my first sail, my first nights aboard, my first cruise, and some of the best days of my life. Thanks, Incentive and Why Not III.

Above: The Pearson flying a wing off the north end of Egmont Key. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


We cast off from the Waterfront at 11:30 and set sail for the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort - Marina Cove which is located on a little inlet at the beginning of the causeway that leads out to the Skyway. It is on the Tampa Bay side of the bridge, but because we had an amazing wind and nine sailors aboard we decided to go ahead and sail under the Skyway, just because. This picture was taken for my sister, my father, and my uncle, and for anyone else who has dreamed of the Skyway.

Above: The bottom of the Skyway and the mast and main of the Pearson 32 - as beautiful as imagined.

After sailing under the Skyway, which has been a dream of mine since I was a child, we headed north and then turned east into the Meisner Channel. This channel led us under the Meisner bridge which is part of the Skyway causeway and led us almost straight to the Holiday Inn. I've never before arrived at a hotel by boat, and I must say that it's quite an experience.

Above: Our anchorage at the Sunspree Resort - Marina Cove. Wanderer is on the left with the green hull and Incentive is on the right with the white hull. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


We were originally supposed to spend the night in a slip at the resort's marina, but due to overbooking and a "photo shoot" for some over priced power boats we were bumped a slip. Having two boats and one slip, Zac decided to cancel the other one, and we anchored out in the cove for the night. With the Skyway off our stern and a tiki bar off our bow, I couldn't have asked for a better anchorage. To try and amend their fault, the resort allowed us full access to all of its amenities. Having spent most of the day sailing and sweating we were thrilled to see a swimming pool, hot tub, showers, and bar. We spent most of the night making use of the abandoned hot tub while keeping the bar tender on his toes. As the alcohol flowed so did the stories, and it all made for an interesting ride back to the boats in the dinghy.

Above: Most of the crew on shore leave. From left - back row: Liz, Conrad, Patty, me, Patricia, and Zac. From left - front row: Zac's friend, Adam, and another one of Zac's friends. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


Above: Some of the girls at the tiki bar. From left - Patricia, Patty, me, and Liz. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


Above: The Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort - Marina Cove. We were anchored just beyond the farthest palm trees.

Upon our arrival back at the boats we discovered, by flipping dozens of switches in the cabin, that the anchor light on the Pearson didn't work. Liz and I were also kindly informed at that point that this trip was the Pearson's shakedown cruise (when you take a newly acquired boat our for a spin to see what breaks). We were off to a good start. The green and red running lights worked great, but not a glow could be coaxed from the anchor light. Zac had dozens of small flashlights aboard Wanderer, and we taped one to the jib halyard and hoisted it both nights. Amazingly enough the batteries lasted until dawn both times, but of course they were replaced before our next anchoring.

Above: The Pearson 32 main doing well what it was made to do, on a perfect day.


That night I slept on the port berth, Liz slept on the double starboard berth, Adam took the V-berth, and Brent slept in the cockpit. Aside from a loud hammering/smacking kind of noise in the anchorage it was an uneventful night. I passed out the moment my head hit my pillow, but Liz, being an insomniac, struggled to find rest as a pounding sound kept her up all night. The next morning while waiting for Zac to come for us in the dinghy Liz asked us if we heard a "basketball noise" during the night. We all agreed that we'd heard something, but we weren't sure what it was. Liz told Zac about the "basketball" on our way to Wanderer, and he suggested that we tie the sheets and halyards to the shrouds to see if that stopped it. The next night we took his advice, and sure enough, no more "basketball." I guess the pleasantries of wind in the rigging disappear when the clanking is magnified down a hollow piece of steel or aluminum where it reverberates in the cabin and throughout the anchorage. It is nice though if you're on deck.

Above: The Skyway as seen from Tampa Bay. Sunspree Resort - Marina Cove was ahead and to starboard (right).



Above: The Pearson getting under way at the Sunspree Resort - Marina Cove anchorage. Adam and Brent are working to get the anchor up. I took over Adam's anchoring duties the next night at the Manatee anchorage. Thanks to Patricia for the picture.


