Texas to Key West with Pictures

[Bob Schwartz]

I finally made the blue water trip that I had dreamed about for several years. A friend and I left Port O’Connor on the Texas Gulf Coast and spent 6 weeks sailing to Key West and back. The map shows the route. The red dots are arbitrary fixes, not necessarily 24-hour runs

Map of Journey
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On the way down, we were going to do a rhumb line course to Key West, but a strong headwind / current stopped us and we headed North to Pensacola FL. We then went to Venice FL and to the Dry Tortugas. Unfortunately, we were in the outskirts of subtropical storm Andrea and could not land in the Tortugas, so we proceeded to Key West. On the way back, we had ports of call at Tarpon Springs FL, Apalachicola FL, Pensacola FL and then back to Port O’Connor / Palacios where the boat is docked.

I spent a couple of years working on the boat getting it ready to cruise, and often sought the wisdom of CD Board members. I would like to share some of my equipment related experiences for those who may have similar interests.

Early on, I bought a canvass sewing machine and it has paid for itself several times over by now. I replaced all the cushion covers and curtains; made lee cloths, jack lines, tethers, safety harnesses, and much more. I am a great believer in a safety harness. If one falls over at night without one, like they say in Texas: adios amigo. With only 2 people on the boat, ones chances during the day are not much better if there is much seas / wind. One can make a safety harness, which unlike the store bought kind, is actually quite
Comfortable


Lee Cloth, Curtains, Covers
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Al Wearing Safety Harness Attached to Tether
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Jackline attached to Tether and Photographer (Bob)
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When I first bought the boat, I did a test to see how long the battery would last when the lights were turned on. You could almost see the charge meter drop. It was all the incandescent bulbs, many of which drew 7.5 watts. I replaced all interior bulbs with LEDS and made from scratch LED running lights. I also put a 20-watt solar panel on the hatch to the aft lazarette. I added a combiner and 2 voltage charge controllers, one for each battery. This was so successful that I took out my 110 volt battery charger. I do not hook to shore power except to run a fan/dryer when the boat is not in use.

Using only the LED lights, I could sail indefinitely without using the engine and the solar panel would keep the battery charged (assuming reasonable sunshine during the day). The only device that draws a lot of current is the GPS chart plotter, which draws 7.5 watts. I only used it for short periods unless the engine was running. Once, I determined that a battery had insufficient charge to start the engine. The solar panel fully recharged the battery after a day of sunshine. This is quite a comfort to those of us who worry about dead batteries in the middle of the ocean.

Windpilot, Solar Cell and Lazy Bird
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Along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico is littered with oil well platforms, towers, crew boats, and there is quite a bit of shipping. It was necessary to keep a close watch. Some of the oil production platforms, which are mini refineries, are huge. So much so, that they look the size of a cruise ship. One night we saw an oil platform and there were a couple of small boats by it with unusual red lights on top. As we got closer, we realized that the platform was being moved by tugs and there was a long cable out there. I once read where a noted writer / sailor who often sailed in the Gulf of Mexico came close to running into a tow cable in these waters. At the first port, I bought a guide to ship’s lights. Ship’s lights are one of those topics that seem so academic when one is first introduced to it.


Oil Wells in the Gulf of Mexico
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Another device that I found most useful was a hand-bearing compass. On the initial run from Texas to Pensacola, we encountered some heavy weather. With the boat is constantly swinging around a course, it is very difficult to determine the relative angle of a ship to my boat. Several times, I could not determine if I was on a collision course until a ship was relatively close. I found this to be a bit disconcerting. At my first port of call, I purchased a hand-bearing compass. I ended up buying 2 before I found one I liked. (Plastimo Iris 100 lighted) With a good hand-bearing compass, one can determine the bearing of an object within about 5 degrees, even in rough seas. Therefore, within a few minutes, it is usually possible to determine whether a ship just on the horizon is on a collision course.

The “Sharryn” is equipped with both a Windpilot and an ST2000 Tiller Pilot. Both units worked very well. So, we did not have to steer except while coming into port or to avoid running into something. A final bit of gear that I would recommend is canister propane stove. I got rid of the original alcohol stove which was a fire disaster waiting to happen.

So much for gear - The trip was really nice.


The Ole Sunset at Sea Picture
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At sea, I always looked forward to a dolphin sighting. I told my buddy to cry out any time they were spotted – even if I were asleep. I would run to the bow and take a movie or still shot. We saw two species. There may have been up to a dozen in a group, but I was never able to photograph more than 4.

Three Dolphin at Bow
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Two Dolphin at Bow, One Coming Up for Air
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About 100 miles out, we ran across migrating birds that tried to take up residence various places on the boat, including my bunk and the jib sheet.

Migrating Birds Roosting on Sheet
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Key West is really a neat place. It has a bohemian atmosphere. One is left with the impression that many of the locals would not be concerned if the sun did not rise one morning. There are some very nice turn-of-the century schooners.

