Febr. 20, 2014 Leaving Little Sharky River

Well we got up to find the rock in the early morning before light was the two boats leaving, after spraying the screens last night the bugs seemed to leave us alone but covered us as soon as we stepped out into the open.  The no see'ms were horrible and I began to find more mosquito bites than I could count.  Glad to be on our way out.  The other 4 boats in the mouth of the river were on their way out also.
0700 Departed our anchorage.  Weather clear with light windout of the SE  .Motor sailed with main and jib at 6.1 kts.  
10:00Wind increasing. Took main sail down, still cruising with jib at 5 kts. on direct course from marker FL R"4" off the Northwest Cape to FL R"10".  North of the Bridge over the Moser Channel
12:00 Waves at 3-4 ft with winds 15-20kts out of the SE.  Reefed the Jib still going at 5 kts.  Was on the scream meter at 25 degrees up to 30 most of the afternoon.
1500-Finally got into the Marina, traffic bad.  Docked at Marathon Marina and Boat Yard.  The channel into our slip was about 20 ft wide with boats on both sides, not much room to turn and get into the slip plus the wind was blowing us opposite direction we wanted to go.  Curt initially started in and then turned around and went out.  The lady dockmaster yelled at him to go ahead follow the channel in and after two little jigs and a jog we would see slip 22, so hesitantly he turned and started in again. Even with the 15-20kts crosswinds he was able to turn into the slip. I jumped off with the rope from our boat onto the back of another boat, pushed Castaway away from hitting his two 250 hp engines and managed to pull Castaway into the slip while Curt motored keeping the boat moving forward into the slip as the wind and current kept pushing it away and sideways down the canal. With no room to back up or turn around, we squeezed Castaway into her tiny close spot hanging the back out a few feet in the channel. Wow, toughest docking so far.  Curt secured the lines and we both came down into the cabin for a beer for Curt and a coke for me.  My knees didn't quit knocking for a half hour.  Had supper then went for a 7 mile walk to McDonald's for a Hot Fudge Sundae and to see Marathon.  Expensive Marina and big, not bad bathroom/showers/laundry, never did see the pool.

 Sunrise or almost sunrise over Little Sharky River boats upstream have left

 Sunrise

 One boat left and he was getting ready to go

 Appears to be a calmday going out to the Gulf for the crossing to the Keys

 Little black spots are some of the bugs who died during the night..

 Beautiful, sky, moon, morning putting all the sales up

 Seas starting to get heavier so took down the main