The next morning, in keeping with the cruising sailor's adage of "start early, end early" we were up by 7:20. By nine o'clock we'd all had showers ashore, and had eaten bagels cooked on the grill on Wanderer's stern. We had also learned, the hard way, not to let Zac use the grill. By 9:30 the anchors were up, and we were making way towards Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay. About ten minutes into our sail to Egmont we realized that there was absolutely no wind to be had. We eventually gave up on sailing and turned to the iron genny for propulsion (the faithful gasoline Atomic 4 engine). An hour or two later we dropped anchor off of Egmont.

Above: The crew enjoying a swim call at Egmont Key with Wanderer (left) and Incentive (right) in the background. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


Everyone went ashore and enjoyed several hours of shore leave. A few people stayed on the beach, but most of us headed off to explore the interior of the island. A military fort was built on Egmont during the beginning of the twentieth century, and its remains are still there to be explored. We never found any of the native gopher tortoises, but we were amazed at the fact that the pilots who live on the island leave the lighthouse lit during the day. We eventually headed back to the beach for a swim after our feet got roasted on the old brick roads that crisscross the island. Liz found a sea urchin and Patricia, Kathy, Liz, Adam, and I all had a lengthy chat while Brent swam back to Wanderer to raid her galley. The day before, Zac had forgotten to give us turkey sandwiches before we left the dock so when it came time for lunch we had to bring the boats along side one another under sail to make the grab. We felt like modern day pirates. I guess Brent wanted more of that feeling.

Above: Zac, Adam, and I prepare for the hand off. Patricia and Brent were at the helm on their respective boats, and they both did an awesome job of bringing them along side one another. Thanks to Patty for the picture.



Above: The Skyway seen between the main and the bimini on the Pearson.



Above: Zac initiates the hand off and Adam makes the grab - lunch is served. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


After our expedition and swim at Egmont we dinghied back to Wanderer for lunch. After eating hot dogs and turkey burgers, things that none of us would probably normally eat, we concluded that "boat food" is the best stuff in the world. What is that? You might be wondering. "Boat food" is any food you eat on deck when under the effects of sun and sail. Sailing has a way of making you so ravenous that anything looks delectable. That is the magic of "boat food" - and I'm a firm believer in it.



Above: The Pearson on a run while underway to Marina Cove, shortly after making the food grab. Adam is reveling in the Pearson's racing ability after catching up to Wanderer in response to Zac's challenge. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


As we sat on deck eating our "boat dogs" and "boat burgers" we noticed a large group of big dark things to our starboard. After watching for a few minutes we saw seven noses rise out of the water and then disappear - manatees. The pod of them stayed off the beach, about a hundred feet from our boat, for close to thirty minutes until some inconsiderate tourist chased them away trying to get a "better look." Right. Over the course of this (mis)adventure we also saw countless dolphins, comb jellyfish, sting rays, one bonnethead shark, and two sea turtles; it sounds like a Christmas carol. I love the ocean because no matter where you look you can find life, and you are constantly reminded of your minuscule place in the food chain as well as in the world. It's a good reminder to get out there, and live your life while you have it.

Above: The ship that sails. Another sailor enjoying a beautiful day.


After lunch Zac dropped us off at the Pearson, and we decided that we didn't have enough wind to make it to the Longboat Key (Sarasota) anchorage before dark so we decided to anchor at the mouth of the Manatee River in Bradenton. For many reasons, including a few personal ones, this is my favorite anchorage in the greater bay area. By the time we had raised anchor and were headed towards Bradenton the wind had come back, and we sailed wing and wing downwind most of the way. We had to jibe to line up the range markers that guided us into the channel. Right as we brought the stern through the wind and the sails blew across the deck we heard a loud snap, and the mainsail dropped to the boom. A few seconds later the main halyard fell to the deck. The eye splice had come out, and the halyard had become detached from the shackle at the head (top) of the sail, allowing both the halyard and the sail to fall. Brent, Liz, and I managed to flake the main on the boom while Adam started the faithful Atomic 4 and steered around the shoals that were less than two feet deep and were about three feet off of our port (left) side.



