Real Places-Real People
             First of a Series for Florida Secrets

Punta Gorda to Key West
Sailing Adventure,
Wind Quest Style

By Captain Bruce Ahlbrand

      Florida attracts thousands of visitors each day that come to enjoy the beautiful beaches, clear waters, historical landmarks, and the diverse natural abundance of our sunshine state. For those seeking fun and adventure Florida offers something special for everyone. Sunbathing, beaches, deep sea fishing, sailing, swimming, snorkeling, tropical blue waters, dolphins, manatees, bird watching, fine dining and exciting night life make up some of the favored activities.  Centrally located at Burnt Store Marina on Charlotte Harbor, Wind Quest provides training and adventure sailing excursions that are custom tailored to the desires of their clients. Following are excerpts from the log entries of a  7 day Adventure Passage to the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas in late summer 2002. (continued below)

                            

        On 10 AM Saturday morning we all met at the Wind Quest slip at Burnt Store Marina. The five members of our crew included a Doctor of Psychology, a college professor, a business executive, her retired father and of course our Captain/Instructor. Like a thoroughbred ready to stretch her legs, Wind Quest, our 41 foot Beneteau Yacht sat shimmering elegantly in her slip. Her clean lines and state of the art rigging gave evidence of the speed and power that she contained. After introductions, an orientation to the yacht and a safety briefing we stowed our gear in our respective areas and moved on deck to help prepare for departure. Once the engine was started, the dock lines cast off and we began to move slowly away from our slip the sense of adventure and excitement became real and personal. Later, as we sped through Boca Grande pass and into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, we were met by a small pod of dolphins that momentarily escorted us along our way. It seemed that they were bidding us a safe and pleasant journey. The first afternoon our Captain / Instructor provided the first of our many classes navigation, helmsmanship, safety and sailing skills. As evening fell, the clouds parted revealing a brilliant theatre of stars that entranced us for the remainder of the night. While wind and wave did not cooperative completely that first evening, Wind Quest demonstrated her comfort, speed and agility, as she smoothly and effortlessly cut through the waves and relentlessly continued her march to the South.

        Early the next morning, a radiant sunrise, a magnificent blue sky, and a freshening breeze greeted us. Under full sail and more favorable wind conditions, we hastened to narrow the distance to Key West. After breakfast, we decided to play out the trolling lines and soon had hooked and landed the first of many fish that we would take along our journey. The 20 lb King Mackerel was quickly cleaned, bagged and refrigerated for later consumption. By mid-day the wind was propelling us at speeds upwards of 8 knots as we continued to perfect our sailing skills. The water had changed to a brilliant turquoise green and we began dodging the floats and lines of commercial crab pots. Our charts and GPS quickly confirmed our suspicions of impending landfall. Our first glimpse of Key West was the towering cruise ships that habitually frequent this exciting and historic port. These marvelous monsters marked our way to the harbor entrance. As we pulled into our slip along the Historic Waterfront district we took time out to relax and celebrate our safe arrival. Later and with great anticipation, we set off for a sumptuous dinner of fresh Mackerel (fried, blackened, grilled and baked) followed by a casual stroll down Key West’s famed Duvall Street. At night, Key West comes alive with antics and entertainment at such popular nightspots as Sloppy Joes, and The Bull.

          Following a late morning breakfast, we slipped our moorings and set out for a short and pleasant sail to Rock Key. As we approached this popular snorkeling site along the outer reef, the water became crystal clear and we could begin to pick out fish and other features on the seabed below. A few minutes later we were safely moored over the reef. On went the snorkeling gear and overboard we went. The reef was teeming with sea life and the colors were vivid, vibrant and entrancing. We swam and explored this undersea spectacle for more than an hour until at last we gave in to fatigue and returned to Wind Quest. Back on board we shared our lunch scraps with a playful school of tropical fish before we departed to enjoy a relaxing afternoon sail amid the lush tropical waters surrounding Key West. Late in the afternoon we returned to our slip and then set out for the short walk to Mallory Square. Situated on the western end of the island, Mallory Square is a popular sunset location for the island’s many visitors. In addition to its amazing sunsets, the square is always filled with street vendors, comics and entertainers. One never knows what they will encounter at Mallory Square. After sunset, we enjoyed dinner at the famed Hog’s Breath Saloon followed by nightlife and entertainment- Key West style.

        Tuesday morning, we decided to stay ashore for some shopping and sight seeing. Key West has a rich history and we spent an enjoyable morning touring historical landmarks and attractions such as Hemingway’s home, Mel Fisher’s treasure museum, and Harry Truman’s Little Whitehouse. Later that afternoon, we met back at Wind Quest for a spectacular sunset sail. Again the winds were fresh and favorable and once we cleared the south channel we were treated to front row seats for a show that we shall never forget. From a distant line of thunderclouds, we watched as Mother Nature demonstrated her awesome power and 4 funnel clouds dropped to the sea surface to become waterspouts. From our distant and upwind position, we were never in danger nor concerned for our safety, but we were certainly captivated by this rare and amazing event. Later, those same storm clouds provided the perfect backdrop for a show of color and light as the sun sank slowly beneath the horizon.

          Wednesday we arose early and made ready for our predawn departure. The Wind was fresh and steady from the East and the outgoing tide give us an extra push as we entered into Hawks Channel on the Atlantic side of the Keys. Heading west, we captured the speed of the wind and the power of the waves as we sped towards our next destination. Along the way, the clear waters sparkled in magnificent shades of blue and green and a group of Dolphins came up to play along side and under the yacht. By mid-afternoon, we began to distinguish the features of the Dry Tortugas and an hour or so later we were sliding past Fort Jefferson as we entered the Garden Key anchorage. The islands and reefs of the Dry Tortugas are now protected as a National Park and feature Fort Jefferson, a civil war era fortification. Fort Jefferson was designed to defend the Atlantic entrance to the Gulf of Mexico and although never tested in battle, it was later used as a civil war prison. The fort’s most famous inmate was Dr Mudd, the alleged accomplice of John Wilkes Booth. Once ashore, we had plenty of time to explore this fascinating old fort. Constructed entirely of imported bricks, Fort Jefferson remains the best surviving example of a civil war era fort and clearly demonstrates the craftsmanship and design features of the times. As park access is available only by boat, we found ourselves quite alone and enjoying a very private stroll through the grounds of the fort.

          With the morning sun came our first glimpse of land. As we neared Boca Grande pass, Sanibel, Captiva and Cayo Costa swept in from the starboard side to greet us. Realizing that the adventure was soon to come to a close, a relaxed and fulfilled crew took time to reflect on the overall impact of their sailing adventure. The fun, the friendship, the sense of accomplishment, the colors, the waters, the stars, the sights and the excitement and training during our sailing adventure had left a lasting impression on all of us. Among the crew there was even some boasting regarding who had caught the largest fish and of course with each passing moment the fish seemed to become larger and larger. Having escaped from the routine burdens of our everyday lives, we all sensed renewed strength, a positive outlook and restored vigor. The executive and her father had not only shared a life experience, but the quality time they enjoyed gave them a chance to renew bonds and build a stronger relationship. Alas, all good things must ultimately come to an end and as Wind Quest settled back into her Burnt Store slip we sadly bid farewell to our new found friends but with visions and promises and plans for our next adventure with Wind Quest.

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