A Key West Turn-of-Century Schooner
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Key West Schooner on Sunset Sail
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Sunset cruises seem to be quite popular – like standing room only


A Very Crowded Sunset Sail
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I found a woman crew all covered with tar doing something I had never seen. She was tarring and wrapping a cable as was done in early sailing vessels around the turn of the last century for one of the schooners.

Woman Tarring Cable
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A Tarred Cable - Early 1900's Style
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A local tradition in Key West is that chickens freely roam the streets. No need for an alarm clock.

A Free Roaming Key West Rooster
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Venice was quite picturesque.

Sunset at Venice Florida
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Tarpon Springs is a Greek ethnic community. Seems like most names you see are Greek and you occasionally hear Greek spoken at restaurants, which, by the way, are absolutely outstanding. Historically, the local economy was based on sponge diving.

View of River from Local Greek Restaurant
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Statute of Tarpon Springs - Greek Sponge Diver
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Apalachicola is another nice, quaint community. It is renown for its local oysters. I ate some of the best raw oysters I have ever had there for about $6.50 a dozen. Needless to say, I gorged.

Oyster Bar at Marina where "Sharryn" was Berthed
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Pensacola is another really neat community. It is home to the Navy flight training facility. There is an aircraft museum there that has every plane that the U.S. Navy ever flew. My sailing buddy Al is a former Air Force pilot, so this was his cup of tea. The beaches are also about as nice as they get. We took these photos on Friday before Memorial Day weekend.

The camping area was elbow-to-elbow, but, a mile down the beach, day goers seemed to have paradise almost to themselves.


Pensacola Beach Camping Area before Memorial Day
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Pensacola Beach Swimming Area before Memorial Day
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Anyway, It was a great trip – highly recommended. Hope to hear from others about their ventures.

Good sailing to all.

[Sea Hunt]

This is truly an inspirational post

The account of your adventure is something I can only dream about.

The pictures are terrific, especially the dolphins.

The picture of the girl covered in tar - ah, not so much. I am sure if you had asked politely you could have gotten her to take a shower and put on a bikini. Yes, I know, a sexist, politically incorrect comment. I am Sicilian Italian and too old to change.

Great, great post

[Didereaux]

Bob,
Isn't it just the best? Boy, you did a bang up job on the pictures and the narrative. I really like the lee boards, and doing your own LED conversion fro the lights. How dare you turn your plotter off and look at the sea and such! heh Bearing compass, why I've been told by myriads of Beneteau and Hunter owners that such things aren't fit for even a museum! Haven't had a chance yet to run that make of windvane, it looks clean, easy and strong.

You will never ever erase the memories.

congrats again neighbor,

[Oswego John]

Bob,

Excellent post. Fascinating. I read and reread it many times over.

Keep 'em coming.
O J

[GrFa]

Ditto on the hand bearing compass. On our recent 3 day boat moving adventure (which included some of NJs busiest inlets and NY harbor) we were longing for a hand bearing compass as well. It seems sometimes that the simplest tools work the best. Our GPS also crapped out when we entered the lower bay before the Verrazano bridge and NY harbor. We had to navigate all the channels using our paper charts and landmarks.

[Warren S]

I'd like to see any pictures of your Scratch-built LED running lights, if you have any. I just added 2 Sensibulb lamps in the cabin on a trial baisis (they are expensive). They work great and the cabin reading lights (those brass deals) are cold to the touch after hours of use - that's a lot of improved efficiency!

[rtbates]

I enjoyed your photos and narrative very much. That's a trip I plan to do upon retirement (<2 yrs 5 months) leaving out of and returning to Port Aransas. Did you sail the shipping lanes? I understand that there are lots of unlit rigs and rig debri, especially after the storms of 05.

Thanks for the report and the inspiration.

[Dixon Hemphill]

Great photos, Bob. You did a wonderful job with those shots. They make me want to take a trip I've thought about a long time: from Chesapeake Bay up the ICW to my home state Rhode Island where back in the early 40's I sailed a Cape Cod Knockabout in Narragansett Bay.

Dixon Hemphill

[Bob Schwartz]

Warren:

I do not have an actual pic. of my LED lights but this photo should illustrate it:

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target ... cket"></a>

I took out the red/green lens cover from my colored nav lights. It happened to have two small protruding grooves down the dead center, top and bottom. I took a piece of PCV pipe (3/4 or 1 inch) and cut it the exact lenth of the separation between the top and bottom of the colored lens. I then filed in a notch, top and bottom to correspond with the groves.

I then took 4-5 red LEDs and 4-5 green LEDS and soldered wires top and bottom. I connected them in rows with the red/green changing at the forward grove in the pcv pipe. The sewing thimble shows how the LEDs were aligned.

There are 6 LEDs in the bayonet fixture, so there were 24-30 actual LED lights of each color. I did the same on the stern light, but used white of course.

I replaced the interior lamp fixture bulbs with the type of LED shown. The CD-27 has 2 globe fixtures - one over the sink and one over the stove. This LED did not work there because it was pointed the wrong way. I found a cluster of LEDs on a circuit board which was sold as a unit. This worked well on the globe fixtures. I also made an anchor light using about 6 or 8 LEDs rated for 360 coverage. Most LEDs are quite angular in their beam pattern.