Above: The faithful dinghy and the Pearson under sail off Egmont Key on our way to the Manatee River. Thanks to Patricia for the picture.


We followed Wanderer into the mouth of the Manatee River and up to the second cove where an old brick house on shore took me back sixteen years to a forgotten summer. My aunt and uncle, who I spent my first night aboard with almost two decades ago, had their boat docked in the same cove. Their love for sailing had brought me back to where they had first shared it with me a lifetime before. I am forever grateful to my aunt and uncle for sharing with me the best part of their life, so that it may now be the best part of mine. I owe them both the most sincere thanks that I can muster. And I do have to admit, I miss sharing all of this with them. Thanks for the good times - they will always be remembered.

Above: Our anchorage in the Manatee River. The brick house with the double chimneys is the one I remember from my childhood. Click on the picture for a larger view.


We finally anchored in the cove at 7:30 and Adam began trying to think of a way to fix the broken halyard. An obvious solution immediately presented itself when we found a spare main halyard in the cabin that the previous owner had stowed away in case of such an event. We knew that Zac had a bosun's chair (the harness/chair device used to hoist a person to the top of the mast) onboard Wanderer, and the big question became not how we were going to fix the halyard but who was going to climb the forty four foot mast to repair it. Obviously, seeing as Adam or Zac was going to have to manually hoist a person up using a winch, they wanted someone light. Also, there was a great deal of doubt lingering at the thought of using the jib halyard since the main one had already broken. Being the lightest person on either of the two boats, I was chosen to climb the mast. I must admit that I was a little intimidated, but it had to be done so I was willing. Fortunately though, while examining the jib halyard, we discovered that it was rigged to go through a block (pulley) at the back of the mast and, therefore, could be used to hoist the mainsail. The Pearson also had a spinnaker halyard, and we used that to hoist the jib. My trip up the mast never happened, but the idea of climbing a bobbing flagpole made for an interesting night. Now that I've gotten a little use to the idea it's not as intimidating as it first was - which is good because, intending to own a boat someday, I'm sure I'll have ample opportunities to climb the mast.

Above: The Pearson at anchor off of Egmont Key, and the mast I almost had to climb. Thanks to Patricia for the picture.


After deciding to postpone the halyard repair until we got back to port, we dinghied over to Wanderer for dinner and the best "spaghetti with turkey and tomato sauce" (Zac's description of his spaghetti) that I've ever had. I got my boat food fix for the night as I watched a beautiful sunset with new friends in my favorite anchorage. It was the perfect end to an amazing day.

Above: Sunset over the Manatee River looking out to sea. This was one of my favorite moments of the trip.


Above: Dinner on our last night aboard. From left: me, Patricia, Brent, Kathy, and Patty. Thanks to Patty for the picture.


After dinner my crew and I dinghied back over to Incentive and set about finding places to sleep. Liz and I both ended up in the cockpit. Liz made use of the many type IV pfd's (small flotation devices that make for great cushions) by placing them between the seat and her sleeping bag. I, on the other hand, suffered through a long night on cold, hard fiberglass. We kept the dinghy tied up behind our boat that night and although there was no "basketball" noise, there was a loud slapping sound coming from the dinghy ten feet away. It was great background noise to fall asleep to. Sleeping in the cockpit is like sleeping in a casket - you can't roll over to save your life (pardon the pun). I just laid there all night looking up at the little dipper, listening to a cow mooing somewhere on shore, and freezing in my sleeping bag as the temperature dropped into the sixties. Yeah, I've gotten soft in my ten months here, sorry. Regardless of the strange sounds, cold temperatures, and discomfort, I slept well; I guess a hard day of sailing will do that to you. Adam slept in the V-berth again, and Brent slept on the fore deck after realizing that the cabin was too hot and humid for his liking. Apparently the wind was really shifty that night because both boats swung on their anchors. Liz and I were very disoriented when we woke up because when we had gone to sleep the DeSoto National Memorial Park had been on her side of the boat and Emerson Point had been on my side, but the boat had swung so much that we each had the other's shore by morning.

