Anclote Key 28-11'N 082-51'W

17JUN2009:

Michael Riff and I left the house about 1030 bound for the Anclote River Park boat ramp. The predicted winds were to be from the NNW at 10 knots, with low tide at 1430. I had wanted to sail around Anclote Key - a circumnavigation of sorts - but the wind direction and strength didn't look good for the attempt. So I had determined that we'd at least sail out into the Gulf a ways and try to pick up some good wind.

The Anclote River flows into the Gulf of Mexico about 30 statute miles north of Tampa Bay. Anclote key is a sandy barrier island resting on a limestone base about 1.5 nautical miles off the coast. Historically the area has been interesting for a couple reasons; in the late 17th century french pirates used Anclote Key as a base of operations to attack the Spanish trading vessels passing to the west and in the 1850's sponges were collected off of Anclote Key and brought back up the Anclote River to Tarpon Springs. The sale of these was so profitable, that the sponge trade became commercially important to the area. The settlement of Greek sponge divers in the area is traced back to this early start.

But getting back to the trip, we got to the ramp just before 1200 and rigged the boat in under 20 minutes. We were still on the last of the ebb tide and the wind was right on the beam, so we raised the main at the dock, sailed off the dock, then raised the jib in the channel. It was a clear sunny day and as we cleared the river mouth the wind filled in to around 10 knots. Once clear of the channel, we made a SW course toward the light house (built in 1887) at the southern end of Anclote Key.

Once we cleared the lee of Anclote Key and entered the Gulf the waves increased and so did the wind, remaining pretty steady at 15 knots for the whole day. A direct course north was impossible due to the wind direction- trust me we tried. So we decided to head due west into the Gulf and make as much northing as possible. Maybe we'd be able to go all around the island, maybe not, but we'd still be sailing, so ... We came up on the wind close hauled, or as near as my small boat could manage it, and watched as Anclote Key receded into the distance.

I'd never been very far out into the Gulf before - or any sea for that matter - but now I noticed that most waves were only about 2 feet, but that every fifteen seconds or so a larger 3-4 foot wave would come up. I found it exhilerating; sailing and being at sea in my own boat, but I did realize that my wife wouldn't have had as much fun. She would have liked Anclote Key though. The beach was beautiful and I see an anchored small boat and beach chairs in our future.

We went about 2 NM beyond Anclote Key, then tacked to a NE course. The wind had veered slightly west while we were heading out, so we were able to make a good course toward the channel on the north end of Anclote Key. At this time we started to notice dark cumulous clouds and thunder heads forming to the NE over the land. I checked the radio and the weather report didn't predict any storms for our area, not that I could have done anything at that point anyway. We were too far out to make it back before any freak storm hit.

As we headed for the channel I was a little nervous;

a. I wasn't familiar with the channel.

b. The channel wasn't marked.

c. The channel was subject to change from shifting sands.

All of my concerns - if not my judgement - proved to be well-founded. I brought us in too close to the shoals, the channel had shifted south closer to the island and we ran aground on soft sand. I was loath to try the engine because we hadn't used it yet, but needed to give it a try. That didn't work, so we dropped the jib, let the main out and broke out the anchor. I jumped into the very warm water - it only came up to my waist - and I walked the anchor out to deeper water. The loss of my human ballast, Michael taking strain on the anchor road and me pushing got the boat going again. Though I had another trip into the water to retrieve the anchor, it was fun jumping on the boat and hauling myself aboard as she started sailing by with Michael at the helm.

We made our way southward trying to get around shoals on the eastside of the island, but not going too close to the mainland because of more shoals. The wind died in the lee of Anclote Key, so I started the engine and dropped the jib. I had significant trouble getting to the Anclote River channel, getting into shallow water again and again. Eventually, I ignored the buoys and where the chart indicated I should be and took bearings from a mainland stack and the lighthouse on the island. I didn't find out until I got back that over this past winter there had been two buoys added, one removed and the numbers had been changed. I was taking positions off buoys that weren't where I thought they were.

At this point the storm that had been threatening for the last two hours started to become more of a concern. Lightening could be seen and heard inland, and it seemed that the storm was moving in our direction. As we revved up the motor (all 6hp of it), Michael started de-rigging the boat, stuffing sails and other gear into the cabin and leaving only the mast up. He took the helm as I rigged the mast for dropping, my plan was to get to the dock as soon as possible, then drop the mast at the dock. The lightening got closer, the wind filled in strong from the north east and I was really concerned about a lightening strike.

We readied for a starboard side docking, but I came in too fast and we used the other dock instead and went in on the port side. The rain was starting, so we tied up quick, turned off the motor, dropped the mast, then ran for the truck. We made it just as the storm really hit. To be honest, it was kind of intense; there was lightening everywhere, the wind and rain looked like news footage of a hurricane and that's when the hail started. Michael joked that all hell breaking loose was a great way to end a sail and I agreed the only thing missing was the fire and brimstone.

We watched from the safety of the truck as an unmanned sailboat anchored in the river dragged its anchor and floated into a small speed boat tied up to the docks. I wanted to help, but there was no way I was going out in that storm. Afterward once the wind stopped, the sailboat floated off with the tide and we called the park rangers to let them know. But my boat was fine, so we hauled her out, secured the mast and were on the road for home by 2030.

Another day on the water and I didn't die!