I bought all the LEDs at SuperbrightLEDS.com, which as of couple of years ago, seemed to have the best selection. The LEDs mounted in fixtures are rated for car voltages. You can buy individual LEDs but have to use voltage dropping resistors. SuperbrightLEDs has a calculator at its web site to show what size resistors to use. I used individual LEDs on the anchor light and had to mount it all on a circuit board and use a voltage dropping resistor.

I have a fairly extensive electronics background and have done quite a bit of soldering. Nonetheless, I found is rather challenging to solder to the bayonet fixtures. It was a tedious job. One other detail: LEDs are polar. If plus and minus are reversed, the LEDs won't work.

Randy:

Before I left, I met a fellow who was about to retire. He worked all his life on the offshore rigs off the LA coast. He planned to go to Florida but was going on the inside. He was concerned about the rigs. He said that if there were several overcast days that some of the rigs would not have lights. This is because the lights are solar / battery powered. I ask him if he had ever heard of anyone running into a rig at night. He said no.

This was not good news of course. Unfortunately, going on the inside would have been a deal breaker from a time standpoint. I did not try to go on the shipping lanes although this seems to be a common strategy. On the way back, we enjoyed a full or near full moon and most things are quite visible. I would recommend going at that time if reasonably possible. The oil rigs are specific to oil fields, so there are areas with few rigs. On the way back I charted a course to skirt the major fields.

I never saw an unlit rig. But, I saw several dozen barrels that looked like mooring bouys. See attached picture. It was during the day, but I did not see that any were lighted. (However, I may not have been close enough). My C-Map is a couple of years old, but these barrels were not on the chart.

I would certainly repeat the trip and look forward to some trips down the Texas coast (which has about as much clutter as the LA coast). However, one should not underestimate the number of objects out there fixed and moving (oil service boats).

I told the story of the tug towing the platform at night. We actually saw this twice - once going over and once coming back. My sailing buddy was on watch when it first happened and I was on watch the second time. Fortunately, Al is a very competent sailor and realized what was happening.

I think it is absolutely essential to keep a watch at all times while under way. Further, if you are sailing with some one who is inexperienced, you should insist on being awaken / roused when anything is spotted.



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[rtbates]

Sure wouldn't want to hit that ugly floating can! The more I get ready to do a little off shore sailing the more I realize that single handers are either very brave or very stupid. After 24-48 hours awake I need sleep...

[barfwinkle]

Bob thanks so much for sharing your experiences and photos. Great Trip!!

I bought all the LEDs at SuperbrightLEDS.com, which as of couple of years ago, seemed to have the best selection.

I just checked out this site and I like the lights I see. I am at home and am not sure, but aren't our original light bulbs 1156s, single element (I know the single element is correct)?

Now all I have to do is check out the running lights, anchor light and steaming/deck light.

Anyone else have any comments on these lights?

Fair winds and we are working on 40 days here! River here ran between 168,500 -183,000 CFS yesterday and nothing but more rain in the forecast

<a href="http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/webdat ... ">Arkansas River Flow for 6/24/07</a>

[Bob Schwartz]

I think that the originals were 1156's, but I am not sure. It has been a couple of years. I have the incadecent bulbs that I replaced in a box, but there is no number on the replaced bulbs. They are single element bulbs with two lead contacts on the bottom. I have a spare LED replacement bulb and it is an 1142.

About the steaming and deck lights:

I tried to fashion a deck light and spent a lot of time and effort in the process, and finally gave up. The factory globe (fixture) was too small to put in a high power LED. However, a deck light should be used only for a few minutes, so I would not worry about it.

The steaming light is only used under engine power when electrical power is virtually unlimited - so, do not worry about replacing it.

I really think you will be pleased if you make the LED conversion. The running lights appear to be much, much, brighter than the incadecent lights and they draw a fraction of the power.

Happy sailing,

Bob

[barfwinkle]

Hi Bob and Thanks again for the great story.

I guess you're right about the steaming/deck light! But do the Testoon bulbs fit in the running lights? I dont recall what style of bulb goes in the running lights?

Thanks again

Bill

[Richard Bell]

Bob,

I have crossed the gulf a number of times. In most of the experiences I found that 200 nm away from the coast there was no or very little wind at all! I think your track was ideal for anyone considering doing "the" crossing. I too was amazed at the "junk" out there.

I have made some pac/atl/med transits also and it consistently amazes me how often I had to change course to increase my CPA to contacts. Along the traffic/trades the oceans are so busier than most people expect. I guess thats a curse and a blessing.

BZ to you for making the trip. Believe me.....I get it!

Rick

[Bob Schwartz]

Dear Barfwinkle:

The festoon bulbs semi-encircle the PCV piece. (sewing thimble in the photo) I plan on going down to the boat in 2-3 weeks. When I get there, I will be happy to take a detailed photo of the LED light fixtures that I fashioned and post it.

Best regards,

Bob