Above: The Pearson crew leaving Wanderer after returning from shore leave at Emerson Point. From left: Adam, me, Liz, and Brent. Thanks to Patricia for the picture.


We began our last day at 9:00 with breakfast on Wanderer. After everyone had gotten some coffee and were beginning to resemble humans again we all headed to Emerson Point to do some exploring. I had been to the DeSoto National Memorial on the other side of the river before, but I had never heard of Emerson Point. As it turns out, there's a dinghy dock, several trails, a couple of Indian mounds, some ruins from the beginning of the twentieth century, and a few pavilions. It is accessible by car, as well as by boat, and it is apparently part of Sneed Island according to the park rangers we met. We walked most of the trails until we got to a pavilion and sat down; within ten minutes everyone was asleep except for me, Patty, and Kathy. We had a nice conversation while everyone else "rested." We eventually headed back to the boats and prepared to set sail for our homeport.

Above: The gang at Emerson Point. From left: Conrad, Kathy, Patricia, me, Liz, Adam, Brent, and Zac. Thanks to Patty for the picture, we wish you could have been in it.


We left our anchorage in the Manatee River at noon after eating lunch aboard Wanderer. We had a steady south easterly breeze that carried us straight up from the river, under the Skyway, past Captiva Island, and back to the Waterfront in St. Pete by 7:30. Zac challenged us to a race back to the dock when we were about two hours from St. Pete. We accepted, and although we didn't beat Wanderer, we caught up with her just in time to sail beside her through the USF sailing team's practice and into our slip...thirty minutes before our ETA (estimated time of arrival)!!

Above: The Skyway as seen from the Gulf...a view that I've missed.


It's been exactly one week since I returned from my "sailing trip," and it's still all that I can think about. Part of that is because a lot of things went wrong when I got back home. My computer crashed, my aunt's washing machine flooded the kitchen twice, and the pool motor quit working for absolutely no reason. All of those problems have since been amended, well except for the computer, and I have settled back into life ashore. It isn't too bad, but I would be lying if I said that I like it better than life on a boat. It's not that life's problems don't follow you onto a boat, it's just that they seem less important. On a boat the important thing is the moment - not the problems that don't offer solutions, the rat race, or the petty things that seem so important but are really only stealing days from our lives. When I'm on a boat I'm living, and that is something that I don't find myself doing nearly enough on shore. I owe sailing a great deal for that. I can only hope that my fellow sailors found some good times in the short amount of this life that we shared. They gave me some incredible memories, and they reminded me why I've been chasing this sailing dream all of my life - because it's one of the only things in this world that I love...and have loved since childhood. That is special. Maybe one day I'll do it; I'll buy a sailboat and go cruising. Until then I owe much thanks to Zac and everyone at the Waterfront for making this opportunity available to me and so many others. You have helped bring dreams to life, and you have given a beginning to many struggling sailors. Thank you.

Above: The Pearson under sail with her bow pointing towards the Skyway. This is one of my favorite places in the world.


Lastly, I owe my deepest gratitude to my Uncle Andy and Aunt Ellen for sharing this life with me when I was a child, and thereby greatly enriching my life through the friends, experiences, and wonderful memories that sailing has afforded me in recent years as I'm sure it will continue to. I am also greatly indebted to my parents for allowing me to pursue this dream, and for helping me achieve it when they've been able to. This trip would not have been possible without them for I would not have even been in Florida or at USF without their selfless contributions. Many good people and many experiences have helped make this trip possible. I was finally in the right place at the right time, and I had the money and the experience required for such an undertaking; now that is luck. As my dad said, "Life is a circle..." It's now time that I do what I can to pass that luck on to someone else. That is the great thing about sailing, it gives me a chance to share what I like with people that I love, and it connects me to amazing people that I otherwise would have never known; and that is a beautiful thing. The trip was incredible. I'm looking forward to a time when I can do it again. Until then, here is to sailing and the people who make it possible for those of us who sail only on a wing and a prayer.